B2 First practice test: papers, timing and how to prepare
What a B2 First practice test should include: four papers, the seven parts of Reading & Use of English, a 140 to 190 score and a six-week plan. Plus a free full mock.
Cambridge B2 First tests practical upper-intermediate (B2) English for study, work and everyday life. A good B2 First practice test copies the real shape of the exam: four papers, the same timings and the same task types. If it skips Part 4 or lets you replay the audio, it is training you for a different exam.
The four papers at a glance
| Paper | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Reading & Use of English | 75 min | 52 questions in seven parts |
| Writing | 80 min | Two tasks: a compulsory essay and one more text of your choice |
| Listening | about 40 min | 30 questions in four parts, every recording heard twice |
| Speaking | 14 min | Four parts, taken with another candidate and two examiners |
Reading & Use of English: seven parts, one paper
Parts 1 to 4 test the language itself and Parts 5 to 7 test reading:
- Part 1: a text with gaps and four options for each gap
- Part 2: a text with gaps where you write the missing word yourself (open cloze)
- Part 3: you change the form of a given word to fit a gap (word formation)
- Part 4: you rewrite a sentence with a key word, in two to five words (key word transformation)
- Parts 5 to 7: a long text with multiple-choice questions, a text with missing sentences, and a matching task across several texts
Parts 2, 3 and 4 are where marks leak, because a near-miss scores nothing. Our guide to key word transformation patterns covers the structures that come up most often.
Writing: a compulsory essay and a choice
Part 1 is an essay you must write, in 140 to 190 words, with two given ideas to discuss and one of your own. Part 2 is a second text chosen from several formats. Cambridge marks every task on four criteria: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language. A clear plan and accurate, varied language beat length. Going well over the word count rarely helps.
Listening and Speaking
The four listening parts move from short extracts to longer monologues and interviews. Because every recording plays twice, use the first listen to answer and the second to check.
In the real Speaking test you are paired with another candidate, which adds an interactive element. On certifyboost the paired tasks are adapted so you can rehearse them alone with a recorded examiner. Our guide to practising speaking alone shows how to build the habit.
How B2 First is scored
Cambridge reports five scores on the Cambridge English Scale: Reading, Use of English, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The overall score is the average of the five, and there is no minimum for any single paper. The reported range is 140 to 190.
- 160 to 172: grade C, which shows B2 level
- 173 to 179: grade B
- 180 to 190: grade A, which shows C1 ability
- 140 to 159: B1 level
Because the Reading & Use of English paper feeds two of the five scores, it carries a large share of the result. See our pass marks guide for every other exam.
A six-week plan
- Week 1: Sit a full mock under exam conditions, timed, and note the score on each paper.
- Weeks 2 and 3: Drill the weakest area. For most candidates that is word formation, open cloze and key word transformations, in ten focused minutes a day.
- Week 4: Sit a second full mock and compare it with the first paper by paper. The mock exam method shows how to review the misses.
- Week 5: Write one timed essay and one Part 2 text, then rewrite one of them using the feedback. Practise speaking out loud.
- Week 6: Sit a last mock a few days before the exam and rest.
If you are still choosing between exams, read ECCE vs B2 First.
What certifyboost gives you
certifyboost has five full B2 First mocks. Reading & Use of English and Listening are marked instantly, your writing gets AI feedback on the criteria above, and a recorded examiner runs the speaking test. AI marking is an estimate, not an official score. Mock 1 is free: open the B2 First page for session dates in Greece, or start free.