FCE writing is the Writing paper of Cambridge B2 First, which lasts 1 hour 20 minutes, has two parts and carries 20% of the total marks. Part 1 is one compulsory essay and Part 2 is one task chosen from a set of options, with 140 to 190 words expected in each. The paper is set by Cambridge University Press & Assessment and sits alongside Reading and Use of English, Listening and Speaking.
Every response is marked on four subscales, Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, each scored from 0 to 5, so the same four areas can shape how a candidate plans, writes and checks. The sections that follow cover the essay in Part 1, the article, email, letter, report and review in Part 2, two model answers and a practice order tied to the published scales.
How is the FCE writing paper structured?
The Writing paper has two parts, lasts 1 hour 20 minutes and asks for 140 to 190 words in each part. Part 1 has one compulsory question, while Part 2 offers one question from a choice of four, including one set text question. The paper makes up 20% of the total marks, with the other components being Reading and Use of English at 1 hour 15 minutes, Listening at about 40 minutes and Speaking at 14 minutes per pair.
Each question carries equal marks, and the time is designed to be sufficient for brief plans followed by two answers. Candidates therefore tend to divide the 1 hour 20 minutes roughly equally between the parts.
Writing approximately the right number of words is an integral part of task achievement. Significantly fewer words usually suggests that the task has not been completed, whereas an overlong answer may bring irrelevance, repetition and weaker organisation. Counting words during the exam wastes time and leads to clumsy alterations, so practising tasks within the word limit beforehand helps candidates judge when they have written enough.
What does the Part 1 essay involve?
Part 1 is a compulsory discursive essay in which the candidate gives an opinion on a question or statement, using a neutral or formal register. The input may be up to 120 words including the rubric, and it supplies two prompts that link clearly to the topic. Candidates must address both prompts and add a third distinct idea of their own, which is separate from any overall conclusion.
The functions tested include agreeing or disagreeing, giving opinions, comparing and contrasting ideas, giving examples, giving reasons and drawing conclusions. If any of the three ideas is missed out, the target reader is not fully informed, which affects the Content mark.
An essay is usually written for a teacher and has an introduction, clear development and an appropriate conclusion. Linking words such as but, so, however and on the other hand, pronouns used for reference, and paragraphs that guide the reader all contribute to Organisation.
Model answer: Opinion essay on cars in city centres
Task: Your class has been discussing whether private cars should be banned from city centres. Your teacher has asked you to write an essay. Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view. Some people think that private cars should be banned from city centres. Do you agree? Notes. Write about: 1. air quality 2. shops and businesses 3. (your own idea). Write your answer in 140 to 190 words in an appropriate style. This task forms part of a Writing paper lasting 1 hour 20 minutes.
"Many city councils are considering keeping private cars out of their centres, and the idea divides opinion. In my view, a ban brings clear benefits as long as public transport is improved first.
"The most obvious gain is cleaner air. Traffic fumes cause breathing problems, particularly for children and older residents, and a car-free centre would reduce them quickly. Streets would also become quieter, which makes walking and cycling more pleasant.
"The effect on shops and businesses is harder to predict. Some owners fear that customers who drive will shop elsewhere, yet cities that have pedestrianised their main streets often report more visitors, because people stay longer when they feel safe and relaxed.
"A third point is fairness to those who depend on cars. Disabled people and residents living far from stations may have no alternative, so exemptions and reliable, affordable buses would be necessary.
"A ban is worthwhile if the council prepares carefully and protects access for those who need it, and I would support it on those terms.
What this model answer does:
- Content: both given notes (air quality, shops and businesses) are addressed in their own paragraphs, and a distinct third idea about fairness to people who depend on cars is added.
- Communicative Achievement: the register stays neutral and formal throughout, with a clear opinion stated in the opening paragraph and returned to at the end.
- Organisation: each paragraph carries one idea, and the opening and closing paragraphs frame the argument.
- Language: a range of structures appears, including relative clauses, a conditional and contrast with yet, alongside topic vocabulary such as pedestrianised and exemptions.
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Enquire about this tutorWhich Part 2 tasks can come up, and what are their conventions?
Part 2 tasks can be an article, an email or letter, a report or a review, and each one gives a context, a purpose for writing and a target reader in no more than 70 words. Every element of the question needs attention, and the level of formality should suit the reader. Depending on the task, candidates may need to describe, explain, report, give information, suggest, recommend or persuade.
Each text type has its own conventions:
Candidates write most effectively when they choose tasks and topics suited to their interests and experience. A question whose requirements are unclear is better avoided, because an answer built on a misreading may not be relevant.
- Article: written to interest and engage the reader, with some opinion or comment, and an eye-catching title helps.
- Email: a response to the situation in the input, in a style suited to that situation and the target reader.
- Letter: informal when written to a known reader such as a penfriend; formal when written to an individual or an organisation, for example to apply for part-time work.
- Report: neutral or formal in style, but consistent, well organised and divided into clear sections, where headings help.
- Review: usually for an English language magazine, newspaper or website, describing something the writer has experienced, such as a film, product, holiday or website, and giving a personal opinion.
