C1 Advanced · Listening · Module 4, Lesson 2

Part 2: Sentence Completion

One monologue, eight gaps to fill with the exact word or short phrase you hear. The examiners are testing whether you can extract precise content words from denser, faster speech than at B2 level.

8 gaps 1 mark each (8 total) ~10 min target One to three words per gap · heard twice
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What this part really tests

Part 2 plays one longer monologue — a talk, a briefing, an expert explanation — while you complete eight sentences with words taken directly from what you hear. At C1, the speech is faster and denser than B2, so gaps can require catching a phrase, not just a single word.

The examiner's method

  1. Read all eight sentences before you press play, and predict the word class or type of content expected in each gap.
  2. Gaps follow the recording's order, so let each completed sentence anchor you to the next moment to listen for.
  3. Write exactly what you hear, including any technical or slightly formal term — C1 gaps rarely accept a simplified paraphrase.
  4. If a gap needs more than one word, don't panic; write the full phrase as spoken, not a shortened version.
  5. Don't dwell on a missed gap; each sentence is independent, so a miss doesn't cascade into the next answer.
  6. Use the second listen to confirm spelling and exact wording on gaps you got provisionally right.

Traps that cost marks

Multi-word answer
The gap needs a full phrase (like "third-party verification"), and writing only the first word loses the mark.
Formal register word
The speaker uses a precise, sometimes technical term where a simpler synonym might seem to fit — write the word actually used.
Similar figures
Two related numbers appear close together in the same sentence — the surrounding grammar usually tells you which one the gap needs.

Worked example

"Before you agree to any freelance contract, insist on a clear scope-of-work document, outlining exactly what's included, so any extra request later counts as additional, billable work."

Gapped sentence: Insist on a clear [gap] outlining exactly what's included.

  1. The gap needs a specific noun phrase, not a single word — the sentence structure ("a clear ___") signals this.
  2. The speaker says "a clear scope-of-work document" — a precise, multi-word term.
  3. Writing just "document" or "contract" would miss the specific term that was actually used.
  4. Answer: scope-of-work document.
Try

Micro-trainer — a short monologue first

Read all four sentences below before you press play. The recording is heard twice, exactly as in the real exam.

Try score: 0 / 4
Ready for the real thing? Scroll down to Apply — a brand new eight-gap monologue in exact exam format, against the clock.
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Exam-format practice

A new full-length monologue, official Part 2 format, eight gaps. Aim to finish before the timer runs out — then check your answers below.

10:00

Your result

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This is a practice estimate for one exam part only. Your official Cambridge result is calculated across the whole exam on the Cambridge English Scale.

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