Open your book. Check:
If your book is a recent printing (2018–present), you will find either:
Almost every student who buys a used or new copy of this book asks the same question: “Where is the audio link?”
Here’s the reality: The audio files are rarely on a simple YouTube playlist. Because of copyright protection, the publishers (usually Express Publishing or Cambridge University Press, depending on the edition) provide access via: fce practice tests karen dyer dave harwood audio link
Important: If you bought a second-hand copy without an unused access code, you may need to purchase the audio separately. However, we will provide legitimate workarounds below.
After each listening test:
Despite the ubiquity of their work, Karen Dyer and Dave Harwood remain enigmatic figures to the average student. They are names on a cover, ghosts in the machine. This is common in ELT publishing, where the author is often secondary to the exam board (Cambridge) and the publisher (Hamilton House). Open your book
Yet, their work has touched millions. They have provided the rehearsal space for non-native speakers to prove their proficiency for universities, jobs, and migration. The "audio link" search is, in a way, a testament to the quality of their work. If the tests were poor, no one would bother hunting for the audio files. The fact that students are still looking for these specific tracks—often years after publication—proves that the material remains relevant and rigorous.
Once you find an audio file, play the first 10 seconds of Test 1, Part 1. It should match this transcript snippet:
Narrator: FCE Practice Tests. Test One. Listening. Part One. You will hear people talking in eight different situations. Question One. You hear a man talking about his new laptop. Man: “I know it’s lighter than my old one, but the battery life is actually worse…” If your book is a recent printing (2018–present),
If you hear something completely different (e.g., about a train station or a job interview), you may have the wrong audio for your edition.
If you are a teacher with a verified institutional email, you can access the teacher’s pack, which includes:
Visit cambridge.org/teacherresources and search for “Dyer Harwood FCE Audio.” Register as an educator (free) and download the zip folder directly.
A quick Google search might throw up “free downloadable MP3s” from file-sharing sites. Avoid these. Here’s why:
Always use the official FCE Practice Tests Karen Dyer Dave Harwood audio link from the publisher or authorized resellers.