tips for better preparing for Cambridge exams (FCE)

1. CAMBRIDGE EXAMS ISCAMBRIDGE EXAMS IS
A KEY TO YOURA KEY TO YOUR
SUCCESSFUL CAREERSUCCESSFUL CAREER

2. FCEFCE
 FCE (First Certificate in English) -FCE (First Certificate in English) -
Cambridge exam for those who canCambridge exam for those who can
communicate and write in English at acommunicate and write in English at a
level above the average. It is an ideallevel above the average. It is an ideal
exam for those who need a languageexam for those who need a language
for educational and professional goalsfor educational and professional goals

3. MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION
 Preparing for similar exams (Unified State Exam)Preparing for similar exams (Unified State Exam)
 An opportunity to have an International Certificate inAn opportunity to have an International Certificate in
their portfoliotheir portfolio
 Cambridge exams certificates are accepted byCambridge exams certificates are accepted by
universities both in Russia and abroaduniversities both in Russia and abroad
 To get an independent evaluation of theirTo get an independent evaluation of their
knowledge of Englishknowledge of English
 To improve practical skills, that’ll give confidence toTo improve practical skills, that’ll give confidence to
use English in real situationsuse English in real situations
 The prospect of further career growthThe prospect of further career growth
 The certificate can be used for immigration and itThe certificate can be used for immigration and it
doesn’t expiredoesn’t expire

4. STRUCTURESTRUCTURE
FCE consists of 5 parts:
Reading
75 min.
Writing
90 min.
Use of English
70 min.
Listening
40 min.
Speaking
Maximum 14 min.
Overall duration is 5 hours.

5. STEPSSTEPS
KET (A2)KET (A2)
РЕТ (В1)РЕТ (В1)
FCE (B2)FCE (B2)
CAE (C1)CAE (C1)
CPE (C2)CPE (C2)

6. KNOWLEDGEKNOWLEDGE
EVALUATIONEVALUATION
 FCE (B2)FCE (B2)
 Pass at Grade A (Pass at Grade A (ОценкаОценка A) — 80-100%A) — 80-100%
 Pass at Grade B (Pass at Grade B (ОценкаОценка B) — 75-79%B) — 75-79%
 Pass at Grade C (Pass at Grade C (ОценкаОценка C) — 60-74%C) — 60-74%
 Level B1 (сдан на уровень B1)— 45-59%Level B1 (сдан на уровень B1)— 45-59%
 Fail (не сдан)— 0-44%Fail (не сдан)— 0-44%

7. FCE – Part 3: Use of EnglishFCE – Part 3: Use of English
 Part 1Part 1: a text with 12 gaps followed by 4-: a text with 12 gaps followed by 4-
option multiple choice itemsoption multiple choice items
 Part 2Part 2: a text with 12 gaps where you will: a text with 12 gaps where you will
have to think of the missing word and fill thehave to think of the missing word and fill the
gap.gap.
 Part 3Part 3: a text containing 10 gaps where: a text containing 10 gaps where
you will have to fill in the missing wordyou will have to fill in the missing word
based on a given base wordbased on a given base word

8. Part Four:Part Four:
'Key' Word Transformation'Key' Word Transformation

For questions 1-6, complete theFor questions 1-6, complete the
second sentence so that it has asecond sentence so that it has a
similar meaning to the firstsimilar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given.sentence, using the word given.
Do not change the word given.Do not change the word given.
You must use between two andYou must use between two and
five words, including the wordfive words, including the word
given. given.

9. 'Key' Word'Key' Word
TransformationTransformation
1. "Have you been on holiday recently, Jane?"1. "Have you been on holiday recently, Jane?"
asked Tony.asked Tony.
BEENBEEN
Tony asked Jane ........................................ onTony asked Jane ........................................ on
holiday recently.holiday recently.
4. I'm sure it was Ana I saw in town as I recognized4. I'm sure it was Ana I saw in town as I recognized
her coat.her coat.
MUSTMUST
It ........................................ Ana I saw in town as IIt ........................................ Ana I saw in town as I
recognized her coat. recognized her coat.

10. SOME TIPS ON THESOME TIPS ON THE
TASKTASK
Remember there will always be two things that you have to do in your answer:
a) since + change of tense
b) negative + comparison
c) paraphrase + ‘to’ and gerund
d) negative + phrasal verb
e) etc, etc.
5. Never write more than five words.
6. Remember that both sentences have to have the same or similar meaning.
7. Contractions count as two words except for ‘can’t’ which can be written as one
word (cannot).
8. Read through both sentences to make sure that the words you write make sense
in the second sentence and that the meaning remains the same or similar.
9. Make sure that you double-check your spelling!

11. What really helps :What really helps :
 Tricky instructionsTricky instructions
 No Russian at the lessonNo Russian at the lesson
 English-English dictionariesEnglish-English dictionaries
 Spelling games, competitionsSpelling games, competitions
www.kidspell.comwww.kidspell.com
pbskids.orgpbskids.org

12. FCE – ReadingFCE – Reading

18. The British NationalThe British National
Corpus (BNC)Corpus (BNC)
www.natcorp.ox.ac.ukwww.natcorp.ox.ac.uk

19. GAPPED TEXTGAPPED TEXT
 You are going to read a magazineYou are going to read a magazine
article about John Prince, a dancer,article about John Prince, a dancer,
dance teacher and choreographer.dance teacher and choreographer.
Six sentences have been removedSix sentences have been removed
from the article on the left. Choosefrom the article on the left. Choose
the most suitable sentence from thethe most suitable sentence from the
list A-G on the right for each part (1-list A-G on the right for each part (1-
6) of the article. There is one extra6) of the article. There is one extra
sentence which you do not need tosentence which you do not need to
use.use.

20. SIGNPOSTINGSIGNPOSTING
something that servessomething that serves
as a clue or indicationas a clue or indication

21. SIGNPOSTINGSIGNPOSTING
 signposts can look backwards at asignposts can look backwards at a
point already raised:point already raised:
This suggestion ...This suggestion ...
These ideas ...These ideas ...
This brief outline suggests ...This brief outline suggests ...
Such proposals ...Such proposals ...

22. SIGNPOSTINGSIGNPOSTING
 signposts can look forwards towardssignposts can look forwards towards
issues that will be raised in the nextissues that will be raised in the next
section or in the near future:section or in the near future:
In this section, I will ...In this section, I will ...
A recent study suggests ...A recent study suggests ...
One important recent finding indicatesOne important recent finding indicates
that ...that ...

23. SIGNPOSTINGSIGNPOSTING
 Some signposts look in both directionsSome signposts look in both directions
at the same time!at the same time!
Despite these reports, other writers haveDespite these reports, other writers have
proposed ...proposed ...
This view has been rejected by someThis view has been rejected by some
authors who claim that ...authors who claim that ...

24. THANK YOU FOR YOURTHANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!ATTENTION!