B2 Writing Article Part 2: Official Candidate Instructions 📝
Before we dive in, let's look at the "rules of the game". Knowing how to handle the paper is your first step toward success!
⏱️ Time: 1 hour 20 minutes for the whole paper.
🖊️ Tools: Write clearly in pen, not pencil.
📊 Questions: Answer Part 1 (Mandatory) and ONE from Part 2.
🧼 Alterations: You can make changes, but ensure it is easy to read.
Note: The test is available as Paper-based and Digital-based. You must complete the answer sheet within the time limit.
Welcome to your Writing Masterclass! 👋✨
Hello, my dear student! I'm so happy to have you here. I know exams can feel scary, but trust me: with the right training, you have absolutely nothing to worry about! 🤗
The B2 First Writing Roadmap 🗺️
The Writing paper has two parts:
- Part 1: Mandatory Essay. Everyone must answer this about the environment[cite: 20, 23].
- Part 2: Choice! You get 3 options from: Email, Article, Review, Story, or Report[cite: 35, 36].
We will always pick the one that fits us best. Today, we are mastering the ARTICLE! 🚀
Part 2: What are your options? 🤔
In Part 2, you have the power to choose! You will see three different tasks, and you must pick ONE to write about (140-190 words). Here are the full prompts from the 2022 exam:
Option 1: Book Review 📚
You see this announcement in your college English-language magazine:
Book reviews wanted
"Have you read a book in which the main character behaved in a surprising way? Write us a review of the book, explaining what the main character did and why it was surprising. Tell us whether or not you would recommend this book to other people."
The best reviews will be published in the magazine.
Option 2: Article 📰
You see this announcement on an English-language website:
Articles wanted
The most useful thing I have ever learned.
"What is the most useful thing you have learned? Who did you learn it from? Why is it useful? Write us an article answering these questions. We will publish the best articles on our website."
Option 3: Email 📧
You have received this email from your English-speaking friend David:
Subject: touring holiday
"Some college friends of mine are visiting your area soon for a week’s touring holiday. They would like to travel around and learn about your local area and its history. Can you tell me about some of the places they could visit? What’s the best way to travel around – car, bike or coach?"
Assessment Criteria (What the examiners want) 📊
• Content: Did you answer all the specific questions in the prompt? (Don't leave anything out!)
• Communicative Achievement: Is the tone right? Articles should be lively and personal, not boring!
• Organisation: Are your ideas grouped into clear paragraphs with good "linking words"?
• Language: Are you using "B2 level" words and varied grammar (like conditionals or passives)?
Which one looks more fun? Today, we go for the Article! 📝✨
Examiner Secrets: Don't do this! 🚩
Time management is key. Don't rush! Here is what lowers your grade:
📉 Memorised phrases: They sound robotic and don't fit your specific topic.
📉 Repetition: Using the same word shows a lack of vocabulary range.
📉 Wrong style: Using formal essay language in an informal article. Be engaging!
📉 Bad organisation: No paragraphs means the examiner gets lost.
Common Spanish Speaker Mistakes:
Strategies for Success & The Blitz Plan 🚀
Writing an article is like telling a story to a friend. You need to be **interesting, organized, and clear**. Here is how to nail it!
✨ What boosts your grade:
- 📦 Good paragraphing: One main idea per block. If you mix the "who" with the "why", the examiner gets confused. Clear paragraphs = 5/5 in Organisation!
- 🎓 Variety of grammar: Don't just use simple sentences. Try using a Conditional ("If I hadn't learned to cook, I'd...") or the Passive Voice. This shows you have a B2 level!
- 🎯 Topic relevance: The prompt asked: What? Who? Why? If you miss one, your Content score drops. Use your plan to check them off!
- 🔗 Cohesion: Use linkers to guide your reader. "Actually," "In addition," and "All in all" are like road signs for your text.
- 👔 Engaging Style: Articles are for magazines. Use "you" and "we" to talk directly to your readers. Make them feel part of your story!
⚡ The 5-Minute Blitz Plan
(Your secret weapon)
"Don't write sentences yet! Just keywords to guide your brain."
Title: Something catchy! (e.g., The Gift of Cooking).
Intro: Question to reader + Personal hook.
P1 (The Who): Grandmother + Childhood memories.
P2 (The Why): Health, saving money, creativity.
