The Cambridge FCE Oral Exam can be a breeze if you prepare adequately. Practice an overview of the 4 parts. The Speaking Exam lasts for about14 minutes. The First Certificate in English Speaking test is usually taken face to face, with two candidates and two examiners.
Here are the 4 main parts:
PART 1 - Interview with warm-up questions +-2 min (1 min/ candidate)
Warm-up Questions/ basic conversations questions, such as:
1. Are you going to do anything special this weekend?
2. What sports do most people play in your country?
3. Tell us about a TV show/film/ series you’ve seen recently?
4. Do you normally go out with family or friends?
5. What do you use the internet for?
6. Where do you like to listen to music?
7. Do you ever watch the news?
TOP TIP for Part 1!
Create a list of your 'favourites' beforehand, so that on the day of the exam you don't have
to search for ideas! Think about your favourite food, favourite celebrity, favourite book, favourite
online game, favourite teacher, favourite family member, favourite song, etc.
PART 2 - Long turn (photo prompts) +-4 min (1 min/ candidate plus follow-up questions)
TOP TIP for Part 2!
You don’t have to describe the photos in too much detail.
STEP 1. Give a general impression of the 2 images.
STEP 2. Compare the 2 images.
STEP 3. Contrast the 2 images.
STEP 4. Answer the question.
PART 3 - Collaborative task (spider-gram +-4 min (2 min discussion & 1 min decision-making)
TOP TIP for Part 3!
Tag questions are great way to invite your partner to respond.
•We usually celebrate by …, don’t we?
•At a street parade you can see…, can’t you?
•In our country we usually cook…, don’t we?
•I don’t often…, do you?
PART 4 - Discussion and follow up questions from Part 3 (+- 4 min)
If the topic is Health, for instance, you might get questions like these:
What do you do to stay fit?
Do you know anyone with really bad habits?
Could you ever be a vegetarian?
Should sports be mandatory at schools?
TOP TIP for Part 4!
Try using examples, reasons or personal experiences to support your points.
Listen to what your partner says as you might be invited to respond.
GENERAL EXAM TIPS!
SMILE! It doesn't cost you anything and it makes you more approachable and likable.
NEVER answer with one word such as 'yes' or 'no'.
ALWAYS expand your answer to at least 2 sentences.
IF you get stuck, remember this trick:
WH-QUESTION WORDS
who? what? why? when? where? how? how much time? how much money?
Let's say the question is: Why do people enjoy extreme sports?
Expand your answer using WH questions. Silently ask yourself:
Who does extreme sports? Where do they do it? How much does it cost?
MODEL ANSWER:
''Well, as far as extreme sports go, I think that young people enjoy extreme sports because it gives them the opportunity to spend some time in nature. Whether they are bungee jumping off a bridge or mountain climbing up a steep cliff, they get to test their personal limitations against the elements. Extreme sports can be an expensive hobby but people don't mind buying pricy equipment, for them it is all about the adrenaline rush.''
Lastly, remember that even native speakers make mistakes sometimes. Don't hesitate to
correct yourself. In fact, at a B-2 intermediate level, learners get bonus points for what we call 'self correction'. Believe it or not but at the end of the day, oral examiners are all rooting for their candidates to pass!
My 15 page FCE exam preparation resources include:
*the most common exam topics
*useful vocabulary
*exam tips
*set expressions
*agreeing and disagreeing
*the use of idiomatic expressions
