Prepare First Certificate Online – B2 First: FCE

If you want to prepare for the B2 First Certificate online, you have come to the right place! On this website you will be able to find lots of free information about the exam and the best tips and tricks to pass the exam and achieve SUCCESS! You don't need to spend lots of money taking private lessons to pass this exam. What you need is a strategy for how to approach every B2 First exam paper. When you have this strategy, you can easily prepare yourself for the B2 First Certificate in the best way possible. We have Speaking, Listening, Reading, Use of English and Writing courses which teach you this strategy with lots of examples and exam practice.

prepare first certificate online

 

Last Minute FCE Preparation

If your exam tomorrow or very soon?

This video might help...

If you have a bit longer to prepare for the exam, keep reading...

Prepare First Certificate Online - Before The Exam - Resources & Strategy

In this short section you will learn exactly what you need to do to prepare for First Certificate efficiently and effectively. Remember: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. If you plan properly you will save time, money and get the best results in the exam. So, either watch this video, or read the information below:

1. Get Your Exam Materials

When preparing for this exam, you should start by making sure you know the FCE exam format and then getting the best resources you can. I will recommend the best materials for you as we continue through the following steps. You can also find links to all the best pages and resources on my FCE materials page.

2. Learn an exam strategy 

You need to learn the best ways to approach each part of the exam. If you can master a technique for every part of the exam, the time it takes you to complete the tasks will be MASSIVELY reduced and you will hugely INCREASE your chances of success.

You can find lots of strategies in my new FCE book >> or around this website for free. Or if you want to learn the best strategies and practice using them with a native English teacher, you should join my Reading and Use of EnglishSpeaking, Listening and Writing courses. They guide you through every part of the exam. These are the only courses I've found which show you step by step how to tackle each exam section, so before step 3, here is a bit more information with some free preview videos from the courses. You can even sign up for my sample FCE Speaking course...

FCE Speaking Course

"The tips and strategy are great. This course has helped me so much! Thank you! I highly recommend the course to everyone who would like to take the FCE! The course is very useful and listening to a native speaker is also a good thing for practice" Gina, FCE Speaking. *****

Start the course now >>

b2 first speaking fce

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FCE Reading Course

"Muy satisfecha con este curso, las explicaciones son muy útiles y multitud de consejos para aprobar el examen, totalmente recomendable!" Lucia, FCE Reading. *****

b2 first reading fce

Start now >>

FCE Use of English Course

Valuable information, clear explanations, engaging delivery, helpful practice activities, accurate course description, knowledgeable instructor. Lucia, FCE Use of English. *****

b2 first use of english fce

Start now >>

FCE Writing Course

"Gran curso de preparación al examen FCE con númerosos ejemplos, recomendaciones y recursos. Una excelente guía para afrontar con mayores posibilidades dicho examen." Jose, FCE Writing. *****

b2 first writing fce

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FCE Listening Course

"Questo corso di inglese l'ho trovato molto originale e innovativo. Ho trovato una metodologia improntata sull'esposizione dei concetti in modo semplice e chiaro per un'immediata comprensione, finalizzato al superamento dell'esame, oltre che all'apprendimento. Il corso è formato da diversi blocchi di studio che, oltre alla parte teorica, sono molto pratici e concreti. L'insegnante ha un'ottima pronuncia ed è molto chiaro nel far capire i concetti chiave per imparare al meglio!!! Ve lo consiglio!" Marco, FCE Listening. *****

b2 first listening fce

Start now >>

FCE Techniques Book

Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited >>

Paperback >>

3. Complete a coursebook using your new strategy

Use the techniques learnt from my Reading and Use of EnglishSpeaking, Listening and Writing video courses or book to complete another coursebook!

I recommend buying 'Ready for First'. This is a good coursebook and will focus you on the important grammar and vocabulary knowledge you need for the exam. It will give you plenty of practice for all the exam exercises. You should buy the coursebook with key (like in the picture below) so you can correct your own work.

The listening cds which accompany the coursebook are expensive and might be a bit outdated. As a cheaper alternative, you can find listening samples on youtube. Or for more practice AND listening exercises, you could also buy the workbook:

4. Use an FCE coursebook (and grammar book) to specifically target your weak areas of grammar

From my experience, students find the 'Use of English' paper particularly difficult. This is where your grammar, knowledge of collocations etc. are tested. There are grammar sections in every unit of the above coursebook and there is a key at the back of the book. If you see you are weak in any areas, focus on these areas of grammar using another one of the books above, or this book is also very good for grammar and it has FCE exercises:

This book is also very good for extra grammar practice:

The British Council website is also trustworthy and full of information.

