How to Write for B2 First (FCE) Writing: Compulsory Essay, Requirements for the Five Text Types, and Four Assessment Criteria

The Writing paper of B2 First is a standalone test: 1 hour 20 minutes, 2 parts, 140–190 words per part, 20 marks per part, 40 marks in total. It is graded as a separate component, accounting for 20% of the total score. Compared to the two texts of about 100 words each in PET, the first part of B2 First must be an essay, while the second part requires choosing one of several text types, using the appropriate style and tone. We covered the entire exam in How to Take the B2 First, and there is also a dedicated article on Reading and Use of English. This article focuses specifically on Writing: what each part tests, how to write different text types, and the grading criteria. The information is based on the exam format page on the Cambridge English website, the B2 First Handbook for Teachers and the B2 First for Schools Handbook for Teachers (both 2025 editions), as well as the official Cambridge practice test score conversion guide.

1. Structure of the Writing Paper

• Time: The handbook states that 1 hour 20 minutes is enough for candidates to briefly outline and then complete both texts; since both parts carry the same marks, candidates need to manage their time for each;
• No dictionaries allowed;
• Computer-based test: There is a countdown timer on the screen. The handbook recommends practicing typing and editing on a computer beforehand;
• Paper-based test: The questions are in a question booklet, and answers are written in a separate lined answer booklet; handwriting just needs to be legible—capitalization and cursive writing do not matter, but corrections must be clear. The handbook reminds candidates that counting words during the exam wastes time and can mess up the written content, so they should practice in advance to get a feel for how many lines equal the required word count.

2. Part 1: Essay (Compulsory)

What the question looks like: The question (including instructions) is up to 120 words: it first sets the scene and topic (e.g., "In your English class, you have been discussing... Your teacher has asked you to write an essay"), then presents a direct question or statement, followed by two given input points, and finally requires the candidate to add one of their own ideas. The sample question in the handbook is: "Some people say that the fashion industry has a negative impact on people's lives. Do you agree?"

Strict requirements (as stated in the handbook):

• Both input points must be covered, and a third, distinct idea of your own must be added; this idea is in addition to the conclusion;
• If any of the three points is missing, the reader will not receive all the necessary information, and marks will be deducted;
• Essays are always written for a teacher, so a neutral or formal style should be used, with an introduction and an appropriate conclusion;
• All ideas must be relevant to the question and closely related to the topic.

How to write it (handbook recommendations):

• Read the instructions, the question, and the input points carefully to understand what is required;
• Practice discussing the advantages and disadvantages of various topics, and support your ideas with reasons and examples; do more brainstorming to practice coming up with a "third idea";
• Make an outline first; use linking words (but, so, however, on the other hand, etc.) and pronoun references for cohesion, and use paragraphs to guide the reader;
• Vary sentence length, use direct or indirect questions where appropriate, and use a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary.

Sample outline (created by us, not an actual exam question): The question is "Should students exercise every day?", with input points ① health and ② time; the third idea is added by the candidate.

1. Introduction: Introduce the issue and state your position (generally agree, but with flexible arrangements);
2. Input point ① Health: The physical and emotional benefits of exercise, with one example;
3. Input point ② Time: Acknowledge the heavy homework load and tight schedule, use "On the other hand" to introduce the opposing view, and then explain that short exercise sessions are also effective;
4. Your own idea: Exercising with friends can foster teamwork;
5. Conclusion: Summarize your position without introducing new ideas.

Five paragraphs, two or three sentences each, about 170 words in total. Each of the three ideas gets its own paragraph, so the reader can see at a glance that every input point has been addressed.

3. Part 2: Choose One of Several Text Types

What the question looks like: There are three questions. Each question uses no more than 70 words to set the scene, purpose, and audience. The topics are relatively general, such as health and fitness, sports, or music. You need to demonstrate one or more of the following functions: describing, explaining, reporting, providing information, suggesting, recommending, or persuading.

The handbook's description of each text type (summarized):

How to choose and write (handbook recommendations):

• Every word in the prompt matters: cover every part required by the prompt, and do not leave out any content that needs to be developed;
• Think clearly about who the audience is and how formal the style should be;
• Choose a topic and text type you are interested in and have experience with; if you are unsure what the prompt is asking for, do not choose that question, otherwise your content may not be fully on topic;
• Part 2 is an opportunity to show your range of language, so use a variety of sentence structures and newly learned expressions.

4. How Examiners Grade

Both parts use the same grading criteria. Content, Communicative Achievement, Organization, and Language are each scored from 0 to 5, with a maximum of 20 marks per text. Only whole numbers are awarded:

• Content: How well the task is fulfilled and whether all requirements of the prompt are met;
• Communicative Achievement: Whether the writing fulfills the task requirements and whether the style is appropriate;
• Organization: Whether the text is logical and well-organized;
• Language: Vocabulary and grammar, looking at both range and accuracy.

