Fce

FCE – Part 3: Use of English
The Use of English Part of the FCE is forty-five minutes in duration and consists of four parts:
o Part 1: a text with 12 gaps followed by 4-option multiple choice items. In this part, you are tested
on your vocabulary knowledge and understanding of the text. You may also be tested on your
understanding of grammar. You will get 1 mark per correct answer.
o Part 2: a text with 12 gaps where you will have to think of the missing word and fill the gap. You
will be tested on language structure and understanding of the text as well as your knowledge of
grammar. You will get 1 mark per correct answer.
o Part 3: a text containing 10 gaps where you will have to fill in the missing word based on a given
base word. In this part, you are tested on your vocabulary knowledge, especially word formations.
You will get 1 mark per correct answer.
o Part 4: a lead-in sentence followed by a key word and a gapped second sentence. You will have
to complete the second sentence in two to five words, one of which is the given key word. The
second sentence must be similar in meaning to the first sentence. There are in total eight
separate items that needs to be completed. In this part, you are tested on your vocabulary and
grammar knowledge as well as your ability to express a message in different ways. You will get
up to 2 marks per correct answer.
The FCE Use of English Paper counts for 20% of the overall mark.

FCE Use of English Paper: The Key to
Success (1)
Part 1 – Too Many Options! With so many options to choose from in this part of theFCE Use of
English paper, you need to have our wits about you. As you can be tested on both your
knowledge of grammar as well as vocabulary, you need to do this exercise with great care.
Here are some tips on how you could approach this type of exercise:
1. Skim quickly through the text to get the gist of it.
2. Read the text again but stop after the first question.
3. Think of what kind of word is required.
4. Look at the options – where you right?
5. If not, eliminate answers that you are sure are wrong.
6. Look at the words before and after the question and ask yourself:
a) Do I need to use a set phrase?
b) Is it a phrasal verb?
c) What is the meaning of the sentence?
d) Etc. etc.
7. If you are still not sure, look at the next sentence, is there a clue there?
8. Continue like this until you have completed all the questions.
9. Read through the whole text to make sure that the word you choose makes sense in the
sentence.
10. You should always try to answer and not leave any questions unanswered.
Here are some more Top Tips:
Read the Instructions
Make sure you know what to do – always start by reading the instructions first!
Don’t Get Bogged Down
If you are struggling to find an answer, move on to the next question and go back to the question
later.
Keep an Eye on the Clock
Don’t run out of time! If you have developed your final FCE exam strategy, you will know how
much time you have allocated to this part of the test. Stick to your timetable. Remember, each
part of the FCE Use of English Paper carry approximately the same amount of marks.
If you do one of the other three parts quicker, you can always go back and finish this part – it is all
about maximising your chances to pass your FCE exam!.
Avoid missing any of our tips and advice on how to pass the FCE exam and subscribe to our
free email notification service.

Success (2)
Part 2: The Tricky One! The second part of the FCE Use of English paper can be really difficult
to complete as you can be tested on a number of different grammar and vocabulary points, for
example:
o articles
o auxiliary verbs
o comparisons
o conjunctions
o phrasal verbs
o prepositions and set phrases
o pronouns and relative pronouns
o etc., etc.
2. Read the text again but stop after the first gap.
3. Think of what kind of word is required:
a) Is the missing word part of a set phrase?
b) Is the missing word part of a phrasal verb?
c) Is the missing word a conjunction?
d) Etc. etc.
4. Check for clues earlier in the sentence.
5. If you are still not sure, check for clues in the next sentence.
7. Read through the whole text to make sure that the word you write makes sense in the sentence.
8. Make sure that you double-check your spelling!
9. You should always try to answer and not leave any gaps empty.
later.

about maximising your chances to pass your FCE exam!

Success (3)
Part 3: The Creative One! On the third part of the FCE Use of English paper you have use your
knowledge of grammar and vocabulary to create new words.
2. Read the text again but stop after the first gap.
3. Analyse the sentence and decide what kind of word is required:
a) Is the missing word a noun?
b) Is the missing word a verb?
c) Is the missing word an adjective?
d) Is the missing word an adverb?
4. Check for clues both before and after the gap.
5. Make sure you read the whole sentence!
6. Remember, you may need to:
a) use a negative form
b) use a plural
c) use a prefix
d) use a suffix
e) make changes in the middle of the word
f) make more than one change to a word
8. Read through the text and make sure that the word you write makes sense in the sentence.
later.

Success (4)
Part 4: The Last One! In the fourth and last part of the FCE Use of English paper you have use
your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary to rewrite sentences.
1. There is no need to read through the whole text first.
2. Read carefully through the first sentence.
3. Think of a structure where you can use the key word without changing it.
4. Remember there will always be two things that you have to do in your answer,
for example, you may need to use:
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.
later.

