book review fce

• How To Write A Review: Cambridge B2 First

• Posted on 24/07/2019
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: B2 First , Cambridge Exams , FCE , First Certificate , Resources to learn English , Writing

Students who are taking their B2 First Certificate exam (FCE) will be asked to do two pieces of writing within an 80 minute time limit. Part 1 is always an essay . Part 2 is where you can get a bit more creative. You might, for example, be asked to write a letter, a report or a review, all of which have their own style and set guidelines.

When writing a review it can be difficult to know where to start. But don’t be afraid! We are here to help you every step of the way.

Remember a review could be for a book, a film, a magazine, a restaurant or even a product .

Three steps to writing a great review

Let’s start with something simple. Imagine. You turn over the page to your writing part 2 and you see this question:

Question taken from Cambridge Assessment English website . (Feb 2018)

Step One: Make a plan

The first thing to do is to make a plan, just like we did in our B2 First essay guidelines .

Think of a book you read in which the main character behaved in a surprising way. This could be surprising in a good way, where the character does something amazing and helps somebody. Or maybe there’s a twist at the end and the character does something really shocking. Either way take some time to really think about your choice.

E.g. I’m going to choose The Great Gatsby, because I had to read the book 3 times when I was at school and I’ve seen the film so I feel like I know it really well .

The structure

Next, think of the structure. Consider all the parts of the question and use that to help organise your review. Make notes about the following:

• An interesting title
• A catchy introduction
• A summary of the plot
• A surprising moment
• Your recommendation

Remember you’re going to want to separate these with clear paragraphs that are going to help the examiner read to the end without getting a headache.

You also need to consider the tone and how the review should sound to the reader. Remember this is for a magazine. Think about all the magazines you like to read. You want to sound chatty and grab the reader’s attention, but not bore them to sleep. Think semi-formal but friendly!

Useful Vocabulary

Now brainstorm some useful vocabulary for your chosen book, including lots of adjectives. Avoid using boring adjectives like good or bad . It’s much more exciting to say ‘amazing’ and ‘disappointing’ or ‘ terrific ’ and ‘terrible’ .

Here’s some more useful vocabulary to get you started:

superficial / deceptive / fascinating / unbelievable / rich / lonely / kind / reserved/ to be set in / to be written by / prosperity / characters / jazz age / protagonist / atmosphere / author / chapter / ending / fictional towns / prohibition / novel / on the outskirts / sad story.

Your next step is to think of some linking phrases. These are going to help tie together your thoughts and bring your review to life!

• Overall if you like…
• I was pleasantly surprised by…
• In fact…
• What I disliked the most was…
• The book contains…
• As well as…
• This well-written book…
• Unbelievably…

Step Two: Write it

Once you have a solid plan, writing your review should be easy!

First start with an interesting title. E.g. The Unexpected Anti-Hero. It relates to both the book that’s being reviewed and the question. It’s also short and snappy .

Next write an engaging introduction. Maybe start with a rhetorical question, for example:

Are you a fan of the Jazz Age? Then this is the book for you!

Or a general statement about the book that will hook the reader:

The Great Gatsby is a classic, with many twists and turns.

You could also give some background information. Here we use the past simple:

The Great Gatsby was written by F.S.Fitzgerald and is set in prosperous Long Island in 1922.

The second paragraph should summarise the plot (note – we usually describe a story in present tense ):

Gatsby is a mysterious character, he has big extravagant parties, and we never know if we can trust him.

The third paragraph is where we introduce the surprising moment and reveal what the main character did and why it was surprising:

• The most shocking part is when…
• I couldn’t believe it when…
• It was so surprising when…

In the fourth paragraph, give a recommendation! Here the examiner wants to hear your overall opinion. It can be something simple:

• I strongly recommend..

Or something more inventive:

• I wouldn’t read the novel again because…
• Everyone should read this immediately!

But don’t forget to say why!

Step Three: Check it

Now you have your winning book review it’s time to check for all those little (and big) mistakes.

Make sure you check:

• You’ve answered all parts of the question.
• It is easy to read.
• Your spelling is correct.
• You’ve used the 3rd person(s).
• You have used punctuation.
• There’s a variety of nouns and adjectives.
• Pick a book you know quite well! Whether it’s Harry Potter or The Hunger Games , make sure you have lots to say about it!
• Don’t be afraid to give both negative and positive opinions!
• Experiment with using first person and try addressing the reader with ‘you’.
• Read lots of real authentic reviews online, anything from holidays to music concerts, exhibitions to video games!
• Remember to put some of your own personality into your review. Have some fun with it and good luck!

