Trucos y consejos para afrontar con éxito el Use of English del FCE (B2) de Cambridge

 

Sin duda, una de las partes del examen del FCE que más preocupa a los estudiantes es el Use of English (UOE), la cual pone a prueba el conocimiento léxico y gramatical del candidato.

Esta parte consta de cuatro apartados y, junto con las tareas de Reading, la duración de la misma es de 1 hora y 15 minutos. El peso del Reading & Use of English es de un 40% sobre el total del examen.

A continuación, vamos a ver con más detalle en qué consiste cada uno de los apartados que componen el Use of English y algunos consejos para afrontarlos con éxito.

Las partes del examen

Parte #1: Multiple-choicecloze

Esta parte consiste en un pequeño texto con ocho huecos que deberás completar con una de las cuatro opciones dadas (A-D). El objetivo principal de esta prueba es que demuestres tu conocimiento de estructuras idiomáticas y gramaticales como collocations, idioms y phrasal verbs. 

Algunos consejos para esta parte:

• Lee el texto completo para intentar captar el sentido global antes de elegir las respuestas.
• Intenta completar los huecos mentalmente en una segunda lectura. Luego, mira las posibles respuestas y comprueba si hay alguna que se aproxime a la que habías pensado.
• Ten muy presente el contexto a la hora de descartar opciones. Fíjate, sobre todo, en la frase anterior y posterior a la oración que contiene el hueco antes de seleccionar tu respuesta.
• Una vez hayas completado todos los huecos, vuelve a leer el texto -en voz alta, si es posible-, para comprobar que “suena bien” y tiene coherencia. 

Parte #2: Open cloze

En este ejercicio también tendrás que rellenar ocho huecos, aunque en esta ocasión, no hay opciones entre las que elegir. Dependiendo del significado global del texto y del contexto, tendrás que completar los huecos con preposiciones, artículos, verbos auxiliares y pronombres. Recuerda que solo se acepta una palabra por hueco, por lo que debes tener cuidado con las palabras del tipo don’t, pues se trata de dos palabras (DO + NOT) y no de una.

Nuestros consejos para esta parte:

• Haz una primera lectura comprensiva del texto sin pararte en los huecos.
• Vuelve a leer el texto y piensa en una posible palabra para cada espacio. Anota tus respuestas a lápiz de manera provisional.
• Realiza una tercera lectura en voz alta para comprobar que “suena bien” y tiene coherencia.
• Ten en cuenta el contexto y, sobre todo, las frases anteriores y posteriores a los huecos a la hora de escribir tus respuestas.

Parte #3: Word formation

Este apartado pone a prueba tu conocimiento léxico y tu habilidad para formar y transformar términos utilizando prefijos y sufijos. Para cada uno de los ocho huecos del ejercicio tendrás que modificar la palabra que se muestra en el margen derecho, dependiendo de las necesidades del texto. Es importante recordar que la palabra mostrada nunca puede ser la respuesta correcta.

Nuestros consejos:

• Lee el texto sin detenerte en los huecos para hacerte una idea global del mismo. 
• Vuelve a leer el texto por segunda vez y piensa qué tipo de palabra puede ir en cada hueco: sustantivo, verbo, adverbio o adjetivo. Anota tus respuestas a lápiz de manera provisional.
• Lee el texto en voz alta para comprobar que tenga coherencia.
• Echa un vistazo a este enlace para ver cómo funciona la formación de palabras: http://www.bedavaingilizce.com/advanced/wf/wfa.htm
• Imprime nuestra infografía con las reglas básicas de formación de palabras y ponla en la puerta de tu frigo para recordarla cada día ?

Parte #4: Key Word transformation

Una de las partes más “odiadas” del Use of Englishes la parte 4. A partir de una palabra clave dada y utilizando entre 2 y 5 palabras, deberás transformar la oración original en una nueva que signifique exactamente lo mismo y sin alterar en absoluto el sentido de la primera oración.