FCE – Part 4: Listening
The Listening Part of the FCE is approx. forty minutes in duration and consists of four parts:
o Part 1: a series of short, unrelated 30-seconds recordings. Each recording can be either a
monologue or an exchange between interacting speakers. You have to listen to the recordings
and answer a multiple-choice question for each. There are in total eight extracts, each with a
question with three options. You will be tested in your ability to listen for things such as gist,
details, opinion, attitude, etc. You will get 1 mark per correct answer.
o Part 2: a 3-minute long monologue or recording with two or more speakers. There are 10
questions consisting of incomplete (gapped) sentences. You will have to listen and complete the
sentences using no more than three words. Your ability to listen for details, specific information
and stated opinion is being tested in this part. You will get 1 mark per correct answer.
o Part 3: a series of statements and short related monologues, each approx.30 seconds. There are
five multiple-matching questions and you will have to choose the correct option from a list of six.
Your ability to listen for general gist, detail, function, purpose, etc. is tested in this part. You will
get 1 mark per correct answer.
o Part 4: a 3-minute long monologue or recording with two or more speakers. You have to listen to
the recordings and answer a multiple-choice question for each. There are in total seven
questions, each with three options. In this part you will be tested on your ability to listen for
opinion, attitude, gist, main idea and specific information. You will get 1 mark per correct answer.
The FCE Listening Paper counts for 20% of the overall mark.
FCE Listening Paper: The Key to Success
(Step 1)
Good listening skills are an essential learning tool. Listening for specific information as you
need to do for the FCE Listening paper, can be difficult. It is a skill that can only be built up over
time and requires a lot of practice.
If you are not living in an English speaking country and are exposed to the language daily, it can
be difficult to improve your listening skills. It is therefore important to that you try and listen as
much as possible to English speaking programmes on the radio or TV.
Another good alternative is listening to graded audio books. These can not only help you
improve your listening skills but also help you improve your reading skills. We will look into audio
books in more detail in a future post.
Having good notetaking skills will complement your listening skills. They will not only help you
to prepare for the FCE exam but good notetaking skills will also help you whether you are
studying in general or working.

Good notetaking skills will help you ensure you get the most out of your lectures, or assist you in
writing great minutes of meetings that will impress both your colleagues or boss.
To help you develop good notetaking skills, we have included a tutorial we hope you will enjoy.

FCE – Part 2: Writing
The Writing Part of the FCE is one hour and twenty minutes in duration and consists of two parts:
o Part 1: a compulsory question based on an input text of approx. 160 words. You will need to write
a letter or an email of 120 -150 words in response. This part carries equal marks to Part 2.
o Part 2: one task from a choice of five (including a set text). You will be asked to write one of the
following: an article, an essay, a letter, a report, a review, a story. You can also choose to base
your writing on a set reading text. You will need to write between 120 and 180 words. This part
carries equal marks to Part 1.
The FCE Writing Paper counts for 20% of the overall mark.

FCE Writing Paper: Part 1 – The
Compulsory One!
There is no getting away from this one – you will have to write either a letter or an email which is
between 120 and 150 words. Based on your input information (about 160 words) you will have to
produce your written piece.
Many students dread this FCE writing task as they have no choices. However, by learning how to
properly structure a letter or an email, you can actually turn the lack of choice to your advantage.
To be successful on the FCE Writing Part 1, you will need to ensure that you include all of the
content points. Wherever you can, you should expand on relevant ideas and information. Make
sure that you don’t leave out any important information by developing a writing task plan before
you actually start writing.
Paragraphing and the use of linkers will greatly enhance your writing and is a technique that can
be easily applied to any type of writing. However, if you want to improve your writing for the FCE
exam, there is unfortunately nothing else for it: you need to practise, practise, practise …
With practice you may even be able to shave some time of the timetable that forms part of
your exam strategy plan. This in turn will free up time which you can use to good effect
whencompleting Paper 2 of your FCE Writing exam.

FCE Writing Paper: The Key to Success
(Step 1)
Want to become a good writer for the FCE Writing Paper? Yes? Unfortunately, there is only one
thing for it – keep writing. Like with so many other things in life, the more you practise, the better
you become.
As writing is a means of communication and self-expression, learning to write well is not only a
skill needed for passing your FCE Writing Paper but a skill you will need to make use of
throughout your life.
Every Word Counts
The number of words you have to write on the two tasks is roughly the same, between 120 and
150 words on the first task and between 120 and 180 words on the second one.
As each tasks carry equal marks, it is important that you make every word count. Too many
students only count the number of words they write and forget to look at
o how the text flows,
o how they use the vocabulary, and
o the spelling of words.
The word count is important – your text should not be too short or too long. However, what is
more important is your content. The more writing practice you put in, the more successful you will
be in writing within the word limit without constantly counting your words. Word counting during
the exam often leads to poorly structured writing pieces with many alterations.
So, how can you make every word count? Follow this series of FCE Writing: The Key to
Success and start producing well written pieces and start on your road to success on the FCE
Writing paper.

(Step 2)
Be clever about which task you choose on the FCE exam! Effective writing is best achieved by
choosing tasks and topics that suits your interests and experience.
The Devil Is in the Details
The FCE Writing paper is full of details that you have to pay careful attention to. For
example, many students miss out on important details on the first paper because the input
material is about 160 words and they don’t read through it properly. By missing information,
students often fail to complete the task adequately and get a reduced mark, or even worse, fail
the FCE Writing paper.
The input material is made up of a text and notes and it can also be supported by:
o pictures
o timetables
o advertisements
o etc.
So, how do you avoid missing out on the details? Systematically work your way through all the
input material and make a writing plan.
Plan for Success
The FCE Writing paper requires you to have two different types of writing plans:
o a FCE writing strategy plan
o a FCE writing task plan for each of the two tasks
The writing strategy plan will help you manage your time and could look something like this:
1. Pick the task you want to start with.
2. Spend max. 10 minutes on making a detailed, structured writing task plan.
3. Spend max. 25 minutes on writing.
4. Start on the second task.
5. Spend max. 10 minutes on making a detailed, structured writing task plan.
6. Spend max. 25 minutes on writing.
7. Spend the last 10 minutes going over your two writings and make corrections if necessary.
It is easy to “go blind” when you read your own work straight after writing it. You often read what
you expect to be on the page, not what is actually there! By leaving your writing piece to one side
and coming back to it later, it will be much easier to spot any potential mistakes.
How to make a writing task plan will be covered in one of the future posts in our FCE Writing:
Key to Success series.

