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ABOUT FIRST CERTIFICATE

FCE Paper 1 Reading

Time allowed: 1 hour

Part Task type Tests ability to Questions

1. Multiplechoice

A text followed by multiple-choice questions withfour options: A, B, C or D.

understand detail, opinion, gist,attitiude, meaning, tone, purpose andmain ideas

8

2. Gapped

text

A text with missing sentences; candidates choose

the sentence order from a jumbled list.

understand text organisation (howlanguage achieves cohesion and

coherence)

7

3. Multiple

matching

One or several texts with prompt questions;candidates match the prompt to the relevant

section of the text(s).

understand specific information, detail,opinion and attitude

15

FCE Paper 2 Writing

Time allowed: 1 hour 20 minutes

Part Task type Tests ability toWordlength

1. Compulsorytask

Read input information (includingadverts, extracts from letters,

emails, schedules, etc. of up to 160words) and write a Letter or Email.

make appropriate use of theinput, write for a specific

purpose and audience, withaccurate language control

120-

150

2. Choice ofone out of fivetasks.

2: (Questions 2-4) Candidates writeone of the following: Article, Essay,Letter, Report, Review or Story.(Question 5. 2 options) Candidates

write one of the following, based onone of the set reading texts: Article,Essay, Letter, Report, ReviewNote: Question 5 has two options -

5a and 5b. Visit the FCE section ofour FAQspage for details of this

year's set texts.

write for a specific purposeand audience, with accuratelanguage control

120-180

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FCE Paper 3 Use of English

Time allowed: 45 minutes

Part Task type Task focus Questions

1. Multiple choice

A text with twelve gaps. Candidates choose

the correct missing words by answeringtwelve multiple-choice questions with fouroptions.

Collocation,phrasal verbs,idioms, phrases

12

2. Open clozeA text with twelve gaps. Candidates fill inthe missing words.

Grammaticalitems

12

3. Wordformation

A text with ten gaps. Candidates form themissing words from the given stem words.

Prefixes andsuffixes,compound words

10

4. Key wordtransformations

Eight separate questions, each containing alead-in sentence, followed by a 'key word'and a second (gapped) sentence.

Candidates complete the second sentencein two to five words, and must include the'key word'.

Grammar and

vocabulary8

FCE Paper 4 Listening

Time allowed: Approximately 40 minutes

Part Task type Tests ability to Questions

1. MultipleChoice

A series of extracts with one or more

speakers lasting around 30 secondseach. Candidates answer one multiplechoice question per extract, each with

three options: A, B or C.

pick out general meaning

specific information,understand attitudeand/or events from the

text.

8

2. Sentencecompletion

A three-minute monologue or dialogue.Candidates fill in the gaps to completethe sentences.

pick out general meaningor specific informationfrom the text.

10

3. Multiplematching

A series of related monologues lastingaround 30 seconds each. Candidates

match the extract to the correct optionfrom a list of six.

pick out general meaningspecific information,understand attitude

and/or events from thetext.

5

4. Multiplechoice

A three-minute monologue or dialogue.Candidates answer multiple choice

questions with 3 options: A, B or C.

pick out general meaningor specific information

from the text.

7

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FCE Paper 5 Speaking

Time allowed: 14 minutes

Part Task type Tests ability to Time

1. Conversation

between Interlocutorand each candidate

Candidates take it in turns to answer spoken questionsthat focus on interactional and social language.

give personalinformation and talk

about past, presentand futureexperiences

3 minutes

2. Individual 'long turn'

(1 minute) and responsefrom second candidate

(20 seconds)

Each candidate is given a pair of photographs and asked

to talk about them, using the prompt questions on the page. The second candidate gives a brief response. Tasks

focus on: comparing, describing and expressing opinions.

speak for a long turn

using appropriatelanguage

1

minute/20seconds

3. Two-way

conversation betweencandidates

Candidates are given spoken instructions, along withvisual and written prompts, and work on a decision-making task. The focus is on sustaining the interaction

 by: sharing ideas, expressing and justifying opinions,agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating,evaluating and negotiating to reach a decision.

give opinions, agree& disagree, make

suggestions etc; taketurns

3 minutes

4. Discussion related to

the task in Part 3

Candidates answer spoken questions that focus on:expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or

disagreeing.

give and justifyopinions, agree &disagree, take turnsand explore topics

4 minutes