how to write essay in fce

B2 First (FCE) Essay Writing Guide

The Cambridge B2 First (FCE) essay is easier to write than you think! Follow these steps to write the perfect essay.

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What is the Cambridge B2 First Essay?

• Part 1 of the writing test – there are 2 parts total
• 140-190 word limit
• You have about 40 minutes to plan and write your essay
• You must answer a question using two notes and your own idea
• The topic requires general knowledge only
• The essay is always formal because it is written “for your teacher”

Step One: Look at the Task (1 minute)

To begin, all B2 First essays have a similar format . This is great because you know exactly how to write the essay before seeing the question.

Read the essay question carefully and HIGHLIGHT any keywords you need to write about.

Tip: If you don’t understand the question or notes, DON’T PANIC. Try your best to write the essay. You will still get points for grammar, vocabulary, and structure.

Sample exam test from Cambridge English .

Step Two: Write a plan (5 minutes)

A lot of my students dislike writing a plan. However, a plan helps you organize your thoughts and helps you write a better B2 First essay. Your essay needs 5 paragraphs . We will use the sample task from above as an example:

Paragraph structure for an essay

Introduction.

• Rivers and seas
• Your own idea

Next, to create a plan, write a few words for each paragraph . DO NOT write whole sentences. This takes too much time. Try to focus on keywords and short phrases .

Tip: “Your own idea” DOES NOT mean your opinion. You need to think of another topic related to the question to talk about. Some ideas for this task could be: recycling, agriculture, industry, etc.

Additionally, you can prepare a list of linking words and related vocabulary . Getting these words written down before you start helps you remember to use them.

Look at the example plan below. You can draw something similar on a blank piece of paper.

Tip: Time yourself – see how long it takes for you to write a plan. Try to reduce that amount of time as much as possible.

Step 3: Write your essay (32 minutes)

On the official test, you must write with a pen . No erasable pens or pencils are allowed. I suggest writing your plan and essay with a pen every time you practice .

Let’s take a look at each paragraph of the essay.

The introduction to your essay should be 2-3 sentences long . It introduces the essay topic in a general way .

Tip: DO NOT include your opinion in the introduction. Your opinion goes in the conclusion.

If you are unsure how to write an introduction, try this structure and look at the example :

Structure of the introduction  

• 1 sentence about the topic in general
• 1-2 sentences about the topic more specifically, including a question if you like.

Example Introduction

On every continent, the amount of trash and waste is increasing each year. Rubbish causes damage to ecosystems all over the world. Is there a way for countries to reduce their carbon footprint and save our planet?

Body of the essay

The body of the essay has three paragraphs . These paragraphs talk about one idea with supporting examples .

For each paragraph, you need to write a topic sentence. A topic sentence is the main idea of the paragraph . DO NOT copy the notes. Instead, try to rewrite the idea in your own words. This is called “paraphrasing.” 

Your paragraphs should be 3-4 sentences .

Tip: Start each paragraph with a linking word .

Structure of a body paragraph

• Linking word and topic sentence
• Supporting sentences

Example body paragraph

Firstly, countries can decrease pollution and environmental stress by offering more public transportation. Cars and other vehicles which require petrol produce toxic fumes. If more electric buses and trams were available, fewer people would need to drive their cars.

Follow the same structure for each body paragraph.

Tip: Remember that “your own idea” is NOT your opinion . Write about an additional topic related to the question that you wrote down on your plan.

Finally, you get to say your opinion! In the conclusion, you need to summarize the topic and give your opinion on the question. A conclusion should be 1-2 sentences long.

Structure of the conclusion

• Transition word and a sentence summarizing the topic
• A sentence that gives your opinion

Example conclusion

To sum up, countries around the world must make changes in order to protect the environment. In my opinion, offering more public transport, reducing overfishing, and creating recycling programs are necessary for a cleaner planet.

Step Four: Review your writing (2 minutes)

This is another important step that students often miss. Take two minutes after writing your essay to check for spelling and grammatical errors.

Since you wrote in pen, simply cross out the incorrect word or words LIKE THIS and rewrite them.

How can I get a higher mark on the FCE essay?

Now that you know how to write an essay for the Cambridge B2 First exam, let’s look at how to get the best mark possible .

Increase your mark on your B2 First essay

• Include 5-8 linking words – these words introduce paragraphs and connect ideas
• Use a variety of grammatical structures – you should have both simple and complex forms. Try to use perfect and future forms, conditionals, comparatives, relative clauses and passive
• Use formal vocabulary – do not use slang or simple words like “good, big, small, bad.” Also, do not use contractions. Write “cannot” instead of “can’t”
• Make the essay interesting to read – the examiners read hundreds of essays so make yours easy to read and engaging
• Use the correct amount of words (140-190) – it’s ok to be a few words over the limit, but not too many

Final Advice

The best way to improve your writing skills … is to write! Try to write a few essays each week and ask your teacher for feedback . I have had students who entered my class with very poor writing skills and with practice, they were able to pass the exam after only 10 weeks!

I help students prepare for the FCE exam with private lessons via Zoom. Email me at [email protected] or check out my private lessons page to learn more.

If you want more practice for the B2 First , try these Speaking exam tips , free writing checklist , and Reading part 1 practice.

