Top mistakes that people make in the B2 essay
Here we’ll take a look at some of the top mistakes that people can make in B2 essays. You will also learn how to fix these mistakes.
Not answering the question
When it comes to essay writing this is the most important thing you need to do. You have to answer the question they give you. You need to include the two ideas in the question and one idea of your own. Here is an example of an essay question.
For this question you need to include this information and we have suggested a third option to add to your essay.
- working hours
- contact with other workers
- Is it a suitable environment?
Discuss all three pieces of information and you have a better chance of getting a good score!
Not writing enough words
The B2 writing exam asks you to write a minimum of 140 words. You will need to follow this instruction. If you write 140 words or less you will not be able to give a good answer to any of the questions. For example here are the introduction and conclusion of the B2 essay above.
The idea of working from home became very important during the pandemic but is it really better than working in an office? While working from home is flexible and convenient, it also has its disadvantages.
In conclusion, working from home has its advantages, such as flexibility and comfort, but there are challenges, particularly in work hours and maintaining communication. A model, combining both home and office work, might be the best option, with the benefits of both environments.
The introduction is 36 words and the conclusion is 43 words and both are good examples. However, if your target is to write 140 words you now have just over 60 words which is not enough to discuss three points. So, we would suggest that you try to write 180-190 words in order to develop a good answer
Writing too many words
The maximum number of words in the B2 exam is 190 words. If you write five to ten words over this total you should not find any problem with your score. However, if you write 40-50 words above the total the examiner may not evaluate all that you have written as a good answer. So stick to the limit, but you can go over a little bit.
TIP: To count your words in the paper based exam, count the number of words in the first 5-6 lines. As most people write 8-12 words per line, this should be about 50-70 words. Then calculate the average number of words in each line and count the number of lines. 200 words should be approximately 20 lines.
Not using the right style
An essay is a type of formal writing. In this type of writing we do not use contractions or other more informal ways of explaining ideas.
It’s quite common to find a lot more examples of this type of language in an essay. Sentences in formal writing are also usually longer. Our first example is informal, with contractions and a friendly style.
In work people can often have quick chats, which you can’t do at home.
The second example has longer sentences and is more appropriate for an essay answer, especially with its more formal style.
In work people can often have quick discussions and the atmosphere can be more creative. This helps with team relationships, which is more difficult from home.
Not using paragraphs to organise the essay
Part of the examiner score includes how you’ve organised your writing. Here is what Cambridge English say about a Band 3 score at B2, which is a pass.
Text is generally well organised and coherent, using a variety of linking words and cohesive
devices.
To organise your writing you need to use paragraphs as it makes it much easier for the person reading it to try to understand what you’re talking about.
Not supporting your opinions
When you give an opinion in an essay or any other type of writing you need to justify or support this opinion. Look at these two versions of the same piece of information.
Firstly, working hours can be more flexible at home. However, this flexibility is not always good as people can sometimes forget they are at home.
The information here is very limited and it does not provide any explanation for the writer’s opinion. In contrast, this example is more detailed and the writer has developed the ideas more.
Firstly, working hours can be more flexible at home. An employee can organise their day to fit personal needs, to improve their work-life balance. However, this flexibility is not always good as people can sometimes forget they are at home resulting in them working longer working hours.
We also have a post on organising paragraphs which explains this idea of supporting your opinions, in more detail.
Making spelling, grammar and vocabulary errors
While this is not usually a big problem at B2 it can affect the scores if you have two many errors or mistakes. So, it is important to give yourself a little time to review spellings and any grammar and vocabulary errors that you can find.
Here are a few suggestions to look out for.
Spelling
- Spelling of plurals?
- Obvious spelling mistakes?
Grammar
- Third person problems with grammar?
- Correct tenses?
- Correct grammar forms of verbs?
Vocabulary
- Is it the right word?
- Is there a better word?
Not creating a plan
Our final tip is about planning. While you don’t have to create a plan it does help you organize your thoughts. It also gives you a few minutes just to think about the exam and in some cases to try to feel a little bit more calm.
A plan does not need to be very complicated but it is still a good thing to do. You can look at our post on making writing plans for some more ideas on this.