1. What is FCE?

B2 First, previously known as Cambridge English: First and the First

Certificate in English (FCE), is an English language examination provided by
Cambridge Assessment English (previously known as Cambridge English
Language Assessment and the University of Cambridge ESOL examinations).

This exam is the logical step in your language learning journey between B1
Preliminary and C1 Advanced.

There are Cambridge English Qualifications for schools, general and higher
education, and business. B2 First is offered in two versions, B2 First for
Schools, for school-aged learners, and B2 First, for general and higher
education adult learners.

2. Exam structure

The updated exam (for exam sessions from January 2015) is made
up of four papers developed to test your English language skills.

The Speaking test is taken face to face, with two candidates and
two examiners. This creates a more realistic and reliable measure of
your ability to use English to communicate.
3. When can you take the FCE exam?

It is possible to take the FCE exam in most months in either the

paper-based or computer-based versions.

Normally, the paper-based test is available in the months of March,

May, June, August and December.

The computer-based test is usually available in the months of

February, April, July, August and November. Bear in mind that not
every test centre will offer both versions of the exam.

4. Where can you find FCE exam centre?

There are more than 2,800 centres around the world in 130
countries. Each exam centre undergoes inspection by a Cambridge
Assessment representative to ensure that all exam standards have
been met.

There are 27 centres in Vietnam, from North to South.

5. How should you prepare for the FCE?

Become accustomed to the test format as knowing the format of

any test improves confidence and greater confidence tends to lead
to higher test scores.

Use the online practice materials as a start; they will help you. You
will have access to a wide variety of materials along with tips and
explanations.
Manage your study time so that you study more effectively. You can
do this by making a schedule and sticking to it.

(*) 94 Trần Quang Khải, phường Tân Định, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh.
16 Văn Cao, phường Liễu Giai, quận Ba Đình, thành phố Hà Nội.
01, Đường số 3, khu dân cư Kiến Phát, Phường 6, thành phố Tân An, tỉnh
Long An.
30 Trần Quang Khải, phường Diên Hồng, thành phố Pleiku, tỉnh Gia Lai.

The benefit of FCE (First Certificate Exam)

1. FCE is valid for life
 You don’t have to waste your money and time revising for FCE
exam like the other certificates
2. Complete 4 skills
Learning environment in Viet Nam almost focused on teaching
reading and writing, so that accidentally made almost Vietnam’s
students weak in 2 important skills which are listening and speaking
train for fce exam to improve 4 skills
3. Equality, credible
The security level of the FCE exam is organized strictly by agency
offer international certificates, so an accuration and the grade are more
reliable in evaluating the examinee’s ability
4. The benefit of approaching knowledge
If you have the fce certificate when you are an undergraduate, you will
be beneficial in approaching documents, knowledge, and in-depth
research topics...You get familiar with them quickly, appropriately,
and accurately and these will promote you to integrate into the world’s
development fastest
5. It is a stepping stone to becoming bilingual
once you have passed the First Certificate, you can take the
Cambridge Advanced exam CAE and then the Cambridge Proficiency
 exam CPE. From there, you being able to communicate easily with
people from all over the world
6. An FCE has global value  The FCE is an internationally
recognised and prestigious qualification
Favorable work
Many countries and enterprises from all over ther world accept and
set personal recuiment standards, an fce suitable for variety jobs,
variety people
Favorable learning
 Study abroad and develop in a variety fields such as science –
technique, community, tourism and medical
 Be accepted when you apply to university preparatory program/
university transfer/ college study skills in countries that use
English.

Fce vs ielts

Some similarities:
They are from credible association
They are influential & can be widely implemented in the job market/
academic pursuit ( varies)
Revolving around 4 main skills

Some difference
FCE IELTS Toefl ibt
ORGANIZATION CAMBRIDGE IDP. BRITISH ETS
COUNCIL
COST 1.700.000 vnd 4.700.000 vnd 4.410.000
 vnđ
TESTING A1- C1 (B1 A1- C2 Mid- High
RANGE oriented) end
SPEAKING COLLABORATIVE ONE ON ONE Evaluation
TASK WITH TALK WITH via recorder
ANOTHER THE
CONTESTANT EXAMINER
WRITING A OPINION ESSAY A CHART/ Opinion
AND A MAP/ essay
COLLECTION OF PROCESS
& a mixed
TASK, ANALYSIS
task
CHOOSABLE AND A
OPINION
ESSAY
EXPIRE DATE NONE 2 YEARS 2 years
Required score for C1 7.0 79
graduation

Can it be used as a method of graduation?

Yes!
Grade A (180-200) = 7.0 in IELTS = 95 TOEFL = 850 TOEIC

Academic pursuit capabilities?

