fce opinion essay examples

Log In   0 The website uses cookies for functionality and the collection of anonymised analytics data. We do not set cookies for marketing or advertising purposes. By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies and our privacy policy . We're sorry, but you cannot use our site without agreeing to our cookie usage and privacy policy . You can change your mind and continue to use our site by clicking the button below. This confirms that you accept our cookie usage and privacy policy.

Free English Lessons

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

Download PDF

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!

We Offer Video Licensing and Production

Use our videos in your own materials or corporate training, videos edited to your specifications, scripts written to reflect your training needs, bulk pricing available.

Interested?

More English Lessons

Cambridge exam preparation lessons.

English Writing Lessons

• Facebook 134
• Odnoklassniki icon Odnoklassniki 0
• VKontakte 0
• Pinterest 1

Cambridge B2 First (FCE): How to Write an Essay

Essay writing is easier than you think

The very first reaction I usually get when I want to practise essay writing with my students is wild panic. Everybody around me starts rolling on the floor crying and screaming. I try to calm them down, but there is no way of doing it and eventually all of them quit and tell me that they will never be able to pass the FCE exam.

Of course, this was a little bit of an exaggeration, but it is true that most students get stressed as soon as they here the word essay when, actually, there is no real reason for that. In fact, essay writing might be the easiest type of writing in Cambridge B2 First because there is a plan that you can follow every single time you sit down with pen and paper to practise as well as in the exam itself.

So, let’s look at essays, how they are organised and what exactly you have to be careful with in order to pass easily and get the high marks you deserve.

What a typical essay task looks like

Looking at different essay tasks, the first thing that students often realise is that all tasks look the same. Their structure doesn’t change, which gives you the advantage of being able to plan a strategy before you even take the exam. Every time you practise is like the real exam.

Above there is a typical essay task. As you can see there is not a lot of information, but we still have to look at it carefully and decide what we are asked to do exactly.

The first step is always to underline the key points in the task so you know what to do and what information to include in your essay.

In the image above I underlined and circled the most important information for you. When you look at a writing task – and I mean every kind of writing task, not only essays – you should think about two things: what you have to include in your text and who is going to read it.

While the first point seems obvious students often forget about the second one and miss out on higher marks. In our example your English teacher is going to read the essay. What does that mean for you when you write it? Think about the style and tone of the language you are going to use. Does your English teacher expect informal language like in a text message to your best friend or should it be rather formal? I think you understand what I mean.

Choosing the correct register and tone (formal English) for your essay will earn you higher marks so don’t forget about it.

The second point we need to consider is what we have to write about. In every essay task there are a situation/topic (problems with pollution and damage to the environment), a question for you to answer (Do you think these problems can be solved?) and three topic points (transport, rivers/seas, your own idea).

You must deal with all these things if you want to pass with high marks. If something is missing you will lose marks. That includes your own idea. I see it all the time that students write about the two ideas given in the task, but they ignore the fact that they have to add a third topic on their own. Don’t make the same mistake. Always write about all three topic points.

With this flood of information the next step is to think about how we can organise our essay. Luckily, there is a plan that works and I’m going to share it with you.

The 3 main parts of an essay

Looking back at our example from before we can see that there are three topic points which we need to deal with: transport, rivers and seas as well as your own idea.

I think it is not difficult to see that we can turn these three topics into three paragraphs, one for each idea. These three paragraphs are called the body of the essay. However, an essay wouldn’t be an essay without an introduction at the beginning and a conclusion at the end. All together that’s five paragraphs and we could structure it like this:

• Introduction
• Rivers and seas
• Your own idea

With an introduction, body and conclusion every essay has three main parts. You can follow this for any essay question in the FCE exam and it works every single time.

Yeah, it sounds good to me too. 🙂

But what exactly do we have to include in these different parts? Let me give you an overview so you get a better idea.

When I read the introduction to an essay I can often tell immediately if the essay is going to be great or if the student needs to work more on it. Think of the introduction as an appetizer before the meal begins. It gives you an idea of what to expect so you don’t want to disappoint the reader from the start.

