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FCE practice questions

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Question 1Reading

In a Cambridge English: First Reading and Use of English Part 1 text, what does the task ask you to do?

  1. Rewrite each underlined sentence in your own words
  2. Choose the word that best fits each gap from four options Correct answer.
  3. Match each paragraph to a summary heading
  4. Decide whether each statement is true or false

Explanation

Part 1 is a multiple-choice cloze: a short text with eight gaps, each offering four words or phrases and only one fits grammatically and in meaning. The other tasks listed belong to different parts of the paper.

Question 2Reading

A Part 1 gap reads: 'The museum attracts thousands of visitors ___ year.' Which option completes the gap correctly?

  1. all
  2. whole
  3. each Correct answer.
  4. every of

Explanation

'Each year' is a fixed adverbial meaning 'every year' and fits the singular noun without an article. 'Every' would need 'every year' but cannot take 'of' here, and 'all'/'whole' do not combine with a bare singular noun in this pattern.

Question 3Reading

In Part 2 (Open Cloze), what kind of words are typically removed to create the gaps?

  1. Whole sentences that must be reordered
  2. Grammar words such as prepositions, articles, pronouns and auxiliaries Correct answer.
  3. Only content nouns from the topic vocabulary
  4. Numbers and dates only

Explanation

Part 2 removes single grammar words, so the answer is usually one word such as a preposition, article, pronoun, conjunction or auxiliary verb. Candidates must supply the missing word without any options to choose from.

Question 4Reading

Part 2 gap: 'She has been working at the company ___ 2015.' Which single word fits?

  1. from
  2. during
  3. since Correct answer.
  4. for

Explanation

With a present perfect continuous and a starting point in time, 'since' is the correct preposition. 'For' would need a duration such as 'for ten years', not a specific year.

Question 5Reading

In Part 3 (Word Formation), the gap is filled by changing the base word given in capitals. Which form correctly completes: 'The film was praised for its ___ (ORIGIN) storyline.'?

  1. origin
  2. originate
  3. original Correct answer.
  4. originally

Explanation

The gap precedes a noun ('storyline') and needs an adjective describing it, so 'original' is correct. The base noun 'origin' and the verb 'originate' do not fit the adjectival slot.

Question 6Reading

Part 3 gap: 'Her ___ (DECIDE) to resign surprised everyone.' Which derived form fits?

  1. decidedly
  2. decision Correct answer.
  3. deciding
  4. decisive

Explanation

The possessive 'her' followed by 'to resign' requires a noun as the head of the phrase, so the noun 'decision' is needed. The adjective and adverb forms cannot occupy that noun slot.

Question 7Reading

In Part 4 (Key Word Transformation), you must rewrite a sentence using a given key word. Which rule applies?

  1. Keep the original words exactly and only add punctuation
  2. Use the key word unchanged and keep the meaning the same, writing between two and five words Correct answer.
  3. Change the key word into any related form you prefer
  4. Write as many words as you like to explain the meaning

Explanation

Part 4 requires a paraphrase of two to five words that includes the given key word unchanged and preserves the original meaning. Changing the key word or exceeding the word limit loses the mark.

Question 8Reading

Transform: 'I last saw him three years ago.' using the key word SEEN. Which answer is correct?

  1. I have seen him three years ago.
  2. I haven't seen him for three years. Correct answer.
  3. I haven't seen him since three years.
  4. I didn't see him for three years ago.

Explanation

'I last saw him three years ago' means the period of not seeing him has lasted three years, expressed with the present perfect and 'for' plus a duration. 'Since' would require a point in time, not a length of time.

Question 9Reading

Part 4 transformation: 'It's a pity I can't drive.' Key word: WISH. Which answer keeps the meaning?

  1. I wish I drove to drive.
  2. I wish I would drive.
  3. I wish I could drive. Correct answer.
  4. I wish I can drive.

Explanation

'Wish' about an present inability takes 'could' plus the base verb, so 'I wish I could drive' matches 'It's a pity I can't drive'. The tense after 'wish' moves back to express an unreal present situation.

Question 10Reading

In Part 5 (Multiple Choice Reading), the questions follow the order of the text. What is the best strategy?

  1. Answer from general knowledge without returning to the text
  2. Choose the option that repeats the most words from the text
  3. Read the questions first, then locate the relevant section of the text for each one Correct answer.
  4. Read only the first and last paragraphs and guess the rest

Explanation

Because Part 5 questions follow the order of the passage, reading them first helps you scan for the relevant section and compare each option against the exact wording. Options that simply repeat text words are often deliberate distractors.