Limited
Is it worth it?
Still yes
It still provide what you need, for a reasonable price and lower difficulty
than other (CAE can be superior yet it will be more challenging)
For those who want a stable background in English without the time to
retake an exam, FCE can be a good option, even to some point favorable

The grade concept of FCE (will be put first)

Overall:
Cambridge English GRADE CEFR LEVEL
scale
180-190 Grade A C1
173-179 Grade B B2
160-172 Grade C B2
140-159 Grade D B1

Anything lower than this will be considered valueless, the contestant will
only receive a “Statement of Result”
Individual score

READING
MAX SCORE : 42
PRACTICE TEST CAMBRIDGE CEFR LEVEL
SCORE ENGLISH SCALE
SCORE
37 180 LEVEL C1
24 160 LEVEL B2
16 140 LEVEL B1
10 122 (MIN) -------------

USE OF ENGLISH
MAX SCORE:28
PRACTICE TEST CAMBRIDGE CEFR LEVEL
SCORE ENGLISH SCALE
SCORE
24 180 LEVEL C1
18 160 LEVEL B2
11 140 LEVEL B1
7 122 (MIN) ------------

LISTENING
MAX SCORE: 30
PRACTICE TEST CAMBRIDGE CEFR LEVEL
SCORE ENGLISH SCALE
SCORE
27 180 LEVEL C1
18 160 LEVEL B2
12 140 LEVEL B1
8 122 -------

SPEAKING
MAX:60
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, BUT WILL BE EVALUATED
INDIVITUALY

Based on these criteria

Grammar and vocabulary
Discourse management (consistency in speech)
Pronunciation
Communication
Each will be ranked 0-5
Each of the grade will be doubled
There will be an overall rating score of all skill (global achievement)
which will be multiplied by 4

PRACTICE TEST CAMBRIDGE CEFR LEVEL

SCORE ENGLISH SCALE
SCORE
54 180 LEVEL C1
36 160 LEVEL B2
24 140 LEVEL B1
14 122 -------

WRITING
MAX: 40

Each task will be ranked on 4 main criteria ( with the value from 0-5):

CONTENT
COMMUNICATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
ORGANIZATION
LANGUAGE
PRACTICE TEST CAMBRIDGE CEFR LEVEL
SCORE ENGLISH SCALE
 SCORE
34 180 LEVEL C1
24 160 LEVEL B2

16 140 LEVEL B1
10 122 -----

Reading and Use of English

PART 1: Multiple-choice cloze

(Before beginning, we will follow 3 WH questions through 3 part. It helps you
understand better to do the test).
WHAT is in these part?
WHAT are they testing me on in these part?
HOW should I answer the questions?
What’s in Part 1?
(So you turn over the first page of the Reading and Use of English paper, and you see
something that looks like this)
(This is Reading Part 1, also known as the multiple-choice cloze). In this section,
you’re given a short text, with eight gaps and eight multiple choice questions.

Every question has four options A, B, C or D. (It’s your job to read the text and decide
which option is missing from each gap.)
Each question is worth one mark, so that’s a total of eight marks you can get! (This
score then contributes to your overall grade of the Reading and Use of English.)
You’re also given an example written as (0), and a picture of how you should record
your answers on the answer sheet.

What are they testing me on in Part 1?

(The main focus of this part of the exams are vocabulary, meaning, idioms,
collocations, fixed phrases, dependent prepositions. It tests your understanding of
which words go naturally with wich words.)
Meaning, vocabulary – Think about the words say, ask and tell. (Some words are
very similar, or from the same family, but they have slightly different meanings or
usage.)
Phrasal Verbs – Get up, get off, get over are all examples of phrasal verbs. A phrasal
verb is normally made up of a verb and one or two particles.
Idioms – Has anyone ever told you to break a leg or fill your boots? These are
examples of idioms. They have a figurative meaning that’s different from the literal
meaning.
Collocations – Collocations are two or more words that often appear together, for
example make the bed, make friends or make a cake.
Fixed phrases – This is a series of words with a fixed order such as in a moment,
or good morning, or have a nice day!
Dependent prepositions – These are prepositions that are used next to specific
adjectives, verbs or nouns.
For example: complain about, apply for, think of, dream about, etc.

How should I answer the questions?

So how do you do in reading part 1?
1. Read the title

(This will give you an idea of what the text is about, and help you mentally prepare
for what’s to come.)
2. Skim read the text
To skim read is to read quickly, to pick up the most important information. Ignore the
gaps and the options, you just want to get the general gist of the text.
3. Examine the text more closely
Look at what comes before and after each gap – sometimes the answer depends on the
words surrounding the gap. At other times, it’s dependent on the whole paragraph.
Circle or underline any words that might be useful.

