Japanese version available [here]
- Introduction
- Who might find this helpful
- A brief introduction (for first-time visitors)
- To begin with — my simple conclusion
- The one piece of advice my CPE teacher gave me
- My five “anchor expressions” for the CPE Speaking test
- A small but useful trick
- Your partner is not your rival — they’re your bridge partner
- Final thoughts
Introduction
🔹My Personal Journey Towards Passing the Cambridge CPE Speaking Test🔹
Thank you for visiting this site.
In this post, I’d like to share the one simple strategy that helped me cross the passing line (around 60%) in the CPE Speaking test.
This approach can also be adapted if you’re preparing for CAE or FCE, and it’s a practical method that can genuinely make a difference on exam day.
Who might find this helpful
This post may be of interest if you:
🔹Aren’t aiming for a top score, but want to ensure you pass the Speaking test
🔹Feel anxious that you might freeze up during the exam
🔹Worry about being paired with someone who speaks far more fluently than you
A brief introduction (for first-time visitors)
While living in the UK, I worked my way through the Cambridge English exams in stages — starting with FCE, then moving on to CAE, and finally CPE.
The strategy I’ll describe here is the one I personally used when preparing for CPE (C2 Proficiency).
If you’re studying for FCE or CAE, I hope you’ll find it adaptable: you can identify expressions that suit your own level and use them as your personal “anchor expressions ”.
Although I sat the CPE before the most recent updates to the test format, the core evaluation criteria remain largely the same, so I believe this approach is still entirely valid today.
Because there are relatively few detailed first-hand accounts of the CPE, I would like to share mine in the hope it might be of help to anyone currently preparing.
To begin with — my simple conclusion
What I did came down to one simple idea:
Don’t try to cram in too many complicated words or phrases. No matter what topic comes up, focus on naturally using the five advanced expressions you’ve chosen in advance — and make sure you use them all.
This mindset gave me a sense of calm and focus, and ultimately, it was what helped me cross the passing line.
The one piece of advice my CPE teacher gave me
When I was preparing for CPE, I attended a preparation course.
The teacher who led it made a lasting impression on me. He wasn’t a native speaker — he was from continental Europe — but he had passed the CPE with an almost perfect Grade A.
His advice came straight from experience and was both clear and practical.
Although we didn’t do much formal speaking practice in class, he gave us one powerful piece of advice:
Before the exam, decide on a set of fifty advanced words, phrases, and grammatical structures that meet the CPE level. Whatever topic appears, find a way to use them naturally during the test.
He had used this exact approach himself — and it had helped him achieve his outstanding result.
It’s simple advice, but incredibly effective.
Many candidates focus so much on what to say that they forget to demonstrate the language range the exam requires.
Having a clear list of target expressions acts as the perfect safeguard against that.
Looking back, I feel truly fortunate to have met a teacher like him. His calm, thoughtful and practical approach and genuine passion for the language always helped me stay motivated.
Of course, I knew that remembering and using fifty expressions, as my teacher suggested, would be too ambitious for me — especially under pressure. So I decided to narrow it down to just five. These became my anchor expressions — my “speaking charms”, so to speak.
My five “anchor expressions” for the CPE Speaking test
At first, I worried that five might be too few.
After all, the CPE is the highest level of the Cambridge exams, and the bar for vocabulary and grammar is very high.
But as I reflected, I realised something important: knowing many difficult words doesn’t matter if you can’t use them naturally and confidently.
So, instead of aiming for quantity, I focused on authentic use — choosing only expressions I could use comfortably and naturally, whatever the topic.
Here were my five:
- Third conditional
🔹Highly flexible, suitable for almost any topic, and demonstrates control of a complex structure.
🔹Example: If I had known earlier, I would have approached it differently.
- Third conditional with inversion
🔹A step up in sophistication: Had I known earlier, I would have approached it differently.
🔹I used both forms at different points in the test to show that I could vary my structures naturally.
- Relative clause with “where”
🔹Simple, but versatile and perfect for demonstrating sentence variety.
🔹I often combined it with participle clauses or conditionals to create natural complexity.
- Vocabulary: “categorically”
🔹A strong, emphatic word that adds precision and conviction when used correctly. (Having just learnt this word in class, I decided to try using it.)
🔹Example: I categorically disagree with that statement.
- Perfect participle phrase
🔹Beyond the standard Having said that, I used structures such as Having considered the alternatives… or Having examined the pros and cons… to create a more academic tone.
These expressions became my anchors. Even when I was nervous, I knew I could fall back on them — they helped me regain focus and demonstrate my level with confidence.
If this idea appeals to you, try creating your own set of “anchor” expressions — ones that feel natural to you. Even a small set to rely on can provide a surprising amount of reassurance during the exam.
If possible, try to use one or two of them early in the test. It can help you settle in quickly.
A small but useful trick
If you’re short on time, feel free to skip this section — but here’s a little extra tip that helped me:
Gently steer the topic towards your strengths — towards areas where you can use your prepared language naturally.
Of course, you can’t predict the topic in advance, but by linking it to experiences you’ve already thought through, you can create a smoother flow and express yourself with more confidence.
The key is not to memorise fixed sentences word for word, but to internalise the content so that you can adapt it naturally in response to the conversation.
For example, one of the pieces I had prepared looked like this:
After facing many difficulties, I found myself in a situation where I needed a great deal of support from my friends. Had it not been for their help, I couldn’t have overcome it. I’m deeply grateful that they were there for me throughout the experience.
It wasn’t filled with fancy vocabulary — but it was mine. It came from a genuine experience, and that authenticity made it sound more natural in the test.
Your partner is not your rival — they’re your bridge partner
My partner on exam day was technically a classmate, but we’d hardly spoken before.
She was incredibly fluent — far more than I was — and I remember feeling slightly intimidated at first.
But once the test began, something shifted. When I used one of my prepared expressions right at the start, she looked at me, nodded with a slight smile, and that small gesture completely changed the atmosphere.
It reminded me that my partner wasn’t an opponent. We were both walking across the same unsteady bridge — side by side, not competing.
We couldn’t talk to each other directly, but it felt as if we were silently saying, “We’ll get through this together.”
That realisation calmed me, and the rest of the test went much more smoothly.
Final thoughts
If you’re worried about freezing up, or about being paired with someone who seems far stronger — don’t be.
I’ve been there, and I promise: it’s survivable.
What truly matters is having something to hold on to — your own set of “anchor expressions” that give you confidence.
And remember: your partner isn’t your enemy; they’re your fellow traveller on the same shaky bridge.
Even if your voice trembles, stay focused on what you’ve prepared, and do your best to express yourself clearly.
If you do that, you may have regrets — but you won’t regret not trying.
If you’re currently working towards one of the Cambridge English qualifications — especially the higher levels — I hope this reflection offers some encouragement.
Thank you for reading all the way through, and I wish you all the best in your studies and future success!
Japanese version available [here]
🔹 Coming soon:
- CPE Speaking: I Passed with a C, While My Partner Got an A – A Real Story, Including Group Pass Rates (coming soon)
Also available : **Cambridge English Exams: Self-study vs Preparation Courses | What I Learnt After 8 Attempts (FCE → CAE → CPE)**