Algunas recomendaciones para esta parte:

• Lee las oraciones originales con detenimiento y piensa en posibles formas de decir lo mismo utilizando la palabra clave entre paréntesis.
• Repasa mentalmente los tipos de transformaciones más comunes para FCE – condicionales, pasivas, conectores, phrasal verbs, comparativas, wish&ifonly, estilo directo/indirecto, verbos seguidos de to o ing, verbos con preposición…Piensa qué tipo puede ajustarse a la oración en cuestión.
• Recuerda que debes utilizar la palabra clave entre paréntesis sin modificarla y no pasarte de cinco palabras.
• Las palabras contraídas como don’t cuentan por dos (DO NOT).

Consejos generales

• Busca modelos de exámenes reales que vengan con las respuestas y practica cada día. Recuerda que es de suma importancia que realices la práctica del examen con un cronómetro delante para asegurarte de que eres capaz de realizar todas las partes en el tiempo estipulado. 
•  Aprende una estructura gramatical y una palabra o expresión nueva al día. Utilízalas en ejemplos reales que tengan sentido para ti y pronúncialas en voz alta cada día hasta que hayas logrado memorizarlas. Si quieres, también puedes grabarte leyendo los ejemplos y escucharlos de vez en cuando para que “se te queden mejor”.
• Busca un centro preparador de confianza y realiza algún tipo de curso intensivo en el que te proporcionen materiales, consejos y atención personalizada antes de aventurarte a realizar el examen oficial.

Nuevo curso académico 24/25

 

CLASES PERSONALIZADAS.

Individuales/ Grupos reducidos.

Examen diagnóstico.

Acorde a necesidades.

PREPARACION PARA EXAMENES

TOEFL.

Exámenes escolares.

De ingreso.

Colocación.

APRENDIZAJE INTEGRAL.

Conversación.

Comprensión.

Pronunciación.

ASESORIA GENERAL

NIÑOS; ADOLESCENTES Y ADULTOS.

How to Succeed in B2 First (FCE): Speaking Part 2

In this post, I am going to focus on FCE Speaking Part 2, the second part of the B2 First (FCE) Speaking Test, which is one of the most interesting parts of this B2-level exam. It’s one of the easiest to prepare but also one of the parts that makes candidates most nervous. So that’s why I’m here, to teach exactly what you have to do and how to do Part 2 of the B2 First Speaking. So keep on reading!

Description of FCE Speaking Part 2

This part of the test comprises 2 tasks. First, you or your partner will have to compare two pictures and answer one question in the process. Second, you or your partner will be asked a follow-up question after the comparison. When you make the comparison, your partner will answer the other question and vice versa.

Timing of the B2 First Speaking Part 2

This part of the test is supposed to last 3 or 4 minutes, and the main elements that are timed are the following:

1. Candidate A’s comparison + question: 1 minute
2. Candidate B’s follow-up question: 30 seconds
3. Candidate B’s comparison + question: 1 minute
4. Candidate A’s follow-up question: 30 seconds

Instructions and Possible Candidate’s Response

When sitting any speaking exam, it is important to know what to expect, whether it be in terms of timing, tasks, instructions, content, etc. For this reason, I believe it is essential to be familiar with the instructions you will receive during FCE Speaking Part 2. Let’s go:

Examiner’s initial instructions

In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you two photographs. I’d like you to talk about your photographs on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question about your partner’s photographs.

(Candidate A), it’s your turn first. Here are your photographs. They show people who are helping other people in different situations.

(place the following pictures in front of Candidate A)

I’d like you to compare the photographs, and say how important it is to help people in these situations.

Candidate A’s response

(introduction) Both of these pictures show people getting some help; the first one shows a football player who seems to be injured and the second one is an Asian tourist getting help from a policeman.

(similarities + differences) Although both situations involve someone helping a person, they are very different. In the first one, the football player needs help because he’s had an injury and, probably, he can’t walk properly. On the other hand, in the second picture, the tourist is probably asking for directions because he might be lost. Also, the footballer is likely to be in pain, while the tourist may only be a little nervous.

(question) As for how important it is to help these people, I’d say it’s important in both situations. However, I strongly believe that the footballer needs more help than the tourist, as his situation is obviously more serious.