Question 11Reading

A Part 5 option says 'The writer's main aim in the second paragraph is to...'. Which skill is being tested?

  1. Identifying the purpose of a paragraph within the argument Correct answer.
  2. Predicting what happens after the text
  3. Understanding a word from its context
  4. Locating a single factual detail

Explanation

Questions about a writer's aim or purpose ask you to identify the function of a paragraph in the overall argument, such as explaining, illustrating or contrasting. This is a global comprehension skill rather than detail-spotting.

Question 12Reading

In Part 6 (Gapped Text), you must insert removed sentences into a text. Which feature most reliably signals where a sentence belongs?

  1. Whether the sentence contains a date
  2. Cohesive links such as pronouns, reference words and connecting phrases Correct answer.
  3. The number of capital letters in the sentence
  4. The length of the sentence compared with the others

Explanation

Part 6 is solved through cohesion: pronouns referring back, lexical chains and linking words must connect the missing sentence to the sentences before and after the gap. Length, capitals or dates are not reliable clues.

Question 13Reading

A gap in Part 6 is followed by the sentence 'This reluctance puzzled his colleagues.' Which word in the missing sentence is most likely needed before the gap?

  1. A noun phrase referring to an unwillingness or hesitation Correct answer.
  2. A plural noun referring to the colleagues
  3. An exclamation
  4. A future time expression

Explanation

The demonstrative 'This' in the following sentence must refer back to something in the missing sentence, so the gap needs a noun phrase expressing reluctance or hesitation. Reference words like 'this' are the key cohesive signal.

Question 14Reading

In Part 7 (Multiple Matching), several questions may relate to the same section of the text. What does this mean for your approach?

  1. Each section may be used more than once, so match each question to the section that best fits it Correct answer.
  2. Each section can be used only once, so eliminate sections as you go
  3. You must copy whole sentences from the text as answers
  4. You should answer only the questions you can find quickly

Explanation

In Part 7 the sections can be chosen more than once, so you should match each question independently to the section that contains the relevant information. You do not eliminate sections after one use.

Question 15Reading

Part 7 text: 'Anna says her success came from years of quiet persistence rather than any single breakthrough.' Which question does this information answer?

  1. What does Anna believe was the key to her success? Correct answer.
  2. Why did Anna choose her particular field?
  3. How long did Anna's project take to complete?
  4. What did Anna's critics say about her work?

Explanation

The sentence explains Anna's view of what caused her success: persistence rather than a breakthrough. That directly answers a question about the key to her success.

Question 16Reading

A reading passage states: 'The scheme was welcomed by residents, although some doubted it would last.' What can be inferred?

  1. Support existed but was not entirely unconditional. Correct answer.
  2. Residents were unaware of the scheme.
  3. All residents opposed the scheme.
  4. The scheme had already ended.

Explanation

The concessive 'although' signals a contrast: residents welcomed the scheme but some had doubts about its durability. This means support was real but not completely unconditional.

Question 17Reading

In the phrase 'the proposal was met with a lukewarm response', what does 'lukewarm' most nearly mean?

  1. Openly hostile
  2. Completely silent
  3. Extremely positive
  4. Showing little enthusiasm Correct answer.

Explanation

'Lukewarm' literally means slightly warm and figuratively describes a response lacking enthusiasm. The context of 'response' supports the figurative meaning of mild, unenthusiastic support.

Question 18Reading

Which sentence uses 'however' correctly in a formal written text?

  1. The results were promising, however the sample was small.
  2. The results were promising however the sample was small.
  3. The results were promising; however, the sample was small. Correct answer.
  4. However the results were promising, the sample was small.

Explanation

As a conjunctive adverb, 'however' can join two independent clauses when preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma. Without that punctuation the two clauses run together incorrectly.

Question 19Reading

In a First Reading text, 'The company's profits have soared, fuelled by overseas demand.' What is the grammatical function of 'fuelled by overseas demand'?

  1. A main clause stating the result
  2. A past-participle clause giving the reason for the profits Correct answer.
  3. A question tag
  4. A noun phrase acting as subject

Explanation

'Fuelled by overseas demand' is a participial clause modifying the main clause and explaining the cause. It has no subject of its own and is attached to the preceding statement.

Question 20Reading

Which option best completes the sentence: 'Not only ___ the exhibition, but she also wrote the catalogue.'?

  1. organised she
  2. she did organise
  3. did she organise Correct answer.
  4. she organised

Explanation

After the negative adverbial 'Not only' at the start of a clause, subject and auxiliary invert, giving 'did she organise'. The inversion is required by the fronted negative phrase.

