Cambridge B2 First (FCE) – Exam 1 – Speaking

Here’s a summary of what to expect in each part of the test:

B2 First Speaking: Part 1 (Interview)

In the first part, the candidates talk individually to the Interlocutor. They answer questions about themselves. This section is about getting to know the candidates and making them feel comfortable.
This part typically takes 2 minutes and includes:

Candidates should aim to respond naturally and not sound rehearsed.

B2 First Speaking: Part 2 (Long turn)

In the second part, each candidate is given two photographs and has to talk about them for about 1 minute. There is a question about the photographs written on top of the page that the candidate must respond to while discussing the photos. After each candidate has spoken about their own photos, they are then asked a quick follow-up question about their partner’s photographs, requiring a response of approximately 30 seconds.
This part focuses on the ability to:

B2 First Speaking: Part 3 (Collaborative task)

In the third part of the B2 First Speaking test, candidates are presented with a mind map featuring a central question along with five associated options or discussion points. They have 15 seconds to review this before initiating the discussion. The task comprises two distinct sections:

First section (about 2 minutes): Candidates engage in a discussion about the central question and the related options in the mind map. They are expected to share pertinent ideas, react to their partner’s opinions, and smoothly navigate through the different discussion points in a logical manner.

Second section (about 1 minute): An additional question is presented. Here, candidates must choose one or two of the options to elaborate on, providing well-reasoned responses while expressing their agreement or disagreement with the chosen options.

Key points in this part include:

B2 First Speaking: Part 4 (Discussion)

In the final part of the B2 First Speaking test, which lasts about 4 minutes, candidates are asked a series of questions that are related to the topic discussed in Part 3. Initially, candidates are expected to answer some questions individually, providing longer and more detailed responses. Subsequently, they are prompted to engage in a discussion with their partner, collaboratively responding to some other questions.

Overall, the B2 First Speaking test assesses a range of speaking skills in different contexts, focusing on interactive communication and the ability to express and justify opinions and ideas in English.

Marking criteria

The examiners use 5 criteria to determine your proficiency in spoken English:

  1. Grammar and Vocabulary: This criterion examines the range and control of the candidate’s grammar and vocabulary. Examiners assess the ability to use a variety of grammatical structures and vocabulary appropriately and accurately.
  2. Discourse Management: This area focuses on the candidate’s ability to produce coherent and cohesive speech. It includes how well ideas are organized and connected and the use of cohesive devices and discourse markers.
  3. Pronunciation: This criterion evaluates the clarity and accuracy of the candidate’s speech. It includes aspects such as intonation, sentence and word stress, and the clarity of individual sounds.
  4. Interactive Communication: Here, the focus is on the candidate’s ability to engage in dialogue with others. It involves initiating and responding to conversation, maintaining and developing interactions, and negotiating towards an outcome.
  5. Global Achievement: This overall assessment looks at the candidate’s ability to handle communication effectively on a range of topics, with an emphasis on coherence, fluency, and appropriateness of language in extended discourse.

Example of a real B2 First (FCE) Speaking exam

You can see how the exam works in this video:

Useful language

Describing and comparing photos:

Speculating:

Expressing opinions:

Initiating the conversation (Task 3):

Agreeing and Disagreeing:

Suggesting and offering ideas:

Introducing a new option:

Summarizing:

Asking for Opinions:

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