FCE Use of English Part 2: Open Cloze

Discover FCE Use of English Part 2 in this article, download EXERCISES IN PDF and do Use of English B2 Exercises online.

Updated on 02/01/26

The Use of English B2 is one of the five papers that make up the B2 First (FCE) test, as we’ve seen in different articles. This paper of the FCE will evaluate your ability to apply your lexical and grammatical knowledge of the language. Honestly, I love this part of the exam because it’s a combination of vocabulary and grammatical exercises that evaluate your ability to use the English language. However, in this post we will concentrate on Use of English B2 Part 2, which is an open-cloze task. Let’s get started now and let’s become familiar with this section of the FCE exam.

Description of B2 Use of English Part 2

B2 Use of English Part 2 consists of a short text with eight gaps in it (and one gap as an example). To fill each gap, you must draw on your knowledge of content structure and comprehension. As there are no words to choose from, unlike in Use of English B2 Part 1, you must think of a term that will correctly fill the gap.

The focus of this part is mainly grammatical (articles, auxiliaries, prepositions, pronouns, verb tenses, etc.) and lexico-grammatical (phrasal verbs, linkers, fixed expressions, etc.). The answer is always one word only, but there may be more than one possible correct answer for some gaps.

Here’s sample Use of English Part 2 for B2 First:

On the page above we have a text with 8 gaps and a sample gap (0). As the instructions go, «for questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0).»

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10 FCE Use of English Exercises Online

In the following sections, you will find a series of Use of English Part 2 activities for B2 First (FCE). I have compiled and adapted these exercises from the internet over the years, but I am unaware of who the original author is. So please, if you know of who wrote these texts or created the exercises, do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I’ll be happy to either reference them appropriately or remove them to prevent copyright infringement.

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 1: London Marathon

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 2: Learning an Instrument

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 3: Dinosaurs Eating

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B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 4: High-jumper

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 5: Swimming with Seals

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 6: Multimedia Education

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 7: Spot the Gorilla

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 8: The Mini-Monet

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 9: Diet during Pregnancy

B2 Use of English Part 2 – Exercise 10: Postman

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Download Use of English B2 Part 2 Exercises in PDF for Free

The following are Use of English Part 2 handouts in PDF that I have created for my students. They’re a few years old, so the format may not be perfect regarding the number of gaps, but they’re still great practice resources.

• Use of English Part 2: Fining the Homeless
• Use of English Part 2: Food Allergies from Blood Transfusions
• Use of English Part 2: Helping A Parent Who Smokes
• Use of English Part 2: Heroic Passenger
• Use of English Part 2: Irish Girl Meets Doppelganger
• Use of English Part 2: ISIS Threat Spreads to Star Wars Sets
• Use of English Part 2: The Axeman of New Orleans
• Use of English Part 2: Why Are There Clouds?

FAQ: Use of English Part 2 – B2 First

Here’s a few frequently asked questions about the first part of the Use of English in the FCE test.

Are contractions counted as one or two words?

Each contraction counts as two words. So “doesn’t” is counted as “does not”, “hadn’t” as “had not”, etc. Please note that “can’t” is the contraction of “cannot”, so it is counted as one word only.

How long are the texts in Use of English B2 Part 2?

These texts are usually 140-180 words long, and are normally divided into two or three short paragraphs.

Will incorrect answers penalise me?

No, they won’t. Incorrect answers simply don’t add points to your score, but they won’t make you lose any marks. So it’s always best not to leave any questions unanswered.

Is American English spelling incorrect?

No, not at all. Any standard spelling variety will be considered correct, whether it be in British English or American English. So you can write “realise” or “realize”, for instance. However, even though this doesn’t affect the Use of English tasks, you should be consistent with your spelling, and stick to one variety as far as possible.

Should I write my answers in CAPITAL LETTERS?

If you’re doing the paper-based exam, you must write your answers in capital letters, as per the instructions for each exercise. However, if you’re doing the computer-based exam, it doesn’t matter if your answers are in capital or lower-case letters.

In FCE Use of English Part 2, can there be more than one correct answer?

Yes, the gaps in Part 2 sometimes admit more than one correct answer. However, remember that you can only write one word in each gap.

Use of English B2: 10 Use of English Tests for B2 First (FCE)

If you need more resources to prepare the Use of English, make sure you check out my latest book for this part of the exam. In this book you will find:

• Description of the Use of English paper in the FCE test by Cambridge English.
• Frequently asked questions (FAQ).
• 10 practice tests (including parts 1 to 4 from the Reading & Use of English paper).
• A photocopiable answer sheet per test.
• Instructions to calculate your own score.
• The key for each B2 Use of English test.

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