Question 21Reading

In Part 1, which option collocates correctly: 'to ___ a decision'?

  1. give
  2. do
  3. take
  4. make Correct answer.

Explanation

English uses the fixed collocation 'make a decision'. 'Do', 'take' and 'give' do not combine with 'decision' in standard usage.

Question 22Reading

Which sentence correctly uses a gerund after a preposition?

  1. She is capable managing the team alone.
  2. She is capable of managing the team alone. Correct answer.
  3. She is capable to manage the team alone.
  4. She is capable of manage the team alone.

Explanation

The adjective 'capable' is followed by 'of' plus a gerund, so 'of managing' is correct. Infinitives and bare verbs after 'of' are ungrammatical.

Question 23Reading

A text says: 'Far from being a burden, the new regulations simplified procedures.' What does the writer imply?

  1. The regulations made procedures more complicated.
  2. The regulations were never introduced.
  3. The regulations were expected to be burdensome but actually helped. Correct answer.
  4. The regulations were a burden for everyone.

Explanation

'Far from being a burden' sets up a contrast with the expectation of burden, and the main clause states that procedures became simpler. The writer therefore implies the regulations were unexpectedly helpful.

Question 24Reading

Which word best completes: 'The two theories are ___ exclusive; accepting one rules out the other.'?

  1. mutuality
  2. mutuals
  3. mutually Correct answer.
  4. mutual

Explanation

The fixed expression is 'mutually exclusive', where the adverb 'mutually' modifies the adjective 'exclusive'. The other forms are noun or plural forms that cannot modify an adjective.

Question 25Reading

In a reading text, 'The volunteers were given a modest stipend to cover their expenses.' What does 'stipend' mean here?

  1. A long journey
  2. A type of uniform
  3. A small regular payment Correct answer.
  4. A formal written warning

Explanation

A stipend is a fixed regular sum paid to cover expenses or support work, and 'modest' signals it is small. The context of covering expenses confirms the financial meaning.

Question 26Reading

In Part 5 (multiple-choice reading), a candidate meets an option that repeats several exact words from the passage. Why should this make the candidate cautious?

  1. It shows the passage contains a quotation that must be ignored
  2. It means the option belongs to a different question in the same part
  3. Verbatim repetition is often the sign of a distractor that copies surface wording without capturing the writer's point Correct answer.
  4. It proves the option is correct because the exam only reuses the passage's own wording

Explanation

First Reading distractors are frequently built by lifting phrases from the text so that they look familiar, while the key paraphrases the meaning. Matching exact vocabulary is therefore weak evidence; the candidate must check whether the idea, not the wording, answers the question.

Question 27Reading

A Part 6 (gapped text) paragraph opens with 'Such reservations, however, were soon forgotten.' Which earlier content must the removed sentence supply?

  1. A definition of the word 'reservations' for the reader
  2. A direct quotation from the project's original proposal
  3. A statistical table summarising the project's costs
  4. A mention of doubts or objections that 'such reservations' can refer back to Correct answer.

Explanation

Cohesion in Part 6 depends on reference chains: the demonstrative 'such' plus 'however' signals that the missing sentence introduces the reservations being contrasted. The candidate should look for the noun phrase that 'such reservations' points back to and check that the following sentence's contrast makes sense.

Question 28Reading

In Part 7 (multiple matching), the instructions say each question refers to one of four sections and each section may be chosen more than once. What does this imply about your answer sheet?

  1. Only the first three sections can be selected at all
  2. Some letters will appear twice or more, so you should not force a one-to-one pairing Correct answer.
  3. Each letter must be used exactly once, so any repeat is a mistake
  4. You should leave repeats blank because they are not credited

Explanation

Part 7 explicitly allows repeated letters, so candidates who assume a one-to-one mapping often change correct answers to fill unused options. The task is to match each question to the section that contains the relevant information, regardless of how many times a letter is used.

Question 29Reading

A Part 5 passage says: 'The council's pledge to plant a thousand trees was widely publicised, though only a fraction have appeared.' What does the writer suggest?

  1. Residents opposed the planting scheme
  2. The publicity outstripped the actual achievement Correct answer.
  3. The trees were planted but not announced
  4. The council planted more trees than promised

Explanation

The contrast marked by 'though' sets the announcement against the small number delivered, implying a gap between promise and reality. Recognising concessive linkers is central to inference questions in Part 5.

Question 30Reading

Part 4 (key word transformation): 'The manager refused to accept the report until every figure had been checked.' Key word: INSISTED. Which rewrite is correct?

