CET-4 vs CET-6
A structured comparison of structure, scoring, and key differences between College English Test Band 4 and Band 6.
Comparison table
| Aspect | CET-4 | CET-6 |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 125 min | 130 min |
| Score scale | 0–710 | 0–710 |
| Listening | 35% | 35% |
| Reading | 35% | 35% |
| Writing | 15% | 15% |
| Translation | 15% | 15% |
| Format | Same component structure | Same component structure; higher difficulty |
| Administration | NEEA, typically June & Dec | NEEA, typically June & Dec |
Structure
CET-4 and CET-6 share four sections with identical weightings: Writing 15%, Listening 35%, Reading 35% and Translation 15%. The banked-vocabulary cloze is a task within Reading, not a separate 10% component. The main difference is difficulty: CET-6 uses longer passages, denser vocabulary and more complex tasks. Both are administered by NEEA; CET-4 lasts 125 minutes and CET-6 lasts 130 minutes. A separate spoken test (CET-SET) may be taken independently.
Scoring
Both exams use a 710-point scale. NEEA does not publish an official pass mark; many institutions use 425 as their own benchmark. Score reports group results as Listening, Reading, and Writing & Translation, plus the total. Institutions and employers may set different minimum scores for CET-4 and CET-6.
Difficulty differences
CET-6 reading passages are typically longer and more academic; listening content is faster and denser. Its banked-vocabulary reading task involves more complex collocations and discourse. Writing and translation require a broader lexical and grammatical range. Candidates moving from CET-4 to CET-6 should therefore build vocabulary, increase processing speed, and practise sustained reading and listening without treating cloze as a separate exam section.
Preparation: moving from CET-4 to CET-6
Do not prepare by repeating CET-4 papers faster. First compare your CET-4 profile across Listening, Reading, and combined Writing and Translation, then test the specific CET-6 task families. The section percentages are identical, but CET-6 Listening replaces short news with talks, reports and lectures and lasts 30 rather than 25 minutes.
Increase processing depth
Follow arguments, speaker stance, paragraph logic and inference in denser material instead of relying on keyword matching.
Keep the real sequence
Rehearse Writing, Listening, Reading and Translation in the official order and within the 130-minute CET-6 total.
Review by evidence
For selected-response tasks, locate the wording that proves the answer. For production, review task completion, organisation, register and recurring language errors.
Official examination websites
For registration, dates, and authoritative information, refer to the official source.
CET is administered by NEEA under the Ministry of Education. EduZMS is not affiliated with examination bodies. This content is for informational purposes only.