What is on the CIPLE reading test?

Short, everyday European-Portuguese texts and questions about them. Nothing is academic. You get text messages, signs and notices, longer personal descriptions and short stories. The paper is built from a few repeating task types, which is what makes reading the fastest part of the exam to improve at.

Updated September 2026 · 2 min read

The repeating task types

The exact layout varies between sessions, but the same shapes come back. These are the ones worth drilling until they feel routine.

Match the short messages. You read a short situation, for example someone telling a landlady the heating is not working, and pick the message that fits. The trap is an option that mentions the same topic but says the wrong thing. Match the intent, not the keywords.

Read a sign or notice. A real-world notice: pharmacy opening hours, a bus-ticket rule, a library sign. One question about it. The answer is always in the text. Watch the negatives (não, só, exceto) and the time and price details, which is where the wrong answers hide.

Match texts to people. A longer description of a person, where you match sentence beginnings to their correct endings, with some endings left unused. Work one beginning at a time and cross off endings as you use them.

Read a short story. A short narrative with several multiple-choice questions after it. The questions usually follow the order of the text, so you can read, answer, read on.

How it is marked

Objectively. Your answer is right or wrong, and no examiner judgement enters into it. That is unusual on this exam and it is good news: it means practice translates directly into marks.

The mistakes that cost the easiest marks

Overthinking. A2 texts are literal. If an answer looks obvious, it usually is.
Keyword matching. The wrong option often repeats a word from the text.
Ignoring negatives. Só de segunda a sexta means not at the weekend.
Leaving blanks. There is no penalty for guessing, so answer everything.

You can try three real exam-style reading questions free on our homepage, no account needed.

How do I practise for the CIPLE reading test effectively?

Short, frequent practice with immediate feedback. Answer a few exam-style questions, see what you got wrong, read the correction, repeat. Five minutes a day beats a three-hour session the week before, because reading improves with reps rather than with theory.

What vocabulary do I need for the CIPLE A2 exam?

Everyday European Portuguese, not academic language. Transport, shops, food, health, housing, work, family and daily routine. The texts are signs, messages, notices and short personal stories, so the useful vocabulary is what you would meet living an ordinary week in Portugal.

How long does the CIPLE exam take on the day?

Budget most of a morning. The reading paper runs about 45 minutes, writing about 45, and listening about 30. The speaking interview is separate and short, usually 10 to 15 minutes with one or two examiners. Exact timings vary by session, so treat these as planning figures rather than a promise.