4. Look at the options

Now it’s time to choose your answers. Start with question one, look at the options,
and decide which best fits in the first gap. If you’re not sure, eliminate or guess.
(Take a look at this example. The word ‘than’ after the first gap in the main text acts
as a clue. We know that ‘instead’ is followed by the preposition ‘of’, ‘except’ is
followed by no preposition, and ‘sooner than’ doesn’t make sense in this sentence.
So, the answer must be B – rather!)

Once you’ve done question one, look at the options for question two and so on.
5.Read the text again
(After completing all your answers, read the whole text again to check that everything
makes sense. Give a second look to any options that don’t sound right.)
2 example:
* Let look at an example. The text is called “Captain of a team” and discusses being a
captain of a sports team. The sentence read
(After reading the complete test to understand the meaning of the complete test. Read
the word immediately before and after the gap. The missing word is a verb and the
word immediately following the is a preposition. So which verb goes with the
preposition “on”?)

Explain: Firstly if you don't know the answer right away, eliminate the ones you know
it is not.
A. trust: “trust on”. No, you put your trust in someone not on. So you can eliminate
this answer.
B. believe: believe, again you believe in something, so you can eliminate this answer.
C. hope: hope, you don't hope on someone, you hope for something.
D. rely: So that only leaves rely on and this is the correct answer as the preposition
that goes with rely is ON
* Let's look at an example of collocations, that is words that go together in authentic
English. For this, the choices all mean the same but only one option is right as it is the
collocation that is used in native English, it just fits... the other option would be
understood but not precise at the level of English tested at the FCE. Here is the
sentence:
* so try each option in the gap (harsh safety requirements,…) để các bạn trl

* This is a test of your knowledge of collocationsand both the words before and after
the gap don't help you. So how can you improve your knowledge of collocations?
Unfortunately this is the one area that there is no easy formula to improve, this is
where your overall knowledge of English is tested, I can only encourage you to
expose yourself to English as much as possible, watch film in english, watch the news
in English, read news in English. Do as much as possible in English. And practice
tests
* so here only Strict safety requirements works.

PART 2: Open cloze

* there are still 3 WH questions
What’s in Part 2?
(First and foremost, it’s important to know exactly what to expect in Part 2. Let’s
look at this example)
This is a gap fill reading comprehension task, also called an “open cloze”. For each
gap there is only one word missing.
Yet, the hardest part is that, unlike Part 1, there are no options for you to choose from.
You have to read the text and decide on the word you think fits best.
Each gap is worth one mark, so there are a total of 8 marks to get from this section.
There will always be an example, shown as (0) at the start to help.
What are they testing me on in Part 2?
Above all, Part 2 of the Reading and Use of English exam tests your grammar and
vocabulary. You’ll most likely be tested on structures such as the following:
 Verb forms e.g. perfect, continuous and simple forms
 Pronouns and possessives e.g. myself, their, ourselves
 Relative pronouns e.g. who, that, which
 Articles e.g. the, a, an
 Determiners e.g. this, that, either
 Quantifiers e.g. some, many, a few
 Time conjunctions e.g. before, when, as soon as
 Prepositions e.g. of, about, for
 Fixed phrases e.g. every now and then, by chance, under no circumstances
 Phrasal verbs e.g. pick up, drop off, eat out
How should I answer the questions?
1. Read over the text
Before you do anything, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the topic. Start by
reading the title – this will introduce the general theme.

Next skim read the text to get the general meaning. You don’t need to understand
every word, but rather get an idea of what’s being said.
2. Look at the gaps
Next, look at the individual gaps to see what words come before and after. There may
be some clues that can help you identify what type of word is missing e.g. verbs,
nouns, adjectives, prepositions etc.
3. Write a word in the gap
Now it’s time to start thinking of words to put in the gaps. At this stage you can write
them in pencil on the task paper itself. Remember, you can only use one word for
each gap, and these tend to be grammatical words. You won’t need to use nouns and
the words are usually short. Contractions count as two words so avoid them!
4. Check your work
Once you’re happy that you’ve completed the task correctly, read over the exercise to
ensure it makes sense. At this stage, check that your words link up to the surrounding
words. For example, be aware of plural forms, negatives and prepositions.
Make sure to complete each and every gap – even if you have to guess.
5. Write answers on the answer sheet
Finally, write your answers on the answer sheet provided. Be sure to write them in
CAPITAL LETTERS as instructed.
* let do an example to get Part 2 clearly
TIPS for part 1 and 2
* So, to summarize here are my tips for FCE reading part 1 and 2

