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How to achieve a Band 5 in the B2 First Speaking exam – A practical guide for students and teachers
- 19/12/2025
- TIPS AND GUIDES
Improve your B2 First Speaking score with this free guide
Are you preparing your students for the B2 First (FCE) Speaking exam, or are you preparing for the test yourself and aiming for a higher score? This free downloadable guide takes you step by step through the key differences between a Band 3 (pass) and a Band 5 (excellent score) in the B2 First Speaking paper.
The aim of the resource is to help you understand exactly what Cambridge examiners assess and how to apply practical strategies to improve your performance in each part of the speaking test.
What’s included in the guide
The guide provides a clear and detailed explanation of the four Cambridge assessment criteria: Grammar & Vocabulary, Discourse Management, Pronunciation and Interactive Communication. Based on these criteria, it offers practical activities designed to enhance the quality of spoken responses.
It includes exercises focused on using more complex structures and natural vocabulary, organising ideas more effectively, speaking with greater fluency and naturalness, and interacting confidently with a partner, particularly in Part 3 of the exam. The guide also features real comparative examples of Band 3 versus Band 5 responses, pronunciation tasks focusing on stress and intonation, and a set of useful phrases to improve interaction.
Who this guide is for and why it works
This guide is aimed at students who want to improve their performance in the B2 First Speaking exam, teachers looking for effective materials to develop speaking skills in class, and language schools preparing candidates for Cambridge exams. It is ideal for planning focused speaking lessons or for practising at home with a partner or tutor.
What makes this guide especially useful is that it not only explains what is needed to improve, but clearly shows how to do it, using real examples, structured tasks and immediately applicable strategies. Language schools can share this guide with their students as part of a structured improvement pathway.
The guide is available as a free download.
For more resources like this, you can subscribe to our newsletter or explore the blog, where you’ll find high-quality materials for every stage of language learning. Remember: practising with purpose is the key to improving your Band score.