B2 First (FCE)

B2 First (FCE)

Scale score: 160–179 Test format: Computer or paper-based

No. of papers: 4 Exam length: About 3.5 hours

Exam Format

B2 First is a test of all areas of language ability. The Speaking test is taken face to face, with
two candidates and two examiners. This creates a more realistic and reliable measure of your
ability to use English to communicate.

Paper Content Purpose

Reading and Use of English 7 parts/ Shows you can deal confidently with different types
(1 hour 15 minutes) 52 questions of text, such as fiction, newspapers and magazines.
Tests your use of English with tasks that show how
well you can control your grammar and vocabulary.

Writing 2 parts Requires you to be able to produce two different

(1 hour 20 minutes) pieces of writing, such as letters, reports, reviews
and essays.

Listening 4 parts/ Requires you to be able to follow and understand a

(about 40 minutes) 30 questions range of spoken materials, such as news
programmes, presentations and everyday
conversations.

Speaking 4 parts Tests your ability to communicate effectively in

(14 minutes per pair of face to face situations. You will take the Speaking
candidates) test with one or two other candidates.

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 B2 First (FCE)

I. Reading and Use of English Paper:

The B2 First Reading and Use of English paper is in seven parts and has a mix of text types and
questions.
For Parts 1 to 4, you read a range of texts and do grammar and vocabulary tasks.
For Parts 5 to 7, you read a series of texts and answer questions that test your reading ability
and show that you can deal with a variety of different types of texts.

Summary

Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes

Number of parts: 7

Number of questions: 52

Marks: 40% of total

Length of texts: About 2,200 words to read in total.

Texts may be from: Newspapers and magazines, journals,

books (fiction and non-fiction), promotional
and informational material.

Part 1 (Multiple choice cloze)

What's in Part 1? A text with some multiple-choice questions. Each

question has four options (A, B, C or D) – you have to
decide which is the correct answer.

What do I have to practise? Vocabulary – idioms, collocations, shades of meaning,

phrasal verbs, fixed phrases etc.

How many questions are there? 8

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

Part 2 (Open cloze)

What's in Part 2? A text in which there are some gaps, each of which
represents one missing word. You have to think of the
correct word for each gap.

What do I have to practise? Grammar and vocabulary.

How many questions are there? 8

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

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 B2 First (FCE)

Part 3 (Word formation)

What's in Part 3? A text containing eight gaps. Each gap represents a

word. At the end of the line is a ‘prompt’ word which
you have to change in some way to complete the
sentence correctly.

What do I have to practise? Vocabulary.

How many questions are there? 8

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

Part 4 (Key word transformations)

What's in Part 4? Each question consists of a sentence followed by a

‘key’ word and a second sentence with a gap in the
middle. You have to use this key word to complete the
second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to
the first sentence.

What do I have to practise? Grammar and vocabulary.

How many questions are there? 6

How many marks are there? Up to 2 marks for each correct answer.

Part 5 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 5? A text with some multiple-choice questions. For each

question, there are four options and you have to
choose A, B, C or D.

What do I have to practise? Reading for detail, opinion, tone, purpose, main idea,
implication, attitude.

How many questions are there? 6

How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer.

Part 6 (Gapped text)

What's in Part 6? 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 order. You
have to read the text and the sentences and decide
which sentence best fits each gap.

What do I have to practise? How to understand the structure and development of

a text.

How many questions are there? 6

How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer.

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 B2 First (FCE)

Part 7 (Multiple matching)

What's in Part 7? A series of statements followed by a text divided into

sections or several short texts. You have to match
each statement to the section or text in which you can
find the information.

What do I have to practise? Reading for specific information, detail, opinion and
attitude.

How many questions are there? 10

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

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 B2 First (FCE)

II. Writing paper:

In the two parts of the B2 First Writing paper, you have to show that you can write different
types of text in English.

Summary

Time allowed: 1 hour 20 minutes

Number of parts: 2

Number of questions: Part 1: one compulsory question,

Part 2: one question from a choice of three

Types of task: Articles, email, essay, letter, report,

review.

Part 1 (Compulsory question)

What's in Part 1? You’re given an essay title and two ideas clearly linked
to the title. You write an essay giving your opinions
about the title, using the ideas given. You must also
add a third, different idea of your own linked to the
title. The title will be a subject of general interest –
you won’t need any specialised knowledge.

