Are you preparing to take the Cambridge B2 First speaking exam? Do you know what four aspects of your speaking are covered in the marking scheme, and how you could improve your performance for each of them? The exam was previously called the First Certificate in English (FCE), so if you’re looking for materials to prepare for that, you’re in the right place!
In this free lesson from Oxford Online English, you will listen to examples of two candidates doing the four parts of the B2 First speaking exam, and consider what to practise for the different areas of the marking scheme.
The B2 First speaking exam has four parts. You do the first two parts by yourself, and the last two parts with another candidate. You will hear examples of all four parts in this lesson, and you can find official practice material on the Cambridge website.
In this listening lesson, there are four parts — one for each part of the exam — and a total of 40 questions. In each part, you will hear five pairs of questions, each time focusing on a different aspect of the marking scheme. The first question in each pair illustrates a problem, while the second question shows how the issue could be resolved. Your job is to identify the problem and solution each time.
When you do the B2 First speaking exam, there will be two examiners listening to you. One of them gives you the instructions and asks you questions — this person is called the interlocutor. The other examiner, who just listens, will give you a score for grammar and vocabulary, discourse management, pronunciation and interactive communication. The interlocutor will also give you one score for global achievement.
This lesson will help you recognise and address some common difficulties in the B2 First speaking exam, but it is not intended to be an introduction to the exam. If you haven’t yet seen our free video guides to the four parts of the B2 First speaking exam, click on the following links:
B2 First Speaking Exam Part One — video lesson
B2 First Speaking Exam Part Two — video lesson
B2 First Speaking Exam Part Three — video lesson
B2 First Speaking Exam Part Four — video lesson
When you’re ready, click Start Quiz in the four parts below, and listen carefully!
B2 First Speaking Exam Part One
In part one of the B2 First speaking exam, the examiner asks you questions about your life and experiences.
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
Listen to a part one question and a candidate’s answer.
What is the problem with this answer?
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
How does the speaker develop the answer this time?
Choose all answers that are correct.
CorrectIncorrectHint
Two answers are correct.
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
Now the answer has been developed but there’s a new type of mistake.
What is the problem with this answer?
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Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
Listen to the same answer without the grammar errors.
Which two things have been corrected?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Listen carefully to the verbs ‘watch’ and ‘make’.
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
Now there is a different type of problem.
What is the problem with this answer?
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
How does the speaker avoid repetition this time?
Choose two answers.
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
Now there is a problem related to the part of the marking scheme known as discourse management (the way the speaker organises what she says).
What is the issue?
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
This time the speaker uses signposting language which helps the listener follow how the ideas are connected to each other.
Write the signposting words that the speaker uses.
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“I really like the film ET, is a science fiction story for children. It was directed by Steven Spielberg in the 1980s, it was one of his first successful movies. I watched it many times when I was a child, I’ve also seen it once or twice more recently, you can enjoy it when you’re an adult, .”
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
This time, the answer contains a pronunciation problem.
What is wrong?
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
You’ve just heard an example of ‘robotic’ pronunciation, without the correct features of stress. Now listen to a more natural version.
How does the speaker create contrast between stressed and unstressed syllables?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Listen carefully to the word ‘favourite’, and compare ‘which is a’ with ‘science fiction’.
B2 First Speaking Exam Part Two
In part two of the B2 First speaking exam, you talk about two photographs and answer a question. You have one minute to speak by yourself. Open the tab to see an example task.
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Well done! You have finished all the questions, with most of them correct. You can do them as many times as you like, so if you would like to try them again now, click on Restart Quiz. If you prefer to review the answers, click on View Questions.
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
First, listen to the examiner’s instruction.
Now listen to a candidate beginning the task.
What is the problem with this answer?
CorrectIncorrectHint
If you’re unsure what the problem is, listen again to the examiner’s instruction. What, exactly, does it tell the candidate to do?
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
Listen to a new version of the answer. This time, the speaker does both of the things in the instruction.
The man uses certain words to help the examiner understand that he is comparing the photos and/or answering the question. Write the words that the man says.
