FCE study guide
FCE · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
FCE - now officially called B2 First - is Cambridge English's upper-intermediate qualification, mapped to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference. It is not a course certificate: it is an external exam that produces a standalone credential showing you can use English independently for study, work and travel. The FCE study guide has 5 sections and about 2,273 words.
01Reading (B2 First Paper 1, Parts 5–7)
B2 First Reading occupies Parts 5–7 of Paper 1, sharing a 75-minute paper and a 20% share of the total marks with Use of English. It tests reading for detail, opinion, attitude, purpose, main idea, implication and text structure, plus the ability to locate specific information quickly across multiple texts.
476 words, about 2 min02Use of English (B2 First Paper 1, Parts 1–4)
Use of English is Parts 1–4 of Paper 1: 32 questions in the same 75-minute paper as Reading, worth 20% of the total. It tests grammar and vocabulary at B2 in context - collocation, fixed phrases, word formation, and the ability to express a given meaning in a different structure.
437 words, about 2 min03Writing (B2 First Paper 2)
B2 First Writing lasts 1 hour 20 minutes, has two tasks, and is worth 20% of the total. Part 1 is a compulsory essay; Part 2 offers a choice of three tasks, typically article, email/letter, report or review, with a set-text option in some sessions.
446 words, about 2 min04Listening (B2 First Paper 3)
B2 First Listening lasts about 40 minutes, has four parts and 30 questions, and is worth 20% of the total. Each recording is heard twice.
486 words, about 2 min05Speaking (B2 First Paper 4)
B2 First Speaking lasts about 14 minutes, has four parts, and is worth 20% of the total. You are examined in pairs by two examiners: an interlocutor who manages the tasks and an assessor who marks your performance.
428 words, about 2 min