Cambridge B2 First Essay Writing
The essay is the exercise in Part 1 of the Cambridge B2 (FCE) writing exam and we will take a look on this page at how to write an essay at this B2 level. First, let’s look at a definition of an essay.
What is an essay?
An essay is generally a short piece of writing on a particular subject. An essay is always written for the teacher. It discusses the topic and provides information, examples and offers a personal opinion. An essay should be written using the appropriate type of style and language.
How to do the B2 essay writing question
The essay is the mandatory writing exercise in Part 1 of the B2 writing exam. In the question you must include the two points listed and you need to add your own idea. Like all writing tasks in the Cambridge First Exam you need to write between 140-190 words.
Write an essay using all of the notes and give reasons for your point of view.
Some people say that technology is a good thing in our lives. Do you agree?
Notes: Write about
- Uses of technology
- Technology for different ages
- …………………… (Your own idea)
Organising Your Essay
There are two key things to note here. Firstly, you must include a third idea of your own and you must include all of those ideas in your essay writing. Here’s an image with a possible way to organise an essay.
Organising your B2 essay writing
There are two things you should always include in any essay, both of which are mentioned above.
- Introduction
- Summary/Conclusion
We use the first paragraph to introduce the topic and we often include some general opinions the topic.
The final paragraph should contain a summary of the ideas discussed as well as the overall conclusions of the essay and any personal opinions we have on the question.
Including the points from the question in the essay
The best way to write an essay is to write one paragraph for each point you want to discuss because it is generally easier to write and easier for readers to understand . While this is not a strict rule, putting information that is related into separate paragraphs is good practice. So, writing about one paragraph for each note means you will probably write 4-5 paragraphs in your essay.
Cambridge B2 Essay Writing Style
There are two ways you can write your essay.
- Discussion of one point of view
- Discussion of both positive and negative aspects of the topic
One point of view
This type of essay presents the notes as a listing. Often we use linking words like firstly, secondly & finally to organise the ideas.
Positive & negative views
This is a traditional type of essay and typically we contrast one or more points in favour with one idea against. Writing an essay this way shows the reader that the person writing it has considered both sides of the argument. Expressions like on the one hand & on the other hand are used to highlight contrasting ideas. The most logical way of writing this type of essay is by starting with a point in favour of your position.
Planning your Essay
It’s always a very good idea to write down all three ideas. Doing this means that you don’t forget to include one of them. Another reason for using a plan means there is less possibility you will write two copies of the essay. There is nothing wrong with this apart from writing double the number of words. Generally, in the B2 First writing exam you will have enough time but it’s not a very efficient way of doing it. Planning is extremely important and we have a page with more information for you on planning your writing.
For example, if you are writing a positive and negative points essay a simple grid like this can help you.
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Some final thoughts!
As the essay is a type of writing you will have to do in the exam it’s important to get it right. Be sure to practise the form and get feedback on it.
Do not forget to include all three points, including your own idea.
Use linking words, especially words for contrast, reason and addition.
Take a look at our writing paragraphs page to help improve the organisation of your essay writing. We also have a special B2 First writing tips page.
You can also watch our YouTube video of this completed example
Completed Cambridge B2 First Essay example
Introduction
Nowadays, technology is an important part of our lives. We use it at home, in our jobs and when we study. It helps us in many ways to do things better but can we say everything is good about it?
Uses of technology
Technology is important in our work life, especially the Internet. Without the Internet, companies could not advertise and customers could not buy their products. Furthermore, we can perform typical tasks like emails or calculations more easily.
Easier communication (Your own idea)
It is also true that technology makes communication easier. We can talk more easily with friends and family. With social media like Facebook we know what is happening in their lives, instantly.
Technology for different ages
However, technology is not easy for everyone. For older people it can be very difficult to use and often they may avoid it. It can also be a problem with other things like ATMs and computers, where we need to remember too many passwords.
There is no doubt that technology is a good thing and our lives would be worse without it. Nevertheless, we should also recognise that technology can sometimes make some things more difficult for some people.
Learn more about each of the Cambridge B2 writing exercises
Learn more about each of the Cambridge First writing exercises