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Fce (b2 first) writing exam (essay) – video.

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In this lesson you can learn how to write an essay for the Cambridge FCE exam , step by step.

You’ll see exactly what to do at each stage in the fce writing essay section, and how to get the best possible fce score ., there are four steps to the writing process. you’ll see what to do at each step, then you’ll learn how the writing is assessed., 1. how to analyse your fce writing essay task.

First, you need to read the FCE writing essay task and identify exactly what needs to be included.

Let’s look at a sample question:

You’ve recently had a discussion in English class about society. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay. Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.

University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree? Notes 1. Taxes 2. Opportunity 3. Your own idea

So, what do you need to do? Most importantly, you need to say if you agree or disagree that university should be free for everyone.

You also need to use all the notes and give reasons for your point of view. That means your essay needs to include three central ideas: taxes, opportunity, and one other.

It also means that you need to reach a clear, justified conclusion. You can’t just say, ‘I agree’, or ‘I disagree.’ Think of it like this: you need to convince the examiner that your conclusion is correct.

You might think at this point, ‘yeah, obvious, thanks for the help, Kasia!’ Trust me; it’s harder than it sounds. Many FCE essays that we see don’t get these basic things right. It’s very easy to leave something out, or to go in the wrong direction.

Next, you’re writing this answer for your teacher so what style do you think it will be in? Formal or informal?

An essay should be formal. What does that mean?

Formal writing doesn’t use contractions, like ‘I’d’, ‘you’re’ or ‘don’t’. Write the full forms. You should also avoid using slang, colloquial vocabulary, or anything which sounds very conversational.

Next, think: what do you need to include?

You need to talk about taxes, opportunity, and you also need to add your own idea.

Even the ideas which are given to you—taxes and opportunity—are quite vague. That means you need to decide exactly what to talk about.

You also need to think about how to connect your ideas.

For example, with taxes you could say that if you pay taxes, then this should go back into society to benefit everyone. You could add to this by pointing out that having equal opportunities also benefits society. And for your own idea, you could talk about how people with higher education are more likely to be economically productive.

This is just one example, of course! There are many paths you could take.

Let’s talk about that in more detail.

2. How to Plan Your FCE Writing

Here’s what you need to do when you plan your writing for the FCE writing essay.

First, you need to decide what your conclusion is going to be. Are you going to agree or disagree that university should be free for everyone?

Decide your conclusion first, because everything else in your essay needs to lead to it.

Secondly, you need to plan how many paragraphs you’re going to have, and what you’ll put in each one.

Thirdly, you need to make sure your paragraphs are connected to your conclusion.

Let’s see an example:

• Taxes – parents pay taxes so children should get education. Children will pay taxes in the future.
• Opportunity – education creates more equal society. Higher standard of living for everyone.
• Economy – educated workforce helps the economy grow.
• Conc. – agree with statement

Pause the video if you want some more time to read the plan.

You can see that we use the key idea of ‘education’ in the notes for each paragraph. Doing this can help you to stay focused and on-topic, because you’re connecting each paragraph back to the main idea of the question.

When you plan, make sure that each paragraph has a clear focus.

Every good paragraph starts with a topic sentence, which summarises the main point of the paragraph.

The sentences which follow are called supporting sentences. These include reasons and examples to support your topic sentence.

A good exercise during planning is to take a paragraph and think to yourself: “What’s this paragraph about?”

If you can answer that question in one simple sentence, then that’s a good sign. Hopefully, your plan is clear. However, if you can’t answer that question, that shows that your plan isn’t totally clear in your head.

Once you’ve finished your plan, you’re ready to write your answer!

3. How to Write Your Answer

In your candidate answer book, you will now write your essay.

Let’s look at a model answer:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
• Firstly, a proportion of taxes should go to education. Some might say if you can afford university, then you should pay for it. But, this doesn’t take into account the fact that higher earners pay higher income tax so they are already contributing more.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunitys for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation it makes the playing field more level.
• In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. The more people with degrees there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. So, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.
• In conclusion, free university ultimately benefits all members of society.

Pause the video to read, and start again when you’re ready.

First question: have we answered the question?

Yes: the conclusion states that ‘free university benefits all members of society.’ This shows that we agree that university should be free for everyone.

Next: have we used topic sentences?

Yes, we have. The first sentence of the essay tells you what the entire essay will be about.

Then, each paragraph’s topic sentence contains a key word from our plan. We have ‘taxes,’ ‘opportunities’ and ‘economy’.

Also, the topic sentences and paragraphs all reference the idea of ‘education’, either directly or indirectly. This shows that our points are relevant and connected to the task.

So, now you’re finished, right? No–there’s one more step. This answer is not bad, but it could be better.

4. How to Check and Improve Your Answer

The final step is to check your answer.

What type of things do you think you should look for?

Grammar, of course, but what else?

Check for spelling mistakes. Check for style—have you used any conversational language which doesn’t fit the tone of an essay like this?

Check your use of linking words and phrases. Many students overuse them; don’t use a linking word like nevertheless unless you’re sure it fits.

Check for repetition of vocabulary. Could you replace any simple vocabulary with something more advanced?

Look at our model answer again:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity and the economy.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunitys for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation * it makes the playing field more level.

The bold words are either mistakes, or they could be improved somehow.

