Full name: First Certificate in English
Exam Board: Cambridge ESOL British English
CEF Level: B2
The widely taken exam tests the ability of the candidate to communicate effectively in English. In many countries it is seen as the benchmark of English language knowledge and is a requirement for employment. It is also taken in many schools as part of school-leaving exams.
EXAM STRUCTURE
|
Paper 1 Reading 1hr |
Part 1 | Text + 8 multiple-choice questions |
| Part 2 | Text with 7 sentences removed that must be correctly inserted. | |
| Part 3 | Long text or several short texts + 15 multiple-matching questions. | |
|
Paper 2 Writing 1hr 20 mins |
Part 1 | One compulsory question (a letter or email) |
| Part 2 | One task to be chosen out of five | |
| Candidates are expected to write texts such as an article, an essay, a letter, an email, a report, a review or a story. The writing may refer to one of the two set texts. | ||
|
Paper 3 Use of English 45 mins |
Part 1 | Modified cloze test with options – 12 questions |
| Part 2 | Modified open cloze test – 12 questions | |
| Part 3 | Selecting the correct word from a provided word stem – 10 questions | |
| Part 4 | 8 sentence-creation questions | |
|
Paper 4 Listening approx. 40 mins |
Part 1 | 8 short extracts with a multiple-choice question for each one |
| Part 2 | Sentence-completion task with 10 questions | |
| Part 3 | 5 short, related monologues with 5 multiple-matching questions | |
| Part 4 | Monologue/text involving interacting speakers – 7 multiple-choice questions | |
|
Paper 5 Speaking 14 mins 2 candidates and 2 examiners |
Part 1 | Conversation between candidate and examiner |
| Part 2 | Individual ‘long turn’ for each candidate with brief response from second candidate (visual and written stimuli, with spoken instruction) | |
| Part 3 | Two-way conversation between candidates | |
| Part 4 |
Discussion on topics related to Part 3 |
|
Marking