Remember, if you want to have a book with all these techniques open in front of you, check out my FCE book >>

5. Complete a practice test book

By completing the first 4 steps above, you should be able to complete the tests in the following book more quickly and easily. It is important to practise with real tests, so you can judge whether or not you are ready to take the exam. I recommend this test book:

ready for first test book

You can also find practice tests in the Cambridge English First handbook for teachers.

6. Test your speaking skills 

If you are not sure if your speaking skills are good enough, complete the book lessons form and one of our FCE teachers will tell you and give you further advice.

7. Test your writing skills

Submit a writing on my FCE writing samples service here

or

try a writing on the website writeandimprove.com - your writing will be marked by a computer.

8. Book your exam

Most of my students do the exam in Cambridge, but there are lots of test centres around the world. Follow the instructions in this video to find your nearest exam centre (the process is the same for CAE or FCE exams):

9. Wait for a response

Wait to hear from Cambridge about the date, time and location of your exam. Some of my students have not received exam information until only a few days or a week or two before the exam date. If you are in this situation, do not worry.

10. Before the exam day, work out how you are going to travel to the exam centre

Will you travel to the exam centre by bus, car, train etc.

If the exam starts early in the morning make sure there is public transport running at that time!

Prepare First Certificate Online - During The Exam

I recently made this video which has LOTS of useful information for the exam day:

There is loads of useful information in the video above, so you should watch it, but here are a few of the things I mentioned:

Cambridge advice for the:

Computer-based Test

Paper-based Test

WRITE IN CAPITAL LETTERS or for the writing paper write in small but neat letters. Use a pencil or a pen for the writing paper.

Always write an answer!

Speaking Test Day

For more exam tips and free materials, check out my B2 First practice tests page.

Prepare First Certificate Online - After The Exam

1. Have a beer!!! Or something else if you don't drink alcohol 😉

2. Wait 4-6 weeks to receive your results. Don't panic if it takes longer - this can happen!

3. When you get your results scream and shout with joy if you followed my strategy above and passed the exam!!! Or find a quiet place and cry if you didn't. Just joking ;), I really hope you pass because a B2 English qualification makes a big difference to people's lives, here are just a few examples of what my past students say.

If you don't pass, it is possible to do the exam again immediately afterwards! However, the first thing I suggest is to analyse why you didn't pass. Was it one particular exam paper? Did you have time to answer all the questions in the exam? Then, once you have identified where you went wrong, start making changes to get better marks next time!

Take some time to read the strategies, tips and techniques around this website, or watch some free preview videos from my Reading and Use of EnglishSpeaking, Listening and Writing courses.

Maybe you'll decide you need professional help, and if so, you can book lessons with a native skype teacher, or see some of our fantastic free and paid products below.


 

How My FCE Products Can Help You

Do you want to pass this exam without spending lots of money on lessons?  If the answer to this question is YES then you are in the right place! You could be the next person on our list of success stories. If YOU DO NOT want to pay for individual lessons, my Reading and Use of EnglishSpeaking, Listening and Writing courses above will teach you the best way to prepare and pass the B2 First Certificate exam by yourself. If you want full access to all those courses and more, you should consider becoming a member.

Prepare First Certificate Online Lessons

Join small group or individual classes with us, unlike language school classrooms with lots of people.

*If you are a Gold member, you get discounted rates on our lessons.*

Learn more in a few individual lessons with me than in one year of generic group lessons somewhere else.

-Lessons are flexible and can focus on any part of the exam that you want.

-Get the most benefit for your money.

-Your contact time with the teacher is extremely important.

Book Lessons

Here is an example from one of my lessons with a Spanish FCE student...I was helping him work on his fluency and correcting his mistakes.


FCE Discussion Topics

At the beginning of 2019, I thought it would be useful for B2 First students to have a place to come and chat with each other and native teachers about the exam. So, I created my Facebook group for students who become Gold members.

If you sign up for membership here, you can do speaking practices every week, access sample tests, my exclusive Facebook group and loads more useful exam preparation resources.

You can even direct message other students and teachers.


Common Mistakes At FCE

Check out this youtube playlist or see some common mistakes and solutions on our common mistakes at FCE page.