Follow the links for some excellent phrases and vocabulary for other types of reviews.

Restaurant Reviews

Film Reviews

TV / Theatre Reviews

Exhibition & Concert Reviews

Here are some more sample questions for you to practice on your own:

Choose one and post your reviews in the comments section.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Twist (n): : a sudden change in a story that you do not expect..

Chatty (adj): having a friendly style.

Avoid doing something (v): to intentionally not do something.

Terrific (adj): excellent.

Snappy (adj): concise.

Hook (v): to catch.

adj = adjective

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8 Hidden Benefits of Being Bilingual

• By: oxfordadmin
• Posted on 17/07/2019

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Free English Lessons

Fce (b2 first) writing exam – write a review – video.

In this lesson, you can learn how to write a review for the FCE writing exam. For many people, the writing section is the most challenging part of the FCE test. In this lesson, you’ll see a step-by-step process for writing a review. You’ll see exactly what to do at each stage and how to improve your FCE writing score .

1. how to analyse your fce writing task.

Let’s look at a sample question:

• Book reviews wanted Have your read a book recently that you couldn’t put down? Write a review of the book. Say why you liked it and who you would recommend it to. The best reviews will be published in the magazine.

There are four steps to writing an effective answer. So, what’s the first step? Read the question and identify exactly what the examiners want from you.

Your FCE writing is assessed on four points:

• Communicative achievement
• Organisation

Each area is worth up to five marks.

First, let’s focus on content. To get five marks for content you need to make sure, “all content is relevant and the reader is fully informed.”

Those aren’t my words—those are the words from the official mark scheme! But what do they mean?

Very simple: they mean you need to do everything the question asks you to do.

Look at our sample question again.

There are three things you need to include in this task; Do you know what they are?

Number one: you need to write a review of a book. This means you should include some basic information about the book, like its title, the author, and what genre it is: crime, historical, romance, etc.

Number two: say why you liked it.

Finally, say who you would recommend it to.

Easy, right? Yes and no. It’s simple, but most people don’t get full marks for content. You should aim to get five out of five. Here’s how you do this:

One: make sure you cover everything fully. Don’t leave any parts of the question out! Two: make sure you cover everything equally. In this question, there are three points to include. You should have a more-or-less equal number of words for each point. Three: make sure you support your ideas with reasons or details. Four: don’t include anything unnecessary or irrelevant. Your task is to do what the question asks, and nothing more!

Now, you’ve identified the three things you need to include. You can move on to step two: planning!

2. How to Plan Your FCE Writing Review

Planning is the most important step.

The FCE writing test is one hour 20 minutes long. Parts one and two are worth equal marks, twenty each, so you should spend about 40 minutes on each.

Of those 40 minutes, you should spend five to ten minutes on planning.

It can be tempting to think, “I need all of that time to write! I don’t have time to plan!” However, this is a bad idea.

Not planning your writing is like going on a journey without map: you’re likely to get lost.

Planning is especially important for your organisation score. Your writing needs to be well-structured and coherent to earn marks in this area.

Organisation focuses on “how well the writing is put together”. By planning your writing carefully, it will naturally be organised. This gives you a good chance to get high scores in organisation.

You can also use this step to maximise your score in “Communicative Achievement”. This focuses on “how appropriate your writing is for the task”.

So, when you’re planning, think about questions like this:

• What kind of language should you use: formal, neutral or informal?
• Do you need a title or subheadings ?
• How should you organise your text? Do you need an introduction or conclusion?

The answers to these questions will depend on the exact task.

For a book review, it should probably have a title, but it doesn’t need sub-headings. It should be written in a neutral style, and it should use specific language for the task: for example to describe books, or make recommendations.

You don’t really need an introduction or a conclusion, because it’s not an essay; you’re not trying to prove anything.

Now, let’s make a basic plan together. When you plan, you need to decide how many paragraphs you’ll have, and what main idea will go in each paragraph.

How many paragraphs do you think you’ll need?

There isn’t one right way to do this, but you have three main points to include for your content score. So, it makes sense to have three paragraphs, and an extra paragraph to explain what happens in the book, like this:

• Basic information about the book
• What happens in the book
• Why you liked it
• Recommendation

Remember: this isn’t the only possibility. A different structure might make more sense for you. That’s fine; just make sure the structure is clear in your head. ‘Clear’ means that each paragraph has one main point, and you know exactly what that main point is.

After you have your basic outline, you should add some key words or phrases to each point.

A book I read recently was ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ by Truman Capote. Maybe you’ve read it, or perhaps you’ve seen the film!

