FCE Speaking practice with a partner: a 4-week routine
The best FCE Speaking practice with a partner is short, timed and regular: three 30-minute sessions a week, each covering one or two parts of the test, with feedback at the end. This page gives a four-week routine, ideas for practising alone or with a recording, and a self-assessment checklist. It supports our B2 First Speaking guide.
By Eleanor BennettLast updated:
Why practising with a partner matters
You can prepare for Parts 1 and 2 on your own, but Parts 3 and 4 are conversations. You only get better at reacting, turn-taking and reaching a decision by doing it with another person. A partner also gives you a reason to keep going when motivation drops.
Your partner does not need to be at your level or preparing for the same exam. A classmate, a friend, a language-exchange partner online or a family member who speaks English can all help. If they do not speak English well, they can still be your 'examiner': reading questions aloud and keeping time.
How to run a good practice session
- 1
Agree on roles
One person is the examiner (asks questions, keeps time), the other is the candidate. With three people, one can be the examiner while two are candidates.
- 2
Use real timings
Use a phone timer: about one minute for a Part 2 long turn, 30 seconds for the partner response, two minutes plus one minute for Part 3. The full test is 14 minutes for a pair.
- 3
Use fresh material
Take questions from our Part 1 questions, Part 2 photo tasks, Part 3 tasks and Part 4 questions.
- 4
Record when you can
Record the audio on a phone. You will notice much more when you listen back than you did while speaking.
- 5
Give specific feedback
Each person names one thing that went well and one thing to improve. 'You compared the photos well, but you didn't answer the question for Photo B' is more useful than 'Good job'.
- 6
Swap roles
Being the examiner teaches you a lot: you start to hear what makes an answer strong or weak.
A 4-week partner practice routine
Three sessions a week, about 30 minutes each. Adjust the days to your timetable.
Week 1: the basics - Session 1: Part 1. Ask each other ten questions from two topic groups. Focus on answer + reason + example. - Session 2: Part 2. Do two photo tasks each. Focus on comparing, not describing. - Session 3: Learn ten phrases from our speaking phrases page together, then use them in five Part 1 answers each.
Week 2: interaction - Session 1: Part 3. Do two tasks. After each, count how many times each person invited the other to speak. - Session 2: Part 4. Ask each other eight questions on one theme. The listener must react to every answer. - Session 3: Part 3 followed by Part 4 on the same theme, exactly as in the exam.
Week 3: range and accuracy - Session 1: Part 2 with recording. Listen back and list your speculating phrases. Try to use three different ones next time. - Session 2: Part 4. Choose one grammar structure (for example, conditionals) and try to use it in every answer. - Session 3: Part 1 and Part 3. Focus on the mistakes you noticed in weeks 1 and 2.
Week 4: full tests - Sessions 1 and 2: A full 14-minute mock test each time, with a third person as examiner if possible. Record it. - Session 3: Listen to one recording together and complete the self-assessment checklist below. Then read our exam day tips.
If your exam is further away, repeat weeks 2 to 4 with new material. Our study plan shows how to fit Speaking practice around the other papers.
Practising alone or with a recording
No partner? You can still make strong progress.
- Parts 1 and 4: pick questions from our banks, set a timer and answer aloud. Record and listen back.
- Part 2: find two contrasting photos online or use our described tasks. Speak for one minute, then answer the partner question yourself.
- Part 3: play both roles. Say your idea, then answer it as your partner would, including agreeing and disagreeing. It feels strange at first but trains you to react.
- Shadowing: listen to a short clip of natural English, pause it, and repeat a sentence with the same rhythm and intonation. Five minutes a day helps pronunciation.
- Self-recording diary: once a week, record a two-minute answer to the same type of question and keep the files. Comparing week 1 and week 4 shows your progress clearly.
Self-assessment checklist
Use this after every recorded practice. Answer each question yes, partly or no.
Content and organisation
- Did I answer the exact question I was asked?
- Did my answers include a reason and an example?
- In Part 2, did I compare the photos and answer the printed question for both?
- Did I connect ideas with linking words?
Language
- Did I use at least two or three different tenses?
- Did I use some precise vocabulary instead of 'good', 'bad' and 'nice'?
- Did I paraphrase when I didn't know a word, instead of stopping?
Interaction and delivery
- In Part 3, did I react to my partner before adding my own idea?
- Did I invite my partner to speak at least three times?
- Was I easy to understand: clear, not too fast, not too quiet?
- Did I keep talking for the full time in Part 2?
Common practice mistakes
Trap: Chatting in your first language between tasks.
Fix: Agree to use English for the whole session, including feedback.
Trap: Practising without a timer.
Fix: Timing is part of the skill. Always use one.
Trap: Correcting every mistake while your partner is speaking.
Fix: Let them finish. Note one or two important mistakes and mention them at the end.
Trap: Doing the same tasks again and again until you know them by heart.
Fix: Use new questions and tasks each week. Familiar material hides real problems.
Frequently asked questions
How can I practise FCE Speaking with a partner online?
Use any video call. One person shares the task on screen or reads it aloud, the other speaks, and you keep time with a phone. Recording the call (with your partner's agreement) is very useful for feedback.
Can I prepare for FCE Speaking without a partner?
Yes. Practise Parts 1, 2 and 4 alone with a timer and recordings, and play both roles in Part 3. Try to find a partner for at least a few sessions before the exam, though.
How often should I practise Speaking?
Little and often works best. Three short sessions a week is better than one long session. Even ten minutes of answering questions aloud each day helps.
What if my partner's English is weaker than mine?
That is fine and quite realistic. Help them by keeping turns short and asking simple follow-up questions. These are good interaction skills for the exam.
How do I give useful feedback to my partner?
Be specific and kind: one strength and one thing to improve, with an example. Use the self-assessment checklist on this page as a guide.