Your introduction should always put the topic in the context of today’s world and paraphrase the question of the essay. It is also a good idea to include your opinion so the reader knows from the beginning what you think.

Let’s have a look at an example introduction for an essay about the above topic:

More and more countries and cities struggle with dirty air and water and while it is difficult to find a solution to these issues, I believe that there are ways to improve the situation and to protect the environment.

In this introduction all the key elements are covered. The topic is put in context (“More and more countries and cities struggle with…”), the question is paraphrased (“…while it is difficult to find a solution to these issues,…”) and the candidates opinion is clear (“I believe that…”).

All you need to do is to memorise this formula and use it in every essay you write. The examiner and you will be happy. 🙂

The body is like the meat in a hamburger. It’s the best part and you want it to be full of flavour. For your essay it means the following:

Each paragraph of the body starts with a topic sentence which introduces the main idea of the paragraph. After that, you add reasons, examples and you can even acknowledge other points of view.

A great topic paragraph in the body doesn’t just talk about advantages and disadvantages. Think about how you can support the message in your topic sentence to convince the reader.

Here is an example for you.

Firstly, congestion on roads not only in major cities, but also in smaller towns causes a lot of pollution and noise and even though this situation seems to get worse and worse many countries are trying to encourage people to use alternatives like electric cars, which is a good first step to deal with this kind of challenge.  

In this example paragraph the candidate simply followed the formula from above. The first sentences states what the problem is. After that, she acknowledges that the issue seems pretty bad, but then she explains different alternatives to cars that could improve the situation.

Also, notice the different linking expressions she uses in this paragraph (Firstly, not only…but also, and even though, which is). Examiners like a variety of linking words and phrases to connect your ideas so try to include them in your essay.

That’s really all you need to do. Repeat the same process for the other two topic points and you should be able to impress and achieve great marks.

Last but not least, a good essay is rounded off with a nice conclusion. Here, it is your job to tie everything together like a Christmas present. You don’t want the gift wrapping paper or the bow on the present to be ugly so make sure that you conclusion is on point.

In a good conclusion you should summarise the essay in one sentence and clearly state your opinion on the question one last time.

I told you above that the introduction is there to make a good first impression on the reader. The conclusion plays the role of giving a good last impression. You don’t want the examiner to be happy until the end and then read a conclusion that is only average. Make sure that every part is great.

To sum up, our environment needs our help and although the air we breathe as well as waterways in many parts of the world are heavily polluted I strongly believe that we can solve these issues if governments and the people work together.  

The first part of this conclusion summarises the problem one last time and in the second half the candidate clearly states her opinion and that’s it. Don’t make your life harder than it already is and instead focus on the criteria that really matter.

Plan before you write

Earlier we had a look at the different paragraphs in an essay and I told you that five is a good number. A lot of students take this information and jump straight into writing as soon as they see the task.

Stop right there! When you plan to improve something around your house or in your apartment, do you just run to the store and buy five buckets of paint or do you think about the size of the room and how much paint you need, what colour you want and what kind of brushes and paint rollers you will have to get?

Treat your essay like a home improvement project and make a plan before you start writing. It only takes five minutes, but, in the end, it can save you time because once you start, you don’t have to worry about ideas any more…it’s all there in your notes.

To create a plan make a list of the five paragraphs of your essay. As we said before this could be something like this:

Now, all you have to do is to add a few words to each point so you won’t forget what you want to write about. I thought of a few things for our example task:

• Introduction – problems with pollution, is there a solution?
• Transport – -: CO2 emissions, noise +: electric cars
• Rivers and seas – -: sea life and plastic +: projects to clean oceans
• Animal agriculture – -: CO2 emissions, excrement +: vegan/vegetarian lifestyles, sustainable farms
• Conclusion – summary, it’s a big problem but there is hope

It took me about three minutes to write this and if I wanted to write the full essay, I would have all the ideas I need already in front of me. The next step would be to add more information to each point and voilà, the essay is done.