So, here’s my plan. You don’t need full sentences, just an idea of what you’re going to say.

• Title -> Breakfast at Tiffany’s – A jewel of a book.
• Basic information about the book -> Breakfast at Tiffany’s , Truman Capote, modern American fiction
• Explain what the story is about -> a lonely writer fascinated by a girl who lives downstairs, set in 1940s Manhattan
• Why you liked it -> the characters are believable, they have interesting backgrounds
• Recommendation -> yes to teenagers and older but younger not appropriate

Pause the video if you want some more time to read the plan.

3. How to Write Your FCE Review

Okay, now it’s time to write your answer! You have between 140 and 190 words.

Count the number of words you write in your practice answers so you can get a feel for how much to write.

Here’s something you might not know: Cambridge does not allow correction fluid, correction tape or erasable pens. Make sure you leave plenty of space on the page in case you want to cross something out and change it.

Here’s our first draft:

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s grabbed my attention right from the start. The novella by Truman Capote opens with an intriguing mystery about how the protagonist, Holly Golightly, may have travelled to Africa, which is quite different to the film!The book is narrated by an unnamed male writer and is set in Manhattan in the 1940’s. He’s fascinated by Holly, who lives downstairs. She’s a society girl who is devoted to her brother Fred, and makes her living by convincing rich men to give her money.What I enjoyed the most is that the characters are believable. It’s not difficult to imagine a lonely young man trying to help the beautiful young girl who lives downstairs. It’s more difficult to relate to Holly but the hints Truman drops about her troubled past help explain her behavior.I’d definitely recommend reading ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ to older readers. Particularly if they’ve seen the film. As for younger readers, I’d recommend it teenagers but I don’t think the content is appropriate for anyone younger.

Pause the video for as long as you need to read it.

How does it look to you?

It’s not bad but it’s not perfect either. Now for the last step!

4. How to Check and Improve Your FCE Writing Answer

It’s time to find the mistakes. Even if you’re short of time, try to leave two to three minutes at the end to check your work. It can make a difference to your score, so it’s important!

This is where you can improve your score in the ‘language’ section of the assessment.

To get a high language score, you need to “use a range of vocabulary, including less common vocabulary,” “use a range of simple and complex grammatical forms,” and make only “occasional errors.”

Again, these are direct quotes from the Cambridge mark scheme.

Learn more with this Oxford Online English lesson on using a notebook to expand your vocabulary .

There will be mistakes and things you can improve in your writing. Look at our model review again. There are at least seven things which could be changed in this answer. Can you find what they are?

Here are some questions to help you:

• Have you forgotten to include anything?
• Is all the punctuation, grammar and spelling correct?
• Can you replace very common words with more interesting, specific vocabulary?
• Have you used linking words and phrases to make it easy for your reader to follow?
• Are you within the word count?

These are questions you can ask yourself after you’ve finished your own practice answers. Pause the video and read our answer. See how many things you can find.

First, did you notice I forgot to include a title? A book review in a magazine or a newspaper normally has a title, so our review should have one, too.

What else could I have done better? Look at the bold text in the answer. Can you improve them?

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s grabbed my attention right from the start. The novella by Truman Capote opens with an intriguing mystery about how the protagonist, Holly Golightly, may have travelled to Africa, which is quite different to the film!The book is narrated by an unnamed male writer and is set in Manhattan in the 1940’s. He’s fascinated by Holly, who lives downstairs. She’s a society girl who is devoted to her brother Fred, and makes her living by convincing rich men to give her money.What I really enjoyed is that the characters are believable. It’s not difficult to imagine a lonely young man trying to help the beautiful young girl who lives downstairs. It’s more difficult to relate to Holly but the hints Truman drops about her troubled past help explain her behavior. * I’d definitely recommend ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ to older readers, particularly if they’ve seen the film. As for younger readers, I’d recommend it teenagers but I don’t think the content is appropriate for anyone younger.

Okay, let’s see how you did!

First, titles of books and movies are normally written in italics or placed inside speech marks. Let’s put it inside single speech marks here:

• ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’

Then, in the 2nd paragraph, 1940s should not have an apostrophe:

• 1940’s 1940s

In the third paragraph, I’ve repeated who lives downstairs which I said in the second paragraph. Can you think of another way to say this?

You could say …who rents the apartment downstairs, …who lives in the apartment below his, or …who is a tenant in the apartment downstairs.

This shows a greater range of vocabulary and will improve your language score.

The next one is similar: can you think of a synonym for more difficult?

How about more challenging?