How would you improve this? Pause the video while you read and decide.

The first problem is with grammar. Unless you’re talking about one specific university, you don’t use the.

Okay, what’s wrong with doesn’t? We’ve used a contraction! Don’t use contractions in your essay. So, it should be does not.

The next problem is a spelling mistake. When a word ends in ‘y’, it changes to ‘ies’ in the plural: opportunities .

Next is a punctuation mistake. There’s a comma missing. There are two clauses in this sentence and they need to be separated by a comma.

There’s nothing wrong with people with degrees but it’s quite basic. What else could you say?

You could say educated people, or even highly-educated people, either of which is slightly more elegant.

So is not a mistake, but we used so in the second paragraph already. You want to show the examiner your range of language, so here you could use something more precise like consequently.

Our conclusion is only one sentence, so let’s add an extra point. We’re still under the maximum word count. This could help us to state our opinion more clearly.

Let’s change it to:

• In conclusion, free university should be free for everyone. It makes economic sense and ultimately benefits all members of society.

Here’s the final version of our essay:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
• Firstly, a proportion of taxes should go to education. Some might say if you can afford university, then you should pay for it. But, this does not take into account the fact that higher earners pay higher income tax so they are already contributing more.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation, it makes the playing field more level.
• In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. The more highly-educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.

At this point, it’s looking good! Next, let’s focus on what you can do to produce a good FCE writing essay which will get a high score in your exam.

5. How to Improve Your Score

Your essay score is made up of four parts. For each part, you get a score from zero to five.

• Content – how well the candidate has fulfilled the task
• Communicative Achievement – how appropriate the writing is for the task
• Organisation – how well the writing is put together
• Language – focuses on vocabulary and grammar

First there’s Content . The mark scheme says this “focuses on how well you have fulfilled the task”. In other words, have you done everything you were asked to do?

This corresponds to step one of our writing process. Analyse the task carefully and make sure you do everything it asks you to. A good tip is to underline the key words in the task to help you identify what you need to do.

Next there’s Communicative Achievement . This “focuses on how appropriate your writing is for the task”.

Have you used the correct register? Have you used contractions? Basically: does your essay look and sound like an essay?

Then we have Organisation . This looks at “how the writing is put together”. Is it logical and organised? By planning your writing carefully, it will already be organised. Remember to plan your paragraphs carefully and write a clear topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

You can also use linking words and phrases to make the connections between paragraphs even clearer.

In our essay, we used many linking words, including firstly, secondly, in addition, although, consequently and in conclusion. Look through the essay again, and note how the linking words and phrases are used. Can you find any more examples of linking words in the essay?

Finally, you have Language : vocabulary and grammar. The examiners will be looking for a range of language as well as how accurate it is. In step four, you saw how checking your essay can improve your language.

Are you worried that making mistakes will affect your mark? Of course, making a lot of mistakes will lower your mark, but remember this is only one part of your score.

For B2 level, the Cambridge mark scheme says, ‘Occasional errors may be present but do not impede communication.’ That means you can still score 5 from 5, even with some small mistakes.

But, hopefully, you’ll catch most of them when you’re on step four – checking and improving your answer.

You’ve seen how to write an essay for FCE, but you can use the same process for other Cambridge exams, including the CAE and CPE when you get that far.

Good luck with your exam preparation and let us know when you pass! Thanks for watching!

Keep practicing with more Free English Writing Lessons from Oxford Online English!

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• Writing an effective essay: Cambridge B2 First

• Posted on 28/02/2018
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: B2 First , C1 Advanced , C2 Proficiency , Cambridge CAE Certificate of Advanced English , Cambridge CPE Certificate of Proficiency in English , Cambridge Exams , Cambridge FCE First Certificate of English , Learn English

Students take language certifications like the Cambridge B2 First qualification for lots of different reasons. You might do it to motivate yourself to improve your language abilities, to prove your level of English to an employer, or even to achieve an ambition like travelling around the world and going to live in an English-speaking country.

The Cambridge B2 First exam includes a two-part writing section, which can be daunting for some people. So if you’re thinking about taking an exam like this, we have some top tips to help you write an excellent exam essay.

Most of the advice in this article can also be applied to any exam where you have to write an essay, such as the C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or IELTS .

Writing test structure

Before we get into the details, let’s take a look at the structure of the writing paper. You have 80 minutes to write two texts – and it will go quickly!

The first part is the essay; the second part is an article, email, letter, report, or review.

You will be given the essay title and two ideas or prompts . It’s essential that you include both of these ideas in your essay, as well as another relevant idea that you have to come up with yourself .

You have to write 140-190 words in each part and it shouldn’t take you more than 40 minutes per answer .

Writing an essay in three steps

Take a look at this example from a sample paper and then think about how you would answer it in an exam:

Essay title:

Some parents teach their children at home rather than sending them to school. Is this a good or a bad thing for the children?

• 1. having a parent as a teacher
• 2. making friends
• 3. …..

Question taken from http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/first/exam-format/ (Cambridge Assessment English, Feb 2018).

What could the third idea be? Stop reading, grab a pen and write down some ideas! Keep them general, but relevant. When you’ve finished, scroll down to the bottom of the page to see some of our ideas * .