1. Read title and complete text

2. Deal with the gaps one by one
3. Look at words and sentences before and after the gap
* Read carefully before and after each gap. Check the word fits into the sentence
grammatically by looking at prepositions and other grammatical structures.
4. Eliminate wrong answers (for part 1)
* If you are not sure which option is correct, reject the options you think are wrong
and choose from the others.
5. Answer the gaps you find easy first. Go back to the more difficult ones after.
6. Write the answer in CAPITAL LETTERS (for part 2)
7. Answer all the questions.
8. Guess
* If you still don't know guess as you will not be penalised for wrong answers and you
have a 1 in 4 chance of getting it right.
9. Reread completed text to check your answer
* When you have finished, read the whole text quickly again to check your answers.

Part 5: Multiple choice ( this is not a mistake, section 5 seems to

be similar format with part 1 and 2, so don’t be confused)
What’s in Reading Part 5?
Many people like Reading Part 5 as it is a multiple choice task. You will see a text on
one page and 6 multiple choice questions, each with 4 options (A, B, C and D), on the
next.
Typically, the text will be something you might see in a news or magazine article,
blog post or extract from a book. Non-fiction topics tend to vary and can be anything
from ballet dancing to footballers, climate change to motorbike stuntmen.
When it comes to the questions, there are two important things to remember:
1. Some questions are often more general, asking something about the writer’s
opinion or attitude.

2. Some are more focused on the text itself. For example, you may be asked what a
word in a line means. Here, you need to look at the specific part of the text for more
detailed information.
What are they testing me on in Part 5?
Reading Part 5 aims to test your general comprehension of a text, as well as your
ability to spot key details. Not only will you have to skim read the whole text for the
main idea, but you will also have to read certain parts more carefully for details,
opinions, the tone and purpose.
Remember, you need to choose the multiple choice option that best fits the meaning
you understand from the text. Some of the options look quite similar, but there will
be subtle differences in vocabulary and meaning that will guide you to the correct
answer.
How do I answer the questions?
Now you know all about Part 5, it’s time to get down to business! Follow these
simple 5 steps to answering the questions:
1. Skim read the whole text
Firstly, skim read the entire passage to get an overall understanding of it. This will
help you to answer the first and last more general questions about the text as a whole.
2. Read the questions
Next, read the questions but ignore options A–D for now! Underline the most
important words in each question so that you can focus on them when looking for the
correct answer.

3. Look back at the text that corresponds to the first question

Now go back to the start of the text and look for the section that relates to question 1.
When you find it, underline this section so that you can check it against the options
A–D.
4. Check the options A–D
At this point, you can read the options A–D and decide which option most closely
matches the part of the text you have underlined. Perhaps there is a synonym for a
word in the option that fits the information in the text. If this is the case, it’s likely to
be the correct answer.

5. Repeat this for the next questions

Now you’ve got the hang of it, you can complete the rest of the questions in the same
way. Make sure to underline all the sections of the text that correspond to the answer.
This will make it much easier for you to check your answers at the end.
(I will skip doing the exercise because of limited time, there are still examples for you
to read)
TIPS
1. Don’t focus on individual words – When skim reading the text, don’t worry about
individual bits of vocabulary that you don’t know. The most important thing is to get
the general idea of the text.
2. Read more in your free time – Reading books, articles or blogs is a great way for
you to practise learning new vocabulary and getting the gist of larger texts in English.
3. Make a note of synonyms – When practising, if you come across a word that you
don’t know, look up the meaning in your dictionary and make a note of its synonyms.
This will help you when choosing the correct options in the exam.
4. Check over your answers – Don’t forget to check over all of your answers at the
end. Make sure to look back to the underlined sections of the text to check they
correspond to the correct option.

gist (n) the general meaning of a speech or text.

FCE
LISTENING : Multiple choices
- About : 40 mins( 4 parts)
PART 1 :
* 8 questions-> 1 mark for each correct answer

1. A series of short unrelated recoding of approximately 30 seconds ( 8

recordings )-> Listen -> answer some questions ( Here recording twice )
—> Choose A,B,C
Notes : Liítening for feeling , attitude, opinion, purpose, function,
agreement, gist and detail.

* Listen! The more English you listen to the better your will do. Listen to
the radio, English language TV, podcasts...
* You will hear the audio twice
* Read the instructions carefully before you start
* You have time to read the questions before you hear the audio

PART 4 :
* 7 questions -> 1 mark for each correct answer
1. A conversation between two or more speakers of approximately 3–4
minutes. ( a longer recording ) - > Choose A, B, C

Notes : Listening for attitude, opinion, detail, gist, main idea and specific
information.
 Part 3 Single Passage: Word formation

What's in Part 3? A text containing eight 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 complete the sentence
 correctly.