More difficult is not wrong, but challenging is a less common and more specific word. If you show a range of language, you’ll get more marks for your language score.

Next, behavior. Why is this a problem?

Behavior is the American spelling.

It’s fine to use American spelling, but you must be consistent! Earlier I spelt travelled with two l’s, which is British spelling. I need to change one, so let’s change behaviour to the UK spelling by adding a ‘u’:

• behavior behaviour

Next, let’s look at the gap at the start of the last paragraph. What do you think we could add here?

You could add a linking word or phrase. It would make it much easier for the reader to follow. You would also improve your organisation score.

You have a few options. For example:

What about in conclusion? Would it be a good choice?

Maybe, but it’s not ideal. It’s too formal! Save this one for your essay and keep your review in a neutral style.

Finally, what’s wrong with I’d recommend it teenagers?

Remember after recommend you need the proposition to: recommend something to someone.

• I’d recommend it teenagers. I’d recommend it to teenagers.

By correcting these errors and making these improvements, you could improve your FCE writing score without very much work.

We used this process to write a review, but you can use it for any Cambridge exam writing task, including the CAE and CPE when you get that far.

Good luck with your exam preparation and let us know when you pass! Thanks for watching!

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Cambridge B2 First (FCE): The 10 Best Books to Study for the Exam

My Top 10 books to prepare for B2 First

Remember, this is my personal list. The books are not in a particular order so you will have to find the one(s) perfect for you and your needs. I’m going to give you some insight as I have worked with all of them in class and they have helped many candidates to pass their exams, no matter if it is Cambridge B2 First or B2 First for Schools, and I hope I can help you make an informed choice.

Objective First

Complete first.

This is the series I first worked with when I started teaching B2 First preparation classes and I have to say that I really like it. Just like Objective First, Complete First is published by Cambridge University Press, which is always a good starting point if you want to take an exam designed by Cambridge English.

Straight to First

Open world first.

Open World First is a new addition to the multitude of resources and textbooks in the Cambridge University Press universe. Published in 2019, it gives teachers and students an up-to-date tool to get ready for B2 First and with its unique features it brings things to the table that other textbooks don’t offer.

Cambridge English First

First trainer, cambridge english exam boosters, grammar and vocabulary for first and first for schools, english grammar in use.

I have used this book (as well as its brother Advanced Grammar in Use) since I started teaching English and it has always delivered the results I wanted for my students. If I had to recommend one single resource for your language development, it would probably be English Grammar in Use.

Common mistakes at First Certificate…and how to avoid them

The choice is yours, similar posts, cambridge b2 first (fce): speaking part 3, cambridge b2 first (fce): speaking, cambridge b2 first (fce): everything you need to know, cambridge b2 first (fce): paper-based vs computer-based, cambridge b2 first (fce): how to write a report, cambridge b2 first (fce): reading & use of english part 4.

How to write a Review for the Cambridge B2 First

In this FCE Exam class, we’ll look at writing a review for the Cambridge FCE exam .

So, you’re thinking of taking the First Certificate exam? Welcome to this series of posts about the Cambridge B2 First exam, sometimes known as the FCE exam. The whole exam is divided into four different ‘papers’ – Reading & Use of English, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. This page offers a guide to the first part of the Writing exam in the Cambridge B2 First Exam, in which you have to write a Review , what it tests, how to approach it and how to revise for it. Don’t be afraid, Writing part 2 – let’s go!

General Information about the Writing Exam

The Writing exam lasts for an hour and twenty minutes (80 minutes). There are two parts to the Writing exam – in Part 1 you have to write an Essay , and in Part 2 you will be given three options from four (or five, depending on how you count them!) possibilities, and you choose one of them to do. The four (or five) possibilities for Writing part 2 are an Email , a Letter (which is exactly the same as an email, really, so you may as well consider them together), a Report , a Review , or an Article . You have to write the same number of words for each piece of writing: 140-190 words , so you can divide the exam time equally between them – 40 minutes on Part 1, and 40 minutes on Part 2. However, time keeping is up to you – you could spend more time on one of the tasks and less on the other, but that’s not recommended.

What the test involves

As mentioned above, in Part 2 of the Writing exam you will be given three choices from four/five possibilities: an Email / Letter , a Report , a Review , or an Article . In this blog post we’re going to focus on how to write a Review .

In the exam you will be given a short input text which will explain the context that you need to write in, and this will also include at least two points that you must include in your writing.

40 minutes approx. (of the total 80 minutes for the exam)

What's being tested

Your ability to write a review in an interesting way. To be able to provide relevant details and use the correct vocabulary related to the type of review you’re writing. Reviews want to be persuasive, you want the reader to want to read/watch/listen to the thing you’re reviewing.

