This document provides a summary of the first certificate exam taken by the student in 2016-2017. It includes 3 sentences summarizing the content: The summary covers 5 sections of the use of English exam, providing examples of questions and explaining the concepts tested. Vocabulary, grammar transformations, and reading comprehension are also addressed. Scores are listed for each section of the exam, including use of English, writing, listening, and speaking.

1. FIRST CERTIFICATE – YEAR 2016-
17
Term 1

2. Ticket office

3. Countable and uncountable
Countable - suitcase Uncountable - luggage

4. INTO / ONTO
He climbed onto the roof (on top of)
He asked me into his office (to the inside of)

5. USE OF ENGLISH
Similar meaning, but only one exact right
• Susan thinks it will take her more than a year
to ______ enough money to buy a flat
A. Save
B. Keep
C. Collect
D. store
Only “save” is used when you are putting money away
until you have enough for a special purpose.

6. USE OF ENGLISH II
Only one of the options completes a set phrase
(i.e. pay attention)
• I always _______ lots of photos when I go
away on holiday
A. Make
B. Do
C. Put
D. Take
Take + photos (set phrase)

7. Use of English 3
One of the four options completes a phrasal
verb (Or is the whole phrase)
• It’s my job to provide the raw material from
which a natural history programme is _____
up
A. Made
B. Set
C. Taken
D. Put
You need a verb which means
“consist of” to complete the
sentence, and only “made up” gives
you that meaning
Set up  configurar

8. Use of English 4
The missing word is a linking word
• There has been a change in the people’s attitude
towards the world.___________ people have been
talking about global warming for many years, there is
now great concern about its effects on the future of
the planet.
A. Instead
B. Whereas
C. Although
D. However
Read the sentence before and
after the gap so that you
understand exactly what the
meaning is.

9. Use of English 5
Sometimes the answer depends on the first
word after the gap.
• Antonio was _________ of what would
happen when he first discovered the truth.
A. Afraid
B. Concerned
C. Worried
D. Anxious
“Afraid” is the only
word that can be
followed by “of”

10. • The railway station at Becktham had recently been
modernised. Its ironwork painted vivid red and blue, even a
coffee bar established on the platform for London. Trains
carried commuters back and forth, running frequently at peak
times and maintaining a good service throughout the day. A
number of Granbury’s regular travellers found it worth driving
the extra miles to use this route rather than the nearer station
at Nettington, where the car park was filled to capacity long
before the first cheap fares where available at nine o’clock.
Charlotte too found it suited her better, for she hated trying to
insert her blue Fiat, small as it was, into the last remaining
space which was never quite big enough.
Why had Charlotte chosen to travel from Bechtham Station rather than
Nettington Station?
Faster trains stopped there There were better facilities there
The fare was cheaper from there It was easier to park there
“There” = Becktham

11. • I haven’t seen Mark for five years
– LAST
Its five years ________________ Mark
• Cristina prefers films to plays
– LIKE
Cristina doesn’t ________________ films
Since I last saw
Since is used with tenses other than perfect tenses in the
structure it’s /was… since
Like plays as much as

12. Could / managed to
• We only use “could” to talk about general
ability in the past, or with verbs of perception
(see, hear, etc.). We do not use it for a single
action. We normally use “managed to”.
– Maria was very upset when Ben left her, but she
managed to smile nevertheless.
– By the time she was four, she could already speak
three languages.

13. Which is the missing word these three
sentences share?
1. Her father works in the bank and pulled
........ to get her a job.
2. Is this offer as it seems or are there any ........
attached?
3. Two of the ........ on his guitar have
snapped.
strings
strings
strings

14. Informal English: Buck / bull / wind
• C) The team need to throw caution to the
______ and play for a win if they're going to get
a result on Saturday. (take a risk)
• A) It might be tempting to simply pass the
________ if you make a mistake at work but it
will almost always have negative results. (avoid
taking responsibility)
• B) You need to take the by the horns and
do something about your finances before it's too
late. (Face a challenge confidently)
wind
buck
bull

15. Collocation
• I didn't have enough time to finish the essay
and missed the deadline.
RAN
I missed the deadline for my essay as I
........................................ time.Ran / had run out of time

16. How many collocations can you find?
• 'to ........ a message'
• (hand/give/put/leave)
• 'to ........ an argument'
• (waste/fail/lose/miss)
• 'to ........ attention'
• (keep/pay/take/make)
• 'to ........ your seat belt'
• (lock/knot/tie/fasten)
• 'to ........ your mind'
• (change/alter/switch/move)

17. • She is afraid ____ water
• I think she ____________ train before setting
off for the Way of Saint James.
• You ___________ use your mobile phone in
class.
• I ______ speak four languages before I turned
14.
of
Should / ought to
Mustn’t
Could

18. Transformations
• They advised me to have a course of injections
ADVISABLE
• They told ____________ to have a course of
injections
• Visitors should remember to bring warm
clothers
Me it was advisable
Are reminded
that

19. Ways of giving advice - errors
1. It is advisable applying insect repellent
2. It is advisable TO APPLY insect repellent
3. You should also to sleep under a mosquito
net
4. You should also sleep under a mosquito net
5. I would wearing a money belt if I were you
6. I would wear a money belt if I were you

20. Not nearly as old as
Apart from
Not nearly as… as
There is a big
difference

21. a much better swimmer than
Are not so widely read

22. TURNED IT
DOWN
FAR / MUCH
LESS POPULAR
THAN

23. IS MORE
DIFFICULT TO
STUDY
ALWAYS
BORROWING
MY THINGS
WITHOUT

25. Reading score

26. Use of English score

27. Writing score

28. Listening score

29. Speaking score