What do I have to practise? Using language functions, such as evaluating,

expressing opinions, hypothesising, justifying,
persuading.

How many questions are there? One compulsory question.

How much do I have to write? 140–190 words

Part 2 (Situationally based writing task)

What's in Part 2? You write a text from a choice of text types – article,
email/letter, report or review. To guide your writing,
you’ll be given information about context, topic
purpose and target reader.

What do I have to practise? Writing different types of text that could be included in
the exam.

How many questions are there? One task to be selected from a choice of three.

How much do I have to write? 140–190 words

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 B2 First (FCE)

III. Listening paper:

The B2 First Listening paper has four parts. For each part you have to listen to a recorded text
or texts and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice.

Summary

Time allowed: About 40 minutes

Number of parts: 4

Number of questions: 30

Marks: 20% total

Recordings may be Monologues: answer phone messages,

from: radio broadcasts and features, news, public
announcements, stories and anecdotes,
lectures and talks; or interacting speakers:
conversations, interviews, discussions,
radio plays.

Part 1 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 1? Eight short extracts from monologues or conversations

between interacting speakers. There is one multiple-
choice question for each extract, and you have to
choose A, B or C.

What do I have to practise? Listening for feeling, attitude, opinion, purpose,

function, agreement, gist and detail.

How many questions are there? 8

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

Part 2 (Sentence completion)

What's in Part 2? A monologue (which may be introduced by a

presenter) lasting approximately 3 minutes. You have
to complete the sentences on the question paper with
the missing information which you hear on the
recording.

What do I have to practise? Listening for specific information, stated opinion.

How many questions are there? 10

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

Part 3 (Collaborative task)

What's in Part 3? A series of five themed monologues of approximately

30 seconds each. On the question paper, you have to
select five correct options from a list of eight possible
answers.

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 B2 First (FCE)

What do I have to practise? Listening for gist, attitude, opinion, purpose, feeling,
main points and detail.

How many questions are there? 5

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

Part 4 (Multiple choice)

What's in Part 4? A conversation between two or more speakers of

approximately 3–4 minutes. You have to answer some
multiple-choice questions by choosing the correct
answer from three options (A, B or C).

What do I have to practise? Listening for attitude, opinion, detail, gist, main idea
and specific information.

How many questions are there? 7

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.

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 B2 First (FCE)

IV. Speaking Paper:

The B2 First Speaking test has four parts and you take it together with another candidate.
There are two examiners. One of the examiners asks you questions and gives you the booklet
with things to talk about. The other examiner listens to what you say.

Summary

Time allowed: 14 minutes per pair of candidates

Number of parts: 4

Marks: 20% total

You have to talk: with the examiner

with the other candidate
on your own

Part 1 (Interview)

What's in Part 1? Conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks

questions and you may have to give information about
your interests, studies, career, etc.

What do I have to practise? Giving information about yourself and expressing your
opinion about various topics.

How long do we have to speak? 2 minutes

Part 2 (Long turn)

What's in Part 2? The examiner gives you two photographs and asks
you to talk about them. You have to speak for 1
minute without interruption and the interlocutor then
asks the other candidate to comment on your
photographs for about 30 seconds.
The other candidate receives a different set of
photographs and you have to listen and comment
when they have finished speaking. The question you
have to answer about your photographs is written at
the top of the page to remind you what you should
talk about.

What do I have to practise? Talking on your own about something: comparing,

describing, expressing opinions, speculating.

How long do we have to speak? 1 minute per candidate

Part 3 (Collaborative task)

What's in Part 3? Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner

gives you some material and a task to do. You have to
talk with the other candidate and make a decision.

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 B2 First (FCE)

What do I have to practise? Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions,

agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating,
evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation,
etc.

How long do we have to speak? 3 minutes (a 2-minute discussion followed by a 1-

minute decision-making task)

Part 4 (Discussion)

What's in Part 4? Further discussion with the other candidate, guided by

questions from the examiner, about the topics or
issues raised in the task in Part 3.

What do I have to practise? Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or

disagreeing.

How long do we have to speak? 4 minutes

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