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How to do Writing part 2 - Review

Read the task.

The first thing to do is to study the task carefully. What do you need to write the review about? There are lots of different possibilities, but the most common topics are books, TV shows, or films/movies; but it’s also possible that you might have to write a review of a restaurant, hotel, language school, device/gadget, music album, live music performance etc… In fact, anything you can think of that you may have read a review about in the past could appear in the exam. But as I mentioned earlier – the most common are Books , TV shows , or Films/movies – so definitely focus on these.

Make a plan

The plan doesn’t need to be very detailed – just some short notes on what you want to include in each paragraph. You will usually need four paragraphs, but you could write three if you feel there are some ideas that can be grouped together, but four would be ideal.

You will want to begin by giving some factual details about the item you’re reviewing – for example: the author/writer, the main actors involved, the publication/release date etc…

Next you will want to give some brief details about the content of the item. So, if you’re writing about a book you should give a short summary of what happens in the story (but do try to avoid Spoilers!), and you could also explain who the main characters are and what their goals or motivations are within the story.

Your third paragraph should cover the specific things the task has asked you to include, and focus on the most positive aspects of the item. (Reviews are always Positive, in all my years’ experience I don’t recall ever seeing a Negative Review in the exam).

And finally, in your conclusion you’ll give your final opinion on the item and make your recommendations to the reader.

Formal or Informal English?

Reviews can be written mainly in Informal English, so contractions and phrasal verbs are perfectly fine to use – but you can throw in a sentence or two of more Formal English for emphasis. When you have a sentence using a formal grammar structure in the middle of a piece of informal writing, it really stands out and provides a strong emphasis, so this would be appropriate in a review. The most important language thing to consider in a review is topic specific vocabulary – so for example if you’re writing about a film/movie, you’ll want to include words like: actor, cast, crew, script, special effects, director, cinematography, soundtrack etc…

How to organise your time

You should spend about 40 minutes on Part 2 of the exam (and 40 minutes on Part 1). It is up to you exactly how you arrange your time, but I would suggest something like this:

5-10 minutes – Plan and think of ideas

20-25 minutes – Write

5-10 minutes – Check for spelling/grammar mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I don’t write enough words?

You will lose points for the Content of your essay as you obviously haven’t developed the ideas sufficiently.

What happens if I write too many words?

The examiners will find word 190, and then stop counting, so any words from the one hundred and ninety-first to the end of your essay will be ignored. This could mean that a whole section of your review (likely the final sentences or final paragraph) will not be considered. You’ll then lose points for the Content; and lose points for Organisation.

What if I have never read/watched/listen to an item the task asks me to write about?

Well, you do have the option to choose one of the other Writing part 2 tasks – remember you don’t have to do a review if you don’t want to. However, even having said that, you could invent something – there is no requirement for the book/movie/TV show to be a real book/movie/TV show – (but naturally it is much, much better if it is).

Reviews are a good piece to do because most people have had previous experience of writing reviews – you most probably will have written reviews when you were at school. But a good way to practise is to find reviews in newspapers/magazines or on the internet and to read them to see what kind of information is included and how the review is structured.

Test Yourself

Now have a go at this example task.

When you have finished you can send your review to the school in an email and we will correct it and sent it back to you! Just write Exam Guide Review B2 in the Subject line of the email.

[email protected]

Thank you for reading our post. For more information about the Cambridge B2 First Exam (FCE) you can check out the official site here .

You’ll find more English grammar tips elsewhere on our site and if you’d like information on our English courses in Dublin , please do not hesitate to contact us.

What the test involves In Part 1, you had to choose the answer from four words given but in Part

In this FCE class, we look at part 3 of the Speaking test in the Cambridge FCE exam. So, you’re

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Writing - Part 2 - B2 First (FCE) - Practice, Write & Improve

Exam question:, type: review.

You have seen this advertisement in an English-Language magazine.

Write your Review.

Student's Answer:

“Lotito’s is one of the most popular restaurants in my town, Plottier. It has been opened for a long time and it´s known by most of people who live in Plottier. It´s famous because it serves a huge amount of food, and it isn´t really expensive. I was there many times, so I can definitely tell about it.

As it was mentioned, the most remarkable aspect about Lotito´s is the huge amount of food that’s served. If you are a person who is used to eat a great meal, you will be enterily satisfied. Not only they serve a big portion, but also it´s absolutely flavourful.

