Cambridge B2 First flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Open cloze

Part 2 of the B2 First Reading and Use of English paper: eight gaps in a short text, each filled with exactly one word, usually a grammar word such as a preposition, article, auxiliary or conjunction.

Key word transformation

Part 4 task with six items in which candidates rewrite a sentence so it keeps the same meaning, using a given word that must not be changed, in two to five words.

Word formation gap

Part 3 task: eight gaps in a text, each completed by changing the base word printed in capitals, typically by adding a prefix or suffix or by changing the word class.

Multiple-choice cloze

Part 1 of the Reading and Use of English paper: eight gaps, each with four options A to D, testing collocation, fixed phrases, phrasal verbs and linking devices rather than general grammar.

Gapped text task

Part 6 of the Reading paper: six sentences removed from an article and offered with one extra distractor; cohesion, referencing and logical links restore them, and each answer scores two marks.

Multiple matching reading

Part 7 of the Reading paper: ten questions matched to sections of a text or to four to six short texts; sections may be chosen more than once and each correct match scores one mark.

Reading Part 5

A multiple-choice reading task with six four-option questions that follow the order of one long text; each correct answer is worth two marks in the B2 First Reading and Use of English paper.

Use of English weighting

Parts 1 to 4 of the Reading and Use of English paper contain 32 questions; the whole paper has 52 questions, lasts 75 minutes and contributes 40% of the total B2 First score.

Part 1 essay

Compulsory B2 First writing task: an essay of 140 to 190 words discussing a statement, using two given notes plus one idea of the candidate's own.

Part 2 writing options

In the B2 First Writing paper, candidates choose one task from three: article, email or letter, report, or review. An essay is never offered in Part 2.

Content criterion

Writing assessment scale rewarding coverage of every content point in the task and whether the target reader is fully informed by the answer.

Communicative Achievement

Writing criterion judging whether the conventions of the text type are used appropriately and whether ideas are communicated clearly and effectively to the target reader.

Organisation criterion

Writing criterion covering paragraphing, ordering of ideas and the use of linking and cohesive devices to build a clear, coherent text.

Word limit 140-190

Both B2 First writing tasks must be 140 to 190 words; answers below 140 words may lose Content marks because the task is not fully addressed.

Review structure

A B2 First review describes and evaluates something such as a film, book or restaurant, gives a personal recommendation, and is written for a specified readership such as a magazine's readers.

Report structure

A B2 First report presents findings and recommendations on a topic, usually with a title and subheadings, written in a neutral or formal register for a superior or a group.

Listening Part 1

Eight short unrelated recordings, each heard twice, with one three-option multiple-choice question per extract; each correct answer scores one mark.

Listening Part 2

Sentence or note completion: ten gaps in notes or sentences, filled with a short phrase taken from a monologue heard twice; spelling and grammatical fit must be accurate.

Listening Part 3

Multiple matching: five speakers talk about one theme and candidates match each speaker to one of eight options, scoring one mark per question.

Listening Part 4

Seven three-option multiple-choice questions on one longer interview or discussion, heard twice; each correct answer scores two marks, the highest value in the Listening paper.

Paraphrase trap

In B2 First listening, the correct option usually rewords what the speaker says, while an option repeating the speaker's exact words is often a deliberate distractor.

Self-correction cue

Speakers often give a wrong detail and then correct it with words such as actually or no, sorry; the corrected version is the information needed for the answer.

Listening paper timing

The Listening paper lasts about 40 minutes, contains 30 questions across four parts, plays every recording twice, and gives five extra minutes to transfer answers on paper.

Paper weighting

Reading and Use of English makes up 40% of the B2 First total score, while Writing, Listening and Speaking are worth 20% each.

Speaking Part 2

Long turn: each candidate compares two photographs and answers the question above them for about one minute, then responds for 30 seconds to a question about the partner's photographs.

Collaborative task

Speaking Part 3: candidates discuss a mind map of options with their partner for about two minutes, then make a joint decision in about one minute.

Global Achievement scale

A holistic 0 to 5 speaking mark summarising how effectively the candidate communicated overall, awarded by the assessor alongside the four analytic criteria.

Interactive Communication

Speaking criterion measuring turn-taking, initiating and responding, and the ability to sustain and develop the interaction with the other candidate.

Discourse Management

Speaking criterion covering coherence, the organisation of ideas, and the range and appropriacy of vocabulary and discourse markers in extended speech.

Pronunciation criterion

Speaking criterion assessing intelligibility, individual sounds, word and sentence stress and intonation, rather than whether a candidate sounds like a native speaker.

Speaking exam format

The B2 First speaking test lasts 14 minutes for two candidates and two examiners: the interlocutor conducts the test and the assessor awards the marks silently.

Part 4 discussion

A four-minute discussion of questions related to the Part 3 topic; examiners may address candidates individually and candidates are encouraged to respond to each other.