The FCE and CAE interview

Exam tips: the FCE and CAE interview 
Upper intermediate to advanced levels (B2-C1)

The start of your FCE or CAE interview gives you a great opportunity to show how good your English is.

After some brief introductions, the interviewer will start by asking you some general questions. For example, these can be about your interests or whether you’re studying or working. You could also be asked about your travel experiences, daily routines or plans for the future. These kind of questions are used because almost everyone will have an answer and it gets the interview going in a smooth and comfortable way.

Of course, it makes sense for you to practise talking about these subjects so that you are ready and prepared for your FCE or CAE interview. Your answers in the interview are a chance to show the examiner your range of vocabulary and grammar. If you are asked: ‘Where would you like to visit in the future?’, you could say: ‘I’ve always wanted to got to India.’ but it would be much more impressive to say something like: ‘One place I’ve always dreamt of going to is India. I’d love to spend a few months travelling around visiting historic places and just taking in the sights and sounds.’

You can prepare for your interview by writing notes on different subjects which include useful expressions and grammatical structures Then, with a friend, interview each other without looking at your notes so that speaking about these topics becomes easier and more natural for you. Don’t forget to work on areas of your pronunciation such as word stress, intonation and English sounds that you find particularly difficult.

Good luck!

 

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