Writing - C2 Article
Essential strategies and common pitfalls to help you ace the Article for Cambridge C2 Writing exam.
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How to write a C2 Article
An article is written on a particular theme in a style that makes it suitable for publication in an English-language newspaper, magazine or newsletter. Always read the instructions for the task carefully to be clear about whom you are writing for.
An article is a text generally intended to publish in a newspaper, journal or magazine, so it's usually entertaining.
Articles are written for a wide spectrum of audience, therefore it is important to attract and hold the attention of the readers.
Articles may contain funny stories, reported speech, and descriptions.
An Article may be formal or informal, depending on the target group; (but the article must have a less formal style than a report or essay).
Articles should express opinions and thoughts, as well as facts.
C2 proficiency (CPE) Article: Structure
| Title | An eye-catching title which attracts the readers’ attention. |
| Introduction | Clearly defines the topic to be covered and keeps the reader’s attention. |
| The main body paragraph 1 | Articles may also have subheadings for each paragraph. |
| The main body paragraph 2 | Articles may also have subheadings for each paragraph. |
| Conclusion | Either a summary of the theme or a final opinion, recommendation or comment. |
C2 proficiency (CPE) Report: Writing Guide
Before you begin, keep in mind...
Where will the article appear?
A newspaper, magazine or website?
Who is the target group?
Having a good grasp on who will be reading your article can help you orient the information and the tone so that it’s as useful as possible.
What is the purpose of the article?
To advise, suggest, inform, compare, contrast describe, etc.?
What advanced grammar or phrases you intend to use?
Inversion, 3rd conditional or maybe some forms of passive voice? Think about what idioms or phrases you plan to use in the article as it is easy to forget and it is valuable for the article.
Organise your ideas carefully in paragraphs
Each paragraph should provide a clear topic sentence.
1. The Title
The title is essential and should be a concise summary of the information presented in the article. Shortly speaking, the main idea of the article should be concluded in the title.
For example, if you are writing a description of a place, using adjectives can enhance the attractiveness of the place, before the reader begins reading the article, e.g.
Example:
Title: “The Tranquility and Peace of an Island that Time Forgot”.
If the task involves proposing a solution to a problem or your opinion, and so on, you can address your audience directly, e.g.
Example:
Title: “What You Need to Do to Be Successful”
Title: “Is Learning English Really Necessary Today?”
The title should not be too long and ideally reflect the style of the article – both formal or informal.
2. The Introduction
The introduction should coincide with the title of the article and also include brief development of the main idea.
As well as the title, it must engage the reader. Perhaps it is worth asking a question in the introduction to which the reader will find the answer at the end of the article?
Example:
Title: Long-distance Travel
Example:
Introduction: The Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, used to say that he travelled ‘not to go anywhere but to go.’ In other words, he loved travelling for its own sake. Would you agree that the journey there can be the most exciting and rewarding part of any holiday?
3. The Main Body
Use topic sentences…
To ensure unity in a paragraph, it is necessary to group sentences around the main idea. This means that it is necessary to begin by finding a theme or topic sentence which sums up the main idea of the whole paragraph. The best position for this sentence is normally at the beginning of the paragraph to help the reader to quickly comprehend the topic of the whole paragraph and minimise the likelihood of losing the theme altogether.
Example topic sentences:
Example:
Paragraph 1: Some years ago I studied Russian at university and used to travel frequently to Russia. [topic sentence] … you develop this point further … I usually went by train, by far the cheapest way to get there then. This involved a three-day train journey across the Channel and then over the…
Example:
Paragraph 2: I loved the sense of gradually making my way into a different world. [topic sentence] … you develop this point further … Towns and villages became less frequent and fields turned into forests as we chugged eastwards. The children who waved at the train as it passed began to have high Slav cheekbones.
4. The Conclusion
Effective conclusions take the article beyond summary and demonstrate a further appreciation of the article’s argument and its significance: why it works, why it is meaningful, and why it is valuable.
