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Passing the FCE exam shows that you can use everyday written

and spoken English at an upper-intermediate level. FCE is an

ideal exam for people who want to use English for work or

study purposes.

What will FCE do for you?

FCE is an international exam, recognised as a qualification

in upper-intermediate English by thousands of employers

such as airlines, banking and other industrial,

administrative and service-based industries.

FCE is also widely accepted by universities and other

educational institutions for admission purposes. You can

find a list of organisations and universities that recognise

FCE at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/recognition

FCE exams use real-life situations designed to help you

communicate more effectively and increase your confidence

in using English in everyday situations.

As well as the four language skills reading, writing,

listening and speaking FCE also focuses on grammar and

vocabulary through the Use of English paper.

Your preparation for FCE gives you the skills you need for

using English in work, study and social situations.

Passing FCE prepares you to move on to higher

qualifications such as the Certificate in Advanced English

(CAE) and the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE).

Remember Cambridge ESOL is a department of the

world-famous University of Cambridge: a Cambridge ESOLcertificate is an achievement that says a great deal about your

ability and your hard work.

What level is FCE?

FCE is at Level B of the Council of Europes Common

European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)

an internationally recognised framework.

At B level, typical users can:

understand the main ideas of complex pieces of writing

keep up a conversation on a fairly wide range of topics,

expressing opinions and presenting arguments

produce clear, detailed writing, expressing opinions and

explaining the advantages and disadvantages of different

points of view.

Your preparation for FCE will give you these kinds of practical

language skills.

What does FCE involve?

FCE has five papers:

Reading: hr

You need to be able to understand a range of texts, including how

they are organised and the opinions and attitudes expressed in

them. The texts will be from sources such as newspaper andmagazine articles, reports, fiction, advertisements etc.

Writing: hr min

You have to produce two pieces of writing. The first piece is

compulsory and will be a letter or an email of between -

First Certificate in English (FCE)Level BAn upper-intermediate levelEnglish exam, ideal for people who want to use English for work or study.

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words. For the second, you may choose from an article, an

essay, a letter, a report, a review, or a short story of between

words.

Use of English: min

Your use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well

you can control your grammar and vocabulary.

Listening: min

You need to show you can understand the meaning of a range

of spoken material which may be taken from news programmes,

public announcements and other sources.

Speaking: min

You take the Speaking test with another candidate or in a

group of three. You will have to show how well you can produce

spontaneous pieces of spoken language, sometimes talking

with the examiner or the other candidate(s) and sometimes by

yourself.

Supporting you

As with all of Cambridge ESOLs exams, there is a lot of support

available to help you prepare.

Most candidates take preparation courses run by schools and

universities, but others prepare for the exams by themselves.

The Cambridge ESOL Candidate Support website

(www.candidates.CambridgeESOL.org/cs) has an area where

you can access a variety of support materials, including the

booklet: Information for Candidates, and sample exam papers,

which include sound files for the Listening test.

Next steps

Find out more

You can find out more about FCE by visiting:www.CambridgeESOL.org/FCE

Register

If you are studying English at the moment, speak to yourteacher about how to enrol.

If you are not studying at the moment, your nearest Cambridge

ESOL exam centre will be able to advise you about:

how to register

fees

the dates of the exam.

We have more than , centres in over countries. You can

find your nearest centre at: www.CambridgeESOL.org/centres

Entries cannot be made directly to Cambridge ESOL.

If you have a disability or a specific learning difficulty (such

as dyslexia) it may be possible for special arrangements to be

made when taking the exam; contact your nearest centre for

information.

About Cambridge ESOL

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is part of

Cambridge Assessment Europes largest educational

assessment organisation.

Cambridge ESOL examinations are taken by over two million

people a year in more than countries. They are

characterised by:

uncompromising commitment to assessment of the highest

quality

recognition by universities, employers and official bodies

throughout the world

a high level of support for learners and teachers.

www.CambridgeESOL.org

Contact us

First Certificate in English (FCE)

University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations is part of Cambridge Assessment,

a department of the University of Cambridge. It is a not-for-profit organisation.U

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