Use of English PRO

appstoreappstore

Writing - C2 Essay

Essential strategies and common pitfalls to help you ace the Essay for Cambridge C2 Writing exam.

Back

How to write a C2 Essay

The essay is the first part of the writing and it is obligatory. The question always has a discursive focus. Discursive writing is a style used in academic writing and it requires the high level of language competence.

You are required to base your essay on input material which will take the form of two texts, each approximately 100 words long. The texts will be based on a variety of authentic, contemporary sources

You need to answer the question with between 240-280 words.

C2 proficiency (CPE) Essay: Structure

IntroductionMake a plain reference to the topic of the two texts.
1st body paragraph

Topic sentence + Paraphrase point 1 + Paraphrase point 2

2nd body paragraphTopic sentence + Talk about 2 key points of extract 1
2nd body paragraphTopic sentence + Talk about 2 key points extract 2
3rd body paragraphYour opinion
ConclusionClosing remark – No new ideas.

C2 proficiency (CPE) Essay: Writing Guide

Here is a straightforward way to write a perfect essay.

We will use the example extracts below in our writing guide advice. The texts are either contradictory or complementary.

Step 1: Find two key points of each extract

Examinations are not fair.

Making judgments about the ability of students based on examinations that take place just once or perhaps twice a year is simply not fair. So many students fail to show their true ability due to anxiety, stress and a number of other factors. Many students who do well in exams do so simply by cramming facts into their heads the week before the exam, to be forgotten by the following weekend. Surely assessment of the work done in class and at home throughout the school year would be a fairer system?

Classroom assessment is idealistic.

It’s all very well to talk about teachers judging their students work in the classroom, and students working alone at home on their projects, but everyone knows that continuous assessment doesn’t work like that. Teachers are only human, and tend to be softer on their students than an examiner would be (or, in a worse scenario, harder on a student they don’t like). Parents or older siblings help students with the projects they have to do at home, even if it’s just coming up with ideas for them. Exams may not be fun, but at least we get to see what each individual student is capable of.

Extract 1. Key points:

  1. Unfair to judge a year’s performance just once or twice a year.
  2. This unfair system forces students to temporary parrot-fashion learning

Extract 2. Key points:

  1. Continuous assessment depends too much on the teacher who may be too lenient or too strict.
  2. Parents and siblings may give an unfair advantage to students over others who don’t have help at home.

Step 2: Make a plain reference to the topic of the two texts

The introduction should inform the reader about the subject of the essay.

Example:

Introduction: The methodology for assessing students’ knowledge is crucial and is reflected in their performance and future in education. Such an issue is analyzed in the two contrasting passages that this essay touches upon.

Remember that this is not the best time to express your opinion, it should be at the very end in the conclusion.

Step 3: Body paragraphs (1 & 2) = Main Body

Here we have to prove to the examiners that we have fully understood the text. In the second and third paragraphs, we paraphrase 4 key points and comment briefly on them.

Body paragraph (1) = Topic sentence + Point 1 + Point 2

Paragraph 1: [Topic sentence] The first author considers the annual assessment of students’ performance as inadequate. [Paraphrase the first (1) point] Knowing that your only chance to prove your competence relies on a couple of questions that need to be answered within a suffocating time limit cannot but fill you with anxiety. [Paraphrase the second (2) point] To make matters worse, even when the students manage to cope with the stress it is doubtful whether they gain any academic benefit. All they do is switch off their critical thinking and employ their parrot fashion learning. When the exams are over they ‘delete’ all this array of incongruent information.

Body paragraph (2) = Topic sentence + Point 3 + Point 4

Paragraph 2: [Topic sentence] Conversely, the second text sees the exams as the only reliable means of school assessment. [Paraphrase the third (3) point] If the students were continually evaluated throughout the year they would be at the mercy of the bias of their teachers. If the professors are positively predisposed they will inflate the marks and if they have any sort of conflict with their pupils they could use the marks as a form of punishment. [Paraphrase the fourth (4) point] Moreover, the project work that has often been hailed as the creative alternative of barren exams may prove to be a hoax. More often than not it is other family members that do the work and the students undeservingly reap the rewards.

Step 4: Body paragraph (3) = Your opinion

Example:

Opinion:: [Topic sentence] While I agree that the exams entail counterproductive stress that may spoil the true meaning of education, I cannot overlook the fact that they are an objective and trustworthy method of evaluation. If the written tests accounted for a proportion of the pupils’ overall mark and the rest was completed with projects and class participation we could successfully combine the profits of these too seemingly contrasting methods.

Step 5: Conclusion: Closing remark – No new ideas

In summary, what you really want is to show the examiners that you understand the text and the key points, so it should be a balanced analysis of the text you have just read. Do not give any new information, tell them what you have already told.

Example:

Conclusion: All things considered, the examinations can contribute to an objective assessment of school performance as long as they are combined with elements of continuous assessment.

See Full Essay

The methodology for assessing students’ knowledge is crucial and is reflected in their performance and future in education. Such an issue is analyzed in the two contrasting passages that this essay touches upon.

