WHAT IS THE FCE EXAM?

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 KEY FACTS

CEFR level: B2
Scale score: 160–179 
Test format: Computer or paper-based
No. of papers: 4
Exam length: About 3.5 hours
A B2 FIRST FOR SCHOOLS QUALIFICATION SHOWS THAT
STUDENTS CAN:

• communicate effectively face to face, expressing opinions and presenting arguments

• write clear, detailed English, expressing opinions and explaining the advantages and disadvantages
of different points of view

• follow the news

• write letters, reports, stories and lots of other types of text.

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READING AND USE OF ENGLISH
(1 hour 15 minutes)
7 parts / 52 questions
40% of total marks

Lengths of texts: 2,200–2,500 words to read in total.

Students need to be able to understand a range of texts, including how they are organised and the
opinions and attitudes expressed in them. The texts will be from sources familiar to school-aged learners,
such as magazines, articles, fiction and advertisements, but targeted at the interests of students.

Students’ use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well they can control their grammar and
vocabulary.

PAPER
Reading and UOE
For Parts 1 to 4, students read a range
of texts and do grammar and
vocabulary tasks
For Parts 5 to 7, students read a
series of texts and answer questions
that test reading ability and show that
they can deal with a variety of
different types of texts.
Lengths of texts: 2,200–2,500 words
to read in total.
Newspaper and magazine articles,
reports, fiction, advertisements,
letters, messages, informational
material (e.g. brochures, guides,
manuals, etc.).
Part Task type
1 multiple-choice cloze
2 Open cloze
3 Word formation
4 Key word transformation
5 multiple-choice
6 Gapping text
7 Multiple matching
TOTAL
questions Format What do you need to practise
MARKS
A text in which there are some missing words or phrases (gaps). After the
Vocabulary – words with similar meanings, collocations,
8 8 text there are four possible answers for each gap and you have to choose
linking phrases, phrasal verbs, etc
the correct answer (A, B, C or D).
A text in which there are some gaps, each of which represents one missing
8 8 Grammar and vocabulary.
word. You have to find the correct word for each gap.
Vocabulary – word-building: the different words which
A text containing eight gaps. Each gap represents a word. At the end of the
the student can make from a ‘base’ word, e.g. ‘compete’
8 8 line is a ‘prompt’ word which you have to change in some way to complete
becomes ‘competition’, ‘competitor’, ‘competitive’,
the sentence correctly.
‘competitively’ or ‘uncompetitive’.
Each question consists of a sentence followed by a `key´ word and a second
sentence which has a gap in it. You have to use this key word to complete Grammar and vocabulary – rewriting sentences with
6 12
the second sentence, in two to five words, so that it means the same as the different words so that they mean the same thing.
first sentence.
A text with some multiple-choice questions. For each question, there are Reading for detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea,
6 12
four options and you have to choose A, B, C or D. implication, attitudes.
A single page of text with some numbered gaps which represent missing
sentences. After the text there are some sentences which are not in the right How to understand the structure and follow the
6 12
order. You have to read the text and the paragraphs and decide which development of a text.
sentence best fits each gap.
A series of questions and a long text or several short texts to read. For each Reading for specific information, detail, opinion and
10 10
question, you have to decide which text or part of the text mentions this. attitude.
WRITING
(1 hour 20 minutes)
2 parts
20% of total marks

Students are required to produce two pieces of writing.

The first piece is compulsory and will be an essay of 140–190 words.

For the second, they can choose from an article, email, letter, essay, review or story of
140–190 words.
PAPER Part Task type questions Format What do you need to practise

Developing points as fully as possible in order

You read a text, then write an essay based on points
Writing

to demonstrate a range of structures,

220-260 included in the text. You’ll be asked to explain
1 Essay vocabulary and language functions, such as
words which of the two points is more important, and to
evaluating, expressing opinions, hypothesising,
give reasons for your opinion.
justifying, persuading.

Report
Review You write a text from a choice of text types –
Letter
Email 220-260 letter/email, proposal, report or review. To guide Writing the different types of text that could be
2
Proposal words your writing, you’ll be given information about included in the exam.
context, topic purpose and target reader.
Story
LISTENING
(about 40 minutes)

4 parts / 30 questions

Requires being able to follow and understand a range of familiar spoken materials, such as news
programmes, public announcements and other sources, but targeted at the interests of school-aged
learners.
PAPER Part Task type questions Format What do you need to practise
Tests your ability to follow and 1
understand a range of spoken
Listening

materials.
Three short extracts from conversations between interacting Listening for feeling, attitude, opinion,
Multiple
For each part you have to listen to a 6 speakers. There are two multiple-choice questions for each purpose, function, agreement, course of
recorded text or texts and answer choice
extract and you have to choose A, B or C. action, gist, detail, etc.
some questions.

You hear each recording twice.

2
Recordings may be: Monologues:
radio broadcasts, speeches, talks,
A monologue lasting approximately 3 minutes. You have to
lectures, anecdotes, etc.; or interacting Sentence Listening for specific information, stated
speakers: radio broadcasts, interviews, 8 complete the sentences on the question paper with the missing
completion opinion.
discussions, every conversations, etc. information which you hear on the recording.

TIME: About 40 minutes

3

A conversation between two or more speakers of

Listening for attitude, opinion, agreement,
Multiple approximately 4 minutes. You have to answer some multiple-
6 gist, feeling, speaker purpose, function and
choice choice questions by choosing the correct answer from four
detail.
options (A, B C or D).

A series of five themed monologues of approximately 30

Listening for gist, attitude, opinion, main
Multiple seconds each. On the question paper, there are two tasks and
10 points, speaker purpose and feeling;
matching for each task you have to match each of the five speakers to
interpreting context.
one of eight possible answers.
SPEAKING
(14 minues per pair of candidates)

4 parts

A face to face test taken with one or two other candidates and an examiner. Students have to
show how well they can produce spontaneous spoken language, talking with either the
examiner, the other candidate, or by themselves.
PAPER Part Task type questions Format What do you need to practise

Conversation between the candidates and the interlocutor. The examiner asks
Giving information about yourself and expressing your
Speaking
1 Interview 2 min. questions and you may have to give information about your interests, studies,
opinion about various topics.
careers, etc.

The interlocutor gives you three pictures and asks you to talk about two of them.
1 min. candidate
+ You have to speak for 1 minute without interruption and the interlocutor then
asks the other candidate to comment on what you have said for about 30 seconds.
Talking on your own about something: comparing,
2 Long turn 30sec. response The other candidate receives a different set of photographs and you have to listen describing, expressing opinions, speculating.
from the second and comment when they have finished speaking. The questions you have to
candidate. answer about your photographs are written at the top of the page to remind you
what you should talk about.

3 minutes Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner gives you spoken
instructions with written prompts which are used in a discussion. You have to
Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions,
Collaborative (2-min. discussion talk with the other candidate for about 2 minutes (3 minutes for groups of three)
3 agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating,
task followed by a 1- about the written prompts. After the discussion time, the examiner will ask you
evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc.
min. decision- another question which requires you to make a decision. You have 1 minute to
making task) talk together and make the decision (2 minutes for groups of three).

Further discussion with the other candidate based on the

Further discussion with the other candidate based on the topics or issues raised in
topics or issues raised in the task in Part 3. The interlocutor
4 Discussion 5 minutes the task in Part 3. The interlocutor asks each of you some questions and you
asks each of you some questions and you discuss them with
discuss them with the other candidate.
the other candidate.
RESOURCES:

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/first-for-schools/
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