Here are some useful tips to do well in the ‘Use of English’ section of the Cambridge First Certificate in English.
This part of the exam lasts 45 minutes and consists of four parts.
• The first part is a gap fill – so as with the other parts of the exam – read the text (do not look at the answers) and try to think of which words could fill the gap yourself. After this you should look at the possible answers (do not read these first as they are made to confuse you).
• The second part you should read the text quickly and understand the topic, the writing style and the opinion/s of the writer. Then read the text and try to think what the missing words are – Think of the grammar term we should use here – auxiliary verb/pronoun/phrasal verb…
• In the third section you must change some given words – so here the best idea is to read the text and understand the meaning/style/opinions and then start to change the words. There is usually one word that must be made negative so look for this.
After this read the text through again and make sure it makes sense!
• In the final (and most important) part of the use of English part of the exam you should allow yourself at least 15 minutes to complete this section. Each question is worth two points – one for using the key word correctly, and one for identifying the remaining grammar or vocabulary needed to complete the sentence. So for this you must use the word given and use two to five words to complete the sentence. Always write something on the answer sheet as you can still get one mark!
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Here are some useful links for preparation on other FCE exam sections:
Cambridge FCE Exam Speaking Tips
Cambridge FCE Exam Writing Tips