FCE (Cambridge First Certificate) Writing & Speaking Part One Topics

Cambridge First Writing Part One essay tasks on Speaking Part One topics

Part One: Speaking versions

Discuss your opinions on questions from below, not thinking about them as writing tasks for now but making sure you stick to the sub-topics. You can start with the easiest or most interesting questions if you like.

Which is more important to people in their twenties – friends or family?

Speak about:

1. time spent with those people
2. emotional support
3. (your own idea)

 

Is it better to sometimes give yourself some unhealthy food as a treat or to avoid unhealthy food for as long as you can?

Speak about:

1. health
2. self-control
3. (your own idea)

 

Some people say that violent computer games have a bad effect on people’s lives. Do you agree?

Speak about:

1. violence in real life
2. younger and older people
3. (your own idea)

 

Flying is becoming more and more popular but it is very bad for the environment. Do you think this problem can be solved?

Speak about:

1. changes in technology
2. the developing world
3. (your own idea)

 

We should stop concentrating on English and learn more of a range of foreign languages. Do you agree?

Speak about:

1. other important languages
2. international relations
3. (your own idea)

 

Which is more important to people young adults nowadays – work or leisure?

Speak about:

1. changes in modern society
2. how ambitious people are
3. (your own idea)

 

 

Some people say that moving to big cities from smaller hometowns has a bad effect on people’s lives. Do you agree?

Speak about:

1. mental health
2. relations with other people
3. (your own idea)

 

“We should use more technology in school classrooms.” Do you agree?

Speak about:

1. motivation to learn
2. cost
3. (your own idea)

 

Part Two: Writing

Plan a couple of the tasks above, including deciding what overall structure (= topic of each paragraph in the main body of your essay) you will use.

Decide on the introduction for one of those tasks.

Part Three: Speaking Part One

All the topics above are common in FCE Speaking Part One personal questions. Match the tasks above to the topics below. Some tasks match more than one topic.

• accommodation/ local area
• arts and media
• food and drink
• foreign languages
• free time/ hobbies/ leisure
• health and fitness
• hometown
• studies
• technology
• transport and travel
• work

Ask each other Speaking Part One-style personal questions on the topics above.