You may already be familiar with the European language levels (CEFR):
But which exam is right for you? Today, I will look at the First Certicate of Cambridge, level B2. This is what many employers and universities will require as a minimum. What are the pros and cons?
Pros:
- Internationally recognised by employers and universities
- Highly regarded (Cambridge quality)
- Tests all 5 skills: use of English, reading, writing, listening, speaking
- In the listening section, you will always listen to each track TWICE
- Because the Use of English is so hard, the examiners are a little more relaxed when they mark your writing
- A lot of material available to prepare for the exam
- Most test centres will offer it monthly
Cons:
- Requires a long time to prepare
- Can be scary
- You can get a "fail"
- The "Use of English" part is difficult, especially the 4th exercise (transformation of sentences)
- In the new format, the "Use of English" and "Reading" are in the same section. Most students will spend too long on the Use of English and then do not have sufficient time to finish the Reading, so they lose a lot of points. Without proper time management, candidates fail
- The multiple choice exercises can be very tricky. So, maybe you understand the text, but you don't really understand the questions they are asking, which makes candidates frustrating.
- It is increasingly being replaced by the IELTS (which will be covered in a separate article)
So, should you opt for the First Certificate?
You will get official recognition that you are an "independent user", the minimum level needed to work and study in English. But it takes longer than most people think to prepare for this exam. It is not only your knowledge of English, but also the exam technique. In fact, a good exam technique, which you can only develop by a lot of practice, helps many students pass even though their English is not great. You may be envious of friends who have passed this exam, but remember that maybe their exam technique is better than their English!