Step One: plan it (10 minutes)

That’s what my old history teacher used to tell me. I hate to admit it, but he was right! If you don’t usually plan before you start writing, you really need to get into the habit . Ten minutes may seem a lot, but the more time you spend planning, the clearer your ideas will be and the quicker the writing process will be.

A good place to start is to brainstorm keywords and phrases related to the topic.

Next, you should think about how you’re going to begin ( the introduction ), how you’re going to connect the three main ideas ( the body ) and how you’re going to finish ( the conclusion ). If you know where you’re headed , you’re much less likely to get lost along the way!

Step Two: write it (25 minutes)

OK, you’ve got our plan – you’re good to go ! It’s important to know what the examiners are looking for. The mark you get for the essay is based on the following four aspects :

Content: Have you included all three ideas? Remember, all content should be 100% relevant to the topic, so don’t go off on a tangent !

Communicative achievement: Is the style or tone of your essay appropriate? It should be neutral and quite formal, so avoid contractions (e.g. it’s, don’t, they’ll) and first person pronouns (e.g. I, me, my, we, us, our).

Organisation: Does your essay follow a logical order? To help your writing flow , try to include linking words. Here’s a website with some examples.

Language: Have you used a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures? Don’t always write the first word that comes to mind – look for synonyms . Using some complex structures (e.g. different verb tenses, passives, inversion) will boost your marks, but be sure to use them correctly!

Step Three: check it (5 minutes)

This final step is essential. It’s your chance to read (and re-read) your essay to identify any mistakes. No matter how careful you’ve been, there are probably a few things that you can improve. Check for spellings. Check for plurals. Check for verb agreement . Basically, check everything!

5 quick tips to improve your proofreading

• Keep a list of (your) frequent mistakes, so you know what to look out for
• Read it slowly
• Use your finger to guide your eyes
• Correct one thing at a time (e.g. only punctuation, then only spelling)
• Focus on the little words (pronouns, articles, prepositions, etc.)

Still not sure if this is the right exam for you?

There are many benefits of earning an English certification, but before you decide to do so, it’s very important to check your English level . This will help you select the right exam course and make sure you don’t waste time completing one that’s too hard or too easy for you.

If you decide to do an exam preparation course with us, one of our trained level testers will work with you to assess your level. But, if you can’t wait until then, here’s a multiple-choice test for you to complete to give you some idea.

This article also outlines the differences between the Cambridge and IELTS exams to help you decide which exam is for you.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Daunting (adj): something that worries you because it might seem difficult to do.

Prompts (n): something serving to suggest or remind.

To come up with (pv): to think of something such as an idea or a plan.

To get into the habit (exp): to begin to do something regularly or often.

Headed (adj): destined for.

You’re good to go! (exp): you’re ready!

To go off on a tangent (exp): to start doing, discussing, or thinking about something completely different.

To flow (v): to proceed smoothly and continuously.

adj = adjective

pv = phrasal verb

exp = expression

*Example ideas: ‘group work’, ‘bullying’, ‘class sizes’, ‘working parents’, ‘free curriculum’

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• Posted on 22/02/2018

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Breakout English

B2 First (FCE) Writing Part 1 – Improve an Essay

Writing is the part of any English exam where you should aim to get a high score and B2 First FCE Writing Part 1, an obligatory essay, is no different. It’s also the most trainable part of the exam in a classroom. While other skills often take lots of time, effort and practice, writing can be taught through models, which learners can then take and replicate. Of course, it’s important to write your own material, but the format and many expressions are transferable for essays regardless of the topic. With this material, we aim to demonstrate areas where B2 First candidates often go wrong with writing an essay. With a few tweaks, you should be able to reproduce a high quality essay every time.

Essays may not be fun, but they are important. The Cambridge B2 essay might be the first time you need to write an essay for an exam, but it won’t be the last. This task continues to be obligatory at C1 and C2 levels. If you are doing a Trinity or IELTS exam, you’ll also need to write an essay. Basically, there is no escape. You either learn to write a good essay or you don’t pass your writing exam (I recommend learning it).

The challenge with essays is not only the style, which should be formal and academic. Exam candidates also often have issues with content in First (FCE) Writing Part 1. The B2 essay question is always the same, and it’s not particularly complex, but sometimes it still causes issues regarding what content points to include. At the same time, an uninspiring question can easily lead to an uninspired answer. That becomes a problem when your essay isn’t interesting to read. Keep in mind that whoever corrects your essay has probably read 95 other essays on the same topic, so it a good idea to stand out!

The Materials

With this activity, you analyse a sample essay contrasting living in a city vs the countryside. To use it in the classroom, have students discuss the issues with the essay in pairs. You can even have them use the Cambridge writing scales to give it a mark. Then, feedback in open class and finish with your students writing their own improved version. I like to do this task just after receiving a round of previously assigned essays from students as a sort of extended test-teach-test activity.

Check here for more First Certificate essay questions to use in class.

EXAM PART: First (FCE) Writing Part 1 – Essay

EXAM SKILLS: Improving content and communicative achievement in essay writing

TOPIC:  Lifestyle (living in the city vs living in the countryside)

TIME: 30 minutes + 45 minutes writing (in-class or for homework)

PREPARATION: One copy of the worksheet per student

Exam English ✓

• B2 First (FCE)
• Reading & Use of English
• Cambridge exams

Free Practice Tests for learners of English

Cambridge english: b2 first (fce) writing.

