Passing Cambridge C2 Proficiency Reading and Use of English Part 6

Many people baulk when it comes to Part 6 of the Cambridge C2 Proficiency Reading and Use of English. This section has more text to get through than any of the other sections.

Part 6 may be challenging, but it’s far from impossible. You just need strategies to keep yourself focussed on the right details and use your time effectively.

Unsure which approach to take? Here’s how we recommend tackling the Reading and Use of English Part 6.

What’s in Reading and Use of English Part 6?

Part 6 covers two pages of the exam.

The first page has a long text with missing paragraphs indicated by numbered boxes. Here’s a condensed version of what you might see:

In our example, B matches with item 37. This paragraph fits because it elaborates on the general discussion about rewilding in the introduction.

There are seven gaps in total which are worth two points each. That means you can score a total of 14 points in Part 6.

How should I answer the questions?

You start by reading the long text on the first page and the smaller texts on the second page. As these are incomplete, they won’t fully make sense yet.

Afterwards, you try to match the small, lettered paragraphs with the numbered gaps in the long text. Note there are more letters than numbers. One of the smaller texts doesn’t fit anywhere – it’s there to distract you.

When you’ve made a match, you can write the letter next to its corresponding number in the answer sheet.

What are they testing me on in Part 6?

Part 6 tests your cohesion and coherence. It aims to see how well you can follow the flow of ideas in a text to understand the overall meaning.

You might be expected to demonstrate your understanding of:

The example above is the start of an argument explaining the pros and cons of rewilding.

By adding the missing sections, you can show you recognise which idea belongs where. For instance, in the argument above, you can demonstrate you understand the cohesive devices and language for pros, cons, inferences and examples in English.

Strategies for getting the answer right

Here are some tips that will help you correctly match all the paragraphs in Part 6:

Read the whole passage first

Even though the text won’t make complete sense, read it quickly anyway. You may instinctively have ideas about what should go in the gaps.

Then read the eight paragraphs on the following page. Some of them may be what you were expecting to see. All you have to do next is check they actually fit.

Follow themes and ideas

Part 6 is more focused on meaning than some of the other Reading and Use of English tasks. You need to understand what message the text is trying to convey to get the right answers.

Identify what type of text you’re dealing with. Is it an argument, an explanation or a narrative? If it’s a pros and cons piece, you would expect each point to be followed by examples or contrasting ideas.

Whatever the type of text, the final paragraph should reach a conclusion and give you some sort of takeaway or point.

Look at cohesive devices

Analyse the way each paragraph starts and ends. Often, the grammar structure indicates which type of idea should come before or follow.

For example, paragraph A in the sample above starts, ‘While there are many ecological benefits…’ which suggests the text is about to introduce contradictory ideas. ‘While’ is an adverb of contrast.

The second paragraph in the text is about the benefits of rewilding. This tells us that A belongs afterwards in gap number 38.

Use the process of elimination

If you’re stuck on a specific item, see which paragraphs definitely can’t fit the gap. Some tell-tale signs are:

This narrows down your options, making it easier to spot the correct answer.

Only use this strategy when you’re down to the last few items and feeling stumped. Otherwise, you’ll waste time you could be spending on other parts of the test.

Re-read the passage again

Once you’ve answered all the questions, read the entire passage again but this time with all the missing paragraphs. You should notice if there are any inconsistencies in the logic or flow. This step helps you confirm your answers.

If you’re unsure of an answer, you could try reading through the text with other paragraphs inserted. Just make sure you’ve already attempted Part 7 first so you don’t run out of time.

Top tips for preparation

Let’s look at some effective ways to prepare for the C2 Proficiency Reading and Use of English Part 6:

Closing thoughts

Part 6 may be long but you can breeze through it with the right strategies. The key is reading and writing practice and lots of it.

Sometimes, it can be tricky to understand why items don’t match. You may just have a vague feeling that it’s wrong. A good tutor can help you understand why you should use one paragraph and not the other.

Think you need help preparing for your test? Explore the exam courses at Oxford House.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Baulk (v): to hesitate because something is difficult.

Elaborate (adj): to give more details on a topic.

Convey (v): to communicate an idea or feeling.

Stumped (v): unable to solve a problem or issue.

breeze through (pv): to do something easily and without effort.

Key

v = verb

pv = phrasal verb

adj = adjective