Fce Exam Overview

First Certificate in English
WHAT IS THE HIGHEST SCORE?
Results

Score

Pass at Grade A
C1

80 to 100 Level

Pass at Grade B

75 to 79

Pass at Grade C

60 to 74

Level B1

45 to 59

Fail

0 to 44

HOW MANY PARTS ARE THERE IN THE
EXAM?
HOW LONG DOES THE EXAM LAST?
READING 20%

WRITING 20%

1 HOUR

1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
USE OF ENGLISH 20%
45 MINUTES

LISTENING 20%

SPEAKING 20%

APPROXIMATELY 40
MINUTES

14 MINUTES

Computer-based FCE Sample http://cbpt.s3.amazonaws.com/cb-fce/index.html


READING
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•
•
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•

Time allowed:
1 hour
Number of parts: 3
Number of questions: 30
This section is worth 20% of the total score.
Lengths of texts: 550–700 words per text.
Texts may be from: newspaper and magazine articles,
fiction, letters, reports, etc.


READING
PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE
- What do I have to practice?
How to UNDERSTAND THE
DETAILS OF A TEXT,
including OPINIONS and
ATTITUDES.
- How many questions are
there? 8

First ertification in English
READING:
PART 2: GAPPED TEXT
- It’s a text with some empty
spaces (gaps). You have to
choose the correct word for each
gap.
-What do I have to practice?
How to UNDERSTAND THE
STRUCTURE and FOLLOW
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
TEXT.
- How many questions are there?
7


READING

PART 3: READING FOR
SPECIFIC INFORMATION
It’s a series of questions and a
long text or several short texts to
read. For each question, you
have to decide which text or part
of the text mentions some
specific information.
- What do I have to practice?How
to FIND SPECIFIC
INFORMATION in a text or texts.
-How many questions are there?
15


WRITING

ELTPics

Types of task:

• Time allowed:1 hour 20 minutes
• Number of parts: 2
Part 1: one compulsory question.
Part 2: one question from a
choice of five.
• This section is worth 20% of the
total score


WRITING
PART 1: LETTER / E-MAIL
- You have to write a letter or email
using this information.
You may have to
apologize, compare, describe,
explain, express opinions, justify,
persuade, recommend, and/or
suggest something.
One compulsory question.
-How much do I have to write?
120–150 words


WRITING
PART 2: ARTICLE, ESSAY, LETTER,
REPORT, REVIEW OR STORY
-You have to write will be one of the
following: an article, essay, letter, report,
review or story.
One task to be selected from a choice of
of five.
How much do I have to write?
120– 180 words


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•

Time allowed: 45 minutes
Number of parts: 4
Number of questions:42
This section is worth 20% of
the total score


USE OF ENGLISH
PART 1: GAP FILLING. MULTIPLE
CHOICE CLOZE
- It’s a text in which there are

some missing words or phrases
(gaps). After the text there are
four possible answers for each
gap and you have to choose the
correct answer (A, B, C or D).
- What do I have to practice?
Vocabulary.
- How many questions are
there? 12


USE OF ENGLISH
PART 2: GAP FILLING: WORD
PRODUCTION
- It’s a text in which there are
some missing words (gaps). You
have to find the correct word for
each gap.
Grammar and vocabulary.
- How many questions are there?
12.


USE OF ENGLISH
PART 3: GAP FILLING:
WORD FAMILIES/ WORD
FORMATION
It´s a text containing ten 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
make the correct missing word and
complete the sentence correctly.
What do I have to practice?
Vocabulary, word building.
How many questions are there?
10


USE OF ENGLISH
PART 4: KEY WORD
TRANSFORMATIONS
- We have a sentence followed
by a key word and a second
sentence which has a gap in it.
You have to use the key word to
complete the second sentence
so that it means the same as the
first sentence.
Grammar and vocabulary.
How many questions are there?
8.


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•

LISTENING
Time allowed: about 40
minutes
Number of parts: 4
Number of questions: 30
This section is worth 20% of
the total score


LISTENING
PART 1: LISTENING. MULTIPLE CHOICE FOR
DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

Eight questions to test candidates’ ability to listen
for gist in a series of unrelated texts.


LISTENING
PART 2: LISTENING. SENTENCE COMPLETION.
This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for
specific words or phrases focusing on detail and
specific information. The test is presented in the
form of 10 questions. Candidates need to listen and
complete the questions.


LISTENING

PART 3: LISTENING. MULTIPLE MATCHING
This part focuses on the skill of listening for
general gist, detail, purpose, attitude, opinion,
etc. Candidates listen to five short conversations
with different speakers, which are related in some
way.


LISTENING
PART 4: LISTENING. MULTIPLE CHOICE
In this part, the predominant focus is on testing
the candidates’ ability to listen for opinion, main
idea, gist and specific info, and based on one
long test.


SPEAKING
• Time allowed: 14 minutes per
pair of candidates
• Number of parts: 4
• This section is worth 20% of the
total score
• You have to talk:
- with the examiner
- with the other candidate
- on your own


SPEAKING
Part 1: Interview (3 minutes)
You usually take the speaking exam together with
one other student.
Each of you will be asked basic questions about
familiar topics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ2LoK9egZs


SPEAKING
Part 2: Individual tasks (4 minutes):
Each of you will be asked to compare two colour
photographs and explain your personal feelings
about them (you will be asked to speak for 1
minute, without any interruption).
You will also be asked to give your opinion about
the other student's photographs (you will be
expected to speak for about 20 seconds).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JEGTeupVt0


SPEAKING
Part 3: Joint task (3 minutes)
You will be shown some pictures. You will be
asked to DISCUSS these with the other student
and to MAKE A DECISION. Sometimes you will be
asked to agree on the conclusion, and sometimes
you will be told that you may make different
decisions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWFJ53-JCKc


SPEAKING
Part 4: Three-way discussion (4
minutes):
You will be asked to discuss (together with the
other student and the examiner) some ideas that
are connected with the joint task.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpNPwzUOg6g


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.cambridgeesol.org


GAME TO PRACTISE
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/prepare-and-practise/games-social/academy-island/

There are links to videos, podcasts and games.
This is fun.

Fce Exam Overview

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