Writing - B2 Essay
Essential strategies and common pitfalls to help you ace the Essay for Cambridge B2 Writing exam.
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How to write a B2 Essay
The essay is a mandatory task in Part 1 of the writing section of the Cambridge B2 First Certificate (FCE) exam. It is written to inform or persuade the reader about a specific topic.
There’s no single formula for writing a great essay. However, this guide will show you how to write an excellent B2 First essay, using simple but powerful techniques.
You'll discover how to structure your essay, get practical guidance, explore example topics and model answers, and learn useful tips and phrases to help you succeed.
B2 First Certificate (FCE) Essay: Structure
An essay can be structured in different ways, but a good approach is to focus on one idea per paragraph and include a clear introduction and conclusion.
| Introduction | Present the essay topic in your own words. |
| 1st body paragraph | Comment on the first point. |
| 2nd body paragraph | Comment on the second point. |
| 3rd body paragraph | Comment on the third point (your own idea). |
| Conclusion | Give your final opinion. |
B2 First Certificate (FCE) Essay: Instructions & Example Question
Essays are always written for your teacher, and the instructions typically begin in the same way:
You'll usually be given two points to include in your response. You'll also need to add a third point of your own, based on your personal ideas or experience.
We'll use the example question below in the rest of our writing essay guidance:
University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree?
Write about:
1. Taxes
2. Opportunity
3. (your own idea...)
Step 1: Step 1: Briefly Analyse Your Task
It might seem boring, but taking a moment to analyse the task will help you write a better essay and feel more confident during the exam. If you understand the task clearly, you’ll know exactly what to do.
Before you start your essay in the B2 First exam, ask yourself these three questions:
1. What is the topic of the essay?
In our example, the topic is society. That’s what you’ll be writing about.
Once you know the topic, start thinking of useful words and phrases related to it. You can even jot them down to help you plan your essay.
2. What do I need to include in my essay?
Each task includes three points. Two are given in the exam, and you must add one of your own.
1. Taxes
2. Opportunity
3. (your own idea...) ← you must come up with this one yourself
In this case, the first point is taxes, the second is opportunity, and the third could be something like economics — that's what we’ve chosen for our example.
3. Who is going to read my essay?
In the B2 First Certificate (FCE) exam, your essay is always written for your English teacher. That means your tone should be respectful and the language should be formal.
What is 'Formal Style'?
Formal language is professional and serious rather than relaxed and friendly and is used especially in official situations. It is usually reserved for essays and academic settings, while informal writing is used for more casual settings, like friendly text messages and creative writing.
Below are listed the biggest differences between formal and informal writing styles:
- Contractions
In formal writing, contractions (shortened words like can’t or won’t) should be avoided. They are more appropriate in informal writing.
Example:
Example:
- Colloquial Phrases / Slang
Formal writing avoids the use of colloquial language and slang—words or phrases that are common in everyday speech. These should be replaced with more neutral or academic language in essays.
Example:
Example:
- First-Person Pronouns
In formal writing, it is best to avoid using first-person pronouns like I and we. However, in informal writing, they are commonly used and even expected.
Example:
Example:
- Phrasal Verbs
In formal writing, it's a good idea to replace phrasal verbs (verbs like pick up) with more formal alternatives (such as collect).
Example:
Example:
- Vocabulary Choice
Formal language tends to use longer, more complex vocabulary. While this is suitable for formal writing, using it in informal contexts might confuse or distract your audience—so it’s best to match your vocabulary to your tone.
Example:
Example:
B2 First Certificate (FCE) Essay: Write an introduction
The purpose of the introduction is simply to tell the reader what the essay is about.
You can begin your essay by rephrasing the question — for example, “University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree?” — using your own words. You should also briefly mention the three points you will discuss.
Example:
You can use phrases such as:
- This essay will discuss...
- This essay will focus on...
- In order to discuss...
B2 First Certificate (FCE) Essay: Main body paragraphs
Main body paragraphs are the most important part of your essay. They should be the longest sections, and each paragraph should focus on one main point.
Example:
Write about:
- Taxes – the first paragraph should discuss “taxes”
- Opportunity – the second paragraph should focus on “opportunity”
- Your own idea – the third paragraph should cover “economy”
Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence, which introduces the paragraph and helps the reader understand what it will be about.
It is also useful to include linking words and expressions to ensure your ideas are well connected and flow logically from one to another.
What's a Topic Sentence
A topic sentence is the first sentence of a paragraph, and it's usually the most important.
It tells the reader what the rest of the paragraph will be about. For example, if the topic sentence says “Cats are very good pets for several reasons”, then the rest of the paragraph should support that idea.
Example:
Cats are very good pets for several reasons. (topic sentence / every sentence after it describes that subject) They are naturally good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.
What are linking words and expressions?