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“In the first photo, we can see a man using a running machine, and there’s a kitchen in the background, so he’s in his house, and I he’s decided he needs to do some exercise, so he’s bought some gym equipment – , the woman in the other photo is clearly a serious athlete she’s wearing proper clothes for running and there are barriers by the road, which she’s in a race.”
CorrectIncorrectHint
Write one word in each gap. Before you submit your answer, check that you have used:
an adverb indicating likelihood in the first gap
a verb in the second gap
a word to show contrast in the third gap
a conjunction in the fourth gap
a verb in the third person singular form in the last gap -
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
Now the candidate is trying to compare the photos and answer the question, but there’s a new issue.
What is the problem with this answer?
CorrectIncorrectHint
How can the speaker know all the things that he says?
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Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
This time, the speaker mentions the same things as before, but uses additional language to speculate – that is, make guesses about things based on the evidence he can see in the photos.
Which of these speculation phrases does the man use? Choose all the answers that you hear.
CorrectIncorrectHint
The speaker says two of these things.
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
When you practise for part two, it’s very common to think so much about one thing that you forget about another! In this answer, a discourse management problem has returned.
What is the issue?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Remember what the examiner’s instruction said: compare the two photographs and say why you think the people are running.
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
This time, the speaker successfully makes comparisons.
Which two things does he compare?
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
Now let’s think about a common type of grammar that’s useful in part two.
What is the grammatical problem?
CorrectIncorrectHint
The correct answer relates to grammar. The other options concern vocabulary and discourse management.
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
Listen to a corrected version of the answer.
Write the correct comparative forms, exactly as the man uses them this time.
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“I expect the woman is the man. We can clearly see that she’s very athletic, whereas we can’t see the man’s whole body; so I can only guess that he’s and probably doesn’t enjoy running .”
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
There’s one more part of the marking scheme to think about.
What is the problem with this answer?
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
This time, the speaker uses weak forms to make the pronunciation sound more natural. A weak form is a grammatical word that is pronounced with the neutral vowel /ə/ – which you can hear in the first word, ‘the’. He did not do this in the last question, and many learners say they’ve never even heard of weak forms!
Look at two sets of words from the man’s sentence. Which set does he pronounce as weak forms with the vowel /ə/?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Listen to how the man says the words. The vowel sound in his first word (‘the’) is also used in weak forms.
B2 First Speaking Exam Part Three
In part three of the B2 First speaking exam, you talk with another candidate to answer a question, with reference to five ideas which are shown to you on a piece of paper. You have two minutes to speak about them. Then, the examiner asks you another question and you have one more minute to choose one of the ideas. Open the tab to see an example task.
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Well done! You have finished all the questions, with most of them correct. You can do them as many times as you like, so if you would like to try them again now, click on Restart Quiz. If you prefer to review the answers, click on View Questions.
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
Listen to two candidates beginning the task.
What is the problem?
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
You can start part three by using a fixed phrase that formally begins a conversation and also gives you a few seconds to think of what to say. Listen to how the candidates do this.
Which two phrases do the speakers use?
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
Now listen to the candidates continuing with the task.
What is the problem with the way they do the task?
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Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
How do the speakers add detail to their answer this time?
Tick all the techniques that the speakers use.
CorrectIncorrectHint
Three options are correct.
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
In parts three and four, you get a mark for interactive communication (which is not relevant to parts one and two). Interaction is about how you have a conversation. For example, are you listening carefully, understanding and responding appropriately? Do you invite your partner to take turns? Listen to how the candidates interact with each other here.
What is the problem with the interactive communication here?
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
You are now going to hear a full model answer for this task, including the additional minute for making a decision. Listen carefully to how the speakers interact.
Listen again to four short clips. Notice how both speakers help each other take part in the conversation.
Match the four clips with the strategies which the candidates use.
Sort elements
- Clip 3
- Clip 1
- Clip 4
- Clip 2
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One speaker offers some correct vocabulary which the other couldn’t think of.
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One speaker rephrases a question which the other hasn’t understood.
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One speaker asks the other about their personal experience.
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One speaker gives some ideas then invites the other person to add another.
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
Listen again to five sentences adapted from the full answer. The same grammatical mistake occurs a number of times.