What do I have to practise? Vocabulary  This section

checks how you use words in English,
including prefixes and suffixes, and
spelling rules.

How many questions are there? 8

How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct

answer.
TECHNIQUES:

1. Read the whole passage quickly to understand the context.

2. Locate the first gap. Look at the words before and after the
gap then decide what type of word you need in the gap.

3. Revise your knowledge of English word families and

sentence structures. This will help you identify what type of
word you need.

4. After you have chosen your word, check that it fits the
overall meaning of the sentence.

5. Check that you don’t need to make your word negative with
a prefix!

6. Check your spelling!

 Part 4: Key word transformations

What's in Part 4? Each question consists of a

sentence followed by a ‘key’
word and a second sentence
with a gap in the middle.
You have to use this key
word to complete the
second sentence so that it
has a similar meaning to the
first sentence.
What do I have to practise? (check) Grammar and
vocabulary.

How many questions are there? 6 (There is a total of six

sentences for you to transform.)

How many marks are there? Up to 2 marks for each

correct answer.
TECHNIQUES:

In Reading & Use of English Part 4, you have to show

that you can paraphrase, use synonyms and transform
grammatical structures. Always remember that the two
 sentences have to be as similar as possible in meaning
and that you must use between 2-5 words including the
key word.

READING
Part 6 (Gapped text)
What's in Part 6?
 A single page of text with some numbered gaps which represent missing
sentences. After the text there are some sentences which are not in the right
order. You have to read the text and the sentences and decide which
sentence best fits each gap.
What do you have to practise?
 How to understand the structure and development of a text
How many question are there? 6
How many marks are there?
 2 marks for each correct answer
General tips
 Read the text with the gaps first (before the questions). It's very helpful to know what
the text is about and get some idea of the structure of the writing BEFORE you start
trying to find the answers.
 The most important sentences are the ones before and after each gap - read these very
closely.
 You don't have to fill in the answers in order - start with the one you think is easiest and
when you get to the most difficult one there will only be 2 answers left.
Part 7 (Multiple matching)
What's in Part 7?

 A series of statements followed by a text divided into sections or several

short texts. You have to match each statement to the section or text in which
you can find the information.
What do you have to practise?

 Reading for specific information, detail, opinion, attitude

How many questions are there? 10
How many marks are there?
 1 mark for each correct answer
Tips
 find synonyms - if a word is in both the text and a question it is probably NOT the
answer.
 underline the part of the text that you think matches the question.

FCE Speaking Section

Part 1
Part 1 involves an interview and the examiner will ask you a series of questions to get
to know you better . The questions cover various topics, and your answers should be
informal and conversational . Let’s explore some common topics and sample of
questions :

Topics: Starters ( personal information ) , Daily life , Education or Work , Travel and
Holidays , Entertainment and last but not least , Family and Friends .

Questions can be coverage and at a medium level, such as :

 What’s your name ?
 Describe a day that you’ve really enjoyed recently.
 Do you find it easy to study where you live ?
 Do you prefer traveling by train or plane ?
 Tell us about a film you really like.
 Who are the most important people in your life.

In this part, you should stay relaxed, speak naturally, and provide detailed answers

Part 2

Unlike Part 1, FCE Speaking Part 2, also known as the “ long turn “ , you’ll be given
two photographs to discuss. Here’s how it works:

1. Format :
o The examiner provides you with two photographs.
 o You have to speak for 1 minute without interruption about these
photographs.
o There will be a written prompt ( usually a direct question ) above the
photographs.
o After your turn, the examiner will ask your partner to comment on
your photographs for about 30 seconds.

2. Task :
o Compare and contrast the two photographs.
o Answer the question provided in the prompt.
o Make additional comments related to the topic.

3. Tips :
o Listen carefully to your partner’s turn because you’ll need to
comment briefly on their photographs afterward.
o Remember to address both the comparison and the question.

Now, let’s explore some sample speaking questions for FCE :

1. Topics 1 :
o Which environmental problem do you believe is the most serious?
o Why are these things important for the protection of the environment?

FCE Speaking
Part 3: Collaborative Task
I. Format
In part 3 you given a spider web with five keywords
linking to a question. It looks like this:
 You get about 15 seconds to read everything, then
you have to discuss it with your partner for 2
minutes. When the 2 minutes is over, the examiner
will stop you and he will ask another question. You
discuss that question for another minute.
This tests ability to: use language to discuss,
express an opinion, to agree and disagree, speculate
and evaluate etc.

