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 - 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 English, Speaking, 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 >>
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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. *****
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FCE Use of English Course
Valuable information, clear explanations, engaging delivery, helpful practice activities, accurate course description, knowledgeable instructor. Lucia, FCE Use of English. *****
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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. *****
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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. *****
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FCE Techniques Book
Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited >>
3. Complete a coursebook using your new strategy
Use the techniques learnt from my Reading and Use of English, Speaking, 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:
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!