How your essay is marked

Marking FCE writing tasks is like a science and for a lot of students it feels as if there is this big mystery and nobody really knows how it works. Actually, there are very clear rules that the examiners have to follow and the criteria are publicly available.

While it is possible to find all the information on your own I thought it would be a good idea to put everything together in an article for you. Check out how your writing tasks are marked by clicking here .

Practice makes perfect

I hope that my article is going to help you with your essays. As you saw you can analyse and structure every task the same way. With all your new knowledge the only thing you have to do is start practising. If you put in the time and work, essay writing will become quite easy and you can focus on other areas of your English that need more improvement.

Lots of love,

Teacher Phill 🙂

Similar Posts

Cambridge B2 First (FCE): Reading & Use of English Part 4

Reading & Use of English Part 4 The FCE exam has become very important in many countries in the world….

Cambridge B2 First (FCE): How to Write a Report

Get Your Free B2 First Writing Cheat Sheet Now! Just leave your name and email address below. Yes, I want…

Cambridge B2 First (FCE): How to Write a Review

Cambridge B2 First (FCE): Reading & Use of English

Reading & Use of English Every time I want to do exam practice in my classes I can see that…

Cambridge B2 First (FCE): Listening Distractors

In the FCE Listening paper candidates have to listen to four different parts and they have to do something different…

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.

Post Contents

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.

ESL Teacher 365 Online Courses & Memberships

Teach online in 10 days mini-course.

A step-by-step 10 lesson mini-course that will teach you how to become an online teacher so that you can life a life of freedom & flexibility - with unlimited income potential!

TEFL Teacher Roadmap Teach Course

A proven step-by-step formula that will teach you how to move abroad with confidence & clarity. A self-study online course for anyone asking "NOW WHAT?!" after completiting their TEFL certificate.

Teach Abroad Club Membership

Ready to start your teach abroad adventure? Teach Abroad Club is the ONLY monthly membership & community that supports you through the teach abroad process - every step of the way. 

Follow ESL Teacher 365

More posts from the blog.

8 Things You Should Look for in an International Teaching Contract

Jan 23, 2024

What should you look for when it comes to international teaching contracts? Find out in this guest post by Christopher Jacklin.

Effective Feedback in the ESL Classroom: Key Strategies for Success

Oct 12, 2023

Strategies for Feedback in the ESL Classroom – a guest post by RVF International.

Teach Abroad in China 2024

Oct 6, 2023

How to teach English abroad in China – a complete guide to visas, types of schools, salaries and benefits of teaching in China.

Thanks for visiting ESL Teacher 365!

Certified Teacher & Founder of ESL Teacher 365

I am passionate about helping people teach abroad & online so they can live a life of adventure !

I’ve taught in 6 different countries and love sharing my teach abroad (and online) tips and tricks.

The world is yours to teach and explore!

– Jamie

[email protected]  

Disclaimer: ESL Teacher 365 participates in Amazon Associates and other afilliate programs. This means I may earn a small commission if you use one of my links, at no extra cost to you. This helps me continue to provide helpful resources for teachers. Thank you!

• Reading Tests
• Writing Tests
• Speaking Practice

B2 First (FCE) Practice Online

How to Write a Band 5 Essay for FCE B2 First 2021

Introduction

In part 1 of the Cambridge English B2 First (FCE) Writing paper we have to write an essay, it’s compulsory. So in order to get top marks, it’s essential to be able to write a good one.

Luckily, we can do a lot to prepare and make sure we get our highest marks possible.

• Spend approximately 40 minutes on the essay ; the Writing paper is 1 hour 20 minutes in total both parts are worth the same points.
• The word limit is 140-190.
• According to Cambridge English, the essay should: “Focus on agreeing or disagreeing with a statement, giving information, giving opinion, giving reasons, comparing and contrasting ideas and opinions, drawing a conclusion.”

What do I have to do?

Let’s look at an example question:

Write 140 – 190 words in an appropriate style.

In your English class you have been talking about education. Now, your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

‘The role of schools should be to prepare students for a working career.’ Do you agree?