Another remarkable aspect about the restaurant is the staff who work there. They are really efficient, they work fast and they couldn’t be more friendly and helpful. Besides, the place is spacious, and you can choose if you want to eat inside or outside.

The only downside is that it´s generally full of people, so the best you can do is booking a table in advanced. But on the whole, I’d strongly recommend going to Lotito’s, you won´t regret.”

Adding an appropriate title is definitely an attractive addition.

Lotito's (details) is one of the most popular restaurants in my town, Plottier . It has been open for a long time and it´s known by most of the locals (use precise vocabulary) people who live in Plottier It´s famous (link sentences better) because it serves a huge amount of food, which also isn´t really expensive. I was there many times, so I can definitely tell you about it.

Could be a bit more details about the restaurant itself (type of cuisine, how big it is, is it prestigious or standard etc..)

• try to combine the sentences a bit better so that they are not so separated from each other (because,.. but, also..)

As it was mentioned, the most remarkable aspect of Lotito´s is the huge amount of food that's served. (do not repeat the same information) If you are a person who is used to eating a great meal, you will be entirely satisfied. Not only do they serve a big portion, but also it´s absolutely flavourful.

Do not repeat the same information, the examiners will notice this ("because it serves a huge amount of food.... ""Lotito´s is the huge amount of food ", "person who is used to eating a great meal,"" Not only do they serve a big portion") the reader is told the same thing four times.

Another remarkable aspect (do not repeat the same forms) of the restaurant is the staff who work there. They are really efficient , they work fast and they c ouldn't be more friendly and helpful. Besides , the place is spacious , (descriptive writing) and you can choose if you want to eat inside or outside.

The only downside is that it´s generally full of people , so the best you can do is book a table in advance . But on the whole , I'd strongly recommend going to Lotito's, you won´t regret it."

Nicely written summary with a recommendation

Content: 4/5 have you answered the question?

All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is informed.

• Have you been to a restaurant recently that you either loved or hated?- commented
• Your opinions- commented
• Tell us about specific elements of the restaurant which caught your attention- commented

Do not repeat the same information, you may get a lower grade. 

Communicative Achievement: 3/5 have you completed the task in the right sort of language?

The language tone and register is consistent and appropriate for review

A bit more precise vocabulary related to the topic of culinary and restaurant is missing;

There are stylistic errors at times, and overall readability could be improved in places.

The organisation: 4/5 have you structured your writing properly?

The text is clearly organised into paragraphs , which each deal with one idea.

Occasionally the sentences are not as clearly connected as they could be.

Language: 3-4/5 have you used a good range of grammar and vocabulary?

Vocabulary There is a suitable range of vocabulary, including less common lexis.

Grammar There is suitable range of simple and more complex grammatical forms which are used with control and flexibility.

Errors are noticeable but meaning can still be determined.

  Score: 14/20 Grade: B2 

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Breakout English

The best First Certificate books

Passing a B2 level Cambridge exam is a big deal and only the best First Certificate books will get you there. For lower levels you may have been able to rely on materials you found online or your natural ability in English learnt at school, but for most people the Cambridge First (FCE) exam is not an exam that you can just walk into on exam day and pass.

You may be preparing to take the exam yourself or you might be preparing a group of students. Either way, it’s important to use high quality materials. A solid book (or selection of books) is the best way to get to where you or your students need to be. Don’t rely on general English books to include relevant exercises and definitely don’t rely on lessons found on the internet, of which there are both excellent and not-so-excellent options available.

Over my years of preparing students for the FCE exam, I’ve found certain books work better for different situations. It depends if your students are teenagers or adults. It depends if you want a communicative approach or a pure exam training course. It depends if you have a year-long course or just a quick intensive to prepare students. If you are preparing alone, a book designed for self-study is what you need.

I’ve chosen my favourite First Certificate books to use in and out of the classroom depending on your teaching and/or learning needs. And, of course, don’t forget to check out the books available on Breakout English for a bit of extra practice!

Best overall First Certificate book

Straight to First – Roy Norris, Macmillan

Straight to First is a classic course book written by Cambridge exam preparation guru Roy Norris. It approaches the exam tactfully without overwhelming students, but providing them with everything they need to pass the exam including language and training sections. You will still need to supplement with some extra practice activities, but this book has everything you need for a successful classroom experience.

Check out Straight to First on Amazon

Best book for an intensive course

Compact First – Peter May, Cambridge

Compact First is now in its 3rd edition and continues to satisfy as a quick and snappy book to prepare for the exam. The best thing about the book is that it doesn’t try to slowly introduce the correct level of task by including easier listenings and readings at the start. It’s sink or swim, which is exactly what an intensive course needs. The 3rd edition also come with Cambridge’s new Test and Train software.

