FCE Listening Part 3: multiple matching
In FCE Listening Part 3 you hear five people talking about the same subject and match each speaker to one of eight options, so three options are not used. You have 30 seconds to read the options, then hear all five speakers twice.
- Questions
- 5 (Q19–23)
- Options
- 8 (A–H), 3 extra
- Marks
- 1 each
- Reading time
- 30 seconds
What FCE Listening Part 3 tests
Part 3 has five short monologues, each about 30 seconds long, by five different speakers talking about the same subject: five people describing a holiday that went wrong, for example, or explaining why they took up a hobby. You have one list of eight options, A–H, and for each speaker (questions 19–23) you choose the option that matches what they say. Each letter can be used only once, and three letters are not needed.
You get 30 seconds to read the options. Then you hear all five speakers one after another, and the whole sequence is played a second time. The task tests understanding of gist, attitude, opinion, feeling and detail: the speaker's main point, how they feel or why they did something, rather than a single word or fact.
How it is marked: one mark per speaker, 5 of the 30 Listening marks. In the digital exam you answer by dragging the options onto the speakers (a change introduced in November 2025 to reduce scrolling); the task itself is the same as on paper, where you shade one letter for each speaker.
An FCE Listening multiple matching example
You will hear people talking about why they joined a running club. Choose from the list (A–H) the main reason each speaker gives. Each letter is used once only. Here are two of the five speakers.
A to improve their fitness for another sport
B to meet people after moving to a new area
C because a doctor advised it
D to prepare for a particular event
E because a family member persuaded them
F to have a regular break from work
G because running alone had become boring
H to raise money for charity
Speaker 1 (19) Speaker 2 (20)
What you hear: Speaker 1
"I'd been running on my own for years, and to be honest I'd never thought of it as boring – I like the quiet. But when we moved to Leeds for my wife's job, I didn't know a soul. My sister suggested I try a club, though I didn't take much notice at first. It was only after a few months of sitting at home every evening that I looked one up, and now half my friends here are people I run with on Thursdays."
What you hear: Speaker 2
"There's a ten-kilometre race through the city centre every spring, and last year I watched it from a café window and thought, 'I could do that.' The trouble was, I'd never run more than about two kilometres. A colleague said the local club ran a beginners' group with a plan leading up to race day, so I signed up. I can't say it's been relaxing – there were weeks when I wished I'd stayed at my desk – but I finished in just under an hour."
Show the answer and explanation
19 B. He moved to a new city, knew nobody, and now "half my friends here are people I run with". Traps: G is mentioned but rejected ("I'd never thought of it as boring"), and E is mentioned but was not the reason ("I didn't take much notice").
20 D. She joined because of the race and the club's "plan leading up to race day". Traps: F is suggested by "stayed at my desk", but she says the running was not relaxing; the colleague is not a family member, so E does not fit either.
Notice that each speaker touches on two or three options. The answer is the one that is their main reason, stated or clearly implied.
How to do FCE Listening Part 3
- 01
In the 30 seconds, read all eight options and underline the key idea in each. Think of one or two other ways each idea could be expressed.
- 02
On the first listening, note one or two possible letters for each speaker. Focus on the speaker's overall point rather than individual words.
- 03
Between speakers there is very little time, so write a quick note and move on. Do not stay with Speaker 1 while Speaker 2 is talking.
- 04
On the second listening, decide on one letter per speaker and check it matches what they actually say, not just a word they use.
- 05
If two speakers seem to fit the same option, decide which fits better and look again for an option for the other one.
- 06
Before the recording ends, check you have five different letters.
Multiple matching mistakes in B2 Listening Part 3
Matching a single word. A speaker who says "work" is not necessarily talking about a break from work. Listen for the whole idea.
Missing a rejected idea. Speakers often mention an option in order to say it was not the reason: "I'd never thought of it as boring".
Using a letter twice. Each option can be used only once. A repeated letter guarantees at least one wrong answer.
Changing everything on the second listening. Use the second listening to confirm or decide between two letters, not to start again from nothing.
How speakers lead you towards the wrong option
| Technique | What it sounds like |
|---|---|
| Mention and reject | "I'd never thought of it as boring…" |
| Someone else's idea | "My sister suggested it, though I didn't take much notice." |
| Past versus present | "At first I only went for the exercise, but now it's the people that keep me going." |
| Hypothetical | "If I'd wanted to raise money, I'd have done a sponsored walk." |
| Shared vocabulary | "I can't say it's been relaxing – some weeks I wished I'd stayed at my desk." |
When you hear one of these patterns, the option it mentions is usually not the answer for that speaker, though it may be the answer for someone else.
Practise Part 3 in full FCE Listening tests
Each FCE Listening test on this site has its own Part 3, timed with the whole paper and marked as soon as you submit, with an explanation for every answer.
- Test 1: five people talking about joining a walking group
- Test 2: five people talking about their first experience of living away from home
- Test 3: five people describing what helped them finish a difficult personal project
- Test 4: five people explaining what they value about using a shared workspace
- Test 5: five people explaining why they started keeping a collection
- Test 6: five people talking about changing a familiar routine
FCE Listening Part 3 questions
How many options are there in FCE Listening Part 3?
Eight, labelled A to H, for five speakers. Three options are not used.
Can I use the same letter twice in B2 Listening Part 3?
No. Each option can be used only once, so if you have the same letter for two speakers, at least one of them is wrong.
Do you hear each speaker twice in FCE Listening Part 3?
Yes. You hear all five speakers once, then the whole sequence again.
How long does each speaker talk in FCE Listening Part 3?
About 30 seconds each, so the five speakers take around two and a half minutes per listening.
Sources
- B2 First Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment), pages 50–51, 54
- B2 First exam format (cambridgeenglish.org)
- Change to the format for Cambridge English Digital Listening tests (Cambridge English Helpdesk): drag-and-drop matching in the computer-based exam
- 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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