1 - INTRODUCTION TO FIRST CERTIFICATE

Preparation for the

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations –

Cambridge English FIRST (CEFR B2)

TIME OF EXAM:

3 and ½  hours

The exam is divided in 4 papers:

·         Paper 1: Reading and Use of English (40%)

·          Paper 2: Writing  (20%)

·          Paper 3: Listening (20%)

·          Paper 4: Speaking (20%)

PAPER ONE: READING and USE OF ENGLISH

•       Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

•       No. of questions: 52

•       No. of parts for Use of English: 4

–       Part 1: 8 multiple choice cloze

–       Part 2: 8 open cloze

–       Part 3: 8 word formations

–       Part 4: 6 key word transformations

•       No. of parts for Reading: 3

–       Part 5: Text with 6 multiple choice questions

–       Part 6: Gapped text with 6 sentences

–       Part 7: 10 multiple matching

PAPER TWO: WRITING

•       Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

•       Task types: an email or a letter, an essay, a report, an article or a review

•       No. of parts: 2

–       Part 1: Question 1 – Compulsory – write an essay in a formal style (length: 140-190 words)

–      Part 2: Choose from questions 2 to 4 (length: 140-190 words) – choose from an article, an email, a letter, a report, a review

PAPER THREE: LISTENING

–      Time: approx. 40 minutes

–      No. of questions: 30

–      No. of parts: 4

–       Part 1: 8 multiple choice

–       Part 2: 10 sentence completion

–       Part 3: 5 multiple matching

–       Part 4: 7 multiple choice

PAPER FOUR: SPEAKING

•       Time: about 14 minutes

•       No. of parts: 4 (two candidates)

–       Part 1: general conversation (2 min.)

–       Part 2: photo description and expressing opinions (4 min.)

–       Part 3: two-way conversation (4 min.)

–       Part 4: justifying opinions (4 min.)