Difficulty level : B2 /Upper Intermediate

What is the B2 First (FCE) Writing test like? The test has two sections and takes about 80 minutes:

• Part 1 - write an essay based on prompts
• Part 2 - write one from a choice of 3 questions: an article , an essay , a letter, a report , a review , a story

Scoring Each of the two writing parts are marked out of 20. There are five marks for each of the following: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language. You must write 140-190 words for each part.

How to prepare for the B2 First (FCE) Writing test

• Choose a question that you are interested in. You will write better if you know the subject.
• Read the instructions carefully before you start. Make notes. You must include all the points from the instructions in your writing .
• Make a plan before you start writing. Decide what information to put in each paragraph.
• Think about who you are writing to and use an appropriate style of language.
• Try to use a range of complex language.

Read this explanation of how to write an article for FCE Writing part 2.

First (FCE) Writing tests

• Writing part 1 (essay)
• Writing part 2 (review)
• Writing part 2 (article)
• Writing part 2 (email)
• Writing part 2 (report)
• How to write an article
• Writing essay introductions
• Brainstorming ideas for essays
• Answer the question!

First (FCE) Sections

• Cambridge First (FCE)

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• B1 Preliminary (PET)
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• C1 Advanced (CAE)
• C2 Proficient (CPE)

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Writing - Part 1 - B2 First (FCE) - Practice, Write & Improve

Exam question:, type: essay.

Your teacher has asked you to write an essay on the dangers of social media, and how people can protect themselves.

Write your essay using all the notes.

Student's Answer:

“I’ve always wondered whether i abused technological instruments and tools like the internet. The latter is the first, albeit second, most abused legal drugs of our generation, comparable with alcohol and cigarettes. The risks of abusing such addictive behaviours is that they can lead to health issues like depression for example for social media usage or physical health problems to organs like the liver and your lungs for the alcohol and cigarettes. Another problem these legal drugs share is in regard to societal push towards the abuse itself. The more followers you have the cooler you are and this can lead to an addiction or an obsession for the way you look on social media and therefore damaging you self image and self esteem. Not to mention what oversharing can do on social media, only to get attention! Showing your house, your musical tase or what you eat. Showing where you go to school, your car and where you work.

In other word there are issues to be adressed as regards social media, a new drug which many of our generation abuse without the proper knowledge about side effects.

Your essay does not meet the requirements of the FCE exam in terms of content and organization. Correct your essay and send it again (no cost)

CONTENT Your task is to comment on the three points given to you in the task:

• (your own idea)

ORGANISATION

The essay should be divided into paragraphs , and have an introduction , development and conclusion. 

• Paragraph 1 - Introduction.
• Paragraph 2 - Comment on the first point
• Paragraph 3 - Comment on the second point
• Paragraph 4 - Comment on the third (your own idea)
• Paragraph 5 - Conclusion

Also check out the materials below to improve your essay.

• How to write an essay? (video)
• How to write an essay? | B2 First (FCE)

  Score: 0 (Not graded)

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How to Write an Article for FCE Writing

Luis @ kse academy.

• noviembre 7, 2019

As we have seen in previous posts, the Writing B2 First (FCE) paper consists of two different parts. In the first one, you must write an essay. In the seccond, you must choose among different options. One of these options can be to  write an article . For this reason, in today’s post I’m going to show you exactly  how to write an article for FCE Writing  (Part 2). Besides, we will go over an  example of an article for FCE and a complete FCE Writing guide , where you can find more examples of  articles and other types of  FCE Writing  tasks.

Sample answer

Useful expressions to write an article for fce writing.

Este articulo también está disponible en castellano.

How to Write an Article for FCE Writing Part 2

An article is a very common type of text nowadays. We can find all kinds of articles in newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc. For this reason, in order to know  how to write an article for FCE , we must bear in mind who will be reading our article. This, as we will see later on, we will find out from the instructions the FCE Writing paper provides us with. But before we move on to that, let’s take a look at the  characteristics of an article for FCE Writing Part 2:

• Purpose of an article:  The aim of an article is usually to talk about a topic that we like or that we are familiar with. Besides, one of the features that articles have as opposed to other FCE Writing tasks  is that  an article must entertain the reader and, almos always, recommend the thing we are talking about.
• Language:  In general, an article is more informal than an essay, although it will depend on where it is supposed to be published (an international magazine, a teenage magazine, a college magazine, an online blog, a newspaper, etc.). However, the most common case is that we must write a text in an informal or colloquial style . For this reason, our tone must be relaxed, making use of contractions, phrasal verbs and other colloquial expressions. Besides, it is recommended to use rhetorical questions and exclamation marks to engage the reader. You should also address the reader directly in the second person ( you ,  your ) and can make jokes if you think they are appropriate.
• Structure:  Articles must always have a title . If possible, this must be catchy and witty so as to engage the reader. Then, each paragraph must address a single idea, to which you must add the introdduction and the conclusion, where you are usually expected to make a recommendation. It is also a good idea to end your article with a rhetorical question, especially if it is going to be an online article where people could (in theory) leave a comment.
• Giving your opinion:  An article is almost exclusively about giving your opinion, so feel free to do so throught the whole piece of writing. As you are normally asked to write about something you like or enjoy, opinions are expected to be generally positive. Any article for FCE is usually a very personal piece of writing, so you can speak in the first person as much as you like. 😊
• Common topics:  You may be asked to write articles on a variety of topics: the Internet, health and fitness, music, plays, hobbies, etc.
• Number of words: you are expected to write your article in 140 – 190 words , no more or less than any other type of FCE Writing task.