Check out Compact First on Amazon

Best book for First for Schools

Gold Experience B2 – Kathryn Alevizos, Suzanne Gaynor and Megan Roderick, Macmillan

If you are preparing teenagers for the First Certificate exam, they will probably take the First for Schools version. This is almost the same except for that the topics are more approachable for younger candidates and the writing includes the option of a story instead of a report. It’s important to use the right book for the right exam, so grab a copy of Gold Experience B2 which includes age-appropriate topics and useful reviews and wordlists for each unit.

Check out Gold Experience B2 on Amazon

Best supplementary book

Grammar and Vocabulary for First and First for Schools – Barbara Thomas, Louise Hashemi and Laura Matthews, Cambridge

It’s not going to win any prizes for being fun and exciting, but this book will teach you more in less time than all the lovely topic-based course books you can find. Use it to study at home or as a supplement in class. Sometimes some good, old-fashioned grammar and vocabulary tasks are exactly what students need to really improve their level and that’s more true than ever at B2 level.

Check out Grammar and Vocabul ary for First and First for Schools on Amazon

Best exam practice book

First Testbuilder – Mark Harrison, Macmillan

The best thing about First Testbuilder is the answer key. It gives detailed explanations for why each option for each question is right and wrong, which is especially useful for the reading and listening papers. The book also includes tips, techniques, writing samples and useful phrases for speaking. It really is the complete package for an exam practice book.

Check out First Testbuilder on Amazon

Best new arrival

Open World First – Anthony Cosgrove and Deborah Hobbs, Cambridge

First Certificate books don’t have to be boring. Open World is the latest series from Cambridge which combines exam preparation with real world language. It integrates culture sections with exam training and even takes students to the next level with “push yourself” sections that include C1 language. If you’re looking for something new and exciting, this is the book for you.

Check out Open World First on Amazon

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B2 first, formerly known as cambridge english: first (fce), is one of our cambridge english qualifications . it is our most popular exam, accepted by thousands of businesses and educational institutions worldwide..

A B2 First qualification proves you have the language skills to live and work independently in an English-speaking country or study on courses taught in English.

This exam is the logical step in your language learning journey between B1 Preliminary and C1 Advanced .

--> A B2 First qualification shows that you can: -->

• communicate effectively face-to-face, expressing opinions and presenting arguments
• follow the news
• write clear, detailed English, expressing opinions and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of different points of view
• write letters, reports, stories and lots of other types of text.

--> Reasons to choose B2 First: -->

• Accepted for entry to foundation/pathway/pre-sessional courses in English-speaking countries.
• Accepted for entry to undergraduate programmes taught in the medium of English in non-English-speaking countries.

Find your local centre to book your exam

• B2 Jurassic Park Book Review

The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about a book which the writer has experienced and to give the reader a clear impression of what the book discussed is like. A book review is usually written for an English-language magazine, newspaper or website.

Jurassic Park Book Review

More exercises available:

You are required to produce two pieces of writing. The first piece is compulsory and will be an essay of 140-190 words. For the second, you can choose from an article, email/letter, essay, review or report (B2 First for schools the report is replaced with a short story) of 140-190 words.

• B2 Article Video
• B2 Book Review Video
• B2 Descriptive Email Video
• B2 Place Review Video
• B2 Short Story Video
• B2 Cities of the Future
• B2 Fast Food
• B2 Following Fashion
• B2 Live Concert
• B2 Pollution Problems
• B2 Taking a Gap Year
• B2 A Work of Art
• B2 Being a Celebrity
• B2 Life Away
• B2 Preventing Crime
• B2 School Improvement
• B2 Shopping Online
• B2 Tablet or Laptop
• B2 The Countryside
• School Canteen
• B2 A School Trip to Italy
• B2 An Important Day
• B2 Forgetful Girl
• The Hidden Beach
• The Lost Photo
• B2 IMDb Website Review
• B2 Mountain Bike Park
• B2 Romeo and Juliet Play Review
• B2 Ted Film Review
• Scarlett Animation Review
• B2 Berlin Travel Report
• B2 Shops Report
• B2 Visiting Places Report
• B2 Birthday Party Letter
• B2 Computer Games Email
• B2 Favourite Film Email
• B2 Holiday in Thailand Email
• B2 New Attraction Letter
• B2 Place to Visit Email
• B2 Spending Money Email
• B2 Visiting Relative Email

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 familiar to you such as magazines, articles, fiction and advertisements, but targeted at the interests of students.

