B2 First (FCE) Reading and Use of English – Part 4
B2 First is an English language test that will take you 3.5 hours to complete. It could, however, change your life. This exam is very well respected for the level of language it requires you to have to be able to achieve a good score. Some universities also accept it as an alternative to IELTS. It tests five skill areas – Reading and Use of English, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.
On the Reading and Use of English paper you will answer 52 questions in 8 different question types.
What’s in Part 4?
This section of the paper focuses on your grammar and vocabulary. The question type you will get here is key word formations. This means that you will be given a sentence followed by a ‘key’ word. You need to use this word, in whatever form, to complete the second sentence, so both sentences have a similar meaning. There are 6 questions in this section and each one is worth up to 2 marks. A lot of marks can be gained or lost here.
Here is some examples of part 4 questions.
1. It’s not worth repairing the TV. It’ll be cheaper to buy a new one.
Key Word: POINT
There ………………………… in repairing the TV. It’ll be cheaper to buy a new one.
Answer_______________
2. Susan had to finish her weekly report before she left work.
Key Word: UNTIL
Susan had to stay at work ………………………… her weekly report.
Answer _______________
3. You must do exactly what your tutor tells you.
Key Word: CARRY
You must ………………………… instructions exactly.
Answer _________________
Why not try the questions above and see if you can get them right. It is always worth trying to answer questions as you never know, you might guess right. The key is to not spend too much time on questions you are finding hard and to move to the next question. You can always come back to it at the end.
How can I study this? Where can I find these types of questions?
There are many blogs online from people that have taken tests or teach B2 First. They generally include some example of question types. More official options are the sample papers on the Cambridge English website, official exam practice books, past papers, and online exam study providers. Global Exam is an online study programme for language exams, including B2 First (FCE). They give you access to full exam practice, areas to improve your grammar and vocabulary, feedback on answers, model writing samples, and an area to create a study plan. Being online means you can access it on different devices, anytime. This makes studying a lot easier. Take a look to see if they can help you with your exam preparation GlobalExam.com.
We also have written articles on the other FCE Reading Use of English Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7.
Good luck!