The handbook's descriptions for the 5-mark and 3-mark bands are roughly as follows (the 4-mark band falls between the two):

As can be seen from the table, the 5-mark descriptions for Communicative Achievement, Organization, and Language correspond to the C1 level, while the 3-mark descriptions correspond to the B2 level. In other words, writing at a B2 level will get you about 3 marks per criterion; to get higher scores, your language and organization need to approach the C1 level.

Handbook Notes on Word Count, Errors, and Language

• Word count: Writing approximately the required number of words is part of fulfilling the task itself. Writing significantly less likely means the task is not fulfilled; writing too much may lead to irrelevant content, repetition of ideas, and poor organization, which can negatively affect the reader;
• Spelling and punctuation: These are not penalized separately, but they can sometimes affect comprehension; American usage and spelling are acceptable, but they must be consistent—do not mix British and American spelling for the same word;
• Complex language is encouraged: Attempting complex language is rewarded, even if there are mistakes, as long as they do not impede communication—the attempt itself is recognized;
• Errors that do not impede communication are not necessarily penalized; errors that affect comprehension or cause communication breakdown are treated more strictly.

What Level Do Practice Test Scores Roughly Correspond To?

According to official guidelines, this table applies only to official practice tests and is for reference only; it cannot accurately predict actual exam scores. Simply put: a combined score of 24 for both essays (averaging 12 per essay, or about 3 per criterion) roughly corresponds to the B2 threshold of 160.

V. Common Reasons for Losing Marks

Here is a summary based on our experience:

• Missing "your own opinion" in the essay: Only addressing the two prompts, or treating the conclusion as the third opinion.
• The third opinion repeats the prompts: Rephrased, but still conveying the same meaning as the prompts.
• Inappropriate tone: Using overly colloquial language in an essay for a teacher, or being too stiff in an email to a friend.
• Report lacks subheadings and recommendations: Written as a standard essay instead.
• Review only describes without evaluating: Fails to provide a recommendation to the reader.
• Missing a required part of the Part 2 prompt: For example, if the prompt asks to "describe and recommend," only writing the description.
• Poor time management: Spending too much time on the first essay and rushing the second one.

VI. How to Practice

The first six tips below are from the official handbook, while the last two are based on our experience:

1. Familiarize yourself with all question types and topics: Identify the text types you are best at.
2. Read the prompt, highlight key points, and outline: Ensure your outline closely follows the prompt, looking for opportunities to develop ideas and showcase your language range.
3. Clarify your audience: Choose the style and tone for each piece based on the target reader.
4. Practice linking: Use a variety of linking words to make your ideas logical and easy to follow.
5. Practice writing without a dictionary, and check spelling and punctuation.
6. Practice writing to the required word count under timed conditions: Develop a sense of length so you don't have to count words during the exam.
7. Build a repertoire of "framework sentences" for each text type: Opening and closing sentences for essays, subheadings and recommendation sentences for reports, and recommendation sentences for reviews, which you can directly use when writing (experience-based tip).
8. Plan for about 40 minutes per question: Spend a few minutes outlining at the beginning and leave a few minutes to check at the end; practice at this pace regularly (experience-based tip).

Final Thoughts

The B2 First Writing test is 80 minutes long, with two essays of 140–190 words each: Part 1 is a mandatory essay requiring you to address two prompts and include your own opinion—do not miss any of them; for Part 2, choose one from an article, email/letter, review, report (for the adult version), or story (for the Schools version), keeping in mind who your audience is and how formal the tone should be. Examiners grade based on four criteria: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organization, and Language. By covering all key points, using effective linking, and confidently using complex language, you can consistently score well. If you'd like to understand your child's current writing level, you can book a free assessment with us, or check out our PET training.

Verification note: This article was verified in September 2026. The writing duration, tasks for both parts, word counts, and scoring are from the B2 First exam format page on the Cambridge English website; the Part 1 question format (up to 120 words, two prompts plus your own opinion, point deduction for missing parts, neutral or formal tone), Part 2 three-option format and question format (no more than 70 words), text types and descriptions for each version, answering tips, computer and paper-based exam rules, timing instructions, meanings and band descriptors for the four scoring criteria, word count and error guidelines, encouragement to use complex language, and preparation advice are from the Cambridge B2 First Handbook for teachers and B2 First for Schools Handbook for teachers (both 2025 editions); the use of whole scores only, the maximum writing score of 40, and the conversion table and instructions for practice test scores to scale scores are from the Cambridge The Cambridge English Scale explained: A guide to converting practice test scores (2023 edition). The sample essay outline is created by us and is not an actual exam question; the common reasons for losing points and the last two practice tips are based on our experience.

References:

• Cambridge English：B2 First exam format
• Cambridge English：B2 First Handbook for teachers（PDF）
• Cambridge English：B2 First for Schools Handbook for teachers（PDF）
• Cambridge English：Converting practice test scores to Cambridge English Scale scores（PDF）