FCE Listening Part 1: short extracts, multiple choice
FCE Listening Part 1 has eight short, unrelated recordings, each with one question and three options. You hear each extract twice, and a sentence read out before it tells you the situation: who is speaking, and often why.
- Questions
- 8 (Q1–8)
- Options
- A, B or C
- Marks
- 1 each
- You hear it
- Twice
What FCE Listening Part 1 tests
Part 1 is the first of four parts in the Listening paper, which lasts about 40 minutes. You hear eight short extracts (questions 1–8), each about 30 seconds long, each with different speakers and a different topic. Some are one person speaking, such as a voicemail, a radio advert or part of a talk; others are conversations between two people.
Before each extract, a sentence on the recording tells you the situation, for example "You hear two friends talking about a concert". The same sentence is printed on the page with the question and three options, A, B and C, and you have a short time to read them before the extract plays.
The questions can focus on: the gist or main point; a detail; the speaker's feeling, attitude or opinion; the purpose of what they say (complaining, persuading, apologising); the topic or type of text; or whether two speakers agree.
You hear each extract twice before the next one begins. How it is marked: one mark per question, 8 of the 30 marks that make up your Listening score. On paper you note your answers on the question paper while you listen and get 5 minutes at the end to copy them onto the answer sheet. In the digital exam you click your answers on screen and get 2 minutes at the end to check them.
An FCE Listening Part 1 example
Read the context sentence and question, then the transcript of what you would hear. In the exam you hear the extract twice and do not see the transcript.
1 You hear a woman telling a friend about a cooking course she went on.
What did she find disappointing about the course?
A the size of the group
B the choice of dishes
C the amount of practical work
What you hear
Man: So, was the course worth it? It wasn't exactly cheap.
Woman: Mostly, yes. I was worried there'd be thirty of us crowded round one cooker, but there were only eight, so the chef could actually help everyone. And we made things I'd never have tried at home, like fresh pasta and a proper curry. The only thing was, we spent the whole first morning watching him demonstrate while we took notes. I'd signed up to cook, not to sit and write. By the afternoon we were finally chopping and frying, but I felt we'd lost half a day.
Man: Would you do another one?
Woman: Probably. But I'd ask about that first.
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. "We spent the whole first morning watching him demonstrate… I'd signed up to cook, not to sit and write." She is disappointed that there was less hands-on cooking than she expected.
Why not A? The group size is mentioned, but she was pleasantly surprised: "only eight, so the chef could actually help everyone". Why not B? She is positive about the dishes: "things I'd never have tried at home".
This is the typical pattern of Part 1: all three options are mentioned, but only one matches what the question asks. The word disappointing tells you to listen for a negative reaction, and the phrase "The only thing was…" signals that it is coming.
How to answer B2 Listening Part 1 questions
- 01
In the pause before each extract, read the context sentence and the question, and underline the focus: feel, disappointing, purpose, agree, opinion.
- 02
Check who the question is about: the man, the woman or both of them. Many wrong answers are what the other speaker thinks.
- 03
On the first listening, choose a provisional answer. Expect to hear something about all three options.
- 04
On the second listening, confirm your choice by checking why the other two are wrong: the speaker rejects them, says the opposite, or they belong to the other person.
- 05
When the second listening ends, move on completely. The next extract is a new situation, and worrying about the last one can cost you this one too.
- 06
Listen for signal phrases that introduce the real answer: "The only thing was…", "What really annoyed me…", "Actually…", "To be honest…".
Common mistakes in FCE Listening Part 1
Choosing the first option you hear. Speakers often mention a wrong option early, then correct themselves or move on. Wait for the speaker's actual view.
Answering about the wrong speaker. If the question asks what the man thinks, the woman's opinion is a trap, however clearly she says it.
Ignoring the focus word. A question about what was disappointing needs a negative reaction. An option the speaker mentions positively cannot be right.
Changing a correct answer for no reason. Change your answer on the second listening only if you hear something that clearly contradicts it.
Question types in FCE Listening Part 1
| Focus | Example question | Listen for |
|---|---|---|
| Feeling | How does the man feel about his new job? | Adjectives and tone of voice; what he says after "but" |
| Opinion | What does the woman think of the film? | Evaluations such as brilliant, a bit predictable |
| Purpose | Why is the woman calling? | What she wants the listener to do |
| Agreement | What do the two friends agree about? | Exactly, I know what you mean, and where they differ |
| Gist or topic | What is the speaker mainly talking about? | The overall point, not one detail |
| Genre | Where is this extract from? | Style and audience: an advert, a news item, a lecture |
Practise Part 1 in full FCE Listening tests
Each FCE Listening test on this site has its own Part 1, timed with the whole paper and marked as soon as you submit, with an explanation for every answer.
- Test 1: eight situations, starting with a woman talking about a sketchbook she lost
- Test 2: eight situations, starting with a gardener explaining a new watering routine
- Test 3: eight situations, starting with a librarian and a reader discussing a reserved book
- Test 4: eight situations, starting with two customers discussing a café’s new menu
- Test 5: eight situations, starting with a woman discussing a train booking with a friend
- Test 6: eight situations, starting with an artist talking about a portrait commission
FCE Listening Part 1 questions
How many times do you hear each extract in FCE Listening Part 1?
Twice. Each extract is played and then repeated straight away, before the next extract begins.
How long is each recording in B2 Listening Part 1?
About 30 seconds. There are eight extracts in total, one for each question.
Are the extracts in FCE Listening Part 1 connected?
No. Each extract has different speakers and a different topic, so you start fresh for every question.
Where can I find FCE Listening Part 1 practice?
Each of the six FCE Listening tests on this site starts with a full Part 1: eight extracts with exam-style audio, each played twice and marked instantly. After you submit, every answer comes with an explanation and the part of the recording that gives it.
Sources
- B2 First Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment), pages 50–52
- B2 First exam format (cambridgeenglish.org)
- B2 First preparation materials: Cambridge's own sample tests
CambridgeMock is independent and not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Facts on this page are checked against the official documents above; the practice items and advice are our own.
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