These are words and expressions that help the text flow logically. They act as signposts, guiding the reader to move from one idea to the next and see connections between sentences or paragraphs.
Linking words are especially helpful when you want to explain something, give examples, describe a sequence, or present a contrasting opinion.
To improve coherence, you can use linking words in two ways:
Between paragraphs:
- To begin with, I would like to put forward [...]
- The first possible action is, to improve physical education [...]
- A second option would be... competitive attitudes that [...]
Within a paragraph:
- [...] which activity is better than the others. Another reason for not financing sports [...]
First paragraph comment on Taxes
Paragraph 1: Firstly, a majority of people believe that a significant part of taxes should go to education. Opponents might say if someone can afford university, then he/she should pay for it. However, people with higher education have better wages and therefore pay higher income tax after graduation.
Second paragraph comment on Opportunity
Paragraph 2: Secondly, making university free for all, creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation, it makes the playing field more level.
Third paragraph comment on Economy (your own idea)
Paragraph 3: In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. Namely, the more highly educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.
Step 4: Conclusion
The conclusion comes at the end of your essay, it summarizes the main idea of the essay. You need to write a clear, justified conclusion. You can’t just say, ‘I agree’, or ‘I disagree.’ Think of it like this: you need to convince the examiner that your conclusion is correct.
Example:
In conclusion, a university should be free for everyone. It makes economic sense and ultimately benefits all members of society.
See Full Essay
There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
Firstly, a majority of people believe that a significant part of taxes should go to education. Opponents might say if someone can afford university, then he/she should pay for it. However, people with higher education have better wages and therefore pay higher income tax after graduation.
Secondly, making university free for all, creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation, it makes the playing field more level.
In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. Namely, the more highly educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.
In conclusion, a university should be free for everyone. It makes economic sense and ultimately benefits all members of society.
B2 First Certificate (FCE) Essay: Tips
B2 First Certificate (FCE) Essay: FAQ
How long should a B2 essay be?
You need to answer the question with between 140–190 words.
If an answer is too long, you may get a lower score. If you write 200 words, it’s not a problem. However, if you write 300 words, it’s a problem.
Should you do a plan?
Yes! You must make a plan to organise your essay writing. On the day of the exam, you will be stressed and feel pressure. A plan is your way of organising your text and your thoughts.
What happens if I write more than 190 words?
Nothing… Well, almost nothing. In the past for every 5 words extra, they took away a point, however, now they do not. It is not good to go over 190 words because of time, but you can. I wouldn’t write more than 200 words because they will probably lower the mark they give you for content. They will determine some of it to be unnecessary.
What counts as a complex language in the exam?
You MUST use complex language at B2 level. You must use attention-grabbing vocabulary and a variety of grammar structures. The passive voice, relative clauses, modal verbs, conditionals, reported speech and inversions all count as COMPLEX grammar forms and you must use them. Otherwise, you can address academic experts and pay someone to write your paper if you need help to write an essay for you.
B2 First Certificate (FCE) Essay: Useful Phrases & Expressions
Introduction
The trend nowadays is towards...
Over the past ten years or so the media have frequently carried reports of...
Recent research indicates that...
Hardly a week goes by without another report of... appearing in the media.
This raises the issue of whether...
Although most people would generally agree that... few would deny that...
Stating your opinion
As I see it,
It seems to me that...I would also say that...
I am convinced that...
I am inclined to believe that...
There is no doubt in my mind that...
One of the drawbacks of... is...
However, one of the benefits is that...
Changing topic
As regards the causes for this, ...
Concerning the causes for this, ...
As for the causes, ...
Presenting arguments
One justification is often given for... is that...
Advocates/Proponents would claim that...
Those who object to... often argue that...
Another objection is that...
However, it should not be forgotten that...
... are opposed to... on the grounds that...
From the point of view of...
According to...
Describing causes
One factor which has led to... is...
One of the factors which has brought this about is...
The problem often stems from...
The situation has been exacerbated by...
... has only made the situation worse.
One consequence of... is...
Proposing steps and measures
As regards the most appropriate response to this situation, one suggestion would be to...
The first step to be taken would be to...
To alleviate the situation people should...
In addition they ought to...
To begin to tackle this situation society/individuals/the government need/s to This can only be dealt with if...
To overcome this problem, ...
Were the government to ..., the situation would doubtless improve...
Individuals can do a great deal to...
The burden of responsibility lies in the hands of...
It is vitally important that...
Legislation should be introduced to control...
It would be a grave error if we...
Concluding
All in all it seems to me that...
The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that...
All things considered, ...
On balance, I tend to believe that ...
The world would surely be a better place to live in if ...
If people stopped …ing, we would have / we could look forward to a ...
The prospects for the future will be bleak/grim unless ...