Examiner’s follow-up question for Candidate B

(Candidate B), do you find it easy to ask for help when you have a problem?

Candidate B’s response

Well, it depends on the problem, but normally I do. Whenever I have a serious problem I ask my mum or my dad for advice. It’s not easy, but I do it. With other problems, I always ask my friends first, because they normally know what to do.

Basic Observations for B2 Speaking Part 2

If you read the task above carefully, you will notice the following features:

• Candidate A is asked to compare two pictures and to answer a question about them.
• The question the examiner includes in his explanation is also written above the pictures, so don’t worry about having to memorise it.
• Candidate A will have to speak longer than Candidate B, that is, the person comparing speaks longer than the person answering the follow-up question.
• Candidate A has clearly compared both pictures and answered the question.
• The expressions in bold are useful words or phrases to use in any comparison.
• Candidate A’s comparison follows a clear order: introduction + similarities, differences, question. Although this particular order is not compulsory, it is recommendable.

FCE Speaking Part 2: Useful Phrases to Compare Pictures

In this section, we’ll see useful expressions that you can use in any comparison. However, as a basic tip, I’ll tell you that in order to compare, most of the connectors you’ll have to use are contrasting connectors. Let’s see.

• Starting your comparison
  • Both of these pictures show…
  • These two pictures show…
  • The two situations in these pictures are…
• Talking about similarities
  • These two pictures/situations are similar because/in that…
  • In both pictures, we can see…
  • One similarity between these two pictures/situations is that…
  • Another similarity might be that…
  • One thing that these two pictures/situations have in common is that…
  • One thing that these two pictures share is that…
  • The most obvious similarity is that…
  • These two pictures share the fact that…
  • Both pictures (…) in the same way. 
• Talking about differences
  • One of the most obvious differences (between these two pictures) is that…
  • Another difference is that…
  • Something that makes these two pictures different is…
  • What makes these two situations (so/completely) different is…
  • While the first picture …, the second one…
  • The first picture…. However, the second one…
  • The first picture… whereas the second one…
  • Although the first picture…., the second one…
  • On the one hand, the first picture shows…. On the other hand, the second one…
• Introducing the answer to the question
  • As for + paraphrased question
  • As to + paraphrased question
  • In relation to the question,…
  • In response to the question, I’d say that…
  • As regards the question,… 
  • Regarding the question of the task, 
  • With regard to + paraphrased question

Special Case: Advantages vs Disadvantages

I have decided to write this as a separate section because I find that FCE speaking tasks involving advantages and disadvantages are somewhat special. The issue with these tasks is that they usually involve too many ideas to follow the structure above (intro + similarities + differences + question). In this case, I always recommend my students to blend the question into the rest of the task, that is, answer the question at the same time as the comparison is being made. This can be done with any task, really, but in this case, I’d say is especially important. Let’s see a comparison of this particular case for the task below:

This page belongs to the book First Certificate in English 1. Official Examination Papers from University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations.

Candidate’s response

Both of these pictures show different places where people live; the first one is a neighbourhood of detached houses, while the second one is a coastal city with many skyscrapers.

(similarities + differences + question) One advantage of living in the first place is that you can have your own garden where you can relax with your family. Also, it’s a very quiet place. On the other hand, the obvious upside of living on the seaside is that the weather is usually mild and you can go swimming and sunbathing quite often.

As for the disadvantages, I believe that the neighbourhood in the first picture can be a little boring for young people as there isn’t much to do

As you can see in the task above, the comparison is made around the question of the task, i.e. advantages and disadvantages. In this way, you’re saving time to do the task properly without leaving anything out.

