Cambridge Writing part 1: Essay

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Cambridge B2 English - Writing exam

Cambridge B2 writing exam

Writing part 1: Essay

Learning goal:

The right structure

The right content

The right language

Have you ever written an essay before?

yes, many.

a few

no, I don't think so

What is an essay?

Cambridge Writing paper

2 parts

part 1: writing an essay (140 - 190 words)

part 2: A choice of four questions: article, email/letter, essay, review.(140 - 190 words)

1 hour and 20 minutes in total 

Writing Part 1: Essay

What is it?

Students are given an essay title and two ideas. They write an essay giving their opinion about the title, using the ideas given and adding an idea of their own. The title will be a subject of general interest – students won’t need any specialised knowledge.

What do you have to practise?             

Giving an opinion and providing reasons for that opinion.

• 140 - 190 words

Sample task and language

Sample answer

Writing Part 1: Essay

How to prepare? 

Read a lot!

Watch documentaries and listen to podcasts.

Watch or read the news.

Practise grammar, vocabulary, formal language, linking words. 

Over to you

Look at the hand-out of Exam Booster writing part 1

Do the exercises.

You do not have to write an essay yet.

Carefully study the examples and language used.

Writing paper criteria

The examiners give you a grade based on 4 things:

• Content - Did you write what you were asked to write?
  
• Communicative achievement - Was your writing too formal, too informal, or just right?
  
• Organisation - Did you link paragraphs and sentences? Is there a logical flow from start to finish?
• Language - Did you show off your sparkling vocabulary or did you use basic words? Did you make lots of grammar and spelling mistakes?

Formal language

• do not use contractions, such as I'm, don't, you'd, he's, etc. 
• do not use slang, such as wanna, gonna, ain't, u, etc. 
• do not use informal linking words at the start of your sentence, such as but, and, so, or, etc. 
• only use the word 'you' when you are actually addressing the person you are writing to. No general statements using the word 'you', such as 'don't you agree?' or 'you can see that this causes a problem'. 

Writing

How to act? 

Step 1: read the assignment thoroughly and decide whether you agree or disagree

Step 2: think about who you are writing for. Should you write formally or informally? 

Step 3: take 5 - 10 minutes to plan and organize your essay. Make an outline of what you are going to mention in the introduction, what your arguments are going to be, and what you will say in the conclusion

Step 4: think of appropriate vocabulary you could use in your essay 

Step 5: write a draft version, then check the amount of words you've used and re-read your essay

Step 6: think of an appropriate title for your essay 

Step 7: write your second draft 

Easy essay structure 

Over to you

Your first essay.

On paper.

Option 1:

individually

Option 2:

Pairs or groups of three.

Each student writes

one paragraph.

Essay writing continued

Step 2: decide whether your essay should be formal or informal. In this case, you are writing for your teacher. Will the style have to be formal or informal?

Step 3: make an outline.
Think of a third topic you could talk about.

Step 3: think of what you could say
about 'having a parents as a teacher'.

Step 3: think of what you could say
about 'making friends'.

Step 4: think of appropriate
vocabulary you could use.

Step 5: write a first draft

Think of all the information you've just received. Write an essay according to the assignment. 

If you need some extra guidance. Watch the Youtube video from the link in the next slide, and/or read the example essay from the links in the slide after.  

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Cambridge Writing part 1: Essay