Conclusion: Summary + Recommendation for the reader.
Pro-Tip: Check your word count (140-190) at the end! ⏳
Remember: A planned article flows better and keeps your stress levels low. You've got this! 😊
Solving Step by Step – MODEL ANSWER 🏆
Cooking: A Life-Changing Skill
Have you ever wondered what the most important skill in life is? For me, it is definitely cooking. It is not just about food; it is about independence and health.
I learned this valuable skill from my grandmother when I was just ten years old. Every Sunday, we would spend hours in the kitchen together. She taught me that ingredients are like magic when you know how to combine them.
Why is it so useful? Firstly, it allows you to control what you eat, which is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, it is a fantastic way to save money instead of ordering expensive takeaways every night.
In conclusion, learning to cook has been a remarkable journey for me. If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend you start today!
The Ultimate B2 Writing Toolkit 📚✨
This is your "cheat sheet" to impress the examiners. Use these to move from a basic level to a professional one!
1. Specialized Article Formula 📰
| Feature | Description | Example / Trick |
|---|---|---|
| Catchy Title | Must grab attention and summarize the topic. | "Cooking: The Secret to a Happy Life" |
| Direct Address | Talk to the reader using "you" and "we". | "Have you ever felt like you have no time?" |
| Personal Tone | Share your own experience to be relatable. | "In my experience, learning to cook changed..." |
| Rhetorical Questions | Ask questions that don't need an answer. | "Is there anything better than home-made food?" |
| Descriptive Language | Use "colorful" adjectives to paint a picture. | "The breathtaking aroma of fresh bread..." |
| Engagement | Keep the reader interested with "Imagine this..." | "Imagine walking into a kitchen where..." |
| Call to Action | End by giving advice or a recommendation. | "Why don't you try a new recipe tonight?" |
2. High-Level B2 Adjectives (20 Power Words) 🌟
| Adjective | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Remarkable | Extraordinary / Very special. | "A truly remarkable discovery." |
| Essential | Absolutely necessary. | "Practice is essential for success." |
| Breathtaking | Beautiful / Amazing. | "The view from the top was breathtaking." |
| Strenuous | Needing much effort. | "A strenuous workout session." |
| Tedious | Boring and long. | "A tedious four-hour meeting." |
| Vivid | Clear / Bright (memories). | "I have a vivid memory of that day." |
| Controversial | Causes disagreement. | "A highly controversial decision." |
| Feasible | Possible to do. | "Is this plan financially feasible?" |
| Reliable | Can be trusted. | "A reliable source of information." |
| Efficient | Works without wasting time. | "A very efficient transport system." |
| Substantial | Large / Significant. | "A substantial increase in prices." |
| Vast | Extremely large. | "The vast majority of students agree." |
| Overwhelming | Very intense / Strong. | "An overwhelming sense of joy." |
| Innovative | Using new ideas. | "An innovative approach to learning." |
| Consistent | Always the same level. | "Your work has been very consistent." |
| Profound | Deep and meaningful. | "A profound influence on my life." |
| Accessible | Easy to reach or understand. | "The museum is accessible to all." |
| Detrimental | Harmful. | "Pollution is detrimental to health." |
| Adequate | Good enough. | "The service was adequate but not great." |
| Widespread | Common in many places. | "Widespread concern about the climate." |
3. Essential Phrasal Verbs 🔄
- Look forward to: Excited about. (I look forward to hearing...)
- Get back to: Reply later. (I'll get back to you soon.)
- Carry out: Perform a task. (Carry out a survey.)
- End up: Reach a final state. (We ended up getting lost.)
- Put up with: Tolerate. (I can't put up with noise.)
- Look into: Investigate. (The council is looking into it.)
- Call off: Cancel. (The meeting was called off.)
- Carry on: Continue. (Please, carry on working.)
- Come up with: Think of an idea. (Come up with a plan.)
- Find out: Discover info. (Did you find out the time?)
- Give up: Stop a habit. (I gave up sugar recently.)
- Go over: Check / Review. (Let's go over the notes.)
- Hold on: Wait. (Please hold on for a moment.)
- Look after: Take care of. (Look after the environment.)
- Make up: Invent. (He made up a crazy story.)
- Pick up: Collect. (I'll pick you up at the station.)
- Point out: Identify / Say. (He pointed out the mistake.)
- Put off: Postpone. (Don't put off your studies.)
