Use of English

Exam Practice Themes

Cambridge B2 Use of English tasks often include topics that appear again and again, so it is useful to become familiar with them. Texts may deal with travel, work, health, technology or the environment, and the questions are designed to test more than simple grammar. Candidates need to pay attention to fixed expressions, common collocations and phrasal verbs, because these often (0) PLAY an important part in choosing the correct answer. For example, a text about travel may (1) .......... with problems such as delayed flights or lost luggage, while another may focus on how people (2) .......... up with stress at work. In many cases, success depends (3) .......... recognising a natural word partnership rather than translating each word separately. It is also common for questions to include linking words that show contrast, result or purpose. Students who regularly (4) .......... notes of useful expressions usually make faster progress. Another good idea is to (5) .......... out practice tasks under exam conditions so that timing becomes less of a problem. Little by little, learners build (6) .......... confidence and become more aware of the patterns exam writers rely on. As a result, they are better prepared to (7) .......... with unfamiliar texts and less likely to (8) .......... mistakes caused by panic.