• learning valuable skills
• ………………………… (your own idea)

The question always starts with the phrase “ In your English class you have been talking about… ” and a topic, e.g. the education.

Then, we have a statement about the topic and question:

Often, the question is “Do you agree?” , sometimes it’s more specific. In any case, you are asked to give an opinion.

Finally, we have some notes with three prompts. The first and second are always provided and the third is always “your own idea”.

In our essay, we must answer the question and refer specifically to the 2 given prompts and our own idea.

The 5 Paragraph Formula

This is a very simple five-paragraph formula you can use to structure any B2 First (FCE) essay:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Introduce the topic in our own words. This demonstrates to the examiner that we have understood the question. Say whether we agree or not with the statement. Two sentences are sufficient.

Paragraphs 2-4: Prompts

Give each prompt its own paragraph. The first sentence should introduce the prompt. Then, we should explain why it supports our opinion and give examples why.

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

We should summarise the essay briefly in different words and repeat our opinion in a clear way.

This isn’t the only way you can structure your essay, but it’s easy to follow so I recommend it (as well as most teachers).

“ If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. ” ― Benjamin Franklin

Planning your essay before you start is important. Think about:

• if you agree or disagree with the statement (if the question asks you).
• detail and examples for prompt 1 and 2
• your own idea for prompt 3.
• high-level vocabulary related to the topic

Example Answer

Here’s an example essay for the question above:

It is widely accepted that our education system should give students the best chance for future employment. However, it is my opinion that schools should provide much more than this.

Firstly, we can not deny that examinations are unimportant. However, putting too much focus on testing can leave students feeling overstressed, and often does not provide space for them to develop their creativity. Furthermore, it makes the experience of learning boring.

Secondly, schools absolutely should teach students useful skills which they can use throughout life. But they should focus on a range of skills, not just work-related ones. For example, if students learnt about finance and health they would benefit in other areas of their lives, outside of work.

Finally, the importance of social interaction in education must not be forgotten. For many young people, schools provide an opportunity for students to form relationships which will serve them throughout their entire lives. A person with strong social skills will not only do well in their careers but will be happier too.

In conclusion, while it is important to give students good job opportunities, schools also have a responsibility to make learning enjoyable, relevant and creative. Life is not just about work, and education should reflect this.

Tone and register

Your essay should have a formal or neutral tone, never informal. Here are some ways to make your writing more formal.

Avoid contractions

❌ It’s widely believed… ✅ It is widely believed…

❌ We’ve seen… ✅ We have seen…

Avoid personal stories and information

Only refer to yourself when giving your opinion about the question. Avoid talking personally otherwise. Don’t use personal experiences as examples.

❌ Whilst I was travelling last year… ✅ It is my opinion that…

Phrasal verb alternatives

Phrasal verbs often have a more formal alternative; for example:

❌ They took part… ✅ They participated…

❌ People are finding out that… ✅ People are discovering that…

Avoid exclamation marks

❌ Furthermore, it makes the experience of learning boring! ✅ Furthermore, it makes the experience of learning boring.

Use the passive voice

If you haven’t included a passive example, think about sentences where you can:

✅ We must not forget the importance of social interaction in education. ✅ ✅ ✅ The importance of social interaction in education must not be forgotten.

How is the Essay assessed?

There are four areas that examiners focus on when assessing your essay:

• Content – focuses on how relevant your writing is to the task and if you have answered the question
• Communicative Achievement – focuses on how appropriate your writing style is
• Organisation – focuses on how well you have constructed the essay
• Language – focuses on your range of grammar and vocabulary

Each area is marked on a scale of 0 to 5.

Here are some main points to remember in order to get top marks:

Answer the question!

Often, students lose easy points because they write more than necessary about irrelevant things, or they forget to completely answer the question and prompts. It doesn’t matter if you write better than Shakespear, if you don’t answer the question correctly you can’t get full marks.

The most important things to remember are to:

• clearly give your opinion to the statement and question
• introduce each of the 3 prompts and give details and examples

Improve your conditionals

Here’a a good tip: if you find yourself writing a conditional sentence with ‘if’, see if it’s possible to change it to a second conditional. If so, do it. This is an easy way to demonstrate a higher lever.