(Step 3)
Even though you will have different strategy plans for each for the two FCE Writing papers,
there are a few things that remain the same for both tasks.
Before you start planning any of your FCE writing tasks, you should always read the instructions
carefully. Careful analysis of the instructions will tell you how to target your writing task correctly.
(Step 4)
On the FCE Writing paper, deciding on your writing styles is only the first step to
successfully complete the paper.
Next, you need to start planning your writing tasks. Even though you will have different writing
task plans for each for the two FCE Writing papers, there are a few things that remain the same
for both tasks.

FCE – Part 1: Reading
The Reading Part of the FCE is one hour in duration and consists of three parts:
o Part 1: a text followed by 4-option multiple-choice questions, in total eight questions. In this part,
you are tested on your understanding of content and text organisation and you will get 2 marks
per correct answer.
o Part 2: a text from which seven sentences have been removed and jumbled up. The jumbled
sentences have been placed with one extra sentence and you will need to decide from where in
the text the sentences have been removed. In this part, you are tested on your ability to follow the
development of ideas, opinions and events through a text. You will get 2 marks per correct
answer.
o Part 3: a text or several short texts preceded by 15 questions. In this part, you are tested on your
ability to understand detail, attitude and opinion in the questions as well as your ability to locating
where the idea has been expressed, discounting ideas that may seem similar but which are not
accurate. You will get 1 mark per correct answer.
The FCE Reading Paper counts for 20% of the overall mark.

FCE Reading Paper: The Key to Success
(Step 1)
The key to success on the FCE Reading Paper is reading …
The more you read, the better you will do not only in the Reading Part but also on the entire FCE
exam as extensive reading:
o helps you acquire grammar
o helps you acquire vocabulary
o improves your writing ability
o improves your reading skills
o improves your other language skills such as speaking
It can be hard to find time for reading, so get into the habit of reading when you are travelling to
and from work or school. Why not start by reading a book that you will enjoy?
Picking the Right Book
But before you can start reading, you need to pick the correct book. First of all, make sure that
your book is at the right level of difficulty for you (Upper Intermediate/B2). A number of publishers
publish an extensive selection of graded readers (books adapted to various levels of English):
o Macmillan Readers
o Penguin Graded Readers
o Oxford Bookworms
The books on offer range from modern, contemporary books to your favourite classics. Or maybe
you prefer a more factual book? It is all there. Some of the books are also offered in an eBook
format.
You should try and read as many books as you can, in as many different genres as possible.
Start with the topics that interest you the most, and move on from there.
Form a Reading Circle
Why don’t you team up with other FCE students and form your own reading circle? You can each
buy a different graded reader and when you have finished reading it, swap it with one of the other
members in the circle.
If you don’t know anyone else doing the FCE, log on to Amazon.co.uk (they deliver all over the
World). Here you can buy new and second-hand books as well as sell your own books – just type
“graded reader in English” into the search field.
Improve Your Other Skills
Do you want to improve your listening and speaking skills as well? Why not invest in a graded
audio book? Graded audio books not only improve your reading and listening skills, it will also
improve your pronunciation.

Want to improve your Writing exam? Choose one of the FCE set books. Students going for this
option on Part 2 of the Writing Paper tend to get a slightly higher mark. How to explore a set book
question to your advantage will be covered in future posts.

FCE Reading Paper: The Key to Success
(Step 2)
Too many students read with the dictionary. While vocabulary building is important for the FCE
exam, don’t look up every word you don’t understand in the dictionary! Not only will this method
make the reading less pleasurable, it will also stop you from comprehending the text.
However, without understanding each of the texts in the Reading paper, you will not be able to
answer the questions correctly. Also, the various parts of the FCE Reading paper require you to
not only be able to understand the texts but also to be able to follow the development of a text as
well as locating specific information in the text. So, what can you do to improve your reading
skills?
Reading for Gist
Lack of text comprehension is one of the main reasons for students getting answers wrong. The
question is: how can you improve your comprehension of the text? Instead of looking up the
unknown words as you come across them, it is far better to highlight the word and continue
reading till the end.
Once you have completed the whole text, write down your highlighted words and see if you can
guess their meaning from the text. Check in a dictionary to see if you were right!
As you develop this method, you will see that not only will your reading comprehension improve
but also your reading speed.
Vary Your Reading
Graded Readers are a great source of good extensive reading material. However, it is important
that you read different types of text. Other sources of interesting reading material can be:
o unabridged short-stories
o non-fiction
o newspaper or magazine articles
If you cannot find English newspapers, magazines or journals in your country, the internet can be
a great source of good reading material.
Future posts will cover how you can make the most of your graded reader and graded audio
book in your preparations for the FCE exam.
Would you like to test your FCE exam skills? Sign up for our FCE Practice Tests and get
started straight away!
Avoid missing any of our tips and advice and sign up for our free subscription service and
start on your road to success on the FCE exam.

