B2 First for Schools flashcards
B2 First for Schools · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Part 4 key word transformation
- A Use of English task of six items worth two marks each; the candidate rewrites a sentence using a given key word unchanged, producing two to five words with the same meaning.
- Open cloze
- Part 2 of Reading and Use of English: eight gaps in a short text, each filled with exactly one word, usually a grammatical item such as a preposition, article, or auxiliary.
- Word formation task
- Part 3 of Reading and Use of English: eight gaps where a stem word in capitals must be changed, using prefixes or suffixes, to fit the sentence grammatically and in meaning.
- Multiple-choice cloze
- Part 1 of Reading and Use of English: eight gaps, each with four options, testing collocation, fixed phrases, phrasal verbs, and grammatical patterns in a short text.
- Gapped text cohesion
- Part 6 of Reading and Use of English: six sentences are removed from a text and must be reinserted using pronoun reference, linkers, and vocabulary chains as clues.
- Multiple matching reading
- Part 7 of Reading and Use of English: ten questions matched to four to six short texts or sections; sections may be reused and questions do not follow text order.
- Reading multiple choice
- Part 5 of Reading and Use of English: six questions on one long text, in text order, where correct options paraphrase the text rather than copy its words.
- Paper timing Reading and Use of English
- The combined paper lasts 75 minutes; Parts 1 to 4 carry 52 marks and Parts 5 to 7 carry 42 marks, giving 94 marks in total.
- Writing Part 1 email
- The compulsory Writing task: an email, usually informal, based on notes that must all be addressed; it is worth 20 marks and should be 140 to 190 words.
- Writing Part 2 options
- The second Writing task offers a choice of three from article, email or letter, essay, review, and story, each worth 20 marks and 140 to 190 words.
- Writing assessment criteria
- Each Writing task is marked on four criteria worth five marks each: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation, and Language, giving 20 marks per task.
- Content criterion
- The Writing criterion judging whether the reader is fully informed and whether every content point in the task notes or rubric has been addressed.
- Communicative achievement
- The Writing criterion judging whether the register, format, and tone suit the intended reader and purpose, and whether the ideas are communicated effectively.
- Organisation criterion
- The Writing criterion judging paragraphing, sequencing of ideas, and accurate use of linking devices, including openings and closings appropriate to the genre.
- Language criterion
- The Writing criterion judging range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar, including whether errors impede communication and whether structures are varied.
- Writing word limit
- Each Writing answer should be 140 to 190 words; answers far below the range risk losing content marks, and answers far above it are not directly penalised.
- Informal email register
- A Writing register using contractions, direct address, conversational linkers, and friendly openings and closings, suited to writing to a friend or peer.
- Review genre features
- A Writing option describing and evaluating something such as a film, book, or place, giving a recommendation and addressing a specified reader and purpose.
- Listening Part 1 format
- Eight short unrelated recordings, each heard twice, with one three-option multiple-choice question testing gist, detail, function, or speaker attitude.
- Listening Part 2 gaps
- A monologue of about three minutes with ten gaps; answers are usually one to three words and must be spelled correctly with no extra words added.
- Listening Part 3 matching
- Five short related monologues matched to five of eight options; each option is used once, and distractors paraphrase ideas from the wrong speaker.
- Listening Part 4 interview
- Seven three-option multiple-choice questions on one longer interview or conversation, following the order of the recording, testing detail and attitude.
- Listening distractor trap
- A wrong option that repeats a word or phrase heard in the recording; the correct answer usually paraphrases the same idea in different wording.
- Listening paper structure
- The Listening paper lasts about 40 minutes, has four parts and 30 questions, and every recording is heard twice before the next part begins.
- Corrected information trap
- A listening feature where a speaker states a number, time, or price and later changes it; the final version given is the answer, not the first.
- Speaking Part 1 interview
- About two minutes of personal questions on topics such as daily life, studies, hobbies, and plans, where answers should extend beyond a single sentence.
- Speaking Part 2 long turn
- Each candidate compares two photographs for about one minute, then answers a short question about the partner's photographs for about thirty seconds.
- Speaking Part 3 collaborative
- About three minutes of discussion with the partner on a mind-map of options, followed by reaching a joint decision together.
- Speaking Part 4 discussion
- About four minutes of examiner questions developing the Part 3 topic, requiring opinions, reasons, and comparison of ideas.
- Interactive communication
- The Speaking criterion scoring how well a candidate initiates, responds, and maintains the exchange, including turn-taking and reacting to the partner.
- Discourse management
- The Speaking criterion scoring coherence, organisation of ideas, and appropriate length of contributions, including use of linking words and discourse markers.
- Speaking test structure
- The test lasts about fourteen minutes with two examiners; one conducts the interview and the other assesses, and candidates are tested in pairs.