Students’ use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well they can control their grammar and vocabulary.

• Use of English Part 1
• Use of English Part 2
• Use of English Part 3
• Use of English Part 4
• Reading Part 5
• Reading Part 6
• Reading Part 7

For this part, you practice vocabulary by using words with similar meanings, collocations, linking phrases, phrasal verbs, etc.

• B2 First Use of English Video
• Becoming Famous
• Cycling Scheme
• Film Stars and Music Celebrities
• Going on a diet
• Single or Mixed Sex Schools
• The History of Football
• The Poor and Less Fortunate
• The Special Bus
• Why do we need to play?

For this part, you practice grammar and vocabulary.

• Better swimming
• Cardboard Bike
• Dealing with waste plastic
• Drinking Water
• Fit for Sports
• Following Your Nose
• Growing Bananas
• Holiday with a Friend
• Making Perfume
• The Farm Trip
• The Jobs Market
• Tree Climbing
• Weather Forecasting
• Young Enterprise

For this part, you practice vocabulary word-building by changing different words using a base word.

• Angel of Mercy
• Fast Food Industry
• Life on Other Planets
• Music in Schools
• Mystery Weekend Break
• Pollution Problems
• Understanding Time
• Workforce on the Move

For this part,  you have to express a message in different ways showing flexibility and resource in the use of language.

• B2 First Use of English Part 4
• B2 Key Word Transformation 1
• B2 Key Word Transformation 10
• B2 Key Word Transformation 2
• B2 Key Word Transformation 3
• B2 Key Word Transformation 4
• B2 Key Word Transformation 5
• B2 Key Word Transformation 6
• B2 Key Word Transformation 7
• B2 Key Word Transformation 8
• B2 Key Word Transformation 9

For this part, you practice how to understand the details of a text, including opinions and attitudes.

• Cycling to India
• Hottest Place on Earth
• Living and Working in Another Country
• The Picture of Dorian Gray
• The Wrestler who Wrote a Book

For this part, you practice how to understand the structure and follow the development of a text.

• Benefits of Getting Fit
• Our Polluted World

For this part, you practice how to find specific information in a text or texts.

• Collecting Things
• English Seaside Resorts
• Teenage Summer Camps

Requires being able to follow and understand a range of familiar spoken materials, such as news programmes, public announcements and other sources, but targeted at the interests of the learners.

• Speaking Part 1
• Speaking Part 2
• Speaking Part 3
• Speaking Part 4
• Listening Part 1
• Listening Part 2
• Listening Part 3
• Listening Part 4

In this part you talk to the examiner about yourself and your life, e.g. your name, school, interests and future plans.

B2 Speaking Part 1 Exercise 1 B2 Speaking Part 1 Exercise 2 B2 Speaking Part 1 Exercise 3

In this part, you talk about two photos on your own which you have to compare for about 1 minute . After you have finished, your partner will be asked a short question about your photo. When your partner has spoken about their photos for about 1 minute , you will be asked a question about their photos.

B2 Speaking Part 2 Exercise 1

In this part you express ideas with your partner by looking at a discussion point that the examiner gives you.

This will be available soon.

In this part, you focus on general aspects of a topic with the examiner or you may involve your partner.

In this part, you will hear people talking in eight different situations.

Entertainment Short Conversations Talking about Sports

In this part, you will hear someone being interviewed.

Extreme Snowboarding Future Options Newly Published Book The Talent Show

In this part, you will hear five people talking about different things.

Demonstration Travel Worries

In this part, you will hear an interview.

Protecting the Environment Staying Healthy

• Customs and Traditions
• Entertainment and Leisure
• Environmental and Nature
• Future Jobs and Education
• Identity and Well-being
• Travel and Adventure

Customs and Traditions explores how we celebrate our cultural identity across the globe.

• Christmas Hard Exercises
• Story of Halloween
• Valentine Message

Entertainment and Leisure explores how we spent our free time.

Environment and Nature explores the way humans and animals live, adapt and change on our planet.

• Global Changes

Exploring how different societies create roles for people to develop their skills and knowledge.

• Future Schools
• Sport at School
• School Rules
• Fashion Design

Exploring how we learn and adjust to the world around us. .

• Taking Risks
• Natural Disasters

Exploring how we experience the world through our life journeys

• Travelling around the World

Cambridge English exams are designed for learners at all levels from the pre-intermediate level Cambridge English: Key (KET) to the very advanced level Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE). These exams give candidates proof of their ability to use English in a wide variety of contexts, relevant to work, study and leisure activities.

A2 Key | B1 Preliminary | B2 First

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