II. Techniques
This part of the exam is called the Collaborative Task.
Imagine you had a discussion with a friend or work
colleague in your own language. So give your partner
equal chance to speak and be prepared to agree and
disagree with them in a respectful way.
You will get a good grade if you ask questions and react to
what the other student says.
However

You will get a bad grade if you are selfish, don't listen, or try
to monopolise the conversation.

As such you should:

 Be prepared to ask your partner for his or her
opinion rather than simply stating your own.
 Listen carefully to what your partner says and
respond to comments he or she makes to help the
discussion flow.
 Say a couple of sentences then ask a question.
Never answer your own questions.
 Try to look at your speaking partner more than
the paper.
Common issues during part 3:
 What if my partner is shy or aggressive ?

 If your partner is too shy, just give them

opportunities to talk as normal, wait a few seconds
for an answer, then answer them yourself if
needed.
 If your partner is aggressive, try your best to
politely interrupt and to be sociable - the
examiners will notice and you will gain points
while the other student is losing them.

 What if we don’t agree about anything ?

 There are no right or wrong answers, only good or

bad discussions. If you disagree, explain why.
 Cambridge are only interested in the quality of the
discussion and the quality of your language.

 What if I can’t talk about all 5 points in 2

minutes.

 It's much better to have a really good, deep

conversation about three of the topics than to race
through and mention five.
 Part 4: Discussion
I. Format
In this part of the test you have about 4 minutes
to further discuss with the other candidate, guided
by questions from the examiner, about the topics
or issues raised in the task in Part 3.
This tests ability to: use language to express and
justify an opinion, to agree and disagree etc.

II. Techniques
 The questions in part 4 are not written down,
so you have to listen carefully. If you don't
understand the question, ask the examiner to
repeat it.
 Look at the examiner when you give your
answer, but then look at your partner when you
are talking to each other.
 Always explain your answers.
 'I don't know' is a BAD answer. You can say,
'Oh, what a question! I never thought about it
before, but maybe...' That gives you a little bit
of time to think of something to say.
 Be interested in what your partner says. Agree
or disagree with them as in part 3. There are no
right or wrong answers, only good or bad
conversations.
 Use a wide range of vocabulary.
 FCE WRITING
 GENERAL INFORMATION :
- Has 2 parts
- Duration : 80 minutes
- Must write 140-190 words for each part.
- Scoring : Each part is marked out of 20.
+ According to 4 criteria :
1. Content Focuses on HOW WELL
you have completed the
task
2. Communicative Focuses on HOW
Achievement APPROPRIATE the
writing is for the task and
whether you have used
formal or informal style
appropriately.
3. Organisation The way you put together
the piece of writing. ( Are
the ideas logical or ordered
? Have you used linking
words ?)
4. Language Vocabulary and grammar.

 Part 1 : Write an essay based on prompts :

 Format :
- You will be given an essay title + 2 ideas linked to the
title
 Samples :
 Techniques :
- Must use all the notes which are given in the task.
- Add your own idea then add some notes to develop it.
- Do a brief internet search about this topic. ( Make sure
you use websites that in English ).
- Plan the structure of the essay before you write.
 Here’s a useful structure for an opinion essay :
Paragraph 1 Introduce the topic using
a general statement and
give your opinion. Say
whether you agree or
disagree with the
statement
Paragraph 2 Give the first reason to
support your opinion.
Provide specific
justifications for your
opinion, using examples
if necessary.
Paragraph 3 Give the second reason
 to support your opinion.
Provide specific
justifications for your
opinion, using examples
if necessary.
Paragraph 4 Give the third reason to
support your opinion. Make
sure this is clearly different
from the points you made in
the previous 2 paragraphs.
Paragraph 5 Summarise your ideas and
repeat your opinion using
different words to provide a
strong conclusion

- Use connectors to define the development of the

essay: firstly, second, finally, etc.
- Use a range of suitable expressions to organise your essay
and help your reader understand the connections between
your ideas :
+ One of the things that
+ In the last few decades,
+ For this reason,
+ First, / Second, / Third,
+ Finally,
+ By doing so,
+ For example,
+ In conclusion,
 TIPS :
- The essay will always need to be written using Formal
English. You should avoid using slang words and simple
language – try using the Passive as much as you can.
- Phrasal words can be used if you absolutely cannot think of
anything else to write BUT you should try to avoid them as
much as possible.
- Avoid using personal pronouns (words like I, me, my etc…)
until the final paragraph/conclusion.
- Try to include a variety of different grammar points and a
wide range of vocabulary.
 - Can include Passives, Conditionals, Inversions, Complex
tenses, Past Modal Verbs etc… your essay will get a high
mark for its Language.

