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 ESOL
certificate 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 and
magazine 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 Certicate in English (FCE)
Level B
An upper-intermediate level English exam, ideal for people who want to use English for work or study.
5901c_0Y10_FCELeaflet_A4_Layout 1 20/10/2010 08:58 Page 1
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 your
teacher 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 Certicate 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.

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