The purpose of the conclusion:
Example:
Article Topic – travel
Conclusion: These days it’s cheaper to hop on a plane than a train and you can now get to Russia in three hours instead of three days. Lunch in London and dinner in Moscow has become possible thanks to the jet engine. In many ways the journey could be seen as easier now….
[connect the article’s idea to a larger context of global transportation]
See Full Article
Long-distance Travel
The Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, used to say that he travelled ‘not to go anywhere but to go.’ In other words, he loved travelling for its own sake. Although I enjoy being at a new destination, I agree that the journey there can be the most exciting and rewarding part of any holiday.
Some years ago I studied Russian at university and used to travel frequently to Russia. I usually went by train, by far the cheapest way to get there then. This involved a three-day train journey across the Channel and then over the North European Plain through Belgium, Germany, Poland and Byelorus to Moscow. The train from Ostend was a Russian one and once on board you felt as if you were already in Russia, especially as you poured yourself a glass of tea from the samovar at the end of each carriage and made yourself comfortable for the two nights you’d spend in your sleeping compartment.
I loved the sense of gradually making my way into a different world. Towns and villages became less frequent and fields turned into forests as we chugged eastwards. The children who waved at the train as it passed began to have high Slav cheekbones. Travelling slowly gives you time to savour the gradual changes, to think about where you’re going or where you’ve just been, to adapt to a new way of being. This opportunity to reflect is immensely enriching.
These days it’s cheaper to hop on a plane than a train and you can now get to Russia in three hours instead of three days. Lunch in London and dinner in Moscow has become possible thanks to the jet engine. In many ways the journey could be seen as easier now. But in my opinion, travelling by rail is still much more satisfying, providing a real sense of distance – both geographical and social – between different countries.
Always Remember
An Article should
- Have a sharp introduction (a hook) that gets to the point immediately.
- Be slightly formal, but tends to be more reader-friendly (don’t use excessively long sentences).
- Tell a story.
- Include personal experiences and address the reader directly (you).
- Make generalizations about society making sure to connect them to your own personal experience.
C2 Proficiency (CPE) Article: Writing Checklist
After writing your article, you can check it yourself using the writing checklist below.
Content
Communicative Achievement
Organisation
Language
C2 Proficiency (CPE) Article: What to Focus On
The examiners are looking at the following criteria:
Language
You must use a wide range of vocabulary, including less common lexis, with fluency, precision, sophistication and style.
Use of grammar must be sophisticated, fully controlled and completely natural.
Communication
You must demonstrate complete command of the conventions of the communicative task.
Communicate complex ideas in an effective and convincing way, holding the target reader’s attention with ease, fulfilling all communicative purposes
Organization
coherently using a wide range of cohesive devices and organisational patterns with complete flexibility.
Content
Every sentence in the text should refer to the topic of the assignment, and all the tasks specified in it should be fulfilled.
Target reader ought to be fully informed.
C2 Proficiency (CPE) Article: Useful Phrases & Expressions
We'll wrap up with some useful vocabulary commonly used to organize ideas. While it might feel like taking a shortcut, learning a few key expressions for each paragraph type can help you produce a well-structured and cohesive text in your exam.
Agreeing partially
This is partly true...
To (an) (certain) / (some) extent...
In some cases ...
Up to a point ...
While it can not be denied that ...
While it is true that...
Qualifying Statements
There is a tendency to...
A large number of the times...
Usually, they are inclined to...
Generally speaking...
Sometimes/Usually/Often/Generally...
Things appear to be...
In a large number of cases...
In some instances...
Summary / Repetition / Exemplification
In brief...
On the whole...
Overall...
In short...
In other words...
To be sure...
For instance...
In fact...
In any event...
Purpose
Therefore...
With this object in view/mind...
To this end...
For this purpose....
Place and Location
Beyond...
Nearby...
On the opposite side...
Adjacent to...
Over head...
To/on the right...
In the centre...
Over to the left/right....
In the same area....
In the neighbouring town....