FCE Listening Part 2: sentence completion tips and practice

FCE Listening Part 2 is a sentence completion task: one speaker gives a talk and you complete 10 sentences with words you hear in the recording, which is played twice. Write the exact words you hear, keep answers short and spell them correctly. It is part of our B2 First Listening guide.

By Eleanor BennettLast updated: 13 October 2026

What Part 2 is and what it tests

In Part 2 you hear one person speaking, for example someone talking about their job, a hobby, a project, an unusual trip or a local event. On the page there are 10 sentences that summarise the talk, each with a gap. You complete each gap with a word or short phrase from the recording.

Part 2 tests your ability to pick out specific information and to recognise it when the sentence on the page is worded differently from the recording. The sentences follow the order of the talk, but they paraphrase what the speaker says. Only the missing word itself comes straight from the recording.

It is also the only part of the Listening paper where you write words instead of choosing an option, so accuracy matters: the word must fit the sentence grammatically and be spelt correctly.

Part 2 has its own distractors. The speaker often mentions two or three things of the same type (two dates, two jobs, three foods), and only one fits the sentence. Learn the patterns on our FCE listening tips page. For multiple-choice practice, compare this with Part 1 and Part 4.

Part 2 strategy, step by step

1
Before: read the title and every sentence
The title and sentences tell you the story of the talk before you hear it. Read them all quickly so you know the topic and the order of information.
2
Before: predict the type of word
For each gap, decide what kind of word is missing. Is it a noun, a number, a place, a job, an adjective? Is it singular or plural? Look at the words before the gap: 'a' or 'an' suggests a singular noun, 'several' suggests a plural.
3
First listening: follow the sentences and write
Keep your eye on the sentence you are waiting for and the next one. When you hear the information, write the word you hear, even if you are not sure of the spelling yet. If you miss one, move on to the next sentence so you do not lose two.
4
Second listening: fill gaps and check details
Complete any empty gaps and check the ones you have. Is it the first option the speaker mentioned or the one she finally chose? Is it singular or plural? Did you hear the full number?
5
After: read every sentence with your answer
Read each complete sentence to yourself. Does it make sense? Is it grammatically correct? Is the spelling right? Then copy the answers carefully during the transfer or checking time.

Spelling, word limits, plurals and numbers

Most Part 2 marks are lost through small accuracy problems, not because the student did not understand. Follow these rules:

Write the exact words you hear. Do not change the word into a synonym. If the speaker says "a ferry", write ferry, not boat. The answer is already in the recording.
Keep it short. Answers are normally one word or a short phrase. Do not copy a whole clause, and do not repeat words that are already printed in the sentence before or after the gap.
Spell carefully. A word you cannot spell may lose the mark, so learn the spelling of common topic words: accommodation, equipment, environment, restaurant, necessary, business. If a speaker spells a name or a word aloud, copy it letter by letter.
Check singular and plural. If the speaker says "we grew strawberries", then strawberry is wrong. Listen for the final -s, and check the grammar of the sentence around the gap.
Numbers and dates. Write numbers as figures (15, 2,500) to save time and avoid spelling errors. Be careful with fifteen/fifty, thirteen/thirty: the stress is on the end in fifteen and on the start in fifty.
Write clearly. On paper, an answer that cannot be read cannot be marked. On computer, check for typing errors in the 2 minutes at the end.

Common Part 2 traps

Trap: Writing the first thing of the right type you hear.
Fix: Speakers often mention two things of the same type and reject one. Wait for words like 'but in the end', 'actually' or 'what we finally chose'.
Trap: Changing the word into a synonym or a paraphrase.
Fix: Write the word you hear. The sentence on the page paraphrases the talk; the answer itself does not.
Trap: Dropping the plural -s.
Fix: Check the grammar around the gap and listen again for the final sound in the second listening.
Trap: Writing too much.
Fix: If your answer repeats words printed next to the gap or adds extra information, cut it down to the missing piece only.
Trap: Getting lost after missing one answer.
Fix: Always watch the next sentence too. If you hear its answer, you have missed the earlier one: leave it and fill it in on the second listening.

Worked example: two of the same thing

The task

You hear a woman called Lucy talking about volunteering at a wildlife centre.

Sentence: Lucy says the job she found hardest at first was cleaning the __________.

Script (original): "People always assume the worst part is feeding the animals, because you have to get up so early, but I loved that from day one. And preparing the medicine wasn't too bad once someone showed me how. No, what really tested me in those first weeks was cleaning the cages. The smell was something else! I got used to it eventually, though."

1.
Prediction: after 'cleaning the', we need a noun, probably a place or object at a wildlife centre. 'Hardest at first' tells us to listen for a difficulty early on.
2.
The speaker mentions three tasks: feeding the animals, preparing the medicine and cleaning the cages. Two are distractors.
3.
Feeding is rejected: 'people always assume' it is the worst, 'but I loved that'. The medicine is rejected: 'wasn't too bad'.
4.
The answer is signalled by 'what really tested me in those first weeks', a paraphrase of 'hardest at first'. The word after 'cleaning the' is cages.
5.
Check the plural: she says 'cages', with the -s, so 'cage' would be wrong. The sentence reads correctly: 'cleaning the cages'.

Answer

cages

Practice · Listening Part 2

Practise FCE Listening Part 2

How to practise Part 2

Try our FCE Listening Part 2 practice set and keep a personal spelling list of every word you misspelt. Review that list before each practice.

Talks, lectures and documentary clips are excellent extra practice. Pause after a minute and write a one-line summary sentence with one key word missing, then listen again and fill it in. This trains the same "paraphrase on the page, exact word in the gap" skill. When you are confident, move on to the five speakers of Part 3.

FCE Listening Part 2 FAQ

How many words can I write in FCE Listening Part 2?

Answers are normally a single word or a short phrase taken from the recording. Write only what is missing from the sentence and do not repeat words already printed around the gap.

Does spelling count in Listening Part 2?

Yes, you should treat spelling as part of the answer. A misspelt word may not get the mark, so learn the spelling of common topic words and check every answer at the end.

Should I use the exact words from the recording?

Yes. The sentences on the page paraphrase the talk, but the missing word itself is what the speaker says. Do not change it into a synonym.

Should I write numbers as words or figures?

Figures are faster and avoid spelling mistakes, so write 15 rather than fifteen. Listen carefully to the stress to tell numbers like fifteen and fifty apart.

What if I miss an answer in Part 2?

Move on to the next sentence immediately so you do not miss two. You hear the talk twice, so you can fill in the gap during the second listening.