Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge First
Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge First offers students complete coverage of the grammar and vocabulary they need to achieve success in the Cambridge First (FCE) exam. It includes the full range of exam tasks from the Reading, Writing and Listening papers and contains helpful grammar explanations and a grammar glossary.
Topics and texts
Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge First is a comprehensive, practical grammar and vocabulary reference and practice book which covers all the grammar and vocabulary points you need to know for the FCE exam. It also helps you to develop your listening skills and learn how to use idioms, phrasal verbs and word formations.
The book is organised into 24 units with a variety of topics and texts, so you can practice different aspects of language development and the exam skills you need to succeed. Each unit or section includes a selection of exam-style exercises, grammar explanations and a glossary. This means that you can focus on the aspects of grammar and vocabulary that you need to improve, and get ready for each individual part of the exam.
Each unit contains a variety of texts from sources familiar to students, but also from new sources which are relevant to the topics covered in that unit or section. These texts often include opinions and attitudes expressed by people.
Some of the texts are also from different genres such as news, advertising and fiction. In each case, you will have to produce a piece of writing which shows your ability to use English effectively. The pieces can range from an essay, email/letter, review or report (B2 First for schools, the reports are replaced with a story) of 140-190 words.
These texts can be accessed online, and will help you to practise the exam techniques and grammar and vocabulary you need to do well in each part of the exam. You can also access a range of other resources, such as dictionaries and the Longman Vocabulary Trainer, which will help you to develop your vocabulary further.
Another feature of this book is the Cambridge Learner Corpus, which is a database that Cambridge English has used to analyse the most common mistakes made by candidates in their exams. It is very useful, especially as it can show you what you are likely to struggle with in the exam so that you can work on your grammar and vocabulary to avoid making the same mistakes.
Exercises
Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge First is a resource book designed to help students prepare for the exam. It includes the grammar they need to know for their test, as well as practice exercises and sample answers. It can be used in classes or on its own for self-study.
The Reading and Use of English paper makes up 40% of the overall score and consists of seven tasks. These can range from open cloze exercises to lexical and vocabulary questions.
This section is the most challenging because it tests your ability to recognise grammatical structures, use vocabulary and read for detail. It also tests your comprehension and interpretation skills.
In particular, it tests your knowledge of modal verbs, auxiliary verbs, prepositions and articles. Moreover, it tests your understanding of the use of positive and negative words, synonyms and antonyms.
To pass this exam, you need to get a global score of 160 or more on the CEFR scale, which means that you should have an upper intermediate level of English (B2 in the Council of Europe’s standards). This is a tough exam and requires a lot of preparation time.
You can practice with free online exercises to help you prepare for this exam. These are suitable for learners at all levels and have a timer so that you can test yourself in similar conditions to the exam.
These exercises are free to download and print, and are provided as an aid to your own study, in addition to the grammar and vocabulary notes found in the book. You can also try them out with a teacher or tutor if you want to.
For extra practice with grammar, you can read the explanations with examples at the end of each section. It is a good idea to look at the Key as well, which tells you which parts of the Grammar section you need to look at again.
The Grammar section is further divided into B and C, with each grammar point explained in full and exercises to practise the topic. The exercises in C are written to be more difficult than those in B, but they can still be useful for practising the topic at home.
Answers
Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge First is a comprehensive grammar and vocabulary package designed to help students prepare for the exam. It contains reference and practice for all the grammar and vocabulary topics asked in the exam.
It is updated for the revised exam to be introduced from 2015. The book also includes access to Longman Dictionaries Online, which provides an additional way for students to build up their language skills.
The Reading and Use of English paper, which makes up 40% of your final score, tests your vocabulary, your understanding of text, your ability to interpret what you read and your knowledge of grammar. It is one of the hardest parts of the test to pass and so it’s important that you learn the techniques needed to answer these questions successfully.
There are seven tasks in this part of the exam, each with a different format (multiple-choice, short answer or essay). These sections involve reading a number of texts and answering questions about what you have read. You may be expected to answer up to 15 questions in each section.
As with all the other parts of the Cambridge B2 First exam, you’ll have to spend some time practising each task and making sure that you can answer all the questions correctly. This is why it’s best to do as much work as possible in advance of the exam.
It’s also a good idea to have a look at the example questions on the Cambridge website. You can also download a sample exam from the website to see what you’ll be faced with. With the right preparation, you should be able to pass this section of the B2 First exam.
Grammar notes
Using the correct grammar correctly is essential for exam success. It will help you to make more effective use of your time in the exam room and avoid embarrassing mistakes that could spoil your chances of a top grade. For example, you should know which verb forms to use and when. It’s also important to know which tense you should use for different types of statements. And you should be aware of the differences between present, past and future tense.
This book provides comprehensive coverage of the grammar you need to know for Cambridge First. It is a useful reference for students preparing for the exam and can be used in class or as part of an independent revision programme. It also contains helpful grammar explanations and a glossary. It is designed to be easy to use and contains a useful Context listening section, which introduces the grammar in context and is a good source of extra grammar practice.
The key to remember is that the best grammar books are those that have a combination of interesting topics, relevant exercises and a concise and logically structured approach. Moreover, it is essential to choose the right book for your needs and budget. It should include an overview of the English language, the core vocabulary you need to learn, a variety of exercises for each topic and plenty of tips and pointers for improving your speaking skills.
The most impressive feature of this book is the quality of its grammar. It has been written by a team of experienced teachers and authors who know what they’re talking about. In addition, it has a variety of helpful features including a full colour photo index, a glossary and a CD-ROM for extra practice.