 How to organise your time

- 5-10 minutes : Plan and think of ideas
- 20-25 minutes : Write
- 5-10 minutes : Check for spelling/grammar mistakes
 Part 2:

 Format:
- You have a choice of tasks in Part 2. There is 3 boxes fill with 3
different topics as well as 3 different writing format required in total
➡ You might write an email/ letter, a review, a report or an article.
- Write your answer in 140-190 words in an appropriate style on the
separate answer sheet. Put the question number in the box of the top
of the answer sheet.

ABOUT EMAIL/LETTER

 Samples:
1.
2.

 Techniques:
- Read the tittle carefully
- Determine to whom which the email/letter ➡ use the right tone
- Underline key words for main idea + brainstorming for more
support ideas
- Arrange your ideas logically
- Do not forget the format of a letter (capital letters, comma, space
between paragraphs, etc)

Dear [Name]
Open Dear Sir/Madam,
Dear Mrs. Ms. … ,
1st paragraph should be kept short and is designed to state the
purpose of the letter (to make an enquiry, complain, request
something, etc)
2nd paragraph (+3rd paragraph) should contain the relevant
information behind the writing of the letter.
Letter body
➡ You must concentrate on organising ideas in a clear and logical
manner rather than expanding too much
Last paragraph
What action you expect the recipient to take- to refund, send you
information, etc. (expectation)

Close If you do not know the name of the person, end the letter using
 'Yours faithfully,'.
If you know the recipient's name, use 'Yours sincerely,'
Ex: Your faithfully,
Binh
Or it can be more informal depend on to whom you are sending this
letter

 Suggest time management:

Read the tittle
5-7 min Brainstorming for idea
Plan the structure of your email
25-30 min Write
5-7 min Check again for spelling and grammar

 PRACTICE TIME
 ⬍

Write letter of application to Mrs Hopkins ➡ must be formal

Ideas:
 Why you would like to go on the trip
- I have seen this advertisement in your local English language
Newspaper
- Im really interested in travelling …
- Im experienced, skillful, flexible, love challenges, etc
…
 What useful skills?
- Communicate with foreigners, a friendly approacher
- Know how to read the map
- Acquire basic survival skills
…
 Previous experienced
- Travel in Japan alone for 2 days
- Arrange my own plan myself
- I am used to procedures when traveling abroad
…
+added more yourself

ABOUT REVIEW
 Samples:

 Techniques:
- Read the tittle carefully - underline main idea
- Targeting: Who are your readers?
- Avoid boring tittle! ➡ Your tittle must grab the reader’s attention (using
exclamatory sentences/ rhetorical question)
- Underline key words for main idea + brainstorming for more support
ideas ➡ arrange your ideas logically
- Do not forget to provide recommendations in your review

Title: [Things you will review]

Introductio Identify what you’re reviewing
n Catch the reader’s attention (ask a narrative question related to the
 surprising behavior).
1st Paragraph: Describe the book and its main character’s surprising
behavior.
Body
2nd Paragraph: Comment on specific point (base on prompt
requirement)
Summarize your review
Conclusion Provide a recommendation

 Suggest time management:

Read the tittle
5-7 min Brainstorming for idea
Plan the structure of your review
25-30 min Write
5-7 min Check again for spelling and grammar

 PRACTICE TIME

⬍
Write review about a TV documentary that you learnt a lot from
+ Must have good, interesting content
+ Inspiring
+ Provide life skills, influence teenagers, …

Choose the tittle (Ex: Oh, Saigon)

Ideas:
 What the documentary was about?
- The documentary about the Southside Vietnam
- It’s about culture, custom, lifestyle, people, etc.
…
 What you have learnt?
- History - to be grateful to the freedom we have today
- The custom and culture might have differences as being compared to
other sides.
- The people are hospitable, friendly, kind, …
- But there are some dark side (thief, pollution, deforestation, etc)
…
 You might find it interesting too!
- Highly recommended
- You will have a chance to know more about Vietnam
- Many travel attraction, good food, breathtaking sightseeing, etc
…
+ develop ideas yourself
If you are taking your Cambridge B2 First exam you’ll have to write two
texts in an 80-minute period. In part 1 you must write an essay but in part
2 you will be able to choose between a number of options. This could be
could be an email, a letter, a report, a review or an article.

A report is another formal writing task. And it’s actually quite formulaic
It’s also a great opportunity to show you can communicate factual
information We’re here to help you every step of the way and make sure
you leave that exam full of confidence that you’ve passed.
A report is a formal paper, it has to be concise, well-organized, which
makes it recommended to use bullet points and headings so that the
reader can quickly find the information they are looking for in your text.
The language of a report is expected to be formal and objective. For this
reason, you should avoid including yourself or your views in most of
your sentences.