FCE Reading: The Key to Success (Step 3)
One of the main reasons for students failing the FCE Reading paper is that theyrun out of time.
To avoid this happening to you, the next step you should take is to familiarise yourself with the
format of the FCE Reading paper and develop a reading strategy.
Do a FCE Practice Test
So that you know what is expected of you, you should start by doing the Reading paper of a FCE
Practice Test.
As you work through each part of your FCE practice test, you should:
1. Always read the instructions carefully before you start.
2. Time each part of the test separately and note down the time.
3. Check your answers.
Doing FCE practice tests alone will not make you pass the FCE exam. You should use practice
tests as a tool and include them in your overall study plan.
Develop a Strategy
Going into the FCE exam, you should have an exam strategy ready. This takes time to develop
and will only “come together” in the last few weeks before your FCE exam.
Once you have completed the Reading Part of your free FCE practice test, it is time to analyse
how you did:
1. Add up the time you spend on each part – did you run out of time?
2. Did you not answer a question because you didn’t understand it?
3. Why did you not understand the question? Was it lack of vocabulary?
4. Why were your answers incorrect?
Write down the result of your analysis and keep the information so that as you progress towards
the FCE exam, you can track your improvement and develop your final reading strategy for the
FCE exam.
As you work your way through the various parts of the FCE practice test, you will not only get an
overall picture of your weaknesses and strengths, you will also be able to use the results
todevelop your FCE study plan. Avoid missing any of our tips and advice

FCE Reading Paper: Running Out of Time?
Bad reading techniques are one of the main reasons for running out of time on theReading
paper on the FCE exam. Not only do you have to read about 2,000 words, you will also need to
answer in total 30 questions in the space of one hour.
Good reading techniques are vital and can only be built up over time. The two most used speed-
reading techniques are skimming and scanning.
Skimming
You use this technique when you want to roughly know what a text is about. Move your eyes
rapidly across the text to get its gist – that is, so that you get the general meaning of the text
without any of the details.
Effective skimming can be difficult if you are not familiar with the vocabulary as the eye tends to
stop when it comes across an unfamiliar word. The trick is for you to train yourself to avoid this
problem. Why not try out the “Reading for Gist” method described in the FCE Reading Paper:
The Key to Success (Step 2) blog post?
Scanning
You use this technique when you need to find answers to specific questions. The answers you
will be looking for are often short and factual and may be numbers or names.
The most effective way to scan a text is to first read the question and then let your eye run over
the text until you find the relevant section. To find the answer, concentrate on this section only.
This technique allows you to answer the questions without having to read the whole text.
Something that will save you time on the FCE exam.
Unfortunately, to become a rapid reader there is only one thing for it: practice, practice, practice
using FCE practice tests and other English reading material.
Want to try out these FCE Reading strategies? Sign up for our FCE Practice Tests and get
started!
If you are not happy with the scores you get on the FCE Practice Test, our Knowledge Checks
will help you in focusing in on the vocabulary and grammar you will need to study

FCE – Part 5: Speaking
You will take your FCE Speaking exam in front of two examiners. There will be another FCE
student taking the Speaking exam together with you.
The Speaking Part of the FCE is fourteen minutes in duration and consists of four parts:
o Part 1: you will have a 3-minute conversation with the examiner. You may have to give
information about yourself, talk about past experiences, present circumstances and future plans.
o Part 2: an individual “long turn”. You will be given a pair of photographs and you will need to talk
about them for approx. one minute without interruption. Once you have finished speaking, your
partner will answer a short question from the examiner about your photographs. Your partner will
then do the same, before you both move onto the next part of the Speaking exam.
o Part 3: a two-way conversation between you and the FCE student taking the test with you. The
examiner will give you some pictures and a decision-making task to do. You will need to have a
3-minute discussion with the other FCE student and make a decision.
o Part 4: a further discussion on topics related to Part 3. The examiner will ask questions which will
broaden the discussion in Part 3 so that you can demonstrate that you are capable of discussing
issues in more depth.
There are no marks per speaking part as your performance will be assessed throughout the
whole exam.
The FCE Speaking Paper counts for 20% of the overall mark.

FCE Speaking Paper: The Key to Success
(Step 1)
On the first part of the FCE Speaking Paper, you will need to speak about yourself for up to one
minute. However, this is not as easy as it may sound!
Try and speak for one minute while recording yourself and then listen back. How does it sound?
Is it fluent with no pauses? Do you repeat yourself? Are you managing to talk about yourself in an
interesting way?
Part 1 on the FCE Speaking paper is where you have a chance to “sell yourself” and make a
good first impression on the examiner. It is therefore vital that you prepare as best you can.
Write It Down
It may sound strange, but the best way to improve your speaking is to write down all the
information that you want to include. At this point, don’t worry if what you have written takes more
than one minute to read back. What is important is that you include everything about yourself:
o your family background
o your education
o your hobbies
o your holidays
o your work experience
o your future plans
o etc., etc., etc.
Once you have finished writing, read through your text and look at how you can improve it.
Analyse your text in detail: can you add adjectives; can you “lift” the language by using more
advanced vocabulary; can you make more complex sentence structures; etc.? Here are some
examples on improvements that can be made:
Before:
“My name is Pilar and I’m from Spain.”
After:
“My name is Pilar and I was born in Barcelona but I’m currently living in Madrid.”
Before:
“I’m 20 years old and I study at the university.”
After:
“I have just turned 20 and I’m currently studying English Literature and Art History at Universidad
Carlos III de Madrid.”
Once you are fairly happy with your text, record yourself again and listen back. Does it sound
better than the first recording? Can you improve it further?