FCE Speaking Part 2: Useful Phrases for the Follow-up Question

Although this part of the task does not follow a particular structure, given that it depends on the topic of the pictures, you are typically asked to draw on your own experience in connection with the topic or to choose one of the pictures and justify your answer. For instance, in the task above, the question for Candidate B would be something like: «Where would you prefer to live?«

So let’s see some expressions to answer this question correctly:

• As far as I’m concerned,…
• The way I see it,…
• If I had to choose one of these two (…), I would (definitely) go for…
• In my experience,…
• In my case,…
• Well, it’s not an easy choice, but I think I’d prefer to…
• I would (…) no doubt. 
• I would definitely prefer/choose…
• I believe that it’s more important to…

There is no specific formula to answer this follow-up question, given the broad spectrum we’re dealing with, but the expressions above will definitely help you answer more appropriately.

Top 10 Tips for FCE Speaking Part 2

1. Compare, don’t describe: it is common for candidates to spend the whole minute describing both pictures separately instead of comparing them. Remember, the examiner explicitly asks you to «compare these two pictures», so don’t forget to do it!
2. Don’t overuse «and»: I have noticed that my students tend to use the word «and» all the time in order to switch from picture 1 to picture 2. «And» is a connector to add ideas, not to express contrast. And, since you’re comparing, you should use other types of connectors. See both of the tasks in this article and notice the connecting phrases in bold.
3. Don’t focus too much on one picture: one minute is not a long time, so you should make sure you fit into your speech the most important ideas about both pictures.
4. Allow enough time to answer the question: some people spend so much time talking about the pictures that they forget to answer the question, and they get cut off by the interlocutor. While getting cut off is neither bad nor good, not answering the question will have a negative impact on your score.
5. Address the interlocutor: in this task, you shouldn’t address your partner. This is an individual task, so simply concentrate on what you’re saying and address your comments to the interlocutor.
6. Finish your sentences: it is common for candidates to start a sentence and then regret and stop in midstream. Do not let your speech fade out in the middle of a sentence; finish expressing your ideas!
7. Focus the pictures and the question: while comparing both pictures, you should not talk about related things that happened to you. In this part, you are supposed to focus on the situations of the pictures, not on your own experiences.
8. Stick to the topic: when answering the follow-up question, make sure that you stick to the topic and answer exactly what the examiner asked.
9. Ask for repetition: it’s perfectly alright to ask the interlocutor to repeat the instructions or the follow-up question if you didn’t get it the first time.
10. Use related vocabulary: while this article has focused mainly on expressions to compare and give your opinion, you obviously need to prove that your vocabulary is at a B2 level. So make sure you draw on what you have studied and drop some advanced terms that might impress the examiners.

Bonus Tip

• Smile: you’d be surprised by what human beings can achieve with a smile. A positive, cheerful attitude will make you make a better impression on the examiners, plus it makes you, to some extent, a better communicator.

Video of a Real FCE Speaking Part 2

It is always useful to see a real exam, so here´s a video of the second part of this speaking test. But remember, these candidates are not perfect, so try to learn from their mistakes rather than make them yours!!

 BENEFICIOS DE APRENDER IDIOMAS

La adquisición de otras lenguas desde niños proporciona múltiple ventajas cognitivas.

Aprender un segundo idioma está lleno de virtudes. Además de poder entendernos con personas de otros países, existen otros beneficios que tienen que ver con el desarrollo personal. Cuando el proceso se inicia a una edad temprana, el potencial intelectual del individuo puede aumentar en aspectos como el rendimiento académico, el éxito laboral, la autoestima o la propia visión global del entorno, entre otros. Pero ¿ qué cambios se producen en nuestro organismo para que esto sea así? A continuación, te cuento los cambios positivos en nuestro cerebro que, según la ciencia, vienen motivados por el hecho de aprender un segundo idioma.

Una mente más ágil y rápida.

Los axones son prolongaciones de neuronas que transmiten impulsos nerviosos. Están recubiertos de una sustancia que los protege: la mielina o materia blanca. La cantidad de esa capa protectora aumenta entre las personas que emplean habitualmente más de una lengua.

Un cerebro más preciso.

Los mencionados niveles de mielina traen consigo una mejora del funcionamiento cerebral. Algo muy útil en el aprendizaje de una lengua, que requiere de la interiorización de aspectos como la pronunciación, la ortografía o las distintas entonaciones.

