Cambridge B2 First Certificate Speaking Exam Guide

The B2 First speaking test lasts 14 minutes and is conducted face-to-face with a partner and two examiners. It tests your ability to interact in conversational English across four distinct parts.

Part 1: Introduction and Interview (2 minutes)

The speaking exam is done in pairs. There will be two examiners in the room: One who asks questions (the interlocutor) and one who is making notes and assessing you. After you leave, the examiners will talk together to decide your scores.

In this first part, the interlocutor will ask you questions about yourself, your daily life, interests, studies, work, and future plans. It's a casual conversation to help you relax and demonstrate your ability to give information about yourself.

Cambridge B2 First Speaking Part 1 Sample

How to Prepare for FCE Speaking Part 1

Practise giving information about yourself. Avoid memorised answers to sound more natural.

Learn some phrases, collocations or key words to use for any topic.

Practice answering common questions about your hometown, family, work, studies, hobbies, and future plans with extended responses (2-3 sentences per answer).

Extra Tips for B2 First Interview Section

Try to give extended answers. Don't just say one or two words.

If you can't think what to say think of the wh- question words: what, where, who, when and why?

Smile and show you are interested in what your partner is saying but don't interrupt them.

Relax and be yourself - this part is designed to help you settle into the exam.

Use a range of tenses appropriately when talking about past experiences, current activities, and future plans.

Part 2: Long Turn - Individual Speaking (4 minutes)

The interlocutor will give you two colour photographs and a question to answer. You must speak for 1 minute, comparing the photos and answering the question in your response. Your partner will be asked to comment (for about 30 seconds) after you finish speaking. You then do the same for their photos.

This part tests your ability to speak at length, compare and contrast, express opinions, and speculate about images. Topics often include people, places, activities, or situations.

Cambridge B2 First Speaking Part 2 Sample

How to Prepare for Cambridge B2 Long Turn

Learn comparative language and practise some sample tasks.

Practise speaking about two photos for one minute without stopping.

Work on useful phrases for comparing images: "Both images show...", "While in the first photo..., in the second one...", "The main difference is..."

Practice timing yourself - aim to speak for the full minute without running out of things to say.

Extra Tips for FCE Speaking Part 2

In the PET (B1) exam there is one photo for you to describe. At B2 you must compare, rather than describe.

Focus on the similarities and differences between the photographs.

Don't forget to answer the question.

Many candidates give short answers when asked to comment on their partner's photos but you have around 30 seconds. Use it!

Try to use some modal verbs in this part (could, might, may).

Don't forget to answer the question.

Organize your response with a brief introduction, main points of comparison, and a conclusion linked to the question.

Part 3: Collaborative Task - Interactive Discussion (4 minutes)

In this part of the exam the interlocutor will give you a sheet with the question and prompts. You have 15 seconds to read them. You must discuss them with your partner for 2 minutes. Then the examiner will ask you a question where you must make a decision about the ideas you've discussed.

This collaborative task tests your ability to express and justify opinions, agree and disagree politely, suggest, evaluate, and reach a decision through negotiation. The topics are usually related to everyday situations and decisions.

Cambridge B2 First Speaking Part 3 Sample

How to Prepare for B2 First Collaborative Task

Learn phrases for managing the conversation, inviting your partner to speak and reacting to what they said.

Practise reacting to opinions and developing a conversation. Don't just agree or disagree with what your partner says, but build on it.

Master useful phrases for turn-taking: "What do you think about...?", "That's an interesting point. I also think...", "I see what you mean, but have you considered...?"

Extra Tips for Cambridge First Certificate Part 3

If you do not reach a decision it is not a problem. This part is about your conversational skills.

Remember not to dominate the conversation: Ask your partner their opinion and invite them to speak.

Don't be afraid to disagree. It can actually make the discussion more interesting.

If your partner is not giving you the opportunity to speak it is okay to interrupt them politely.

Help each other! If your partner can't think of a certain word and you know it, say it for them.

Listen and react to what your partner is saying and build on it.

There is no requirement to speak about all five prompts. Don't race through them.

Use the 15 seconds of preparation time to quickly scan all the prompts and think about which ones you have the strongest opinions on.

Part 4: Further Discussion - Opinion Exchange (4 minutes)

In part 4 the interlocutor will ask you extra questions about the topic introduced in part 3. They will direct the discussion and will ask you questions individually or maybe to discuss as a pair. They may also ask you your opinion about what your partner has said. 4 minutes total.

This final part further tests your ability to express and justify opinions, speculate, and discuss abstract topics related to the theme from Part 3. The examiner is looking for a wider range of language and more complex ideas.

Cambridge B2 First Speaking Part 4 Sample

How to Prepare for FCE Discussion Section

Learn phrases to give yourself time to think. For example "I've not thought about that before. Let's see…"

Practise giving your opinion and justifying it. It's easy to say what you think, but much more difficult to say why.

Develop your ability to discuss abstract topics by reading news articles and opinion pieces on current issues.

Practice using more complex language structures like conditionals, passive voice, and a range of linking expressions.

Extra Tips for B2 First Speaking Part 4

Part 4 is always on the same topic as part 3 but the questions are broader and more abstract.

Listen carefully to what your partner is saying: the interlocutor might ask what you think about it.

This is your last chance to demonstrate your language abilities, so try to use more advanced vocabulary and complex sentence structures.

Don't be afraid to express and defend your opinions, even if they differ from your partner's views.

Remember to relate your answers to your own experiences or knowledge where possible to make your responses more personal and authentic.