What the Cambridge B2 First Exam looks like
The Cambridge B2 First Exam is divided into 4 papers with 58 questions and lasts about 3,5 hours.
Paper 1
Reading & Use of English
You have 1 hour 15 minutes to complete the first paper.
This section of the exam will test your knowledge of vocabulary.
Paper 1 is divided into 7 parts:
- Multiple Choice Cloze (Reading)
- Open Cloze
- Word Formation
- Key Word Transformation
- Multiple Choice (Reading)
- Gapped Text (Reading)
- Multiple Matching (Reading)
Parts 1, 5, 6, and 7 refer to the Reading Section
Parts 2, 3 and 4 refer to the Use of English section
PART | TASK TYPE | FOCUS | QUESTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
1 - Multiple Choice Cloze | A text with eight gaps. Candidates choose the correct missing words by answering eight multiple-choice questions with four options. | Collocation, phrasal verbs, idioms, phrases | 8 |
2 - Open Cloze | A text with eight gaps. Candidates fill in the missing words. | Mainly grammatical items with some focus on vocabulary | 8 |
3 - Word Formation | A text with eight gaps. Candidates form the missing words from the given stem words. | Prefixes and suffixes, compound words | 8 |
4 - Key Word Transformation | Six separate questions, each containing a lead-in sentence, followed by a 'key word' and a second (gapped) sentence. Candidates complete the second sentence in two to five words, and must include the 'key word'. | Vocabulary and grammar | 6 |
5 - Multiple Choice | A text followed by six multiple-choice questions with four options: A, B, C or D. | Understand detail, opinion, gist, attitiude, meaning, tone, purpose and main ideas. | 6 |
6 - Gapped Text | A text with missing sentences; candidates choose the sentence order from a jumbled list. | Understand text organisation (how language achieves cohesion and coherence). | 6 |
7 - Multiple Matching | One or several texts with prompt questions; candidates match the prompt to the relevant section of the text(s). | Understand specific information, detail, opinion and attitude. | 10 |
Paper 2
Writing
You have 1 hour 20 minutes to complete the writing paper.
The Writing Paper is divided into 2 parts:
- Compulsory task (must do)
- Choice 1 of 4 tasks
PART | TASK TYPE | FOCUS | WORD LENGHT |
|---|---|---|---|
1 - Compulsory Task | Focus on agreeing or disagreeing with a statement and writing an essay. | Respond to input of approximately 120 words and write an essay, with accurate language control. | 140 - 190 |
2 - Choose one of 4 options | (Questions 2-4) Candidates write one of the following: Article, Email, Essay, Letter, Report, Review. | Write for a specific purpose and audience, with accurate language control. | 140 - 190 |
Paper 3
Listening
You have 40 minutes to complete the paper.
This section of the exam will test your knowledge of vocabulary.
The Writing Paper is divided into 4 parts, with a total of 30 questions:
- Multiple Choice
- Sentence Completion
- Multiple Matching
- Multiple Choice
PART | TASK TYPE | FOCUS | QUESTIONS |
|---|---|---|---|
1 - Multiple Choice | A series of extracts with one or more speakers lasting around 30 seconds each. Candidates answer one multiple choice question per extract, each with three options: A, B or C. | Pick out general meaning specific information, understand attitude and/or events from the text. | 8 |
2 - Sentence Completion | A three-four minute monologue. Candidates fill in the gaps to complete the sentences. | Pick out general meaning or specific information from the text. | 10 |
3 - Multiple Matching | A series of related monologues lasting around 30 seconds each. Candidates match the extract to the correct option from a list of six. | Pick out general meaning specific information, understand attitude and/or events from the text. | 5 |
4 - Multiple Choice | A three-minute interview or exchange between two speakers. Candidates answer multiple choice questions with 3 options: A, B or C. | Pick out general meaning or specific information from the text. | 7 |
Part 4
Speaking
You have 10 to 15 minutes to complete this part of the exam. In many schools, the Speaking part of the exam is done on a different day.
For the Speaking section, you will have a partner and the examiner will give you both a few tasks to work on.
This section is divided into 4 parts:
- Individual – Conversation between Interlocutor and each candidate.
- Individual ‘long turn’ (1 minute) and response from second candidate (20 seconds).
- Two-way conversation between candidates.
- Discussion related to the task in Part 3
PART | TASK TYPE | FOCUS | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
1 - Individual Conversation between Interlocutor and each candidate. | Candidates take it in turns to answer spoken questions that focus on interactional and social language. | Give personal information and talk about past, present and future experiences. | 2 min |
2 - Individual 'long turn' (1 minute) and response from second candidate (20 seconds). | Each candidate is given a pair of photographs and asked to talk about them, using the prompt questions on the page. The second candidate gives a brief response. Tasks focus on: comparing, describing and expressing opinions. | Speak for a long turn lasting approximately 1 minute using appropriate language. | 4 min |
3 - Two-way conversation between candidates | Candidates are given spoken instructions, along with written prompts, and work on a decision-making task. The focus is on sustaining the interaction by: sharing ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating and negotiating to reach a decision. | Give opinions, agree and disagree, make suggestions etc; take turns. | 4 min |
4 - Discussion related to task in Part 3 | Candidates answer spoken questions that focus on: expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing. | Give and justify opinions, agree & disagree, take turns and explore topics. | 4 min |