Speaking
How to Avoid Making Sweeping Statements
Sweeping statements are statements which cover a broad topic in a concise or even terse manner. They make it seem as if everybody does something. This is really common in…
B2 First Speaking Rubric: How To Score Well
How your B2 First speaking is scored shows you what you need to do in your test to get a good score. My students frequently ask me about this, but…
B2 First Speaking Parts 3 & 4 Sample Answers
This is a list of sample answers for B2 First Speaking Part 3 and Par 4 questions. All have transcripts of the answers. Some have video, some audio.
B2 First Speaking Parts 3 & 4
Finding practice materials for Cambridge speaking tests can be difficult, so I compiled these questions for Cambridge B2 First speaking. The B2 First speaking test from Cambridge, is in 4…
B2 First Speaking Part 4: Quantities and Types of People
In B2 First Speaking Part 4, when many questions ask about ‘people’ or ‘children’ or ‘businesses’, it is much easier to answer if you use expressions for quantities of people…
B2 First Speaking Part 4: How to Talk About Unfamiliar Topics
Taking tests such as B2 First Speaking Part 4 are extremely challenging for many reasons, with one of the main ones being that a certain amount of life experience is…
B2 First Speaking Part 4: 2 Simple Ways to Improve
One of the biggest problems I find with people’s B2 First Speaking Part 4 answers is they seem to think it is ok to give answers that a) are really…
B2 First Speaking Part 4 Quiz
How much do you know about what makes a good answer in B2 First Speaking Part 4? If you think you know everything, give this quiz a try and get…
B2 First Speaking Part 4 Information and Advice
Many students seem to miss basic facts about the B2 First Speaking Part 4, so this page is to fill in some of that missing information about Part 4. There…
B2 First Speaking Part 3: Interactive Communication
In B2 First Speaking Part 3, you and the other student need to discuss the different options of the central theme, described in the mind map or picture. You need…
Convert Cambridge Practice Scores to Test Scores
Many students are surprised when they try and give themselves a score for their practice tests. This is due to the way these practice tests are graded, and don’t seem…
Writing
5 Ways to Write a Better Article
In writing Task 2 in Cambridge B2 First or Cambridge C1 Advanced, one of the choices is writing an article. However, what are the differences between writing an article and…
B2 First Grammar: Fix It Now!
Introduction In Cambridge B2 First writing, you are marked on four criteria: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language. In this post, we’re going to talk about the last one, especially…
B2 First Review Writing Made Simple
Writing a B2 First review is one of the options in B2 First writing Part 2. They are tricky if you don’t know what is expected of you, so here…
B2 First Template Sentences for Writing Part 1
The most common complaint students have about writing is time. They don’t have enough of it. Here are some B2 First template sentences that you can alter for any Writing…
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…
B2 First Writing Part 1 Information and Advice
Many students seem to miss basic facts about B2 First Writing Part 1, so this page is to fill in some of that missing information. There are also separate pages…
B2 First Writing Part 1 Quiz
Make sure you know as much as you should for your B2 First Writing Part 1 by taking this quiz. It could make the difference between success and failure!
B2 First Writing Part 1: Sample Answers
Here are some high scoring sample answers for Cambridge B2 First Writing Task 1 essay questions. Most of them have several examples of less common vocabulary for this level. I…
B2 First Writing Part 2 Information and Advice
Many students seem to miss basic facts about B2 First Writing Part 2, so this page is to fill in some of that missing information. There are also separate pages…
B2 First Writing Part 2: Sample Answers
Here are some high scoring sample answers for Cambridge B2 First Writing Task 2 questions. Most of them have several examples of less common vocabulary for this level. I hope…
B2 First Writing Rubric for Superior Results
Cambridge B2 and C1 writing are marked in a similar way, this article deals with B2 First Writing. How your writing assignments are scored is arguably one of the most…
Cambridge B2 First Writing Questions for the Best Practice
Although most students complain that their English speaking is poor, many are terrified of writing. In both writing and speaking, practice is essential, so here are Cambridge B2 First writing…
Essay Planning for a High Score in B2 First
Essay planning starts long before you take your writing test. You should know your strengths and weaknesses as well as your preferred ways to write essays. If you have practiced…
How to Avoid Making Sweeping Statements
Sweeping statements are statements which cover a broad topic in a concise or even terse manner. They make it seem as if everybody does something. This is really common in…
How to Write a B2 First Task 1 Essay
If you use a structure and have a plan, then it is much easier to write a full Cambridge B2 First Task 1 essay in the required 45 minutes (half…
Paraphrasing B2 First Writing Part 1 Questions
Paraphrasing B2 First Writing Part 1 questions can be tricky for many students due to exam stress and limited time. If you practice and have methods you can use, it…
Tone / Formality for Better Letters and Emails – B2 First
Emails are considered to be less formal than letters, but these days letters are not used very often, so formal emails are common too. As a result, the tone /…
Topic Vocabulary for Cambridge B2 First Essays
Here ais some topic vocabulary, especially collocations, suitable for using in Cambridge B2 First Writing part 1 essays divided into commonly used categories. Please try and choose the vocabulary you…
Writing a B2 First Report
Writing a B2 First report is one of the options in the second part of the B2 First Writing exam. You must always write an essay in the first section;…
Convert Cambridge Practice Scores to Test Scores
Many students are surprised when they try and give themselves a score for their practice tests. This is due to the way these practice tests are graded, and don’t seem…
Speaking and Writing for English Exams
Stay Informed If you would like to keep up to date with the latest questions, articles, videos and products, please leave your email address below and click submit. Frequently Asked…
Noun Phrases: Improving Your Writing
Noun Phrases Noun phrases are common in English and are especially good to use in essays such as IELTS Writing Task 2 or Cambridge B2 First Task 1 and C1…
Formal Essay Writing Dos and Don’ts for More Confidence!
Many exam essay writers need to write formal or academic essays. Some fundamental rules for these essays exist which many students don’t seem to be able to understand clearly. There…
Common Errors – Subject-Verb Agreement
In my professional life as a teacher, I mark many many essays each year. There are certain common errors that appear regularly, such as errors with articles. Subject verb-agreement is…
B2 First Writing Part 2: Article
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 2 article question below where there is also a list of less common vocabulary with definitions….
B2 First Writing Part 2: Letter of Application
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 2 review question below where there is also a list of less common vocabulary with definitions….
B2 First Writing Part 2: Report
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 2 review question below where there is also a list of less common vocabulary with definitions….
B2 First Writing Part 2: Review
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 2 review question below where there is also a list of less common vocabulary with definitions….
B2 First Writing Task 1: Internet
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 1 essay question: Some people say you can learn almost everything from the internet nowadays. What…
B2 First Writing Task 1: Entertainment
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 1 essay question: Some people say that young people can only entertain themselves in front of…
B2 First Writing Task 1: Social Media
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 1 essay question: Do we share too much personal information on social media websites? Collocations about…
B2 First Writing Task 1: Friends
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 1 essay question: What are the most important things we need to do to make and…
B2 First Writing Task 1: Money
This is a high-scoring sample answer for the following Cambridge B2 First writing Part 1 essay question: Some people say you don’t need much money to be happy. What do…