This “speaking document” should be a “live” document and as you progress in your FCE studies,
you should constantly update it until you are satisfied with it.
Once the first introductions have been made, the examiner will ask you further questions about
yourself and you should be able to use the information that you have prepared and answer the
questions fluently.
Remember, the better you prepare, the more likely you are to be successful on the FCE
Speaking paper.

(Step 2)
On the second part of the FCE Speaking Paper, you are given two pictures that you will need to
compare while speaking uninterrupted for one minute. The comparison should be based on the
question that is printed above the pictures.
As with part 1 on the FCE Speaking Paper, try and speak for one minute about two pictures that
have a similar topic while recording yourself and then listen back:
o How does it sound?
o Is it fluent with no pauses?
o Do you repeat yourself?
o Are you managing to talk about the pictures in an interesting way?
Write It Down
Once again, it may sound strange, but the best way to improve your speaking is to write down a
template that you follow when doing this particular type of task.
You need to start with a standard opening phrase that you can use irrespective of the topic, e.g.:
o It seems to me what these two pictures have in common is (topic). However, they do differ in
some ways.
You then need to compare and contrast the two pictures. To do this, you need to make sure that
you are confident in the use of different types of linkers.
In your template you should start by dealing with the first picture, then move on to the second
picture. You should finish by summing up your comparison.
Try and include a wide range of phrases and vocabulary in your template, i.e:
o The first picture depicts ….
o First of all, I would like to point out that …
o On the other hand, picture two portrays ….
o From my point of view, the situation depicted in the picture is …
o Furthermore, I believe that this ….
o In addition, this picture also shows …
o To sum up, while the pictures are quite different, they also have a number of similarities …
Once you are fairly happy with your template, record yourself again and listen back. Does it
sound better than the first recording? Can you improve it further?

This “speaking template” should be a “live” document and as you progress in your FCE studies,
you should constantly update it until you are satisfied with it. Only then should you decide on your
final template, and focus on delivering it in one minute without it sounding “rehearsed”.
Remember, the better you prepare, the more likely you are to be successful on the FCE Speaking
paper.

(Step 3)
In this week’s tips for the FCE Speaking paper, we will continue to look at Paper 2. Last week’s
speaking tips talked about how to make a speaking template. We are now going to show you
how such a template can be used.
You should note how we try to “recycle” the words in the question and use them in our template.
The words in italic are the words that will need to change for each picture set.
Which factors may influence people’s holiday choice?
It seems to me what these two pictures have in common is holiday destinations. However, they
do differ in some ways.
The first picture depicts a lovely, unpopulated beach. In my opinion, this would be a typical
holiday choice for couple’s who are on their honeymoon. However, it may also be a typical choice
for more wealthy people.
In contrast, the second picture shows a much more crowded beach. From my point of view, this
would be a typical holiday choice for people who would like a holiday, but cannot afford to go
somewhere expensive.
To sum up, there may be many factors that influence people’s holiday choice, but in my
opinion, the main factor is probably their financial situation.
Now it is your turn – try to first make a template and then apply it to the pictures. Once you are
fairly happy with your template, record yourself and listen back:
o How does it sound?
o Is it fluent with no pauses?
o Do you repeat yourself?
o Can you improve it further?
This “speaking template” should be a “live” document and as you progress in your FCE studies,
you should constantly update it until you are satisfied with it. Only then should you decide on
your final template, and focus on delivering it in one minute without it sounding “rehearsed”.
One danger of preparing a template like this is that you may get pictures that don’t exactly fit into
your template. However, remember, the better you prepare, the more likely you are to be able to
adapt your template “on the spot” and be successful on the FCE Speaking paper.

(Step 4)
We are going to continue to look at Paper 2 on the FCE Speaking exam. Once the other
candidate has completed the long turn, you will be asked a question which you are expected to
answer in about 20 seconds.
It is more difficult to make a template for this task on Part 2 of the FCE speaking test. However,
you know that you will be asked for your opinion on the topic, so you can prepare some good
phrases that you slot into your answer.
For example, in last week’s post we looked at how to make a speaking template and we used
an example where we asked:
o “Which factors may influence people’s holiday choice?”
The examiner may follow this up by asking you:
o What influences your holiday choice?
A good opening phrase would be:
o Personally, I would probably …
o It would depend on many factors, however, personally I would …
o Oh, that is a hard question to answer but I would probably…
You then need to continue your answer by using a linking phrase:
o The main reason for my choice/opinion would probably be …
o Furthermore, I feel/believe that …
o I would like to add that I would probably …
Normally, two good sentences will be enough to fill the 20 seconds. So, here is how you use your
“mini speaking template”:
1. When the examiner instructs the other candidate, listen carefully for the topic.
2. While the other candidate answers, listen but at the same time quickly run through in your
mind the main vocabulary you know on the topic.
3. When the examiner asks you the question, listen very carefully.
4. Ask the examiner to repeat the question (you won’t lose any points for doing so), while the
examiner repeats the question, in your head, you match your “mini template” with your
vocabulary.
5. Deliver your answer.
When answering, you should try to avoid “I think …” as this is a very basic phrase. It is much
better to say “I feel …” or “I believe…”.

