Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) Practice Test 2026 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success

The primary task in the Listening section is to comprehend and respond to spoken language. This involves understanding the content, context, and nuances of what is being said. Students must focus on listening carefully to various audio materials, which may include conversations, interviews, or lectures, in order to grasp the main ideas, details, and implied meanings. This skill is crucial for effective communication and comprehension in real-life situations where listening is required.

In contrast, the other options focus on different areas of language proficiency. Reading written texts emphasizes reading skills rather than auditory skills. Answering fill-in-the-gap tasks typically pertains to written exercises, often testing knowledge of vocabulary or grammar rather than listening comprehension. Writing essays requires a different set of skills entirely, focusing on organizing ideas and expressing them in written form, which is not relevant to the Listening section of the test. Thus, comprehending and responding effectively to spoken language is the key task in this part of the assessment.