FCE - First Certificate in English B2
Level B2 (Lower)
Part 1 - Reading (1 hour)
Part 2 - Writing (1 hour 20 minutes)
Part 3 - Use of English (45 minutes)
Part 4 - Listening (40 minutes)
Part 5 - Speaking (14 minutes)
Reading
The Reading part consists of 3 texts
a. a text followed by 8 multiple choice questions
b. a text from which 7 sentences have been removed, there is also an extra sentence.
c. a text or several short texts followed by multiple matching questions.
Writing
a. one compulsory writing task
b. one task from a choice of five questions (an article, an essay, a letter, an email, a report, a review, or a short story, with a focus on advising, apologising, comparing, describing, explaining, expressing opinions, justifying, persuading, recommending, suggesting)
Use of English
a. a cloze text followed by 12 multiple choice questions.
b. an open cloze text containing 12 gaps.
c. a word formation exercise containing 12 gaps
d. 8 key word transformation sentences.
Listening
a. 8 extracts followed by a multiple choice question.
b. a sentence completion task consisting of 10 questions.
c. 5 short monologues with 5 multiple matching exercises.
d. seven multiple choice questions.
Speaking (2 candidates)
a. a conversation with the interlocutor.
b. an individual "long turn" followed by a response from the second candidate.
c. a two-way conversation between the two candidates
d. a discussion realted to topics in part 3.
For more details download the Cambridge ESOL Handook for the FCE. http://www.cambridgeesol.org/assets/pdf/resources/teacher/fce_hb_dec08.pdf
Revised ALCE Examination C1 (June 2011)
Listening 40 minutes - 40 questions.
Part 1 (10 questions)
The graphs and tables will be replaced by 5 short dialogues. The questions will be printed in the candidate's booklet.
Part 2 (10 questions)
There are 10 multiple choice questions which are written in the answer booklet.
Part 3 (10 questions)
Each part is heard twice.
Part 4 (10 questions)
There are 10 multiple choice questions which are written in the answer booklet.
Grammar, Vocabulary , Reading 80 minutes - 100 questions
Grammar : 40 questions
Vocabulary : 40 questions
Reading : 3 texts (approx. 500 words each) , 6-8 questions each
Writing 30 minutes - 1 task
Candidates choose one out of two argumentative essay topics. (There will no longer be a report)
Speaking 11 - 13 minutes
Part 1 : warm up
Part 2 : discussion based on prompts
Part 3 : wider discussion on previous topic
Part 4 : arguing a case and supporting opinion
