A WELCOME TO FCE GUIDE AND TIPS

Welcome to the FCE Guide and Tips for candidates and teachers

The new University of Cambridge ESOL First Certificate in English (FCE or FIRST) Exam consists of five individual papers, which are usually sat on two different days - within a two-weeks period from the commencement of the oral exam beginning.

Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are normally taken on the same day. Paper 5, the Speaking test is usually 2 weeks beforehand. The exam days may vary, depending on authorised testing centre and its facilities.

Good success in each paper can depend on how well you prepare beforehand for it and how well you utilize your time in each part of the exam.

Today it is very much a stress test of how you respond, in a given time, to each and every task in each individual paper.

The following tips and guides are intended to help you pass the whole test.  

This guide is for both teachers and candidates alike.

Good luck to all!

The FIRST Guru

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QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE FCE EXAM

FCE Exam Papers and Points:

Paper 1 has 3 parts to complete:    – 40 points in total

Paper 2 has 2 parts to complete:    – 40 points in total

Paper 3 has 4 parts to complete:    – 40 points in total

Paper 4 has 4 parts to complete:    – 40 points in total

Paper 5 has 4 parts to complete:    – 40 points in total

Total points for all 5 Papers:         = 2oo points ÷ 2 = 100%

FCE quick overview for teachers and candidates:

PAPER 1: Reading - 1 hour

Part 1 - Multiple-Choice  -  15 minutes

Eliminate the three which are incorrect

Part 2 - Gapped Text-sentences  -  15 minutes

Eliminate the one which is incorrect

Part 3 - Multiple Matching  -  20 minutes

Choose the one(s) which correspond

5 minutes from end, transfer your answers - Pencil

PAPER 2: Writing - 1 hour 20 minutes

Part 1- 35 minutes

Compulsory question:  150 words max

Formal Letter/email - Transactional

Informal Letter/email - Transactional

- Letter/email to a penfriend/friend

- Letter/email of application - Editor/Manager

- Letter/email of complaint - Editor/Manager

Part 2 - 35 minutes

4 Choice questions:  180 words max

Letter/Email non-transactional

Article

Discursive Composition

Report

Review

Essay

Letter/email of application (Job/Volunteer)

Set Books:
2011 (Article, Composition, Letter, Report, Review)

-William Shakespeare: Macbeth (Heinle, Cengage Learning, The Graphic Novel edition)
-Joe Simpson: Touching the Void (Macmillan or any edition)
2012 (Article, Composition, Letter, Report, Review)
- William Thackeray: Vanity Fair (Black Cat or any edition)
- Mary Stewart: This Rough Magic (OUP)

Pen only - No Tipp-Ex

PAPER 3: Use of English - 45 minutes

Part 1 - Multiple-Choice Lexical Cloze  -  8 minutes
Eliminate the three which are incorrect

Part 2 - Open-Cloze  -  8 minutes
Fill the gap with an appropriate word

Part 3 - Word Formation  -  10 minutes
Use the base word to create the appropriate word form required

Part 4 - Key Word Transformation  -  13 minutes
Use the word given (do not change it) to complete the sentence (with not less than 2 words and not more than 5 words) so the sentence has the exact same meaning as the first sentence.

5 minutes from end, transfer your answers - Pencil

PAPER 4: Listening - 40 minutes
Instructions to test are given at the start of the test.

Part 1 - Multiple-Choice  -  12 minutes
8 short unrelated extracts.
Eliminate the three which are incorrect.
No time is given to review questions in Part 1 so the idea is to ignore the first part of the instructions and go direct to the questions once Part 1 begins.

Part 2 - Sentence Completion  -  8 minutes
Fill the gap with an appropriate word or words to complete each gap (not less than 1 word and not more than 3-4 words)
45 seconds to look at questions to Part 2

Part 3 - Multiple Matching  -  8 minutes
Choose the one(s) which correspond
5 short related extracts
6 answers
Eliminate the one which is obsolete
30 seconds to look at questions to Part 3

Part 4 - Multiple-Choice  -  12 minutes
Eliminate the two which are incorrect
1 long extract
1 minute to look at questions to Part 4

5 additional minutes at end to transfer your answers - Pencil

PAPER 5: Speaking

Part 1 – Interview  - 3 minute
Personal information interacting with examiner (candidates may interact with each other if they wish) - 3 minutes

Part 2 - Individual Long Turn - 4 minutes
Candidate 1: Speak individually without interruption comparing two photographs. Answer the questions above the photographs - 1 minute
Candidate 2: Respond to a question giving your opinion on your partner’s photographs - 20 seconds

Part 3 - Two-way Collaborative Task - 3 minutes
Answer the questions above the photographs. Talk together without interruption and work toward making a decision based on 5 to 8 different visual (connected or unconnected) stimuli.

Part 4 - Three-way discussion - 4 minutes
Speak together (all 3 of you – examiner included) for 4 minutes about a question or questions (cues) giving your opinion about a related subject connected, directly or indirectly, to the visual stimuli from Part 3. Express and justify opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing.

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I hope you find this FCE blog useful.

Good luck to all!

The FIRST Guru

Last updated: 2/3/2012