The grammatical problem occurs in three of the five sentences. Which three sentences are incorrect?
CorrectIncorrectHint
The mistake concerns verb forms.
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
In the previous question, the problem was that the speakers said the words exactly as they appear in the task. Sometimes, you have to change the verb forms according to the grammar of the sentence.
Listen to the five sentences again, this time with the correct verb forms.
Write the missing verbs in their correct forms, exactly as the speakers say them.
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It’s very important your house.
If your house, it will be really dirty.
What about new things?
shopping is the same.
Everyone needs their friends sometimes.
CorrectIncorrectHint
In two gaps, write one word (the -ing form);
in two gaps, write two words (the infinitive with ‘to’);
in one gap, write three words (subject + negative form in the present simple: this includes a contraction). -
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
In part three, you need to ask your partner questions. So, let’s consider how to pronounce them. Listen to two questions that were used in the full answer earlier. Here, the pronunciation is not correct.
There is a problem with the pronunciation in these two examples. When you ask a question, the voice should rise at the end in some cases and fall at the end in others. In the clip you just heard, the speaker does the wrong thing, and it’s not appropriate for her meaning.
What happens to the speaker’s voice at the end of the two questions in this clip?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Choose the option that describes what the speaker does here. It is the opposite of what she should do.
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
In the last question, the speaker’s voice should have fallen at the end. Now listen to four questions from the full dialogue – this time with the correct intonation.
Read four rules about intonation (the way the voices rises and falls) in questions, and listen to an example of each one. Write the word rise or fall to complete the rules.
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When you use a question tag such as ‘can you?’ to invite someone to agree with you, your voice should at the end.
When you doubt what someone has said, and you use a question tag such as ‘do you?’ to seek confirmation, your voice should at the end.
When you ask an open question that requests information or a reason, your voice should at the end.
When you ask a question for which the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘no’, your voice should at the end.
CorrectIncorrectHint
You should write rise twice and fall twice.
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B2 First Speaking Part Four
In part four of the B2 First speaking exam, you talk with the other candidate to answer questions asked by the examiner. You should interact with your partner, not the examiner.
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Well done! You have finished all the questions, with most of them correct. You can do them as many times as you like, so if you would like to try them again now, click on Restart Quiz. If you prefer to review the answers, click on View Questions.
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Congratulations! You have answered every question correctly. If you would like to review the answers and the explanations, click on View Questions.
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
Before we consider how to interact with the other candidate in part four, let’s review the other parts of the marking scheme.
First, listen to a question from the examiner.
Now listen to a candidate’s answer. There is something that could be improved.
Thinking about the different aspects of the marking scheme, which of these things is an issue?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Think about subjects and verbs!
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
This time, the same ideas are expressed using complex sentences.
Which two types of complex sentence are used?
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
Now there’s another aspect of the marking scheme to think about.
What is the problem this time?
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Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
An important way to improve your vocabulary is to use collocations. A collocation is a combination of two or more words that are commonly used together in natural English.
Listen to how the speaker uses a number of collocations to make the meaning more precise.
Write one word in each gap to complete the collocations you hear in this clip.
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take out
your batteries
going for the weekend
a longer holiday
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
Listen to another answer to the same question – why is it important to have a work-life balance?
The speaker uses a number of set phrases. This can be useful in any speaking exam, and is also very common in normal conversations. However, there’s a problem with how he says them.
What is the issue?
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
Listen to the same answer, this time said in a more natural way. Pay attention to the speaker’s opening words: “let me think about that for a moment”. How does the speaker manage to sound more natural and less mechanical this time?
The following are examples of natural thinking strategies. Which one does the speaker do here?
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
Remember that part four is a conversation with your partner. Listen to the two speakers taking a turn and think about the remaining parts of the marking scheme: discourse management and interactive communication.
What is the problem with the woman’s answer?
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
Listen to an improved version of the same conversation.
Which two things does the woman do to develop the discourse and improve the interaction?
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
Listen to another example of the speakers interacting. It is correct and appropriate but could be improved.
Which statement is true about their interaction?
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
This time, the speakers make their questions more specific.
How do they do this?
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