CEnT-S: 65 Questions Instead of 55

If one guide says 55 questions and another says 65, check their sources and dates. We checked CISIA's current structure and syllabus on 18 October 2026: its table lists six sections and 140 minutes. This article compares that table with the older format; it does not announce a separate change date for your particular sitting.

Old and current structures side by side

The old column comes from article 1.2.1 of the CISIA CEnT rules for 2025–26. The current column comes from the live structure page linked above.

The five existing subject blocks retain those question counts and timings. The extra reading block accounts for the difference. Do not confuse the older CEnT-S with the retired English TOLC tests, which had their own structures.

What does the reading section test?

CISIA describes English reading at B2 level, including understanding relationships within a text and what it implies. Its texts can be non-fiction, literary or journalistic. This is a reading task, not a speaking assessment or a test of specialist subject knowledge.

For preparation, choose a short English passage and write its main point in one sentence. For each answer you select, identify the supporting phrase. Separate what the writer states from what you happen to know about the subject. If two options seem plausible, explain what makes one too broad, too narrow or unsupported.

Once you can justify your answers, practise within the reading timer. Keep a record of whether errors come from unfamiliar language, missed evidence or an inference the text does not support. Our worked sample questions for every section show an example without repeating a whole practice paper here.

Why do older guides still say 55 and 110?

Those numbers describe a real earlier format: the dated CISIA regulation above contains them. An older article or book may reflect that version. Its publication date or a general claim to be updated does not establish which structure its exercises follow. Check the contents and the mock timers directly; we cannot know an individual publisher's reason for retaining older copy.

Each current section has its own timer. Moving on early forfeits unused time, and you cannot return to an earlier section. You cannot save time in biology to spend it on reading.

What should you change in your preparation?

Add reading practice, check that a full mock includes all six blocks, and keep the scoring rule in view: +1 correct, 0 blank, −0.25 wrong. See our guessing calculation before deciding how to handle uncertainty.

Which sections a degree counts is a separate question: see Do you have to take every section?. For practice following the current structure, explore the CEnT-S course.