The structure is the bones of your report. It’s so important because it

holds everything together. Here’s one way to organise your report

Before you put pen to paper and start your report, hold your horses. A
plan is the best chance you have for success.
Take a look at the reader of your report. It’s normally a teacher, a superior
or a peer group like the members of a book club. In this case your
audience is the manager of the centre. That means you should keep the
tone nice and formal. Try to avoid contractions, colloquial language and
keep it polite.
Look at the question and underline all the key parts. This will help focus
your attention on the task in hand and decide how to organise your report.
There’ll normally be two or three things they want you to do and you’ll
always be asked to give a recommendation or suggestion.
As soon as we’ve analyzed the task and extracted all the information that
we need we can start building the report structure and writing it.

Although the title is not obligatory, it is certainly an attractive addition

and could be something like:

If you haven’t skipped the planning stage, writing your report should be
easy. An important thing to add here is that reports often contain
subheadings. In fact, in the B2 First exam they are strongly encouraged!
Remember that a report is a document that presents information in a clear
and organised way. Think about science reports or statistical reports. They
have strong introductions that clearly state their aims.
Firstly, you have to state the purpose of the report as clearly as possible –
this gives the reader a clear idea of what to expect and sets the tone for
the rest of the report.
Finally, you mention how you collected the data for your report this is not
something that you have to do but it can help your report stand out a little
bit.
Here’s what a clearly defined report intro might look like…Just make
sure you don’t copy words from the question exactly, and instead try
to paraphrase.

When we have a ready title and introduction to our report, we can move
on to writing the proper content.
This is where we get to the main body of the report. Again, we want to
keep it really clear and organised and one way to do that is with bullet
points or numbering.
Try to stay general and avoid personal anecdotes. Don’t start talking
about what you like to do at school in your technology classes or what
you had for dinner last night. Instead, keep things relevant to the task.
Remember to expand on your points giving reasons for your ideas. And if
you do everything right, your second paragraph may look something like
this.

Here’s the fun part! This is where you can look back at your ideas and
give your own opinion. Make sure you mention the ideas from the
previous paragraphs and don’t forget to give reasons why.
If you run out of things to say – remember you can mention the
weaknesses of the other option.

Now hopefully you’ve written a report to be proud of. The only thing left
to do is to refine it before the time is up!

Article

In this writing guide, we’ll focus on how to write an article for the
Cambridge B2 First Writing paper – part 2. We’ll also share with you
some tricks and tips for passing this part of the exam. You’ll learn how to
plan your article, structure it, use rhetorical questions, exclamation marks
– and lots more. By the end, you’ll have the confidence to write an
amazing article in English!

You’ll find lots of examples of articles in magazines, newspapers and

internet blogs. In these texts, writers share information, guides and
opinions on specific topics. The idea is to write in a way that grabs the
reader’s attention and keeps them interested until the very end.
You’ve got the question in front of you, so now it’s time to start writing
your article, right?
Wrong! If you do that, you’ve missed an essential stage: planning.
You can compare writing an article to preparing your favourite meal.
Time management is also important. You only have about 40 minutes
total so you need to plan your time carefully.

Think about the question

Really focus on the question. Decide who your role model is. Is he or she
a sporting hero you really admire? Or someone closer to home? It could
be a family member that you look up to or a person in the community
who’s done something amazing. Think about why they inspire you and
make some notes on your ideas.
Think about the tone
Consider the best blogs you read on the internet. Are they relaxed and
friendly? Or do they sound like boring school essays? The truth is most
articles are quite conversational. They are somewhere between semi-
formal and informal. They are often informative, whilst entertaining and
engaging the reader. You can also try to add some humour in too!
Think about the structure
Structuring your article is key and there’s normally more than one way to
do it. Decide which structure makes sense for the question. Try to keep it
logical and include different ideas in different paragraphs.

Remember, you don’t need headings or titles in the article it should read
as one continuous piece of work.
Brainstorming vocabulary is a great way to get your ideas flowing.
Think about ways to personalise your writing
Articles tend to have a personal touch. You can be a lot more familiar
with the reader addressing them personally with pronouns like ‘you’ and
‘I’. Give your own opinion and also use contractions. Here are some more
ways to sound personal
An interesting introduction is the key to a first-rate article. You want to
capture your audience’s attention whilst making it clear what it’s going to
be about. Start with an opening line that sets the tone of the topic. Try to
catch the attention from the first word.