fce exam overview

Inma Alcázar@inma_a

https://twitter.com/inma_a

WHAT IS THE HIGHEST SCORE?WHAT IS THE HIGHEST SCORE?

Results Score

Pass at Grade A 80 to 100 Level C1

Pass at Grade B 75 to 79

Pass at Grade C 60 to 74

Level B1 45 to 59

Fail 0 to 44

First Certificate in English

HOW MANY PARTS ARE THERE IN THE HOW MANY PARTS ARE THERE IN THE EXAM?EXAM?

HOW LONG DOES THE EXAM LAST?HOW LONG DOES THE EXAM LAST?

READING 20%

1 HOUR

WRITING 20%

1 HOUR 20 MINUTES

USE OF ENGLISH 20%

45 MINUTES

LISTENING 20%

APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES

SPEAKING 20%

14 MINUTES

Computer-based FCE Sample http://cbpt.s3.amazonaws.com/cb-fce/index.html


http://cbpt.s3.amazonaws.com/cb-fce/index.html

READINGREADING

• Time allowed: 1 hour • Number of parts: 3 • Number of questions: 30 • This section is worth 20% of the total score.• Lengths of texts: 550–700 words per text.• Texts may be from: newspaper and magazine articles,

fiction, letters, reports, etc.


PART 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE

- What do I have to practice? How to UNDERSTAND THE DETAILS OF A TEXT, including OPINIONS and

ATTITUDES.

- How many questions are there? 8

READINGREADINGFirst Certificate in English

READING:READING:

PART 2: GAPPED TEXT

- It’s a text with some empty spaces (gaps). You have to choose the correct word for each gap.

-What do I have to practice?

How to UNDERSTAND THE STRUCTURE and FOLLOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TEXT.

- How many questions are there? 7

First ertification in EnglishFirst Certificate in English

READINGREADINGPART 3: READING FOR

SPECIFIC INFORMATION

It’s a series of questions and a long text or several short texts to read. For each question, you have to decide which text or part of the text mentions some specific information.

- What do I have to practice?How to FIND SPECIFIC INFORMATION in a text or texts.

-How many questions are there? 15


WRITINGWRITING

• Time allowed:1 hour 20 minutes• Number of parts: 2

Part 1: one compulsory question.

Part 2: one question from a choice of five.

• This section is worth 20% of the total score

Types of task:

ELTPics


WRITINGWRITINGPART 1: LETTER / E-MAIL- You have to write a letter or email using this information.

You may have to

apologize, compare, describe, explain, express opinions, justify, persuade, recommend, and/or suggest something. -How many questions are there?

One compulsory question.-How much do I have to write?

120–150 words


WRITINGWRITING

PART 2: ARTICLE, ESSAY, LETTER, REPORT, REVIEW OR STORY-You have to write will be one of the following: an article, essay, letter, report, review or story.

-How many questions are there?

One task to be selected from a choice of of five.

How much do I have to write?

120– 180 words


• Time allowed: 45 minutes

• Number of parts: 4

• Number of questions:42



USE OF ENGLISHUSE OF ENGLISH

PART 1: GAP FILLING. MULTIPLE CHOICE CLOZE

- It’s a text in which there are some missing words or phrases (gaps). After the text there are four possible answers for each gap and you have to choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D).

- What do I have to practice? Vocabulary.- How many questions are there? 12


USE OF ENGLISHUSE OF ENGLISH

PART 2: GAP FILLING: WORD PRODUCTION

- It’s a text in which there are some missing words (gaps). You have to find the correct word for each gap.-What do I have to practice?

Grammar and vocabulary.

- How many questions are there? 12.


USE OF ENGLISHUSE OF ENGLISHPART 3: GAP FILLING:

WORD FAMILIES/ WORD FORMATIONIt´s a text containing ten gaps. Each gap represents a word. At the end of the line is a ‘prompt’ word which you have to change in some way to make the correct missing word and complete the sentence correctly.

What do I have to practice? Vocabulary, word building.

How many questions are there?

10


USE OF ENGLISHUSE OF ENGLISHPART 4: KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS

- We have a sentence followed by a key word and a second sentence which has a gap in it. You have to use the key word to complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first sentence.-What do I have to practice?

Grammar and vocabulary.

How many questions are there? 8.


LISTENINGLISTENING

• Time allowed: about 40 minutes

• Number of parts: 4

• Number of questions: 30



LISTENINGLISTENING

PART 1: LISTENING. MULTIPLE CHOICE FOR DIFFERENT SITUATIONS

Eight questions to test candidates’ ability to listen for gist in a series of unrelated texts.


LISTENINGLISTENINGPART 2: LISTENING. SENTENCE COMPLETION.

This part tests candidates’ ability to listen for specific words or phrases focusing on detail and specific information. The test is presented in the form of 10 questions. Candidates need to listen and complete the questions.


LISTENINGLISTENINGPART 3: LISTENING. MULTIPLE MATCHING

This part focuses on the skill of listening for general gist, detail, purpose, attitude, opinion, etc. Candidates listen to five short conversations with different speakers, which are related in some way.


LISTENINGLISTENING

PART 4: LISTENING. MULTIPLE CHOICE

In this part, the predominant focus is on testing the candidates’ ability to listen for opinion, main idea, gist and specific info, and based on one long test.


• Time allowed: 14 minutes per pair of candidates

• Number of parts: 4• This section is worth 20% of the

total score • You have to talk:

- with the examiner- with the other candidate- on your own


SPEAKINGSPEAKING

SPEAKINGSPEAKING

Part 1: Interview (3 minutes)

You usually take the speaking exam together with one other student.Each of you will be asked basic questions about familiar topics.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ2LoK9egZs

SPEAKINGSPEAKING

Part 2: Individual tasks (4 minutes):Each of you will be asked to compare two colour photographs and explain your personal feelings about them (you will be asked to speak for 1 minute, without any interruption).

You will also be asked to give your opinion about the other student's photographs (you will be expected to speak for about 20 seconds).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JEGTeupVt0

SPEAKINGSPEAKING

Part 3: Joint task (3 minutes)You will be shown some pictures. You will be asked to DISCUSS these with the other student and to MAKE A DECISION. Sometimes you will be asked to agree on the conclusion, and sometimes you will be told that you may make different decisions.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWFJ53-JCKc

SPEAKINGSPEAKING

Part 4: Three-way discussion (4 minutes):You will be asked to discuss (together with the other student and the examiner) some ideas that are connected with the joint task.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpNPwzUOg6g

FOR MORE INFORMATION:FOR MORE INFORMATION:http://www.cambridgeesol.org


GAME TO PRACTISEGAME TO PRACTISEhttp://www.cambridgeenglish.org/prepare-and-practise/games-social/academy-island/

There are links to videos, podcasts and games.This is fun.


fce exam overview

Education

key word

correct word

missing words

total score

multiple choice

specific information

gap filling

joint task