Remember, this “mini speaking template” should be a “live” document and as you progress in
your FCE studies, you should constantly update it until you are satisfied with it. Try your
template out on several picture sets you find in magazines etc.:
o Does your template work?
o Do you need to adjust it?
o Can you adapt it quickly enough?
o Can you deliver it without it sounding “rehearsed”?

(Step 5)
On the third part of the FCE Speaking paper, you will have a two-way conversationwith an
other candidate. The examiner will give you spoken instructions withwritten and visual
stimuli which you will use in a decision-making task.
Remember, there are two parts to this task:
o you have to have a discussion with the other candidate
o you have to make a decision together with the other candidate
The first thing you need to focus on is the examiner’s instructions. Make sure that you
understand what you are asked to do. Don’t be afraid to ask the examiner to clarify if you are not
sure – you will not lose marks because of it!
Above the visuals you have been given, you will find the questions that you will need to answer
during the task. Make sure that you answer all of them and don’t discuss the first question too
long, not leaving enough time to complete the task.
You do not have to talk about the images in the order they appear, you can jump back and forth
as long as all the images have been discussed.
It is very hard to make a template for this part of the exam as how you progress through the task
is dependent on the other candidate as well, not just you. However, you can prepare and make
sure that you are familiar with a number of phrases and sentence structures which you can
adapt to any visuals and discussions.
First of all, never use I THINK … This is a very basic phrase and at this stage you are expected
to have a wider range of vocabulary. Use expressions like:
o I believe … . In addition, I feel that … .
o I feel … . On the other hand, I believe … .
o From my point of view … . Furthermore, I feel that … .
o In my opinion … . I also believe that … .
If you are a bit more confident in your English, you could use phrases like:
o It seems to me that … . However, having said that, I feel that …
o First of all, from my point of view … . Leading on from that … .
o To start with, I feel that … . Moreover, I believe that by choosing to …. .
As you can see, you need to know your linkers and how to express your opinions!

(Step 6)
We are going to continue to look at the third part of the FCE Speaking paper. As mentioned in
our previous post in this series, you will have a two-way conversation with an other candidate
for about three minutes.
Most likely you have never met the other candidate before, so you don’t know how he or she will
perform. One of the worst things for you would be if the other candidate
o never stops talking or
o doesn’t talk at all.
So, what do you do? The whole point of this part of the exam is that you can show the examiner
that you can “sustain an interaction”. This means that you have to be able to show that know
how to interact with someone else in any situation. Therefore, you need to have a couple of
strategies ready.
The One That Never Stops Talking
You need to take control of the situation. Don’t let the other person keep talking, interrupt him or
her. However, you MUST be polite when doing so. You could for instance say:
o Sorry to interrupt you, but I don’t agree with what you are saying …
o Could I just interrupt you for a minute? I do agree with you to a point, however …
o Sorry to butt in, but even though I agree with you, I also feel that …
Even though the other person may not give you much time to say what you want, what is
important is that you show the examiner that you know how to interact with someone else.
The One That Never Talks
Again, you need to take control of the situation. However, in this situation you need to try and
help the other candidate. You can do this by asking him or her questions:
o What is your opinion?
o Would you agree with me on this?
o How do you feel about my suggestion?
Hopefully, this will encourage the other candidate to talk. If not, keep trying. Once again, by trying
these techniques you are showing the examiner that you know how to interact with someone
else.
As you can see, you need to know a number of phrases that you can use in many different
situations.

(Step 7)
This week we are going to revisit the second part of the FCE Speaking paper. If you haven’t
already made your “speaking template” for this part of the speaking exam, you should read these
three previous posts first:
FCE Speaking Paper: The Key to Success (Step 3)
So how are you getting on with your template? Are you able to adapt it to suit different pictures?
Or do you need to do some work on it? Let’s put your template to the test.
Here are two more pictures and a question:
Why is the road important to us?
Before you use your own template to answer the question, we would like you to use our template
which you can find in Step 5.
1. Write down our template.
2. Answer the question: Why is the road important to us?
3. Write down your answers using our template.
4. Compare your answer to ours:
suggested answer: FCE Speaking Paper: The Key to Success (Step 7)
Suggested answer using the template in FCE Speaking Paper: The Key to Success
(Step 5):
Why is the road important to us?
It seems to me what these two pictures have in common is roads. However, they do differ
in some ways.
The first picture depicts an empty country road. In my opinion, this would be a road that
would be very important to people in rural areas so that they can access different services.
However, it may also be an important road for transporting agricultural products to market
towns.
In contrast, the second picture shows a traffic jam caused by road works. From my point of
view, this would be a typical problem when living in urban areas as good roads are

important for commuters living in the suburbs.
To sum up, there may be many reasons why roads are important to us, but in my opinion,
the main reasons are probably that roads make it easy for us to commute to and from
work, and they also give us access to services and goods
How did you do? How does your answer compare to ours? Now it is your turn:
1. If you haven’t already made a template (Steps 3, 4 and 5), do that now.
2. Apply your template to the pictures in Step 5.
3. Apply your template to the pictures in this step.
How did you do? How does your template work? Can it be used for both sets of pictures or does
it need a bit more work? Remember, your template is a “live” document and you need to
constantly refine it until you are confident that you have a template that works for you.

