Cambridge English: First (FCE)

List of Changes March 2015

The updated exam will have four papers instead of five. Reading and Use of English have been
combined into a single paper assessing language knowledge and reading skills:

UNTIL DECEMBER 2014 FROM MARCH 2015
Paper 1: Reading (1 h) Paper 1: Reading and Use of English (1h 15 min)
Paper 2: Writing (1 h 20 min) Paper 2: Writing (1 h 20 min)
Paper 3: Use of English (45 min) Paper 3: Listening (40 min)
Paper 4: Listening (40 min) Paper 4: Speaking (14 min)
Paper 5: Speaking (14 min)

Reading and Use of English

UNTIL DECEMBER 2014 FROM MARCH 2015

USE OF ENGLISH

READING AND USE OF ENGLISH
PART 1: Multiple choice cloze (12 questions)

PART 1: Multiple choice cloze (8 questions)

PART 2: Open cloze (12 questions)

PART 2: Open cloze (8 questions)


PART 3: Word formation (10 questions)

PART 3: Word formation (8 questions)

PART 4: Key Word Transformation (8 questions)

PART 4: Key Word Transformation (6 questions)


READING
PART 1: Multiple choice: A text followed by 8
multiple-choice questions

PART 5: Multiple choice: A text followed by 6
multiple-choice questions

PART 2: Gapped text: 7 questions

PART 6: Gapped text: 6 questions

PART 3: Multiple matching: 15 multiple-
matching questions

PART 7: Multiple matching: 10 multiple-matching
questions


Writing

UNTIL DECEMBER 2014 FROM MARCH 2015
PART 1 (COMPULSORY TASK):
Writing a letter or email
Length: 120-150 words

PART 1 (COMPULSORY TASK):
Writing an essay
Length: 140-190 words

PART 2:
Candidates have a choice of task
Questions 2-4: an article, an essay, a letter, a
report, a review, a story

Question 5: (two options) Writing one of the
two options based on one of the two
prescribed reading texts

Length: 120-180 words
PART 2:
Candidates have a choice of task
Questions 2-4: article, email / letter, report,
review

Set texts will no longer be used



Length: 140-190 words


Listening
UNTIL DECEMBER 2014 FROM MARCH 2015
PART 1: Multiple choice. (8 questions) Eight
short unrelated extracts. One multiple choice
question per extract.

PART 1: Multiple choice. (8 questions) Eight short
unrelated extracts. One multiple choice question
per extract.
PART 2: Sentence completion (10 questions)
Candidates complete sentences with information
heard in the recording

PART 2: Sentence completion (10 questions)
Candidates complete sentences with information
heard in the recording

PART 3: Multiple matching (5 questions) Five
short monologues. There are five questions
which require the selection of the correct option
from a list of six.

PART 3: Multiple matching (5 questions) Five
short monologues. There are five questions which
require the selection of the correct option from a
list of eight.

PART 4: Multiple choice. (7 questions)
Monologue or text involving interacting
speakers.

PART 4: Multiple choice. (7 questions) Monologue
or text involving interacting speakers.


Speaking

UNTIL DECEMBER 2014 FROM MARCH 2015
PART 1: Conversation between the interlocutor
and each candidate (3 minutes).

PART 1: Conversation between the interlocutor
and each candidate (2 minutes).

PART 2: Individual long turn by each candidate
(photographs to talk about -1 minute per
candidate), with a response from the second
candidate (20 seconds)

PART 2: Individual long turn by each candidate
(photographs to talk about -1 minute per
candidate), with a response from the second
candidate (30 seconds)

PART 3: Two-way conversation between
candidates. Candidates are given spoken
instructions with written and visual stimuli. (3
minutes)


PART 3: Two-way conversation between
candidates. Candidates are given spoken
instructions with written stimuli. Students
discuss the question given using the ideas
provided. They are given 15 seconds to look at
the task (The discussion takes 2 minutes)

When candidates finish, the examiner asks them
to make a decision. For example: Now talk to
each other about why these ideas would attract
more tourists to the town. Candidates have 1
minute to reach a decision.

PART 4: A discussion on topics related to the
task in Part 3.

PART 4: A discussion on topics related to the
task in Part 3.

STUDIES AREA/ June 2014