First Certificate in English

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The First Certificate in English (FCE) is one of the exams available in the University of Cambridge ESOL examination. Its possession proves one's adequacy in the English language, and its successful completion means that one is able to interact socially efficiently.

Once awarded Cambridge ESOL FCE certificates are valid for life.

Contents

[edit] Sections

The test consists of five sections:

  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Use of English
  • Listening
  • Speaking

[edit] Reading

In the reading section, the candidate is expected to answer a set of questions based on the context of four texts, which are approximately 350-700 words in length each. Types of questions include multiple choice, multiple matching or gap filling. This part of the exam lasts 75 minutes.

[edit] Writing

The Writing part consists of two parts. One is a mandatory task and the other is chosen from a set of four optional tasks. The first task is usually a transactional letter, which has a stricter format, and the second one's type ranges from discursive compositions to articles, whose format is less stringent. One of the four options includes two questions based on a set of pre-set books. This part of the exam lasts for 90 minutes.

[edit] Use of English

The Use of English includes five tasks, whose types vary, including multiple choice filling, open gap filling, key word transformation, error correction and word formation. This part of the exam lasts for 75 minutes.

[edit] Listening

The Listening section consists of a set of questions based on four spoken texts. The texts vary from news announcements to speeches and stories. This section lasts approximately 40 minutes.

[edit] Speaking

In this section of the exam, two candidates are interviewed by two examiners. The test has four parts. In the first one, the candidates are asked personal questions, whereas in part two they are given a pair of photographs to compare and contrast. In part three, the candidates engage in discussion, and in part four, the candidates and the interviewer discuss an issue on a certain topic.

[edit] External links

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