(Step 8)
We are going to continue to look at the fourth and final part of the FCE Speaking paper. In this
part, the examiner will be asking you questions based on the topic discussed in Part 3.
If you found that the discussion in Part 3 didn’t go very well, this is the time to make up for it.
Make sure that you have a number of good opinion phrases ready:
o From my point of view, …
o In my opinion, …
o I believe that …
When answering, you should try to avoid “I think …” as this is a very basic phrase, use one of the
suggested phrases instead. Also, make sure that you have a number of good linkers that you are
comfortable using. For instance:
o Furthermore, I feel…
o In addition, I also believe …
You could also show that you can see the “other side” of an argument:
o However, having said that, I feel that maybe …
o On the other hand, it may not be …
If you are not sure what to answer, you can “buy” yourself some time by asking the examiner to
repeat the question (you won’t lose any points for doing so). While the examiner repeats the
question, in your head, make the answer.
You can also use the question the examiner asks and repeat it back to give yourself more time.
Say the examiner asks: “Would you like to work in a place like this?” You can then
answer:“Yes, personally, I would like to work in a place like this.”
You can then continue by saying: “In my opinion, it seems like a very nice place to work.
However, having said that, I feel that maybe it is not a place that everybody would like to
work in.”
Remember that the answers you give don’t necessarily have to be what your opinions are, they
are just phrases you use to show that you know how to give good answers.

How to pass the Cambridge First Certificate
exam
What is the Cambridge First Certificate exam?
The Cambridge First Certificate Exam (FCE) is a certificate organised by the University of Cambridge.
It is aimed at upper-intermediate English learners who would like to prove their English proficiency.
The certificate can be an excellent qualification to have, since it is recognised by thousands of
universities, employers and governments worldwide.
Attaining an FCE pass can open the door to better education or employment opportunities, as well as
increasing the chance of you being allowed to live and work in English-speaking countries.
The FCE consists of 5 papers:
1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Use of English
4. Listening
5. Speaking.
Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are taken on the same day. Paper 5 is taken on a specified day, either on, or
close to, the main exam day. The five papers are each worth 20 per cent of your overall mark.
Before you take the exam
The FCE is a serious challenge of English ability. To be able to pass the test, you will need to be
confident in all skills of English – reading, writing, listening, speaking, sentence formation, grammar,
vocabulary and so on. Typically an English learner will need to have been studying English part time
for at least two years before he or she is able to pass the exam. Learners from non-European
language speaking countries (such as Middle East and Far East countries) may need even longer.
The main reason to only take the test once you are ready is an issue of confidence. If you take the
exam before you are ready, you may fail and lose confidence in your ability to become a good speaker
of English. If this happens you may be discouraged from studying further. Furthermore, it can be a
waste of time, money and effort to take an exam you are not ready to pass.
On the other hand, having an exam date to look forward to can be an excellent motivator to study hard
and make the most of your time. Some students study harder than ever and see a large increase in
their ability in the months leading up to an exam.
How to pass the Cambridge First Certificate exam
Let’s take a look at each paper of the exam. We will see how to prepare for and pass each paper.
Paper 1: Reading
How to prepare:
 Get used to reading English fast. Don’t spend too long staring at words you don’t know. You can
usually guess the meaning by reading the other words in the sentence.
 Practise reading for more time each day. You need to be comfortable reading for a full hour as the
reading paper will be that long.
 Read practice paper questions as much as you can. If you run out of practice papers, try reading
newspaper or magazine articles. 550-700 words is the best length, to match the exam questions.

How to pass:
 The natural instinct is to spend time reading the text and trying to understand it, followed by
answering the questions. But don’t do this! You don’t have much time. It is better to read each
question, then look at the text. Scan read the text to find the answer you need. Usually the
question order is similar to the text order. So the answer to question 1 will be close to the beginning
of the text, and the last question will be close to the end.
 Don’t spend long on each question. If you don’t know the answer, go to the next question. If you
have time, you can come back and try the question again.
Paper 2: Writing
How to prepare:
 Get used to writing English by hand quickly. Typing on the computer is not enough as the exam is
handwritten.
 For part 1, you will need to write a letter or email. Therefore, learn the usual English expressions
like “Dear ___”, “Yours faithfully / sincerely” (letter) and “Best regards” (email).
 You can also learn standard English expressions usually found in emails and letters. Examples: “I
am writing to inform you”; “I am writing to request”; “Please do not hesitate to contact me” and “I
look forward to hearing from you”.
 For part 2, you can choose to write about a set text. From 2012 to the end of 2013, these
are Vanity Fair by William Thackery and This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart. If you would like to
write about the set text, choose just one book and read it a few times.
 Do practice papers. If you don’t have an English speaker to give you feedback, try a website like
Lang-8, where there are native speakers who can check your work.
How to pass:
 Part 1 and Part 2 are worth the same number of marks. So spend 40 minutes on each.
 Start by reading the question and spending a minute thinking about a good answer.
 Write a short plan for your answer. This will mean you can write a better-structured answer and not
miss anything you want to say.
 Write about what you can explain, even if you have to give an opinion you don’t agree with. Just
show your writing ability.
 Part 1 should be 120-150 words, and Part 2 120-180 words. Make sure you write enough to show
your ability. On the other hand, don’t ‘waffle’. Saying unimportant things to increase your word
count won’t help.
Paper 3: Use of English
How to prepare:
 Do a lot of practice papers. Each year similar questions appear. In this way, you can find your
strengths and weaknesses.
 When you fail a question, learn the meaning of the words or grammar points in that question. This
will help you improve. Common errors are in the use of similar words like but, yet,
however or could, would, should.
How to pass:
 Keep a clear head. If you have done your preparation, these questions are quite simple and can be
done quickly.
 If you don’t know an answer, leave it and come back later.

