Speaking Success: A Guide to B2 First (FCE)

Speaking Success: A Guide to B2 First (FCE)

All four parts of the B2 First Speaking test — practised, once again, by Philo and Sophia.

•The Speaking test, at a glance

B2 First — still widely known by its old name, the First Certificate in English (FCE) — is the level above B1 Preliminary. The Speaking test lasts about 14 minutes, taken in pairs with two examiners: the Interlocutor, who runs the test and talks to you, and the silent Assessor, who only listens and grades. It has four parts:

1. Interview
~2 min
2. Long Turn
~4 min
3. Collaborative Task
~3 min
4. Discussion
~4 min

At B1 Preliminary, Part 2 was a simple photo description. At this level, it gets harder: you compare two photos and give an opinion — and your partner has to respond too.

1Interview (about 2 minutes)

The examiner asks each of you personal questions — hometown, family, studies, work, free time, plans. It's meant to ease you into the exam, not test you hard, so don't overdo prepared answers.

Tips

  • Relax — this part exists to help you settle in.
  • Listen to your partner. If it fits naturally, refer back: "Like Sophia, I also…"
  • Expand your answers. If asked "Do you enjoy reading?", don't just say "yes" — say how often, what kind, and why.
ExaminerPhilo, do you enjoy your work at the Library?
PhiloI do, very much. I catalogue scrolls most days, but what I enjoy most is when someone brings me a question I can't answer immediately — it means I get to go looking.
ExaminerSophia, what do you like to do in your free time?
SophiaLike Philo, I spend a lot of time around scrolls, but for pleasure I prefer teaching — there's something satisfying about watching an idea finally land.

2Long Turn (about 4 minutes)

Each candidate gets a pair of photographs. You talk alone for about a minute, comparing them and answering an examiner's question — then your partner gets about 30 seconds to respond briefly to your photos, before the roles are reversed.

Structure your minute in three moves

  • A — General summary: "These two photographs show people learning something."
  • B — Compare, don't just describe: use comparing language to link the two photos, not two separate descriptions.
  • C — Answer the actual question: the examiner always asks a second, opinion-based question — don't run out of time before you reach it.

Comparing & contrasting

  • "Both photographs show…"
  • "The top one shows…, whereas the bottom one…"
  • "This one isn't as… as the other."
  • "It's quite difficult to compare them, but…"

Giving an opinion

  • "In my opinion…"
  • "I think it'd be better if…"
  • "As far as I'm concerned…"

Speculating

  • "He might be explaining something."
  • "It looks like…"
  • "I get the impression that…"

Worked example — comparing two ways of learning

Three students studying together around a table
Studying together
A young man studying alone with a tablet
Studying alone with a tablet
Philo These two photographs show people learning, but in quite different ways. Both photographs were taken indoors, and in each one the people are concentrating hard on what they're doing. The top photo shows a small group studying together around a table, whereas the bottom one shows a young man learning on his own, using a tablet. It looks like the group is discussing a text, while the man in the second photo seems to be working through something at his own pace. In my opinion, studying with others is more motivating, because you can ask questions immediately — but I imagine that learning alone suits people who prefer to think things through quietly first.
ExaminerSophia, which do you think helps people learn more, in general?
SophiaI'd say it depends on the subject — languages, I think, are better learned with other people, because you actually need someone to talk to.

3Collaborative Task (about 3 minutes)

You and your partner are given a scenario and a specific question to answer together — for example, "Talk together about why these ideas would help, and decide which two would work best." The pictures or word prompts are there to give you things to discuss, but the question is the actual target: the conversation should end with you having answered it. This part is scored heavily on how well you interact, not just what you say.

Asking for clarification

  • "Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean."
  • "Could you say that again, please?"

Involving your partner

  • "What do you think?"
  • "Why don't we…?"
  • "How about you?"

Agreeing

  • "That's a good point."
  • "I couldn't agree more."
  • "You've hit the nail on the head."

Disagreeing politely

  • "I see your point, but…"
  • "I'm not sure about that — do you think…?"
  • "That's true, but…"

For and against

  • "One advantage is…"
  • "On the other hand…"

Reaching a conclusion

  • "So, what have we decided?"
  • "Shall we say…?"
  • "Are we agreed on that?"

Sound more natural: beyond "I think"

Examiners notice repetition. Here's how to vary the same handful of jobs a phrase can do.

Alternatives to "I think"

  • "It seems to me that…"
  • "Personally, …"
  • "To my mind, …"
  • "I have the impression that…"

Showing interest

  • "Really?"
  • "That's interesting!"
  • "I see."

Giving the floor

  • "Don't you think?"
  • Question tags — "…, isn't it?"

Saying "no" gently

  • "Not really, no."
  • "I don't think so."

Buying time

  • "That's a good question."
  • "Let me think…"
  • "It's difficult to say, but…"

Summarising

  • "In a nutshell…"
  • "The bottom line is…"

Tips

  • Don't steal the limelight — or let your partner steal it. Uneven talking time is penalised, and it's your responsibility to fix it, not just your partner's.
  • Build on what your partner said: "I like your idea of… because…" scores better than a fresh, disconnected point.
  • Echo the question early on — "So, we need to work out which two would help most" — to keep the discussion pointed at an actual decision rather than drifting.
  • If you freeze, it's fine to say "I've never really thought about that" — or even ask "What do you think?" to buy yourself a moment.
  • With five options on the sheet, you're not expected to cover them all — two or three, discussed properly, is better than five rushed mentions.

Worked example — attracting scholars to the Library

Picture prompt sheet: a library wants to attract more young scholars, with five options — lecture, mentorship, exhibition, workshop, notices
PhiloShall we start with the free introductory lectures? So, we need to decide which two ideas would help most — to my mind, lectures are the most direct way, since people rarely visit somewhere they've never been invited into.
SophiaThat's a good point, but I wonder whether a mentorship programme would work even better — pairing new scholars with established ones. What do you think?
PhiloI see what you mean, and I like that idea — it solves a different problem, really. Lectures get people in the door; mentorship keeps them here.
SophiaExactly. So shall we say those two — the lectures and the mentorship programme — and leave the rest?
PhiloAgreed. Those two, then.

4Discussion (about 4 minutes)

The examiner joins the conversation directly, asking both of you broader questions that grow out of Part 3's topic — moving from the concrete scenario to more general opinions. Unlike Part 3, here you're talking to the examiner, not to your partner.

Tips

  • Listen to your partner's answers — you may be asked "Do you agree?" or "What about you?" right after.
  • Keep expanding your answers; this is not the place for one-word replies.
ExaminerDo you think institutions like libraries need to change to attract young people today?
SophiaI'd say some change is necessary, yes — but not at the cost of what makes a place worth visiting in the first place.
ExaminerPhilo, do you agree with that?
PhiloLargely, yes — though I'd add that the changing part is usually about access, not content. The scrolls don't need to change. Who gets to read them might.

•How Speaking Is Scored

The same five criteria apply across all four parts:

Grammar & Vocabulary

A wider, more precise range is expected than at B1 — including some less common vocabulary and structures.

Discourse Management

Speaking coherently at length, using a varied range of linking language.

Pronunciation

Clear and easy to follow, with appropriate stress and intonation.

Interactive Communication

Initiating, responding, and — especially in Part 3 — developing what your partner says.

Global Achievement

An overall impression of how effectively you communicated across the whole test.

Trivium Home School — Philo & Sophia