FCE

Exam Strategy

How to approach each section · time management · scoring tips

Time allocation for Reading & Use of English (75 min)

Part 1

~8 minutes (1 min/question)

Part 2

~10 minutes

Part 3

~10 minutes

Part 4

~12 minutes (transformations are slower)

Part 5

~12 minutes (read once, then answer)

Part 6

~10 minutes

Part 7

~10 minutes

Buffer

~3 minutes to check and transfer answers

General principles

Answer every question — there is no penalty for wrong answers
Read the instructions carefully — they tell you exactly what is expected
In Use of English (Parts 1–4), spelling matters
In Reading (Parts 5–7), the answer is always in the text — find evidence
Use a pencil — you may need to change answers

Common pitfalls

Spending too long on one question

Move on. Mark it and come back if there is time.

Not reading the whole text

In Parts 5–7, skim first to understand the gist before answering.

Ignoring word count in transformations

Part 4 requires 2–5 words including the key word. Counting matters.

Forgetting to check spelling

Especially in Parts 2 and 3 — wrong spelling = wrong answer.

Per-part strategy summary

Part 1: Watch for collocations and phrasal verbs. Read the whole sentence before choosing.
Part 2: Often the answer is a small word: a, the, of, that, which, who, would, has...
Part 3: Read the line before AND after to know if you need a noun, verb, adjective, etc. Watch for negative prefixes (un-, in-, dis-).
Part 4: Identify the structure being tested. Common ones: comparatives, conditionals, passive, modals.
Part 5: Answer questions in order. The questions follow the order of the text.
Part 6: Look for connectors and references (this, that, these, however) in the surrounding sentences.
Part 7: Underline key words in each statement before searching the texts. Skim, do not read every word.

On the day

Tip

Sleep well the night before. Eat properly. Bring spare pencils, an eraser, and your ID. Leave home with extra time. Stress on the way reduces your score more than poor preparation.

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