FCE Speaking: the complete guide to the B2 First Speaking test

The Speaking paper is the last of the four B2 First papers, and it is the only one where you talk to real people. You normally take it in a pair, with another candidate you may or may not know. If there is an odd number of candidates on the day, the last group is a group of three, and the test is a little longer.

There are always two examiners in the room. The interlocutor talks to you: they ask the questions, give you the task materials and keep time. The assessor sits a little apart and does not join the conversation. Both of them give marks, so you are being listened to by two people at the same time.

The test is short, so every minute counts. That is good news: you do not need to give speeches. You need to answer clearly, keep talking for the time you are given, and work well with your partner. Students who prepare for the format usually feel much calmer on the day, because nothing surprises them.

The test moves from simple and personal to more abstract and shared. Each part gives the examiners different evidence about your English.

Part 1: the interview The interlocutor asks each of you a few questions about everyday topics: where you live, your free time, your studies or work, your plans. Answers of two or three sentences are ideal. Read the full guide to Speaking Part 1 and practise with our Part 1 question bank.

Part 2: the long turn You get two photos and a question printed above them. You talk alone for about one minute, comparing the photos and answering the question. Then your partner gets their own pair of photos, and afterwards you answer a short question about their photos in about 30 seconds. See Speaking Part 2 and our Part 2 photo tasks.

Part 3: the collaborative task You and your partner get a central question and five written prompts. You discuss the prompts together for two minutes, then the interlocutor asks you a second question and you have one minute to reach a decision. The key is real conversation, not two separate speeches. Read Speaking Part 3 and try our Part 3 practice tasks.

Part 4: the discussion The interlocutor asks wider questions connected to the Part 3 topic. You give opinions, explain them and react to what your partner says. See Speaking Part 4 and our Part 4 question bank.

The assessor gives you marks on four analytic criteria:

• Grammar and Vocabulary: how accurate and how varied your language is.
• Discourse Management: whether you can speak at length, stay relevant and connect your ideas.
• Pronunciation: whether you are easy to understand, including stress and intonation.
• Interactive Communication: how well you start, keep and develop a conversation with your partner and the examiner.

The interlocutor gives one Global Achievement mark for your performance across the whole test. You are marked as an individual, not as a pair, so a weak partner does not pull your score down. For a plain-English explanation of each criterion, read how FCE Speaking is marked. To see how your Speaking score fits into the overall result, visit B2 First scoring and grades.