B2 First (FCE) Speaking Test Part 1: Great Tips to Dramatically Increase Your Score!

Are you searching for information about Part 1 of the FCE Speaking Test? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn about the conduct of the test and how you can practice answering the questions. It’s just a matter of practice; the more you practice, the better you get. We also have a list of sample questions you can use to prepare for your exam.

Are you ready to learn with us? Let’s start.

Overview of B2 First (FCE) Speaking Test Part 1

Part 1 lasts about three minutes, with two examiners interviewing two candidates. In case of an odd number of examinees, the interview will occur in threes. An interlocutor asks the questions while the assessor grades each participant’s performance.

The first part focuses on the examinee’s use of English for social purposes, such as introducing oneself and answering questions about himself. Questions will zero in on his interests, studies, family, etc.

In this test, you only need to reply to the interlocutor. You don’t need to talk to the other people in the group. As Cambridge wants you to relax during the interview, the examiners will start by asking easy questions. You need not worry if you don’t do well in the first few questions because many examinees are nervous initially.

Sample B2 First (FCE) Speaking Test Part 1 Questions

Initial Questions:

• What is your name?
• Where do you live?

Questions about Your Home Country and Your Present Address:

• Where do you spend your free afternoon?
• Tell me something about your home country.
• Have you visited a fascinating location recently?
• Which part of your nation do you want to know better?
• What’s your favourite festival in your home country?

Questions about Your Everyday Life:

• What do you plan to do this weekend?
• How did you celebrate your last birthday?
• What’s your preferred food?
• What’s your favourite day of the week?
• Which is your favourite time of year?

Questions about Your Work and Education:

• Do you learn new things from using the internet?
• What’s the most appealing job for you?
• What were the most significant concepts you learned from primary school?
• What type of work do you want to do in the future?
• Can you remember your first lessons in English?

Questions about Your Holidays and Travels:

• Where do you want to spend your holiday in the future?
• Which mode of transportation do you prefer when you take a trip?
• Do you decide your holidays spontaneously or plan them?
• While travelling, have you ever spoken in English?
• Is there an excellent system of public transport in your country?

Questions about Entertainment:

• Have you gone to concerts?
• How much time do you spend watching TV in a week?
• What was the last TV program you’ve watched?
• Do you read newspapers?
• Where do you usually listen to music?

Questions about Your Family and Friends:

• Who’s the most significant person in your life?
• Who spends your free time with you?
• Who’s most similar to you in your family?
• What can you say about your best friend?
• Do you want to share something about your family?

Questions about Your Free Time:

• Do you want to spend time at home?
• What have you recently done that you find entertaining?
• What’s the difference between watching the news on TV and reading it in the newspaper?
• Do you want to spend your free time outside or inside?
• Is there a difference between your weekend and daily routine?

Questions about Sports:

• Do you spend time with athletics?
• What is your favourite game?
• What recreational activity do you prefer to try?
• What’s your favourite sport in your country?
• Do you exercise weekly?

Questions about the Future:

• What do you plan to do in the future?
• Do you want to study in the future?
• What do you plan to do during the weekend?
• Do you think computers will replace television and newspapers in the future?
• Which country do you plan to visit in the future?

Practice Answering the Questions

If you have an English-speaking friend or classmate, you can practice with him. Let the other person ask the questions and answer them. Afterwards, you can ask him for some feedback. If you go to a party or social event with people who speak English, you can practice answering their questions. More often than not, they will ask you questions about your hometown, job, and hobbies. It’s an excellent opportunity to practice.

You can ask your teacher to practice with you in class for ten minutes. You can do it similarly with a “speed dating” session where you converse with another student for two minutes and move to another partner. If you don’t have anyone to practice with, you can record your answers using your phone. Also, you can ask a friend to take a video of you. Watch it so that you can notice your mistakes.

How to Pass Part 1 of the FCE Speaking Test

1. Expound on your answers. Always strive to give complete responses. Uncommunicative and short replies won’t merit you a passing grade.
2. Try to explain why you replied “yes” or “no” to the query.
3. Provide examples to explain your answer.
4. If you don’t understand the question, you can ask the examiner politely to repeat it.
5. Be careful in using grammar to answer the query. For instance, the interlocutor asks, “Do you enjoy reading?” You can’t say, “Yes, I enjoy to read.” The proper answer is, “Yes, I enjoy reading.”
6. Don’t speak like a robot. When you search for possible questions online, you don’t need to jot them down and memorize your answers. You must speak as naturally as possible.
7. You must remember that the examiners expect you to use language appropriate to an upper-intermediate (B2) level.

Conclusion

Passing the FCE Speaking Test Part 1 isn’t difficult because you often encounter such queries in your daily life. However, you may feel nervous when the examiner asks you questions, so you need to prepare for them. If you want to pass the test with excellence, you need to practice answering the questions with a friend or a family member. However, if you prefer to do it alone, you need not worry. Just do your best.

We hope that this article on FCE Speaking Part 1 was helpful. Make sure also to check out our Scholarships Page for different information on scholarships and universities across the globe!