Paper 4: Listening
How to prepare:
 Listen to as many different English sources as you can find. TV, films and radio can help you get
used to understanding naturally spoken English.
 Remember you should be comfortable with different accents. Don’t focus only on American or
British English. Listen to a variety.
 Do past exam papers. You need to be comfortable reading questions quickly and listening to
English recordings at the same time.
How to pass:
 The biggest mistake people make is trying to remember the meaning of a word they have heard,
and consequently missing the rest of the recording. Don’t do this!
 Another common error is trying to concentrate on reading the questions and as a result missing the
recording. If you can’t concentrate on both, just listen to the recording. You can look at the
questions afterwards.
 It can be good to write a few key words while you listen. For example, expensive car, accident,
police station. This can help you remember what you have just heard when you answer the
questions.
Paper 5: Speaking
How to prepare:
 Even if you are confident with your English studies, you must remember to practise speaking!
 Speaking English with other English learners is a good idea.
 If you know any native speakers or English teachers, try to chat with them in English. This can
even be someone in another country, through Skype, for instance.
 Make YouTube videos of yourself speaking English. Don’t be shy! These can help you improve
quickly, and get you useful feedback.
 Talking to yourself in English is very helpful. Talk about what you are doing and how you are
feeling. For example “I have to go to the bank. I love the weather today. I forgot to close the
window.”
How to pass:
 Speak clearly and calmly. Don’t rush. You have to talk for a few minutes, so you should not finish
too quickly. Take your time, breathe deeply and relax.
 Talk about what you are confident saying. If you don’t know the words, describe it in a different way
or even say something different. The exam is to test your English, not to learn your real opinion.
You will have another candidate with you in the speaking exam. Don’t just repeat what they
say. Show what YOU know.

(Effective) reading to increase your English
vocabulary
Reading in English is a great way for learners to improve their vocabulary. By reading we can:
 learn new words
 immediately see these new words in their correct context
 consolidate vocabulary that we have learned in the past.
Many learners, though, approach reading in English in the wrong way. If your method is bad, reading
in a foreign language can be hard and boring. And if a subject doesn’t interest you, you will learn very
little.
Here are six simple tips to help make your reading both enjoyable and effective.
1. Choose interesting material / be hungry
Always read something that interests you. ”How do we know something is interesting?” you may ask.
Easy. This is the rule:
”Read material that you would also read in your native language.
If you don’t normally read it in your own language, don’t read it in English.”
Following this rule will ensure that you have an interest in the material. Being interested in what you
are reading will make you hungry to read more and hungry to understand the new words that you
meet.
2. Read material that is the right level for you
The material you choose to read should not be too easy for you. Neither should it be too hard.
If the text is too easy you will meet very few new words and so will not learn much new vocabulary. If
the text is too difficult there will be too many unknown words. This means that you will not understand
enough to be able to guess the meaning of new words from the context in which you have read them.
You may also fall into the trap of spending more time looking in your dictionary than reading your
book. The result is that you will be demotivated.
One way of ensuring that you have a suitable level is to choose ‘easy reader’ books, which are
available in different levels. These are often classic novels adapted and shortened for learners of
English.
3. Be realistic – keep it short
If you decide to read a book, choose a thin one. If you read an article on the internet or in a magazine,
make sure it is not too long. Be realistic about the lengths of texts you read: it will keep you motivated
and give you a sense of achievement when you have finished.
So, now you have interesting material and the correct reading level. What next?
4. Pay attention to every word
Pay attention to every word in a sentence, especially the words which are new to you. You won’t learn
a word if you skip it.
When you see a word you don’t know, it is a good idea to take a pencil and underline it – we will see
why in the next point.
5. Guess meaning first
If you see a new word in a text that you are reading, don’t go immediately to your dictionary.
 First try to guess the meaning by re-reading that section of the text.

 Now use your dictionary to see if you guessed correctly.
 Underline the word. This is useful for later on – after you have finished reading your text, you may
want to copy all new words into your vocab book for revising another day.
6. Use a good dictionary
Another thing to remember is that your dictionary should be good. A quality English-English (advanced
learner’s) dictionary is essential for people at intermediate level or above. I have seen too many
students using poor quality dictionaries. They are just making their learning more difficult than it should
be.
Those are my six tips. If you follow them when you read, you will learn more vocabulary, more easily.
And you will enjoy learning.
Happy reading!


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