Compare these sentences:

For example, if students learn about finance and health they will benefit in other areas of their lives, outside of work. ✅

For example, if students learnt about finance and health they would benefit in other areas of their lives, outside of work. ✅ ✅ ✅

Both sentences are correct for an essay and express the same idea. But the second sentence will get more points because it uses more complex grammar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it matter if i write more than 190 words.

Not exactly, a few words over the limit won’t make a difference, so don’t waste time counting words. It’s not a strict rule. However, if you write much less than the limit then you probably aren’t covering all the points with enough detail. If you write much more than the limit, you’re likely including irrelevant information. In both cases, you would lose points for Content.

Does my spelling have to be perfect?

One or two small errors won’t matter but if your errors make the essay hard to understand you could lose points.

Do I have to include a title?

No, but you can if you want.

Should I use British or American English?

It does not matter which you use, but you must be consistent. Don’t change between the two.

Common B2 First Essay Topics

Here are some common B2 First (FCE) essay topics; make sure you have a good range of vocabulary for each:

• Environment
• Entertainment
• Young people
• Advertising

Tools, Links and Downloads

• Write and Improve – Free tool that marks writing in seconds.
• Sample Writing Paper – Computer Based (Cambridge English)
• B2 First Teachers Handbook (Cambridge English)
• Google Docs – Excellent grammar and spelling checker.

I hope you find this guide for the B2 First (FCE) Writing essay helpful. Practice makes perfect so make sure to write as often as you can. Use the comments below to leave your answer to the sample question above.

Really clear and easy to follow easy planning – thanks

Thanks Lucy 👍

Actually very clear and useful! Thanks a lot!!!

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Overview

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

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! 🙂

Deja una respuesta Cancelar la respuesta

Tu dirección de correo electrónico no será publicada. Los campos obligatorios están marcados con *

Comentario *

Correo electrónico*

Guarda mi nombre, correo electrónico y web en este navegador para la próxima vez que comente.

• Clases privadas
• Prueba de nivel
• Condiciones
• Política de privacidad

Cambridge English

• A2 Key (KET)
• B1 Preliminary (PET)
• B2 First (FCE)
• C1 Advanced (CAE)
• C2 Proficiency (CPE)
• Linguaskill

Blog de inglés

• Gramática inglesa
• Phrasal Verbs
• Diferencias
• Enviar mensaje
• 958 964 684
• Calle Arabial 4, 18004 Granada
• Lista de espera

Comienza a escribir y presiona Intro para buscar

• Learn English
• Infographics

• English Writing

FCE Exam Writing Samples and Essay Examples

A big thank you to Cork English Teacher for his wonderful materials.

3. FCE Exam Writing Sample: My Favourite Hobby

4. FCE Exam Writing Sample: The Person I Most Admire

More for you: 19 Email Templates for Business Communication Formal and Informal Email Phrases Starting with Greetings

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Unlock Success: Learn How to Start an Essay Effectively!

FANBOYS GRAMMAR 😃🥳😜 7 Coordinating Conjunctions with Examples

Request for Quotation [Template] 📮 How to Write an Email Asking for a Quote?

Sample motivation letter for conference participation

Schedule a Meeting Email Template

What is a homophone? ›› Homophones list 📝👩‍💼›› 50 words that sound the same but spelled differently

Hello Anastasia, Are this text your own or you get from some kind “ do my essay ” services? Can I use it on my blog or theses texts copyrighted? I want to use some of your information on my blog for the next article, I won’t copy whole page and leave the link to your site (source), so my readers can visit your site for additional info. Waiting for your reply! Bests, Mark

Hi Mark! Copyrighted, but if you use it smart with the link back, feel free to do it.

MOST POPULAR

👉 A BIG List of Prefixes and Suffixes and Their Meanings

200 Phrases for saying THANK YOU in any situation!

Formal and Informal Email Phrases – from Greetings to Closing Phrases!