FCE Writing Article Example

Now that we are familiar with the characteristics of an article , the best weay to know  how to write an article for FCE Writing is to take a look at an example of an article at First-B2 level . So let’s see an example of a task and a sample answer to that very same task.

Instructions of an Article for the FCE Writing Paper

It is extremely important to read the instructions carefully , as you are supposed to obtain all the information you need to write the article. In this case we can see the following:

• Where our article will be published:   a local magazine
• Topic:   their favourite things about the Internet
• Main ideas:   things you do with the internet, recommend a website

And that’s exactly how we will organise our article, knowing exactly what to talk about in each paragraph.

Now that we have an example of an article task for FCE , let’s take a look at a sample article which answers the task above. Pay attention to the language as well as to the structure marked in red.

If we take a close look at this sample article for FCE , we can see the following features:

• It is visually appealing : The structure is clear, leaving space between paragraphs and defining a clear introduction and conclusion.
• The introduction  presents the topic in a general way, but making clear what article is about: the Internet.
• The second paragraph  talks about why I like the Internet and one of the things that I like about it.
• The third paragraph  makes a recommendation of a website, explaining why I like it so much.
• The conclusion is a summary of sorts and asks the reader for some feedback on their own preferences regarding the use of the Internet.
• Phrasal verbs :  put you up, check out.
• Contractions:   Isn’t that fantastic?
• Colloquial phrases : one of the cool things, I totally recommend it, etc. 
• We address the reader directly :  What about you? 
• Exclamation marks :  … find the answer! 

In this example of article for FCE Writing we can appreciate many of the typical characteristics of this type of activity. However, bear in mind that I have tried to simulate a strong B2 level without necessarily reaching C1.

If you want to know how to write an article for FCE , it is very important to have a repository of useful expressions ready to use. So here are some which can come in handy:

• Have you ever…?
• Do you ever wonder…?
• What do you think about…?
• Are you a… like me?
• Are you one of those people who…?
• What would you say if I told you that…?
• In the rst place,
• To begin with,
• The coolest thing about 
• What attracts me most 
• One thing to consider is
• Another consideration is
• Also, 
• In addition,
• In addition to that,
• In conclusion,
• On the whole,
• To conclude,
• All in all, 
• … you will not regret it!

Frequently Asked Questions: What if I write more than 190 words?

As I already explained in previous posts, Cambridge Assessment English does not count how many words you’ve written in order to penalise you. But remember the following: if you have written a lot more words than necessary, you have probably included irrelevant information . In the same way,  if you write less than 140, you are probably lacking essential information . For this reason, I always recommend writing only 10 or 20 words over the limit. In this way, we make sure we don’t lose points for something so silly.

FCE Writing with Examples (pdf)

If you’re still looking for more examples of writing, check out  KSE Academy’s official FCE Writing Guide . In this guide you have the following:

• How to write an essay  and 3 examples
• How to write an article  and 3 examples
• How to write a review  and 3 examples
• How to write a report and 3 examples
• How to write an email or letter  and 3 examples
• Over 300 useful expressions for FCE Writing tasks

Would you like to see a sample first? Here you are !

Did you like this post? Please  share it with other students and English teachers . Subscribe to our newsletter and don’t forget to follow us on  Facebook   Twitter ,  Pinterest ,  Instagram ,&  YouTube . 🙂

16 comentarios en “How to Write an Article for FCE Writing”

Hi Luis, I’m teaching First students in Italy and still learning the writing requirements myself, and just wanted to thank you for sharing your knowledge and tips – very helpful! 🙂

Hi Ingrid! Thank you very much for your kind words! I’m glad my site can be of help. Take care and good luck with your FCE students!

Hi Luis, I’m preparing a handout for my students about writing an article and I found your web really helpful. Thanks a lot!

Hi, Ángeles! Thank you very much for your comment. I’m glad to be of some help! 🙂

THANK YOU LUIS, GREAT PIECE OF WORK!

Thank you very much for your comment, Alexis! Take care! 🙂

Thank u luis you’ve been rilly helpful

Thank you, Molly! Take care!

Thank you so much, Luis! I am going to take the FCE Exam in July and hopefully I will pass it due to your sample answers and instructions!!!

Hi Iris! Thank you very much for your comment! Take care!

Hey Luis, thank you so much! this is gold and it explains very well how they should do it!

Hi Roxy! Thank you for your feedback. Take care!

thank you so much Jurate

Extremely useful in my FCE preparation course for Peruvian teens!! Thank you!

Dear Luis, just wanted to thank you for these amazing tips, which are very useful. You should definetly work for Cambridge! Best wishes!