Mayor capacidad de raciocinio.

En este caso, no es la materia blanca sino la gris, la que tiene que ver con el raciocinio. Una capacidad que también aumentaría al aprender un segundo idioma, tal y como demostró un estudio de 2015, que observó el cerebro de angloparlantes, por un lado, y de hablantes de castellano e inglés, por otro. El volumen de materia gris era mayor en el caso de los bilingües.

Mejor razonamiento moral.

Otra función cerebral que se considera muy ligada a la abundancia de materia gris es la madurez moral. Diversos estudios han probado que los individuos con mayor materia gris tienen más capacidad para resolver dilemas morales complejos.

Retraso del deterioro cerebral.

Según investigadores de distintas universidades y centro médicos canadienses, el bilingüismo está relacionado con una demora en la aparición de los síntomas de Alzheimer y de otros patologías cognitivas de carácter más leve.

¿Sabías qué...?

El proceso para aprender idiomas en la infancia es diferente al de los adultos; es más natural e intuitivo. si queremos que nuestros hijos alcancen un nivel nativo, deben empezar a estudiar esa lengua antes de los 10 años. Numerosos estudios señalan que la etapa ideal para aprender idiomas es de los a los 6 años, ya que es en este periodo cuando tiene una capacidad innata para aprender cualquier lengua, lo cual debe ser aprovechado.

BENEFITS OF LEARNING LANGUAGES

Acquiring other languages from childhood provides multiple cognitive advantages.

Learning a second language is full of benefits. In addition to the opportunity to communicate with people from other countries, there are other benefits for personal development. Starting this process at an early age, the individual´s intellectual potential can increase in aspects such as academic performance, career success, self-esteem, or the overall global perspective of the environment, among others. But what changes occur in our bodies to make this so? Below, I´ll tell you about the positive changes in our brains that, according to science, are motivated by learning a second language.

A more agile and faster mind.

Axons are extensions of neurons that transmit nerve impulses. They are coated with a substance that protects them: myelin or white matter. The amount of this protective layer increases among people who habitually use more than one language.

A more precise brain.

These levels of myelin bring about an improvement in brain function. Something very useful in language learning, which requires internalization of aspects such as pronunciation, spelling, or different intonations. 

Greater reasoning capacity.

In this case, it´s not white matter but gray matter that is associated with reasoning. A capacity that would also increase when learning a second language, as demonstrated by a 2015 study that observed the brains of English speakers on one hand, and speakers of Spanish and English on the other. The volume of gray matter was higher in the case of bilinguals.

Better moral reasoning.

Another brain function considered closely linked to the abundance of gray matter is moral maturity. Various studies have shown that individuals with more gray matter have a greater ability to solve complex dilemmas.

Delay in brain deterioration.

According to researchers from various Canadian universities and medical centers, bilingualism is associated with a delay in the onset of symptoms of Alzheimer´s and other milder cognitive pathologies.

¿Did you know...?

The process of learning languages in childhood is different from that of adults it's more natural and intuitive. If we want our children to reach a native level, they should start studying that language before the age of 10. Numerous studies indicate that the ideal stage for learning languages is between 6 and 10 years old, as this is when they have an innate ability to learn any language, which should be taken advantage of.

Thanksgiving

Halloween time. All About Halloween for Kids History of Halloween

 

Nuevo curso acádemico The English Way. 2023/24

 

Summer solstice today

 The summer solstice is an astronomical event that marks the longest day of the year and the official beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It occurs around June 21st each year when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most inclined towards the sun. During the summer solstice, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, resulting in the longest period of daylight.

On this day, the sun appears to be directly overhead at noon along the Tropic of Cancer, which is located at approximately 23.5 degrees north latitude. As a result, areas in the Northern Hemisphere experience their longest duration of sunlight, while those in the Southern Hemisphere have their shortest day, known as the winter solstice.

The summer solstice has been celebrated and observed by various cultures throughout history. It holds cultural, spiritual, and symbolic significance in many traditions, often associated with themes of renewal, fertility, and the power of the sun.