CHAPMAN AND CUTLER LLP
                             111 WEST MONROE STREET
                            CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60603


                                 April 25, 2006

First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund
1001 Warrenville Road, Suite 300
Lisle, Illinois 60532


         Re:   First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund
               --------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have served as counsel for the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund (the
"Trust"), which proposes to offer and sell shares of each of its series (the
"Shares"), the First Trust NASDAQ-100 Equal Weighted Index(SM) Fund and the
First Trust NASDAQ-100-Technology Sector Index((SM) Fund (each, the "Fund"), in
the manner and on the terms set forth in Post-Effective Amendment No. 12 to its
Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 25, 2006 (the "Amendment")
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         In connection therewith, we have examined such pertinent records and
documents and matters of law, including the opinion of Bingham McCutchen LLP
issued to the Trust or Trust's counsel upon which we have relied as they relate
to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as we have deemed necessary in
order to enable us to express the opinion hereinafter set forth.

         Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

         The Shares of each Fund may be legally and validly issued from time to
time in accordance with the Trust's Declaration of Trust dated August 8, 2003,
the Trust's By-Laws, and the Trust's Amended and Restated Establishment and
Designation of Series of Shares of Beneficial Interest dated March 13, 2006, and
subject to compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and applicable state laws regulating
the sale of securities and the receipt by each Fund of a purchase price of not
less than the net asset value per share, and such Shares, when so issued and
sold by the respective Fund, will be legally issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, except that, as set forth in the Amendment, shareholders of each
Fund may under certain circumstances be held personally liable for its
obligations.






First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund
April 25, 2006
Page 2 of 2



         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement (File No. 333-125751) relating to the Shares referred to
above, to the use of our name and to the reference to our firm in said
Registration Statement.

                                          Respectfully submitted,



                                          CHAPMAN AND CUTLER LLP