B2 First
B2 First, formerly known as the First Certificate in English (FCE), is an upper-intermediate level qualification in English language proficiency developed by Cambridge English, aligning with level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).[1] Introduced in 1939, it rigorously assesses candidates' abilities across all four core language skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking—as well as the use of English grammar and vocabulary, demonstrating their capacity to communicate effectively in academic, professional, and everyday contexts in English-speaking environments.[1] The exam is designed for learners who need to prove they can use English independently for purposes such as employment, higher education, or living abroad.[1] The B2 First examination format comprises four distinct papers: Reading and Use of English (1 hour 15 minutes, 52 questions testing comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary); Writing (1 hour 20 minutes, two tasks each requiring 140–190 words); Listening (approximately 40 minutes, 30 questions); and Speaking (14 minutes for pairs or 20 minutes for groups of three, involving interactive tasks).[1] Candidates receive scores on the Cambridge English Scale ranging from 140 to 190, with results indicating performance from B1 to C1 levels, and certificates are valid for life.[1] It is available in both paper-based and computer-based formats, with digital results typically accessible within 5–10 days.[2] B2 First is recognized by more than 25,000 organizations globally, including universities, employers, and governments, for admissions, job applications, and immigration purposes.[1] A variant, B2 First for Schools, caters specifically to younger learners aged 11–18, featuring similar structure and assessment but with topics more relevant to school life and adolescence.[1] Preparation resources, including official sample papers and practice tests, are provided by Cambridge English to support candidates in achieving the required proficiency.[2]History
Origins and Early Development
The Lower Certificate in English (LCE) was established in 1939 by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) as its second English as a foreign language qualification, complementing the advanced Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), which had been introduced in 1913 to certify near-native proficiency for non-native speakers.[3][4] The LCE was specifically designed to assess intermediate-level practical English skills at a more accessible threshold than the CPE, targeting non-native learners seeking certification for educational and professional purposes, such as teaching, nursing, and commerce.[5] This positioning addressed a growing need for standardized testing below advanced levels, reflecting early 20th-century advancements in language pedagogy influenced by figures like Harold Palmer.[5] The initial exam structure emphasized a balanced evaluation of communicative abilities, featuring oral components including dictation, reading aloud, and conversation to test pronunciation and fluency, alongside written papers on essay composition, precise language use, and reading comprehension of simplified literary texts by authors such as Charles Dickens, Jonathan Swift, and George Bernard Shaw.[5] Translation exercises were added by 1944 to further assess bilingual proficiency.[5] The first LCE administration occurred on 21 June 1939, attracting a limited 144 candidates from 26 countries worldwide, with an entry fee of 10 shillings plus local charges, underscoring its nascent international scope amid pre-war uncertainties in Europe.[5] Post-World War II, the LCE experienced accelerated growth due to surging global demand for reliable English proficiency assessments in education, employment, and international resettlement programs, particularly for refugees, allied civilians, and military personnel from regions like Poland.[5] Candidature expanded dramatically from 4,208 in 1947 to 14,307 by 1955, more than tripling in eight years and reflecting UCLES's efforts to establish EFL centers abroad in response to these needs.[5] This period solidified the exam's role as a foundational tool for intermediate certification, influencing its later revisions while maintaining a focus on practical, real-world language application.[5]Name Changes and Revisions
The First Certificate in English (FCE) underwent its first major renaming in 1975, evolving from the Lower Certificate in English (LCE) introduced in 1939 to better reflect its role as an entry-level qualification for higher education and professional purposes.[5] This change introduced a structured five-paper format—Composition, Reading Comprehension, Use of English, Listening Comprehension, and Interview—totaling approximately six hours, while eliminating prescribed reading lists and incorporating more objective testing elements to emphasize practical language skills.[5] During the 1990s, the FCE saw the introduction of a more modular format that separated its components into distinct papers, allowing greater flexibility for candidates and test centers in administration and preparation.[5] This evolution responded to growing global demand, with candidature surging from around 167,000 in 1990 to over 250,000 by 1996, particularly in Europe, and aligned the exam with emerging communicative language teaching principles.[5] A significant revision occurred in 1996, which formalized the Use of English component as a dedicated paper focused on grammar and vocabulary control, while shortening the overall exam to about four and a half hours and introducing a paired speaking format to enhance interaction.[5] These updates ensured equal weighting across papers and strengthened alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) at the B2 level, as well as standards from the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE).[5] In 2008, the FCE was revised to place greater emphasis on communicative competence, with improvements to task authenticity, marker reliability, and overall validity through refined guidelines and validation research.[5] This update also marked a branding shift to Cambridge English: First, signaling its integration into the broader Cambridge English Qualifications suite and the launch of a schools-specific version tailored for younger learners.[5] The 2015 revision further solidified the exam's alignment with CEFR B2 descriptors by modernizing content to reflect contemporary language use in global contexts, shortening the total duration by 30 minutes, and enhancing focus on all four skills through updated task types.[6] These changes maintained the modular structure while improving accessibility and relevance for diverse candidates.[6]Recent Updates and Digital Transition