Thank you! 🙂

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Cambridge B2 First (FCE): Writing

One of the most unpopular things to do in an English class is to do a writing task. You can almost be certain that at least one student is going to complain or simply refuse to do it. Luckily, in FCE, writing is necessary and most students understand this as well. Even though they don’t enjoy it, they bite their tongue and do what they have to do. After all, you don’t want to fail the because of your own laziness. 😉

Time management is key

Your very first takeaway from this article should be that it is super important to prepare for writing the same way you would prepare for the other exam papers in FCE. Study what the requirements are, practise as much as you can and work on your weaknesses so your skills are balanced and you can take the test with a calm mind and without feeling stressed because of your time management.

The different parts of the writing exam

2. email/letter.

The email or letter is always a reply to message that you get in the task. You have to ensure that you respond to everything mentioned in the original message, that your language is appropriate (formal/informal) depending on the reader, and that you follow the common rules for a letter or email, for example including a greeting and salutation, etc.

Don’t panic just yet 🙂

I know that this seems to be a lot for you to process all at once, so for the rest of this article I’m going to go back to more general information. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, there are more specific articles about the different writing tasks. Just pick the ones you are most interested in below and find out how to become a champion FCE candidate.

The four assessment scales

2. communicative achievement, 3. organisation.

Organisation is all about…well…organisation. Is your text written in paragraphs? Are your ideas connected? Is there a logical sequence of ideas? This is one of the parts candidates struggle with the most, but in my post on the different marking criteria you get much more detailed information with great examples, so jump over and check it out.

4. Language

How can you prepare for the writing exam.

Of course, this is easier said than done. You should always include an active element in your reading practice. This means that you should set a little task for yourself every time you sit down with a book, magazine, newspaper or in front of your computer. My recommendation is to either highlight new expressions and grammar and then to check it online or in a good grammar book, or to read and then summarise the text in your own words by writing a short paragraph. Believe me, it works.

2. Websites

Other ideas, this is just the beginning, similar posts, cambridge b2 first (fce): how to write an email/letter, cambridge b2 first (fce): reading & use of english, cambridge b2 first (fce) vs. c1 advanced (cae), cambridge b2 first (fce): how to write a review, cambridge b2 first (fce): reading & use of english part 4, cambridge b2 first (fce): reading & use of english part 1.

• Essay Editor

College Assignment Heading: A Simple Guide for Formatting

Crafting an effective college assignment heading is key to making a strong first impression on professors. The title serves as the face of your paper and reflects your focus on precision and adherence to academic standards. Curious about how to create a proper title? This guide provides clear instructions on creating an impressive college paper heading, guiding you to comprehend what a header in writing is, and the appropriate way to format it. By applying these tips and guidelines, be confident your prep aligns with the required scholarly standards. 

Basic Rules for an Assignment Header

A well-organized college assignment heading is crucial for clearly identifying your assignment and presenting it professionally. Adhering to the basic rules will help you craft a carefully designed title:

•  Include Crucial Information: A typical heading generally features the student and teacher’s name and surname, the due date, and the current course name. Clearly display and align the project’s title to the document’s left margin. 
•  Use the Correct Font and Size: Standard academic papers require a legible font like Times New Roman or sometimes Arial and 12-point size. Avoid choosing decorative fonts that may undermine the professional quality of your composition. 
•  Follow Proper Spacing Guidelines: Your prep’s heading needs to be double-spaced, and coherent with the remainder of the writing. This maintains uniformity and readability within the document. 
•  Add Page Numbers (if indicated): Some teachers might ask for page numbers to be positioned in the header section. So, format them as per the given instructions. 

A well-crafted essay title guarantees your assignment recognition for clarity and compliance with academic standards, paving the way for successful submission.

How to Head an Assignment?

Understanding what is a heading in an essay and grasping how to head a paper correctly are foundational skills in scholarly writing. A proper essay header normally contains the instructor’s and student’s details, the course code or title, the current date, and the prep’s title. Most colleges follow APA, MLA, or Chicago-style guidelines, so familiarize yourself with these standards. Your header needs to be aligned correctly and placed where it doesn’t interfere with your work’s content. Adhering to these guidelines ensures your college paper heading is both succinct and polished.

Formatting Rules for a Heading

Following these guidelines guarantees your heading format meets academic expectations:

•  Ensure Consistent Alignment: Align all components of your header close to the left margin, maintaining uniformity in the paper. 
•  Use Double-Spacing: Keep double-spacing between the lines of your prep’s heading. 
•  Avoid Unnecessary Information: Keep the college heading concise, avoiding any extra text or embellishments. 
•  Capitalization and Punctuation: Properly capitalize and punctuate your essay heading consistent with style guidelines, ensuring consistency across the prep. 
•  Consistency: Use identical size, font, and style for all components in your header. 

Adhering to these rules will give your composition a polished look. This simplifies it for the lecturer to move through your composition.

Why Is a Good College Assignment Heading Important?

A skillfully designed paper heading gives your assignment a sophisticated look and helps to clearly organize the essentials for your readers. It signals to your lecturer that you have carefully followed educational standards and put thought into every aspect of your project. In addition, a proper heading for an essay guarantees that all relevant data is easily accessible. That’s specifically useful in larger classes where preps are handled by multiple lecturers or TAs. By concentrating on a succinct and accurate essay heading, you set a strong foundation for the rest of your home tasks.