- Set up: Start a business. (They set up a new club.)
- Take up: Start a hobby. (I've taken up painting.)
4. B2 Collocations 🔗
- Make an effort: Try hard. (Make an effort to study.)
- Gain experience: Get knowledge. (Gain work experience.)
- Take into account: Consider. (Take the price into account.)
- Broaden horizons: Learn more. (Broaden your horizons.)
- Widely accepted: Common belief. (It's a widely accepted fact.)
- Deeply concerned: Very worried. (Deeply concerned about bees.)
- Set a goal: Aim for something. (Set a goal for this year.)
- Meet a deadline: Finish in time. (I must meet the deadline.)
- Highly likely: Very probable. (It is highly likely to rain.)
- Pay attention: Listen carefully. (Pay attention to details.)
- Reach a compromise: Agree. (We reached a compromise.)
- Strictly forbidden: Not allowed. (Smoking is forbidden.)
- Fast asleep: Sleeping deeply. (The baby is fast asleep.)
- Heavy traffic: Many cars. (Avoid the heavy traffic.)
- Make a decision: Choose. (You must make a decision.)
- Keep in mind: Remember. (Keep in mind it's cold.)
- Give a hand: Help someone. (Can you give me a hand?)
- Do research: Study a topic. (Do research on history.)
- Break a habit: Stop a routine. (It's hard to break habits.)
- Catch a glimpse: See briefly. (Catch a glimpse of the sea.)
5. B2 Linking Words (Connect your ideas) 🧲
| Connector | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Moreover / Furthermore | Add more info. | "It's fast. Moreover, it's cheap." |
| Nevertheless / However | Show contrast. | "It was cold. Nevertheless, we swam." |
| Consequently | Show result. | "I was late; consequently, I missed it." |
| In conclusion / To sum up | End text. | "To sum up, it was a great day." |
| Specifically | Give detail. | "I like art, specifically painting." |
| On the contrary | Opposite idea. | "It's not hard; on the contrary, it's easy." |
| In addition | Extra fact. | "In addition, we need water." |
| Despite / In spite of | Contrast (Noun). | "Despite the rain, we went out." |
| Whereas | Comparison. | "I like tea, whereas she likes coffee." |
| Alternatively | Another choice. | "We could walk. Alternatively, take a bus." |
| Similarly | Similarity. | "Similarly, my sister is a doctor." |
| Otherwise | Consequence if not. | "Hurry up; otherwise, we'll be late." |
| Therefore | Result/Conclusion. | "He's sick; therefore, he's home." |
| Regarding / As for | Introduce topic. | "Regarding the price, it's fair." |
| Unless | Except if. | "We'll go unless it rains." |
| Provided that | Only if. | "You can go provided that you study." |
| Owing to | Because of (Formal). | "Closed owing to the holidays." |
| In short | Brief summary. | "In short, we need to change." |
| For instance | For example. | "I like fruit, for instance, apples." |
| Mainly / Chiefly | Mostly. | "I'm mainly interested in history." |
💡 Pro-Tip: Don't use them all at once! Choose 3-4 from each group to master for your exam day.
You've got this! 💪❤️
Remember: Never leave a question blank. Cambridge doesn't subtract points for mistakes, so every word is a chance to score!
Score Information 📊
Writing Part 2 is worth 50% of your Writing score (20 points total). The Writing section is 20% of your overall B2 grade.
“This activity is based on the official Cambridge B2 Advanced Sample Paper 1 (2022) – Writing: Part 2.” [cite: 18]
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Article Writing: Style and Engagement
Catchy Titles
Choose the best option:
Engaging the Reader
Which opening phrase is best to connect with the reader in an article?
Direct Address
Choose the best word to complete this rhetorical question.
Adding Emphasis
Choose the most suitable adverb for a personal article.
Call to Action
Complete the final recommendation.
Article Writing: Descriptive Vocabulary
Vocabulary Expansion
Impactful Adjectives
Descriptive Style
Reader Interest
Positive Outcomes
B2 Article Writing Skills - Multiple Choice
Best Title
Choose the best title.
Best Opening
Which option is best?
Reader Engagement
Which option is best?
Informal but Correct Tone
Which option is best?
Best Ending
Which option is best?
B2 Article Writing Practice - Open Cloze
Complete the Article
Write the missing word for gap 1.