  1. The manager insisted to check every figure before he accepts the report.
  2. The manager insisted on every figure being checked before accepting the report. Correct answer.
  3. The manager insisted on check every figure before accepting the report.
  4. The manager insisted that every figure must checking before the report accepted.

Explanation

'Insist' is followed by 'on' plus a gerund, and a passive gerund ('being checked') is needed because the figures receive the action. The transformation must also preserve the original sequence: checking happens before acceptance.

Question 31Reading

Which option correctly completes this sentence from a formal article? 'Scarcely ___ the results been published when criticism began.'

  1. did
  2. were
  3. have
  4. had Correct answer.

Explanation

Negative adverbials such as 'scarcely' at the start of a clause trigger inversion, and the past perfect is required because publication preceded the criticism. The auxiliary therefore comes before the subject: 'Scarcely had the results been published'.

Question 32Reading

A Part 5 text states: 'Critics who dismiss the novel as sentimental have, I think, misread its final chapter.' What is the writer doing?

  1. Agreeing that the ending is sentimental
  2. Summarising the novel's plot for the reader
  3. Reporting the critics' view without evaluating it
  4. Disagreeing with the critics while conceding they exist Correct answer.

Explanation

The phrase 'have, I think, misread' marks the writer's own judgement against the critics, so the writer rejects their assessment. The hedged 'I think' softens the claim but does not turn it into neutral reporting.

Question 33Reading

In Part 1 (multiple-choice cloze), which option fits the gap? 'The committee reached a ___ decision after only ten minutes of discussion.'

  1. united
  2. unanimous Correct answer.
  3. unique
  4. uniform

Explanation

'Unanimous' collocates with 'decision' to mean that everyone agreed, which fits the speed of the discussion. The other adjectives are close in meaning but do not form this standard partnership with 'decision'.

Question 34Reading

Which sentence uses a participle clause correctly in a piece of formal writing?

  1. Having been reviewed the evidence, the panel announced its verdict.
  2. Having reviewed the evidence, the verdict was announced by the panel.
  3. Having reviewed the evidence, the panel announced its verdict. Correct answer.
  4. Reviewing the evidence, the verdict was announced.

Explanation

A participle clause at the start of a sentence must share its subject with the main clause. Here the panel both reviewed the evidence and announced the verdict, so the sentence is well formed; the perfect participle shows the review came first.

Question 35Reading

In a First Reading passage, the phrase 'the scheme was greeted with cautious optimism' most nearly means that people

  1. supported it but had some doubts Correct answer.
  2. were enthusiastic and fully confident
  3. were completely indifferent to it
  4. rejected it outright

Explanation

'Cautious optimism' combines hope with reservation, so the phrase signals qualified support rather than certainty or rejection. Lexical questions in Part 5 often test this kind of compound attitude phrase.

Question 36Reading

A Part 6 text reads: 'The museum extended its opening hours. ___ Visitor numbers rose sharply that summer.' Which sentence best fills the gap?

  1. Profits, moreover, had fallen the previous year.
  2. It was a decision that would prove surprisingly profitable. Correct answer.
  3. For instance, the café closed early on Sundays.
  4. Nevertheless, the staff objected to the change.

Explanation

The gap must link the new opening hours to the rise in visitors, and the sentence about a profitable decision provides that causal bridge while introducing the result that follows. The other options either contradict the surrounding logic or introduce unrelated material.

Question 37Reading

In Part 2 (open cloze), which single word best fills the gap? 'She was so absorbed ___ her work that she forgot the time.'

  1. at
  2. in Correct answer.
  3. with
  4. on

Explanation

The adjective 'absorbed' is followed by the preposition 'in' when it means deeply engaged with something. Part 2 tests these fixed dependent prepositions, which must be learned as collocations rather than guessed.

Question 38Reading

A review says: 'The film's score is competent, its cinematography polished, and yet the whole thing left me cold.' What does the writer imply about the film?

  1. It was technically flawed but emotionally powerful
  2. It moved the writer deeply
  3. Its technical merits did not produce an emotional effect Correct answer.
  4. Its music and photography were both poor

Explanation

The concessive structure 'competent... polished, and yet' sets technical quality against the writer's lack of engagement, so the implication is that craft did not translate into feeling. The idiom 'left me cold' confirms emotional detachment.

Question 39Reading

Which option completes the sentence correctly? 'No sooner ___ the announcement than the phones began ringing.'