Linking Words: List of Sentence Connectors in English with Examples!

80 In Conclusion Examples! + Translation

90 Names of Baby Animals and Their Parents

Talk to Strangers / Free Chat Rooms

English Level Test

6 Ways to Immediately Improve Your English Communication Skills

50 Creative Ways to Say Happy Birthday: My Top Picks

What does TBH mean? (TBH full form) on Facebook, Instagram, Texting

25 Ways to Say “Keep Up The Good Work” 💪 &...

Stay connected, editor picks.

Supposition Meaning

Summary of how Components of Health are related to Wellness

Understanding the Extroverted Introvert

Popular posts, popular category.

• Q&A 2439
• English Vocabulary 624
• English Vocabulary Dictionary 363
• English Grammar 200
• Synonyms 147
• Infographics 109
• Collocations 105
• Learn English 81
• English Idioms 69
• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

I Don’t Write Like Alice Munro, but I Want to Live Like Her

By Sheila Heti

Ms. Heti is the author of the novels “Pure Colour,” “How Should a Person Be?” and, most recently, “Alphabetical Diaries.”

It is common to say “I was heartbroken to hear” that so-and-so died, but I really do feel heartbroken having learned about Alice Munro, who died on Monday.

As a writer, she modeled, in her life and art, that one must work with emotional sincerity and precision and concentration and depth — not on every kind of writing but on only one kind, the kind closest to one’s heart.

She has long been a North Star for many writers and was someone I have always felt guided by. We are very different writers, but I have kept her in mind, daily and for decades, as an example to follow (but failed to follow to the extent that she demonstrated it): that a fiction writer isn’t someone for hire.

A fiction writer isn’t someone who can write anything — movies, articles, obits! She isn’t a person in service to the magazines, to the newspapers, to the publishers or even to her audience. She doesn’t have to speak on the political issues of the day or on matters of importance to the culture right now but ought first and most to attend seriously to her task, which is her only task, writing the particular thing she was most suited to write.

Ms. Munro only ever wrote short stories — not novels, though she must have been pressured to. She died in a small town not too far from where she was born, choosing to remain close to the sort of people she grew up with, whom she remained ever curious about. Depth is wherever one stands, she showed us, convincingly.

Fiction writers are people, supposedly, who have things to say; they must, because they are so good with words. So people are always asking them: Can you say something about this or about this? But the art of hearing the voice of a fictional person or sensing a fictional world or working for years on some unfathomable creation is, in fact, the opposite of saying something with the opinionated and knowledgeable part of one’s mind. It is rather the humble craft of putting your opinions and ego aside and letting something be said through you.

Ms. Munro held to this division and never let the vanity that can come with being good with words persuade her to put her words just everywhere, in every possible way. Here was the best example in the world — in Canada, my own land — of someone who seemed to abide by classical artistic values in her choices as a person and in her choices on the page. I felt quietly reassured knowing that a hundred kilometers down the road was Alice Munro.

She was also an example of how a writer should be in public: modest, unpretentious, funny, generous and kind. I learned the lesson of generosity from her early. When I was 20 and was just starting to publish short stories, I sent her a fan letter. I don’t remember what my letter said. After a few months, I received a handwritten thank-you note from her in the mail. The fact that she replied at all and did so with such care taught me a lot about grace and consideration and has remained as a warmth within me since that day.

She will always remain for me, and for many others, a model of that grave yet joyous dedication to art — a dedication that inevitably informs the most important choices the artist makes about how to support that life. Probably Ms. Munro would laugh at this; no one knows the compromises another makes, especially when that person is as private as she was and transforms her trials into fiction. Yet whatever the truth of her daily existence, she still shines as a symbol of artistic purity and care.

I am grateful for all she gave to the world and for all the sacrifices she must have made to give it. I’m sorry to be here defying her example, but she was just too loved, and these words just came. Thank you, Alice Munro.

Sheila Heti is the author of the novels “Pure Colour,” “How Should a Person Be?” and, most recently, “Alphabetical Diaries.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .