First Certificate in English
WHAT IS FCE?
The First Certificate in English is an upper intermediate level exam and the third level of Cambridge exams in general English. This exam is set at Level B2 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for modern languages
WHO IS THE FCE EXAM FOR AND WHY SHOULD I TAKE IT?
The FCE exam is suitable for learners who can communicate for practical everyday purposes such as study and business. Candidates should have a wide range of vocabulary and be able to study or work in an English-speaking environment and cope easily as a tourist.
FCE is useful preparation for anyone who wishes to take CAE and CPE at a later stage and valuable for anyone who wants to work or study abroad.
a FCE certificate is valid for life. You will not need to take the exam again
FCE is a truly international certificate, recognised around the world for business and study purposes
thousands of employers, universities and government departments officially recognise FCE as an Upper Intermediate qualification in English
WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE EXAM?
FCE has 5 papers:
Reading: 1 hour
You will need to be able to understand information in fiction and non-fiction books, journals, newspapers and magazines.
Writing: 1 hour 20 minutes
You will have to show you can produce two different pieces of writing such as a short story, a letter, an article, a report, a review or an essay.
Use of English: 45 minutes
Your use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well you control your grammar and vocabulary.
Listening: 40 minutes
You need to show you can understand the meaning of a range of spoken material, including news programmes, speeches, stories and anecdotes and public announcements.
Speaking: 14 minutes
You will take the Speaking test with another candidate or in a group of three, and you will be tested on your ability to take part in different types of interaction: with the examiner, with the other candidates and by yourself.
YOUR RESULT
Each component of the exam carries 20% of the total marks.
Candidates can access their results through the Cambridge ESOL Results Online website 8 weeks after the exam.
There are three Pass grades, A, B and C and two Fail grades D and E.
There is no minimum pass mark for individual papers. The grade is based on the total score of all 5 papers.
Certificates are awarded to candidates who achieve Pass grades and are despatch approximately 4 weeks after the results are issued
