The 5 most difficult sections in Cambridge FCE
By Everest Study Groups
Cambridge FCE is an intermediate to upper intermediate level certificate. In CEFR words, it´s a B2. The test has fairly simple tasks to solve, but some of them have proved to be more difficult than others. Here, we are going to go through the 5 that present the most problems for candidates, in no specific order.
FCE hard section #5: Listening part 2
In this part, you have to complete a summary of a monologue on a topic. Most candidates try and attack this part as it were a dictation…and it´s not. The first and most useful strategy is to read the text first and “guess intelligently”, that means, you should deduce what kind of information is required to complete the blanks. Most of the times you can deduce if the missing word(s) is a noun or verb or adjective; what´s more, you can even deduce if it is a number, date, month, day, part of a collocation, or if it is a singular or plural noun. In this way, you will “know” what goes in each blank before you listen. It takes practice, but it is posible.
FCE hard section # 2: Writing part 1
This is the mandatory text in the exam the essay (remember part 2 gives a choice of three types of text: report, review or letter/ email). Essays have a set format which candidates have to observe and apply. Also, the question itself gives candidates a lot of help: It tells you what to say by asking a question and then it gives you part of an outline (with one paragraph topic left for you to divise). All candidates have to do is write the text following the basic essay format: introduction (giving the answer to the question set in the exam), one paragraph per idea given in the outline and a conclusion or closing. Piece of cake…but not always. It takes practice too.
FCE hard question # 3: Speaking part 3
In this part, the candidates have to engage in a conversation based on ideas given in a “mental map”. Easy. However, most candidates do not engage! That is, they start monologues and never Exchange information, interact or involve the other candidate. More practice is needed.
FCE hard question # 4: Reading and use of English part 2
This is the text with blanks known as cloze. The trick here is to try and look for collocations, in other words, fixed phrases. Also, you have to know your verb-adjective-noun and preposition combinations well. The use of pronouns is also a problematic ítem. The best way to know what goes in each blank is, of course, to strategically deduce what fills in each blank, looking for phrases that are common use. Now, how do we know the phrases are common use? Because they are common! To solve this “common use” puzzle, the thing is to have a lot (but a lot) of contact with English and be on the look out for these phrases, notice them and remember them. You will remember them when you see them many times…that´s why you need a lot of contact with the language. Read, read, read…and watch TV and films, and listen to music. That should do the trick.
FCE hard question # 5: Reading and Use of English part 4
Everybody´s Waterloo: Sentence transformation. But do not dispair. There is a limited number of structures FCE examiners like to test. The trick is then to concentrate on them. Some of these structuires include passive voice, reported speech, and phrasal verbs. Practice, practice, practice.
Our FCE/CAE Study Groups start on 24 March.
Do you want to get your certificate? Write to us at everestexamprep@gmail.com