Tips for Refining Your College Paper Heading

Refining your college paper heading is vital to guarantee it meets academic criteria and effectively represents your paper. By carefully focusing on the particulars, you can elevate the expertise and coherence of your home assignment. See some practical tips to consider:

•  Review institutional guidelines: Always verify your institution's detailed formatting instructions or templates to ensure adherence. 
•  Keep it simple: Steer clear of irrelevant information in your heading; a clean, straightforward format is best. 
•  Maintain consistency: Make sure that the font, size, and alignment are uniform across your header. 
•  Double-check accuracy: Verify that all components in your title, comprising your name and surname, course name, and submission date, are correct. 
•  Align with your prep's style: Confirm the header complements the overall tone and style of your written work. 

By applying these suggestions, you can develop an assignment title that fulfills academic standards and improves the overall appearance of your prep.

 Recap

A well-formatted college paper heading is a minor but vital part of academic composition. From understanding what a title is to mastering how to head a text, focusing on these details can make a notable difference in the overall presentation of your composition. Always stick to the fundamental formatting standards and each time confirm that you follow the heading format specified by your educational institution's guidelines. To further enhance your writing, consider utilizing our tools at AI Essay Detector and College Essay Generator to help you create outstanding essays with ease.

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Seeking Meaning in Love and Loss

Personal perspective: finding resilience in the ebbs and flows of life..

Posted September 4, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

• What Is Resilience?
• Take our Resilience Test
• Find counselling near me
• When we lose people we care about, dealing with our grief and emotional responses can be difficult.
• Grief can begin our journey toward healing.
• Emotional agility can help us notice our inner experience and offers flexibility to choose our responses.

There’s a beautiful red maple tree in our yard. It stands vibrantly and serenely about 30 feet high—now. But it wasn’t always that way.

My mom and dad gifted the maple to us as a small young tree about 25 years ago. Nobody would have predicted that this modest, crimson sapling would survive the challenges it has faced in its many years, for it was planted in its burlap bag so that its roots grew tightly wrapped around its trunk. Yet it has survived.

Not only has it survived, but it has flourished, bringing resilience , beauty, shade, wisdom , and love into our lives. Like my mom, who survived numerous challenges in her life, the tree has survived the many odds stacked against it.

While the remarkable tree still stands, after her long life, my mom has passed away. Yet even in her final days, like the maple tree, my mom shared profound lessons in resilience, beauty, wisdom, and love. Mom was still getting up and walking until just a few weeks before she died, when, for the first time, she fell down and just couldn’t get back up.

Until those moments, I believe my mom lived the definition of resilience, the ability to respond well to life’s adversities (American Psychological Association, 2014). Throughout her long and meaningful life, she found a way to get back up each time life pushed her down.

It’s been very hard to say goodbye. Grief and emotional responses to loss are not easy. It feels like a connection has been broken and a barrier of protection has fallen.

Each time I look at that red maple tree, I think of my mom. The stately tree with its roots wrapped around its trunk threatening its very existence reminds me that nothing lives forever. That life is so confoundingly impermanent.

These past few years, as my mom’s well-being has declined, have offered frequent reminders of life’s impermanence and the resilience that we can bring to the vicissitudes of our lives—sorrows and joys, happiness and tears, tragedies and transcendent gifts. And reminders that in most situations, we have choices about our attitude toward whatever life throws at us (Frankl, 1959).

Although I’m trying to find meaning in the experience of love and loss, like many of us, I wish that life were different and that I could have things the way I want them. But alas, that is not how life happens. Yet I am reminded that even in the face of impermanence and loss, we do have choices about how we respond. Grieving is a normal response to the loss of someone or something important to us (Kessler, 2019). On the importance of grieving, David Kessler and Elizabeth Kubler-Ross write, “Grief is an emotional, spiritual , and psychological journey to healing” (Kessler & Kubler-Ross, 2005).

At times, grief can feel quite prominent and sad. At other times, it can sneak up on us by surprise. We may notice that our responses can shift quickly and frequently. These observations seem to require emotional agility, paying attention to our inner experience, and perceiving greater flexibility to choose a response (David, 2016).

Amidst the ebb and flow of grief, many spiritual traditions teach the core concept of love: to regard all other humans with lovingkindness and compassion. Perhaps the greatest continuity is love—love and self-compassion for ourselves and our own suffering, love for those in our personal spheres and communities, and the possibility of extending lovingkindness to those throughout this beautiful and broken world.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No content is a substitute for consulting with a qualified mental health or healthcare professional.

© 2024 Ilene Berns-Zare, LLC, All Rights Reserved

American Psychological Association (2014). The road to resilience . Washington DC. https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience

David, S. (2016). Emotional agility: Get unstuck to embrace challenges and thrive in work and life. New York, NY: Avery.

Frankl, V. (1959). Man’s search for meaning . New York, NY: Washington Square Press.

Kessler, D. (2019). Finding meaning: The sixth stage of grief . New York, NY: Scribner.

Kessler, D. & Kubler-Ross, E. (2005). On grief and grieving: Finding the meaning of grief through the five stages of loss . New York, NY: Scribner.

Ilene Berns-Zare, PsyD, is a life and leadership coach. She writes about navigating personal and professional life with resilience, meaning, mindfulness, and well-being.

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