A Study Plan for Cambridge B2 First
Short answer
A good B2 First study plan starts with a full timed practice test, builds grammar and vocabulary for Use of English alongside practice in all four skills, moves to timed papers, ends with two or three full mocks and keeps the last days light. At B2 already, ten weeks at 6 to 8 hours a week often works.
Cambridge B2 First, still often called FCE, is long and varied: a Reading and Use of English paper that tests grammar and vocabulary as much as reading, two pieces of writing, a listening paper and a paired speaking test.
This guide sets out the official format, explains how the scale and grades work, and turns your weeks before the exam into a plan that gives each paper the time it deserves.
Key points
- Reading and Use of English is 1 hour 15 minutes, 7 parts and 52 questions, and counts for 40% of the marks.
- Writing is 1 hour 20 minutes for two texts of 140 to 190 words each.
- A B2 pass starts at 160 on the Cambridge English Scale; 180 or more gives grade A and a C1 certificate.
- Use of English needs steady grammar and vocabulary work from the first week.
- Practise the Speaking test with a partner whenever you can: it is a paired test.
The B2 First format
Cambridge publishes the B2 First format on its website, and it is the same for paper-based and digital exams. Reading and Use of English, Writing and Listening are taken on the same day; Speaking is usually a separate session in pairs.
Plan your mocks around these timings. The three written and listening papers alone take about three hours and 15 minutes, which is why stamina is part of your preparation.
| Paper | Time | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Use of English | 1 h 15 min | 7 parts, 52 questions |
| Writing | 1 h 20 min | 2 parts: an essay, then one of several text types; 140 to 190 words each |
| Listening | about 40 min | 4 parts, 30 questions; each recording played twice |
| Speaking | 14 min per pair | 4 parts: interview, long turn, collaborative task, discussion |
How the result works
Results are reported on the Cambridge English Scale. A score of 160 to 179 is a B2 pass (grade C up to 172, grade B from 173), 180 to 190 is grade A with a C1 certificate, and 140 to 159 gives a B1 certificate. Reading and Use of English counts for 40% of the marks and each of the other papers for 20%.
Because Use of English sits inside the biggest paper, grammar and vocabulary carry a lot of weight. A plan that only practises reading passages and writing tasks misses a large part of the score.
How long to prepare
B2 First is designed for learners at B2. If you are already there, preparation is mostly about the format, timing and the specific tasks, and eight to twelve weeks at 6 to 8 hours a week usually works. If you are still at B1, you need to build the level first: Cambridge English estimates about 200 guided learning hours per CEFR level.
A quick way to decide is the diagnostic test. If you finish most parts with the time running short but get many answers right, you are mainly learning the test. If many answers are wrong even without time pressure, especially in Use of English and Listening, the language itself needs work first, and a longer build phase is worth more than extra mocks.
Hours per week matter too. Seven hours spread over five days usually produces more than the same seven hours on one weekend day, because grammar and vocabulary need to come back regularly to stick. If your week only allows two study days, make them longer and keep a ten-minute vocabulary review on the other days.
A ten-week B2 First schedule
This plan assumes about 7 hours a week on four or five days. Keep the order of the phases even if you have more or fewer weeks.
| Weeks | Phase | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diagnose | Full practice test; error log; choose your two weakest papers |
| 2 to 5 | Build | Use of English grammar and word formation; untimed reading, listening, writing and speaking |
| 6 to 7 | Timed practice | One paper per session on the official timings |
| 8 to 9 | Mock exams | Two full mocks, each with a careful review |
| 10 | Taper | Short timed parts, error log, phrase bank; light last days |
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Practising Use of English
Use of English rewards precise knowledge: which preposition follows a verb, which word form fits, how to rephrase a sentence with a given word. It improves with short, frequent practice, so put a small block of it into most study days rather than one long session a week.
Keep a log of every grammar and vocabulary mistake with the correct form, and test yourself on it on several different days. Spacing practice out like this helps you remember more, according to research on distributed practice.
- Word formation: for each new word, note the noun, verb, adjective and adverb.
- Collocations: record words together with the verbs and prepositions they take.
- Key word transformations: rewrite sentences from your reading in two different ways.
- Open cloze: notice the small words (articles, prepositions, auxiliaries) in everything you read.
Practising Writing and Speaking
Write one Part 1 essay and one Part 2 text each week, alternating the text types: article, email or letter, review, report. Plan each one for five minutes before writing, check it against the task, and count your words. In the timed phase, write both texts within 80 minutes.
Speaking is a paired test, so practise with a partner if you can, timing each part. If not, record yourself answering interview questions and comparing two photos for a minute, and listen back for one improvement each time. In Parts 3 and 4, practise reacting to what the other person says, not only giving your own view.
For Listening, use the fact that each recording is played twice. On the first listening, answer what you can and mark the rest; on the second, focus only on the gaps. Practise this routine in every timed Listening session so it becomes automatic on the day.
Mock exams and the final week
Sit your first full test in week 1 and two more in the mock weeks, the last at least three days before the exam. Do the Speaking part on a different day if that is how your exam is organised. Spend as long reviewing each mock as sitting it: mark it, copy every mistake into your error log and note the patterns.
In the last week, keep sessions short: a Use of English part each day, a reread of your error log and phrase bank, and a check of the practical details in your confirmation of entry.
Questions
Is FCE the same as B2 First?
Yes. Cambridge English: First (FCE) was renamed B2 First. The exam is the same; older books and courses still use the old name.
What score do I need to pass B2 First?
A B2 pass starts at 160 on the Cambridge English Scale. From 173 it is grade B, and from 180 to 190 it is grade A, which also certifies C1. Scores from 140 to 159 give a B1 certificate.
Is the digital B2 First different from the paper exam?
Cambridge states that the format is the same for digital and paper-based exams. The difference is how you answer, so practise in the same mode as your exam.
How many practice tests should I do?
Three or four full tests over ten weeks is enough for most candidates: one diagnostic, one or two mid-way or in the mock weeks, and a final mock at least three days before the exam.
Can I prepare for B2 First alone?
Reading, Use of English and Listening work well alone because answer keys let you mark yourself. Writing and Speaking benefit from feedback, so try to get a teacher or a study partner for at least some of that practice.
Which part of B2 First is the hardest?
It varies, but many candidates find Use of English and the Writing timing hardest, because both depend on accurate grammar and vocabulary under time pressure. Your diagnostic test will tell you which paper costs you most, and that is where extra time should go.
Sources
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