B2 First For Schools Exam Format

B2 for Schools
B2 First for Schools exam format

The updated B2 First for Schools exam (for exam sessions from January 2015) is made up of four papers
developed to test students' English language skills. You can see exactly what’s in each paper below.
The formats below are the same for both the paper-based and computer-based exams and digital exams.
Please note, during March 2024 we will be moving from our current computer-based exam delivery to
Cambridge English Qualifications Digital, which will offer you even more benefits. Information on the switch
and what this means for you can be found on our Cambridge English Qualifications Digital page.
Paper Content Purpose
Reading and Use of 7 parts/52 questions Students need to be able to understand a range of
English texts, including how they are organised and the
(1 hour 15 minutes) opinions and attitudes expressed in them. The texts
See sample paper will be from sources familiar to school-aged
learners, such as magazines, articles, fiction and
advertisements, but targeted at the interests of
students.
Students’ use of English will be tested by tasks
which show how well they can control their
grammar and vocabulary.
Writing 2 parts Students are required to produce two pieces of

(1 hour 20 minutes) writing. The first piece is compulsory and will be an
See sample paper essay of 140–190 words. For the second, they can
choose from an article, email/letter, essay, review
or story of 140–190 words.
Listening 4 parts/30 questions Requires being able to follow and understand a

(about 40 minutes) range of familiar spoken materials, such as news
See sample paper programmes, public announcements and other
sources, but targeted at the interests of school-aged
learners.
Speaking 4 parts Shows you can take part in a conversation by

(14 minutes per pair of answering and asking simple questions. Your
candidates; 20 minutes Speaking test will be conducted usually face to face
per group of three) with one or two other candidates and two
See sample paper examiners. One of the examiners (who could be
online, examining remotely) talks to you and the
other examiner listens. This makes your test more
realistic and more reliable. Examiners may use their
mobile phones for entering marks using an app.
What’s in the Reading and Use of English paper?

The B2 First for Schools Reading and Use of English paper is in seven parts and has a mix of text types and
questions.
For Parts 1 to 4, students read a range of texts and do grammar and vocabulary tasks.
For Parts 5 to 7, students read a series of texts and answer questions that test reading ability and
show that they can deal with a variety of different types of texts.
1
B2 for Schools
Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes
Number of parts: 7
Number of questions: 52
Marks: 40% of total
Lengths of texts: 2,200–2,500 words to read in total.
Texts may be from: Newspaper and magazine articles, reports, fiction,

advertisements, letters, messages, informational material
(e.g. brochures, guides, manuals, etc.).
Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze)
What’s in Part 1? A text in which there are some missing words or

phrases (gaps). After the text there are four possible
answers for each gap and students have to choose
the correct answer (A, B, C or D).
What do students have to practise? Vocabulary – words with similar meanings,

collocations, linking phrases, phrasal verbs, etc.
How many questions are there? 8
How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer.
Part 2 (Open cloze)
What’s in Part 2? There are some missing words (gaps). Students have
to think of the correct word for each gap.
What do students have to practise? Grammar and vocabulary.
Part 3 (Word formation)
2
B2 for Schools
What’s in Part 3? A text containing eight gaps. Each gap represents a

word. At the end of the line is a ‘prompt’ word which
the student has to change in some way to make the
correct missing word and complete the sentence
correctly.
What do students have to practise? Vocabulary – word-building: the different words

which the student can make from a ‘base’ word, e.g.
‘compete’ becomes ‘competition’, ‘competitor’,
‘competitive’, ‘competitively’ or ‘uncompetitive’.
Part 4 (Key word transformations)
What’s in Part 4? A sentence followed by a key word and a second

sentence which has a gap in it. Students have to use
the key word to complete the second sentence so
that it is similar in meaning to the first sentence.
What do students have to practise? Grammar and vocabulary – rewriting sentences with
different words so that they mean the same thing.
How many marks are there? Up to 2 marks for each correct answer.
Part 5 (Multiple choice)
What’s in Part 5? A text with some multiple-choice questions. Each

question has four options (A, B, C or D), and students
have to decide which is the correct answer.
What do students have to practise? How to understand the details of a text, including
opinions and attitudes.
How many questions are 6

there?
How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer.
3
B2 for Schools
Part 6 (Gapped text)
What’s in Part 6? A text with some empty spaces (gaps). After the text
there are some sentences taken from the text.
Students have to choose the correct sentence for
each gap.
What do students have to practise? How to understand the structure and follow the
development of a text.
How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer.
Part 7 (Multiple matching)
What’s in Part 7? A series of questions and a long text or several short

texts to read. For each question, students have to
decide which text or part of the text mentions this.
What do students have to practise? How to find specific information in a text or texts.

B2 First For Schools Exam Format

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B2 for Schools

B2 First for Schools exam format

Paper Content Purpose

Writing 2 parts Students are required to produce two pieces of

Listening 4 parts/30 questions Requires being able to follow and understand a

Speaking 4 parts Shows you can take part in a conversation by

What’s in the Reading and Use of English paper?

Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes

Marks: 40% of total

Lengths of texts: 2,200–2,500 words to read in total.

Texts may be from: Newspaper and magazine articles, reports, fiction,

Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze)

What’s in Part 1? A text in which there are some missing words or

What do students have to practise? Vocabulary – words with similar meanings,

How many questions are there? 8

Part 2 (Open cloze)

What do students have to practise? Grammar and vocabulary.

How many questions are there? 8

Part 3 (Word formation)

What’s in Part 3? A text containing eight gaps. Each gap represents a

What do students have to practise? Vocabulary – word-building: the different words

How many questions are there? 8

Part 4 (Key word transformations)

What’s in Part 4? A sentence followed by a key word and a second

How many questions are there? 6

Part 5 (Multiple choice)

What’s in Part 5? A text with some multiple-choice questions. Each

How many questions are 6

Part 6 (Gapped text)

How many questions are there? 6

Part 7 (Multiple matching)

What’s in Part 7? A series of questions and a long text or several short

How many questions are there? 10

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