FCE Speaking Part 2: Photo Comparison Guide
Cambridge B2 First Speaking Guide — Tome II · Or How to Survive a Minute of Talking About Photos You've Never Seen
Welcome to Tome II of the Cambridge B2 First Speaking Guide. If you survived Tome I (the Part 1 interview), congratulations — you made it past the warm-up. Now things get visual.
FCE Speaking Part 2 gives you two photos and exactly 60 seconds to say something intelligent about them. You've never seen the photos before. You have no idea what they'll show. And one examiner is watching while another one writes things down. Normal stuff.
The good news: there's a formula. And once you know it, 60 seconds suddenly feels like more than enough time.
FCE Speaking Part 2: The Formula That Never Fails
Most students fail Part 2 not because their English is bad, but because they describe the photos for 55 seconds and then run out of time before answering the actual question. Don't be that person.
Here's the structure that works every time:
Aim for ~15 seconds of description, ~30 seconds of comparison and speculation, and ~15 seconds on answering the question. The question is worth the most — get there.
B2 First Speaking Part 2: Full Example Answer
Photos: People working in an office vs. People working from home
Here's what a strong 60-second monologue looks like in the FCE speaking exam:
"So, both photos show people working, but in completely different environments. Looking at the first photo, we can see a typical office setup — you know, the classic cubicle situation with everyone staring at their screens. There's this sense of organised chaos.
The second photo, on the other hand, shows someone working from home — probably in their pajama bottoms, let's be real. They've got their laptop on what looks like a kitchen table, coffee within arm's reach.
The main difference, apart from the obvious location, is the atmosphere. The office looks formal and structured, while the home setup seems more relaxed. In terms of which is better for productivity, I reckon it depends entirely on the person — some people need the office to focus, others work better without Dave from accounting interrupting every five minutes.
Personally, I'm team work-from-home. The commute from my bed to my desk is unbeatable."
Notice how it moves from description → comparison → speculation → question answer → personal touch. That's the formula in action.
FCE Speaking Part 2 Vocabulary: The Full Toolkit
Positions & Locations
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| "In the foreground / background" | en primer plano / al fondo |
| "On the left / right-hand side" | al lado izquierdo / derecho |
| "At the top / bottom" | arriba / abajo |
| "In the middle / centre" | en el centro / en medio |
Speculation Phrases
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| "It looks like..." | parece que |
| "They seem to be..." | parecen estar |
| "I'd guess that..." | diría que |
| "Judging by..." | a juzgar por |
| "It appears that..." | parece ser que |
| "They might / could / must be..." | puede que / podrían / deben estar |
Comparison Structures
| Structure | Translation |
|---|---|
| "While A is..., B is..." | mientras que |
| "Whereas in the first photo..., in the second..." | mientras que |
| "Unlike the first photo..." | a diferencia de |
| "Both photos show... but..." | ambas... pero |
| "Neither photo shows..." | ninguna muestra |
Useful FCE Speaking Phrases: Emergency Kit for Photos
These are your rescue phrases for the moments when you freeze, lose your thread, or genuinely cannot tell what's in the photo.
When you can't see details clearly
When you're running out of things to say
FCE Speaking Part 2 Practice: The Nightmare Scenario
The best way to prepare for FCE photo comparison is to practise with photos that give you very little to work with. If you can handle two pictures of walls, you can handle anything.
Photos: Two pictures of walls. Just walls.
"Well, this is... interesting. Both photos show walls, which is... a choice. The first one appears to be a brick wall — very industrial chic, I suppose. The second looks like a plain white wall — minimalist, you might say.
The key difference is texture: one's rough and has character, the other's smooth and... well, it's a wall. In terms of which setting feels more inviting, I'd have to go with the brick because at least it has some personality. A plain white wall makes you feel like you're waiting for something.
This is definitely the weirdest comparison I've ever had to make. Are these metaphors for life? Because if so, I choose the brick wall life — more interesting, even if it's a bit rough around the edges."
You can talk about literally anything for 60 seconds using the formula. The examiner doesn't expect you to have expert knowledge about the photos — they're testing your language, not your observation skills.
Cambridge B2 Speaking Tips: Confidence Boosters for Part 2
- You are NOT expected to describe every detail
- Speculation language is a strength, not a weakness
- The question at the end matters more than the description
- If you go blank, use an extension phrase and keep going
- Your partner's 30-second comment doesn't affect your score
Emergency Phrases When Everything Goes Wrong
| Phrase | When to Use It |
|---|---|
| "Sorry, could you repeat that?" | If you didn't catch the question |
| "Let me rephrase that..." | When you realise you said nonsense |
| "What I meant to say was..." | The universal fix |
| "I just lost my train of thought..." | Happens to everyone |
| "Bear with me a second..." | Buying time like a pro |