B2 grammar for the First exam: what matters and where it is tested

The B2 grammar that matters most for B2 First is the grammar you can be tested on directly: conditionals, the passive, reported speech, relative clauses, modal verbs, wish, verb patterns, narrative tenses, future forms and comparatives. These points appear as answers in Use of English Parts 2 and 4, and accurate use of them also raises your marks in Writing and Speaking.

By Eleanor BennettLast updated: 13 October 2026

Where grammar is tested in B2 First

There is no separate "grammar paper" in B2 First. Grammar is tested in four places, and each place tests it in a different way. Knowing which is which helps you decide what to study first.

Use of English Part 2 (open cloze). A short text with 8 gaps and no options. You write one word in each gap, and most of those words are grammar words: auxiliaries (had, been, does), relative pronouns (which, whose), prepositions, articles, pronouns and linkers (unless, although). Read our open cloze guide for the full strategy.
Use of English Part 4 (key word transformation). Six sentences. You rewrite each one with a key word and between two and five words. This is the most grammar-heavy part of the whole exam: passives, reported speech, conditionals, wish, modal verbs, comparatives and verb patterns appear again and again. See our key word transformation guide.
Writing. Your essay, article, email, review or report is marked on four criteria, and one of them is Language. Examiners look for a range of structures used with control, so a well-placed passive, a mixed conditional or a non-defining relative clause shows B2 level. Our essay guide shows where these fit.
Speaking. One of the speaking criteria is Grammar and Vocabulary. You do not need rare structures, but you do need to speculate about photos (she might be, they must have), give hypothetical opinions (if I had to choose, I'd…) and talk about past experiences without mixing up tenses. See Speaking Part 2 and Speaking Part 3.

Grammar also helps you in Reading and Listening, even though it is never the answer there. In Part 6 gapped text, for example, pronouns and tense changes are often the clue that a sentence fits a gap.

The 10 grammar points that matter most

We chose these ten topics because they are the ones B2 First candidates are most often tested on and most often lose marks on. Each guide explains the form and use, lists the typical mistakes that B1 learners make when they move to B2, and shows an exam-style item.

Conditionals: zero, first, second, third and mixed conditionals, plus unless, provided that and if it hadn't been for. Very common in Part 4.
Passive voice: all tenses, it is said that…, he is thought to… and have something done. A Part 4 favourite and a useful style tool in reports.
Reported speech: tense changes, reported questions and, above all, reporting verbs such as suggest, apologise for, accuse someone of.
Relative clauses: who, which, whose, where, defining and non-defining clauses. Often the answer in Part 2.
Modal verbs: deduction (must have, can't have), obligation (don't have to, needn't have) and advice (should have). Essential for Speaking Part 2.
Wish and if only: regrets and wishes about the present and past, plus it's time and would rather.
Verb patterns: gerund or infinitive: avoid doing, manage to do, make someone do, and verbs like remember and stop that change meaning.
Narrative tenses: past simple, past continuous, past perfect and used to. Key for stories, articles and Part 2 texts.
Future forms: will, going to, present continuous, future continuous and future perfect, plus be about to and be likely to.
Comparatives and superlatives: not as… as, the more… the better, by far, less and fewer. Very common in Part 4.

Grammar map: what each point looks like in the exam

Use it to…	Phrases
Use of English Part 2 (one word per gap)	Auxiliaries in perfect and passive forms: had, been, being Relative words: which, whose, where, whom Conditional linkers: unless, if, long (as long as), provided Comparison words: than, as, the, more, most Words in fixed patterns: used (used to), would (I wish you would)
Use of English Part 4 (two to five words)	Active → passive: They will close the road. → The road will be closed. Direct → reported: "I'll help you." → She offered to help me. Regret → wish: I'm sorry I didn't listen. → I wish I had listened. Certainty → modal: I'm sure she forgot. → She must have forgotten. Comparison: It isn't as cheap as before. → It's more expensive than before.
Writing (Language criterion)	Passive for a formal report: It is recommended that… Non-defining relative clause: The library, which opened last year, … Mixed conditional in an essay: If the town had invested in buses, there would be less traffic now. Narrative tenses in a story or article: By the time we arrived, the show had started.
Speaking (Grammar and Vocabulary)	Speculating about photos: They might be waiting for someone. Hypothetical opinions: If I could change one thing, I'd… Past experience: I used to play football, but I gave up when… Comparing options in Part 3: This one is far more practical than…

How to study B2 grammar for the exam

1
Start with Part 4 grammar
Key word transformations reward exact grammar and give up to 2 marks per item, so begin with the passive, reported speech, conditionals, wish and modal verbs. These five topics cover a large share of the transformations you will meet.
2
Learn form and use together
For each point, write down the form (for example, wish + past perfect) and one sentence about your own life that uses it. A personal example is much easier to remember in the exam than a rule.
3
Collect your own mistakes
Keep a list of the grammar errors your teacher corrects in your writing. Most learners repeat the same five or six mistakes, and many of them come from their first language. Fixing those is faster than learning new structures.
4
Practise in exam format
After you study a point, do a few exam-style items. Try our key word transformation practice and open cloze practice, and check how many words you used.
5
Use the grammar when you speak and write
Grammar you only recognise will not raise your Writing or Speaking marks. Set yourself a small target: one passive and one relative clause in every essay, or one modal of deduction in every photo description.

Grammar habits that cost marks at B2

Trap: Learning rules but never checking word counts in Part 4.
Fix: Count every word you write, and remember that a contraction such as wasn't counts as two words. An answer that goes over five words gets no marks.
Trap: Thinking that only "difficult" grammar matters.
Fix: Small words lose the most marks: a missing had in the past perfect, since instead of for, or that after a comma. Accuracy with basic forms is part of B2.
Trap: Translating structures directly from your first language.
Fix: Many B2 errors come from translation, such as I suggest you to go or If it will rain. Each grammar guide on this site lists the typical first-language traps for that topic.
Trap: Avoiding complex structures in Writing so you don't make mistakes.
Fix: The Language criterion rewards range as well as accuracy. Use a few structures you control well instead of writing only simple sentences.

B2 grammar: frequently asked questions

What grammar do I need for B2 First?

You need solid control of all the main tenses plus the structures listed on this page: conditionals, the passive, reported speech, relative clauses, modal verbs, wish, verb patterns, narrative tenses, future forms and comparatives. Most of them are tested directly in Use of English Parts 2 and 4.

Is there a grammar section in the FCE exam?

Not a separate one. Grammar is mainly tested in the Use of English parts of the Reading and Use of English paper, especially Part 2 (open cloze) and Part 4 (key word transformation). It is also assessed in Writing under Language and in Speaking under Grammar and Vocabulary.

Which grammar appears most in key word transformations?

The passive, reported speech with reporting verbs, conditionals, wish, modal verbs, comparatives and gerund or infinitive patterns come up very often. Phrasal verbs and fixed expressions also appear, so grammar is not the only thing tested in Part 4.

How long does it take to learn B2 grammar?

It depends on your starting level and how much you practise. A good approach is to study one topic a week: learn the form, write your own examples, do exam-style items and then use the structure in a piece of writing.

Do I need to use advanced grammar in Speaking?

You don't need rare structures, but you should show some range. Modal verbs for speculation, conditionals for opinions and correct past tenses for experiences are natural in the Speaking test and show B2 control.