  1. had she made Correct answer.
  2. did she made
  3. she had made
  4. she made

Explanation

'No sooner' at the beginning of a clause requires inversion of auxiliary and subject, and the past perfect marks the first of two past events linked by 'than'. The result is 'No sooner had she made the announcement than...'.

Question 40Reading

In Part 5, a question asks about the writer's use of the phrase 'a necessary evil'. Which type of meaning is being tested?

  1. The writer's attitude towards something unavoidable but unwelcome Correct answer.
  2. A factual detail about the cost of a product
  3. The grammatical function of a noun phrase
  4. The chronological order of events in the passage

Explanation

'A necessary evil' expresses an evaluation: something disliked yet accepted as unavoidable. Questions about such phrases test the writer's attitude, so the answer must capture that mixture of acceptance and reluctance.

Question 41Use of English

Complete the second sentence so it means the same as the first, using the word given. 'I regret not studying harder for the exam.' - 'I wish I ___ harder for the exam.'

  1. would study
  2. have studied
  3. had studied Correct answer.
  4. studied

Explanation

'Wish' followed by a past perfect expresses regret about a past situation that cannot be changed. Because the regret refers to studying before the exam, the past perfect 'had studied' is required, not a simple past or present form.

Question 42Use of English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence. 'By the time the results are published, the candidates ___ for over three months.'

  1. are waiting
  2. will have been waiting Correct answer.
  3. have waited
  4. will wait

Explanation

'By the time' plus a present-tense clause sets a point in the future, and 'for over three months' shows the waiting continues up to that point. The future perfect continuous 'will have been waiting' expresses duration completed by a future moment.

Question 43Use of English

Which sentence uses the correct preposition after the adjective?

  1. She is very good on solving word-formation tasks.
  2. She is very good in solving word-formation tasks.
  3. She is very good at solving word-formation tasks. Correct answer.
  4. She is very good for solving word-formation tasks.

Explanation

The adjective 'good' is followed by 'at' when describing a skill or ability, so 'good at solving' is the standard collocation. The other prepositions do not collocate with 'good' in this sense.

Question 44Use of English

Identify the sentence in which the phrasal verb is used correctly.

  1. The manager put the meeting off until Friday.
  2. The manager put off the meeting until Friday.
  3. Both 'put off the meeting' and 'put the meeting off' are grammatically acceptable. Correct answer.
  4. The manager put until Friday off the meeting.

Explanation

'Put off' is a separable phrasal verb, so the object may come either before or after the particle when it is a noun phrase. Both 'put off the meeting' and 'put the meeting off' are therefore correct, which makes the option recognising both the right answer.

Question 45Use of English

Complete the word-formation item. 'The company's ___ to expand overseas surprised its investors.' (DECIDE)

  1. deciding
  2. decision Correct answer.
  3. decisively
  4. decisive

Explanation

The gap follows a possessive ('the company's') and is the subject of 'surprised', so a noun is needed. The noun formed from 'decide' is 'decision'.

Question 46Use of English

Choose the correct option. 'If I ___ you, I would read the whole passage before answering.'

  1. would be
  2. were Correct answer.
  3. am
  4. had been

Explanation

The second conditional uses the past subjunctive 'were' with 'if I' to give hypothetical advice. 'Were' is the standard form here, even in informal modern English where 'was' sometimes appears.

Question 47Use of English

Which option best completes the sentence? 'The report, ___ findings were widely quoted, was finally published.'

  1. whose Correct answer.
  2. that
  3. which
  4. what

Explanation

The relative pronoun must show possession: the findings belong to the report. 'Whose' is the possessive relative determiner and correctly links 'findings' to 'the report'.

Question 48Use of English

Choose the correct preposition to complete the collocation. 'The new policy will come ___ effect next month.'

  1. on
  2. to
  3. in
  4. into Correct answer.

Explanation

The fixed expression is 'come into effect', meaning to start being applied. The preposition 'into' is required in this idiom.

Question 49Use of English

Complete the sentence with the correct form. 'She denied ___ the file, although her password had been used.'

  1. to have deleted
  2. to delete
  3. delete
  4. deleting Correct answer.

Explanation

The verb 'deny' is followed by a gerund, so 'denying' takes the -ing form 'deleting'. Infinitives are not used after 'deny'.

Question 50Use of English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence. 'Hardly ___ the room when the fire alarm went off.'

  1. did he enter
  2. he entered
  3. had he entered Correct answer.
  4. he had entered

Explanation

When a negative adverbial such as 'hardly' begins a sentence, the subject and auxiliary invert. With 'hardly ... when', the past perfect is used, giving 'Hardly had he entered'.