Model answer: Review of a library for study
Task: A magazine for language learners is inviting readers to send in reviews of places where they study. Write a review of a place where you like to study, describing what it offers and saying whether you would recommend it. Write your review in 140 to 190 words.
"A Quiet Corner for Serious Study
"Riverside Library on Mill Street is a place I have used most weekends for six months, and it suits anyone who needs to concentrate.
"The building is bright and spacious, with long wooden tables, plenty of sockets and fast wifi. A silent floor upstairs is reserved for revision, while the ground floor allows quiet conversation, so individuals and small groups both find a suitable space. The staff are friendly and will happily help with finding books or printing.
"There are a few drawbacks. The café is small and often crowded at lunchtime, and the coffee is fairly ordinary. Seats near the windows also fill up early, so arriving before ten is sensible.
"Opening hours are generous and membership is free for local residents. I would recommend the library to students and remote workers who want a calm, well-equipped place to work, provided they arrive early.
What this model answer does:
- Content: the review describes what the place offers, includes drawbacks and ends with a recommendation, which covers every part of the task.
- Communicative Achievement: the title, the personal voice and the friendly but controlled register suit a magazine for language learners.
- Organisation: the paragraphs move from introduction to facilities, then drawbacks, then a recommendation, so a reader can find each type of information easily.
- Language: the vocabulary is specific to the topic, such as silent floor and sockets, and the sentences vary in length and structure.
How is FCE writing marked?
Examiners mark each response on four subscales, Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, each scored from 0 to 5, using scales developed with explicit reference to the CEFR. Content is common to all levels, whereas the other three subscales have descriptors specific to each CEFR level.
Content looks at how well the candidate has fulfilled the task, in other words whether they did what they were asked to do. At the top of the scale all content is relevant and the target reader is fully informed. Communicative Achievement looks at how appropriate the writing is for the task and whether the candidate has used a suitable register.
Organisation looks at whether the piece is logical and ordered, which is why paragraphs, linking words and pronoun reference repay practice. Language looks at vocabulary and grammar, covering both the range of language and how accurate it is, so varied structures attract credit alongside correct ones.
How should you plan and check a Writing answer?
Planning starts with reading the question carefully, underlining the most important parts and making a brief plan that refers closely to it. For Part 1 the plan lists the two given ideas and one idea of the candidate's own, with a reason or example for each. For Part 2 it names the reader, the purpose and the format, such as a title for an article or headings for a report.
Checking works best as a pass against the four subscales. For Content, every prompt or element of the question has been covered and nothing irrelevant remains. For Communicative Achievement, the register and format suit the reader. Organisation is shown through paragraphs and linking words that guide the reader. Language is shown through varied structures and vocabulary, with accurate spelling and punctuation. Any corrections should be clear so that the examiner can follow what was written.
In what order should you practise FCE writing?
The Part 1 essay is the first thing to practise, because it is compulsory and its structure of two given ideas plus one of your own stays fixed. Write several essays on different general topics within the word range, then mark each against the four subscales and note which one loses the most. Practise opening a discussion and reaching a conclusion in more than one way, and support every opinion with a reason or example.
After that, practise each Part 2 text type in turn, drafting the opening of each one, then choose the types that suit your interests and experience. Next, write two answers in one sitting within 1 hour 20 minutes, without a dictionary. Throughout, keep a list of the complex structures and linking words you attempt, since the marking gives credit for range as well as accuracy.
Related guides
- Cambridge English exams, A2 Key to C2 Proficiency
- A2 Key (KET)
- B1 Preliminary (PET)
- B2 First (FCE)
- C1 Advanced (CAE)
- C1 Advanced Writing with model answers
- C2 Proficiency (CPE)
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Frequently asked questions
- Are American spelling and weak punctuation penalised in FCE writing?
- American usage and spelling are acceptable in the exam. Spelling errors and faulty punctuation are not specifically penalised, although they can sometimes impede communication for the reader, which then affects the marks. A final read of each answer to catch slips in both is therefore worthwhile. Consistency helps, so a candidate who chooses one spelling system tends to keep to it throughout an answer.
- Is a dictionary allowed in the B2 First Writing paper?
- Dictionaries are not allowed in the B2 First examination, so practice is best done without one. When a precise word will not come, a simpler way of expressing the same idea keeps the answer moving and still communicates clearly. Reviewing unfamiliar words after each practice answer builds the vocabulary that the Language subscale rewards, and a personal word list for common essay and review topics is useful.
- Does handwriting style or capital lettering matter?
- Clear writing matters because the examiner must be able to read the answer easily. The style of the handwriting does not matter, so joined-up writing is not required, and using upper or lower case is equally acceptable. Answers go in the answer booklet, and any correction should be neat enough for the examiner to follow what has been written.
- Will mistakes in ambitious language lose marks?
- The examiner always gives credit for complex language attempted as long as the mistakes do not impede communication. That means a candidate who tries a conditional, a relative clause or a less common phrase is not worse off for taking the risk, provided the meaning stays clear. Practising a wider range of structures in advance makes these attempts more accurate over time.
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