B2 First Writing Information and Advice

Many students seem to miss basic facts about the B2 First Writing test, so this page is to fill in some of that missing information. There are also separate pages for more detailed information and advice for each part.

Part 1

Part 2

Format	The Writing test contains two parts
Timing	1 hour and 20 minutes in total
Number of Parts	2
Task Types	Part 1 is writing an essay (one compulsory task) 140 – 190 words. Part 2 is writing (choose on task from a choice of three) No more than 70 words. The three available tasks in Part 2 are chosen from: an article an email a letter a review a report
Marks	There are 20 marks for each part, meaning a total of 40 for the whole writing test.

It is important to become familiar with the type of tasks in each part and the time it takes to write them, so you can quickly identify which task you are most suited to.

You have 1 hour and 20 minutes for the whole writing task, which is enough time to make a brief plan and write the required number of words.

Practice writing the different types of tasks, especially for Part 2, so you can use the correct register and tone for the different kinds of people who will read your answer.

Use the official Cambridge B2 First Exam books for official writing questions and sample answers. These can also be found here and here.

a) Read the questions carefully, highlighting or underlining the most important parts. Then need to make a plan, referring closely to the question and looking for opportunities to develop (expand) your ideas and show your range of language.

b) Think carefully about who the target reader is for each task and try to write in an appropriate style and tone.

c) Using a variety of linking words is important, as is ensuring that the flow of ideas in the writing is logical and easy for the reader to follow.

d) You should use a range of complex language. If, in doing so, you make mistakes, candidates will always be given credit for the complex language attempted, as long as the mistakes do not impede communication.

e) Be aware of the importance of spelling and punctuation. Although spelling errors and faulty punctuation are not specifically penalised, they can sometimes impede communication. (N.B. American usage and spelling are acceptable.)

f) Always plan so you can check your work.

g) Each question in the Writing test carries equal marks, so you should practise planning the time you spend on each question carefully.

h) Practice typing and editing your answers, so you can complete both tasks within the required time.

i) The questions are in a booklet. The answers are written in a separate booklet with lined pages.

j) Any corrections candidates make should be clear, so that they can be easily followed.

k) Counting words wastes time in an examination and leads to clumsy alterations to what a candidate has already written. Practice writing tasks within the word limit so that you can estimate when you have written enough.

l) It is important to write clearly so that the answers are easy to read.

m) It is not important whether you write in upper or lower case, or whether their writing is joined up or not.

I hope that has helped to give you a better understanding of what is required for the B2 First Writing test, and that you will look into each part in more detail. There is a full list of pages on the B2 First Writing test here. Good luck with your test!

information on this page is adapted from The Cambridge B2 First Handbook for Teachers for Exams