# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Preliminary English Test, corresponds to level A2-B2 of the Common European Framework and is provided by Cambridge English Language Assessment . All four skills of Writing, Reading, Speaking and Listening are assessed, each skill accounting for 25% of total marks available. Paper 1 is Writing and Reading and takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. The paper consists of three writing parts and five reading parts. In the reading part of the paper, you must read some texts and answer some questions on each one. For this task, you answer by choosing A, B, C or D. in the writing part of the paper, you must write a short message and do a short grammar exercise, and then write a story or letter. Why not try our free practice tests below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Practice tests for Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) Reading, Writing, Grammar and Vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you are studying for (or thinking about studying for) one of Cambridge's certificates in English exams (e.g. First, Advanced or Proficiency), there are some things that will help you to do the exam and some things which won't.

To help you to know what these are, you can use this website.

Here you will find information, advice and things about the Cambridge exams and how to improve your performance and confidence when doing them.

Exam articles and things

Below are links to all the articles, things and resources we have for the different Cambridge exams:

Other articles

Below are links to two articles which are useful to read if you are thinking of studying for a Cambridge English exam:

Created by teachers

Both the website and all of the articles on it have been created by teachers with many years of experience of preparing students of all ages (from teenagers to people in their 60s) to pass all levels of the Cambridge exams.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Advice and Things for Passing Cambridge Exams for English

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you are studying for (or thinking about studying for) one of Cambridge's certificates in English exams (e.g. First, Advanced or Proficiency), there are some things that will help you to do the exam and some things which won't. To help you to know what these are, you can use this website.

# data[].attributes.body
Suggest Recommend

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
suggest, recommend, insist, demand

important / desirable / essential / vital / imperative

These adjectives, when they are used to express similar ideas, are also followed by a that-clause with should + infinitive or with present, past or subjunctive form verbs:

It is vitally important (that) you should take this medication night and morning.
It is vitally important(that) you take this medication night and morning without fail.

It was desirable (that) she should go to a school where Italian was taught.
It wasdesirable (that) she go to a school where Italian was taught.
It wasdesirable (that) she went to a school where Italian was taught.

In examples like these, you can avoid a that-clause, if you wish to, by using a for + object + infinitive construction, which sounds slightly less formal:

It is important for you to take this medicine twice a day.
It was considered desirablefor her to attend a school where Italian was taught.

the subjunctive

The subjunctive is a special kind of present tense which has no -s in the third person singular and where the same forms are used in both present and past situations when we want to sound slightly formal. The verb to be has a special subjunctive form, see below:

The school governors insisted that he resign from his post as deputy head immediately.
They suggested that Mrs Giddybe appointed as deputy head on a temporary basis:
"We propose that Mrs Giddybe appointed as deputy head until the end of the school year. It is of vital importance that shebe present at the interviews when other teachers are selected."

The doctors recommended that my father remain in hospital for a further five days and that hereturn to work only when fully fit.

Note that do is not used in negative subjunctive sentences:

They advised that he not return to work until fully fit.

l

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
suggest, recommend, insist, demand important / desirable / essential / vital / imperative These adjectives, when they are used to express similar ideas, are also followed by a that-clause with should + infinitive or with present, past or subjunctive form verbs: It is vitally important (that) you should take this medication night and morning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
FCE Speaking Part 2 is also called the "long turn". In fact, it's only a minute long, but for B2 First Certificate candidates that minute can seem like an eternity. During the long turn, candidates are asked to speak by themselves for a minute about a pair of pictures and to answer a question about those pictures. Their partner is then asked a short follow-up question about the same pictures. Having some FCE Speaking Part 2 useful phrases ready to go can make a big difference to both your final result and your confidence going into the exam.

Whether it's strange FCE Speaking Part 2 pictures, strange questions or just nerves, this part of the exam causes a lot of anxiety for many candidates. However, it is very trainable. So, what we can do to help?

How to train for First (FCE) Speaking Part 2

First and foremost, you'll need lots of practice with this part of the exam. If you don't get that practice, you are bound to feel nervous when it comes time to speak alone. Remember, a B2 level speaker is not always completely confident in their own ability despite often having quite a substantial bank of language to draw upon.

Get prepared with structures and useful phrases to use to organise the long turn. Unlike our Preliminary (PET) perfect speaking plan, I don't recommend a strict plan at this level, but rather a helping hand with language that will help to fill the minute and improve discourse management score during the exam. Check out some useful language below.

Force yourself to use the target language. In a classroom, give one student a checklist of language and if they hear their partner use that language while speaking, they cross it off the list. Turn it into a game and give points for each useful phrase they use.

Be strict about time limits. It's easy to ramble on about pictures for more than a minute, but that's not what will happen in the exam. You need to organise and complete the task within the given time. Stop your partner with your best Cambridge examiner "thank you".

Promote use of less common vocabulary. After studying a vocabulary topic, find some pictures related to the topic of your FCE Speaking Part 2 and use it while comparing the pictures. Write down the target vocabulary and have in front of you during the task. In a classroom, put it up on the board. You could even start banning overused vocabulary to force yourself to use the more advanced stuff.

Practise again. Practise as a warmer, cooler, filler and inbetweener. Practise with a teacher, a friend, the mirror or your dog. In the classroom, make the students the examiner in groups of three and practise like that. Practice makes perfect.

When you're ready, you should be tired of seeing pictures. If you've prepared well, you can do it with your eyes closed, but then they wouldn't be able to see the pictures.

First (FCE) Speaking Part 2 Useful Phrases

Other than vocabulary related to whatever the topic of the pictures is, the best thing you can do to prepares is the have a selection of FCE speaking Part 2 useful phrases to organise the long turn and speculate.
Indicating which picture you are talking about

there are two pictures of

in the first picture, in the second picture, in both pictures

the first one, the second one, the picture on the top/bottom, the picture on the left/right

Contrasting the pictures

but, so, and

on the other hand

in contrast

whereas

while

the other picture is different because

Speculating

possibly, probably

might be, may be, could be

it's likely that, it's possible that

I guess , I imagine, I suppose

maybe, perhaps

seems, looks like

All this language is used in the materials below.

FCE Speaking Part 2 Example

Here is an example and some First (FCE) Speaking Part 2 pictures to describe.

In this part of the test, I'm going to give each of you two photographs. I'd like you to talk about your photographs on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question about your partner's photographs.

(Candidate A), it's your turn first. Here are your photographs. They show people shopping in different places.

I'd like you to compare the photographs, and say why the people might have chosen to shop in these places. All right?

One minute

Thank you.

(Candidate B), where would you prefer to shop? ...... (Why?)

Approximately thirty seconds

Thank you.

The Materials

These FCE Speaking Part 2 materials have been designed to provide your students with useful language for the exam and to get practice with different pictures. The topic of all the pictures is shopping, so it would fit in perfectly with a shopping unit in a course book.

You can also use these materials to practise on your own. Just work your way through the tasks and do the speaking parts by yourself. If you are working alone, use a voice recorder on your mobile phone to record what you've said. A day or two later, listen again and try to spot your own mistakes. You'll hate listening to yourself at first, but the effort will pay off.
CLASSROOM PROCEDURE:
First, listen to the example and get your students to discuss what was good about it. I would recommend folding the worksheet here or only projecting the images from the example.

Students then work to categorise the FCE Speaking Part 2 useful phrases that were used in the example.

Give feedback on the useful language and drill some pronunciation.

Have you students practice in pairs. There are 3 more sets of FCE Speaking Part 2 pictures just in case you need to do groups of 3.

Extension: Have your students brainstorm possible follow-up questions and practise them.

EXAM PART: FCE Speaking Part 2

EXAM SKILLS: Comparing and contrasting, discourse management

TOPIC: Shopping

TIME: 20-25 minutes + extension

PREPARATION: One copy of the worksheet per student, speaker or computer to play the audio file

Download

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to do First (FCE) Speaking Part 2 - Useful Phrases - Breakout English

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
FCE Speaking Part 2 is also called the "long turn". In fact, it's only a minute long, but for B2 First Certificate candidates that minute can seem like an eternity. During the long turn, candidates are asked to speak by themselves for a minute about a pair of pictures and to answer a question about those pictures.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FCE Reading Part 1 | Pass the B2 First Cambridge English Exam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This FCE Reading part 1 page will show you the best technique to use in the B2 First Cambridge English exam reading paper.