In 2017, Cambridge English adopted CEFR-aligned naming for its qualifications, rebranding the First Certificate in English (FCE) as B2 First to emphasize its alignment with the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This change aimed to make the exam's purpose clearer for candidates and stakeholders, phasing out the traditional acronym while maintaining the exam's core structure.[7] Computer-based testing for the FCE was introduced in 2010, allowing candidates to take the Reading and Use of English, Writing, and Listening papers digitally at authorized centers. This option expanded accessibility and efficiency, with results processed faster than paper-based versions.[8] By 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Cambridge English accelerated the digital transition, offering fully digital exam pathways that included enhanced online administration and remote proctoring options to ensure continuity during global disruptions. These developments incorporated user-friendly interfaces, such as clickable audio controls in Listening and word processors for Writing, without altering the content or assessment criteria.[2][9] In January 2024, updates to B2 First for Schools removed optional set text questions from the Writing paper, streamlining the format to focus on general essay and article tasks that better reflect everyday communication needs. This revision responded to feedback on evolving learner priorities, promoting broader topic engagement. Concurrently, speaking prompts were refined to emphasize real-world scenarios, such as discussions on travel, education, and social issues, fostering more authentic interaction. Ongoing content alignment incorporates global English trends, with increased emphasis on topics like inclusivity—through diverse cultural representations—and sustainability, such as environmental conservation and ethical consumption, to prepare candidates for contemporary discourse.[10][11] A further enhancement to the digital format occurred in November 2025, when Listening Part 1 transitioned to a drag-and-drop question type for computer-based exams. This change maintains the multiple-matching task focus but reduces navigation time, improving candidate experience and test efficiency while preserving the skill assessment of identifying speakers' opinions and attitudes.[12]Exam Format
Overall Structure and Administration
The B2 First exam consists of four distinct papers designed to assess a range of English language skills at the upper-intermediate B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). These papers are Reading and Use of English (1 hour 15 minutes), Writing (1 hour 20 minutes), Listening (approximately 40 minutes including time to transfer answers), and Speaking (14 minutes, typically conducted in pairs with two examiners). The overall exam duration is about 3.5 to 4 hours, with the first three papers usually taken on the same day and the Speaking paper scheduled separately, often on a different date.[13][2] The exam is administered in paper-based, computer-based, or fully digital formats, with the digital version introduced to enhance accessibility and efficiency while maintaining the same content and assessment standards. Exams are held multiple times throughout the year at over 2,800 authorized Cambridge English exam centers worldwide, allowing candidates flexibility in scheduling. Registration must be completed through these centers, typically several weeks or months in advance depending on availability and format.[2][1][14] There are no formal prerequisites for entry, though the exam is recommended for learners who have achieved at least a strong B1 level on the CEFR and are aiming to demonstrate B2 proficiency for academic, professional, or personal purposes. A variant, B2 First for Schools, was launched in 2010 specifically for candidates aged 11 to 18, featuring topics more relevant to school life and youth experiences (such as education and leisure) rather than adult-oriented themes like work or current affairs. Despite these contextual differences, the format, timing, and scoring remain identical to the standard B2 First.[2][15]Reading and Use of English Paper
The Reading and Use of English paper combines assessment of receptive reading skills with controlled use of language, evaluating candidates' ability to handle a variety of authentic texts at B2 level. It lasts 75 minutes and comprises seven parts totaling 52 questions, accounting for 40% of the overall exam score.[1][13] Texts are drawn from sources such as newspapers, magazines, fiction, and non-fiction, with lengths varying by part to test different aspects of comprehension and language control. The paper emphasizes understanding global meaning, specific details, opinions, attitudes, and text structure, alongside vocabulary and grammar precision. No format changes have been implemented for 2025.[1] Parts 1 to 4 focus on use of English, requiring candidates to apply grammatical and lexical knowledge to fill gaps or transform structures in shorter texts. Part 1 is a multiple-choice cloze task with 8 questions, where candidates select the appropriate word or phrase from four options to complete gaps in a single text of approximately 200–300 words, testing fixed phrases, collocations, phrasal verbs, and idioms.[1] Part 2 involves an open cloze with 8 questions, prompting candidates to insert one word per gap in a 200–250-word text, assessing grammatical accuracy including auxiliary verbs, pronouns, prepositions, and articles.[1] In Part 3, a word formation task presents 8 questions based on a 200–250-word text, where candidates modify given words (e.g., through affixation or compounding) to fit the context, evaluating depth of lexical knowledge.[1] Part 4 consists of 6 key word transformation exercises, each requiring a rewritten sentence of up to six words incorporating a given key word without altering the original meaning, targeting structural shifts, collocations, and idiomatic expressions.[1] Parts 5 to 7 shift to reading comprehension tasks on longer, more complex texts up to 700 words, designed to simulate real-world reading scenarios. Part 5 features a multiple-choice task with 6 questions on a 300–350-word text, requiring candidates to identify detailed information, opinions, tone, and purpose from four options per question.[1] Part 6 is a gapped text exercise with 6 questions, where candidates reorder and insert 6 missing sentences (plus one extra) into a 200–300-word text, focusing on cohesion, coherence, and logical flow through linking words and pronouns.[1] Part 7 involves multiple matching with 10 questions, matching a set of prompts (e.g., statements or questions) to specific sections within one long text or several shorter ones totaling 500–700 words, assessing skimming for gist, scanning for details, and inferring attitudes.[1] The following table summarizes the structure of the Reading and Use of English paper:| Part | Task Type | Questions | Text Length (approx.) | Key Skills Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple-choice cloze | 8 | 200–300 words | Vocabulary (collocations, idioms) |
| 2 | Open cloze | 8 | 200–250 words | Grammar and vocabulary |
| 3 | Word formation | 8 | 200–250 words | Lexical derivation |
| 4 | Key word transformation | 6 | Short sentences | Grammar, vocabulary restructuring |
| 5 | Multiple choice | 6 | 300–350 words | Detail, opinion, gist |
| 6 | Gapped text | 6 | 200–300 words | Cohesion and text structure |
| 7 | Multiple matching | 10 | 500–700 words | Specific information, attitudes |