The first author considers the annual assessment of students’ performance as inadequate. Knowing that your only chance to prove your competence relies on a couple of questions that need to be answered within a suffocating time limit cannot but fill you with anxiety. To make matters worse, even when the students manage to cope with the stress it is doubtful whether they gain any academic benefit. All they do is switch off their critical thinking and employ their parrot fashion learning. When the exams are over they ‘delete’ all this array of incongruent information.

Conversely, the second text sees the exams as the only reliable means of school assessment. If the students were continually evaluated throughout the year they would be at the mercy of the bias of their teachers. If the professors are positively predisposed they will inflate the marks and if they have any sort of conflict with their pupils they could use the marks as a form of punishment. Moreover, the project work that has often been hailed as the creative alternative of barren exams may prove to be a hoax. More often than not it is other family members that do the work and the students undeservingly reap the rewards.

While I agree that the exams entail counterproductive stress that may spoil the true meaning of education, I cannot overlook the fact that they are an objective and trustworthy method of evaluation. If the written tests accounted for a proportion of the pupils’ overall mark and the rest was completed with projects and class participation we could successfully combine the profits of these too seemingly contrasting methods.

All things considered, the examinations can contribute to an objective assessment of school performance as long as they are combined with elements of continuous assessment.

Essay C2: A final Checklist

Make sure that:

  • The 4 key points are addressed
  • All abovementioned points are paraphrased and evaluated
  • Your own ideas are expressed
  • A variety of language is present
  • The length is appropriate (i.e. word count)
  • No errors or spelling mistakes

C2 proficiency (CPE) Essay: Paraphrasing Key Words

As you already know, your task is to find four keywords that you have to analyze and comment on. A common problem is that students often are literally copying the text. As you can imagine, you won’t get a good grade for making shortcuts and examiners expect you to paraphrase these points.

Let see a few examples of real-life paraphrasing so that you know what it is supposed to look like and what to avoid:

Original text:

..as are vehicle exclusion zones or parking restrictions in busy pedestrian areas. However, it – also makes sense to encourage motorists to become less reliant on their car. This can | be achieved by making public transport more efficient and promoting the benefits of car–sharing with work colleagues, thus reducing weekly fuel bills.

Example (Incorrect):

Example:

The first argument makes particular mention of creating vehicle exclusion zones...

Example:

The second argument points out that travelling by car can be reduced if the government makes public transport more efficient...

As you can see the students repeated the words vehicle exclusion zones and then later makes public transport more efficient – this is clearly not a terrible mistake but it could be done better.

Example Correct:

Example:

The first argument makes particular mention of creating vehicle exclusion zones... areas where motorists are prohibited from driving

Example:

The second argument points out that travelling by car can be reduced if the government makes public transport more efficient... improves the efficiency of public transport

Hopefully, you can see how these changes have made the sentence the students own and how this would definitely impress the examiner.

C2 Proficiency (CPE) Essay: Writing Checklist

After writing your essay, you can check it yourself using the writing checklist below.

Content

Communicative Achievement

Organisation

Language

C2 Proficiency (CPE) Essay: Tips

Identify and underline the key points in both input texts. Make sure to include that when you write your essay.
Summarise the key points in your own words
Use an academic writing style (formal or neutral register).
You must organise your ideas well, using an introduction, paragraphing and appropriate linking devices.
You need to draw conclusions based on the information given throughout the whole of your answer

C2 Proficiency (CPE) Essay: What to Focus On

The examiners are looking at the following criteria:

Language

Language of evaluation, discussion, comparison (between the two texts) narrative (use of a personal anecdote) and speculation (possible results of various schemes). Vocabulary for describing working conditions (e.g. ‘part-time/full-time’, ‘job sharing scheme’, ‘flexible working conditions’, ‘homeworker/homeworking’ etc.) could be used. Does not have to be completely accurate but any errors should be minimal.

Communication

Should be fairly formal as that is consistent with the requirements of an academic essay. The reader would get a clear summary of the two texts along with the writer’s point of view.

Organization

The essay must be divided into clear paragraphs and these should be linked appropriately. The format should be that of a standard essay, i.e. without headings in the body of the essay

Content

Should include a summary of the key points in each text. The essay should also include an evaluation of these key points including the writer’s own views on the subject.

C2 proficiency (CPE) Essay: Useful Phrases & Expressions

We will finish it with some useful vocabulary mostly used to organize information. Although it is taking a shortcut, if you learn several expressions for each paragraph in each type of text that could be on your exam, you will certainly be able to create a very consistent and well-organized text.

Sentence openers

The first text suggests that...

The second text raises the issue of...

The writer is of the opinion that...

Additionally, it is argued that...

The two texts contrast differing views of...

According to the first passage...

Personally, I ...

The second text put forward...

I believe that...

In conclusion, it is my opinion that...

Linking points and arguments

As opposed to

In the sense that...

For this reason...

Making generalisations

On the whole...

In general...

For the most part...

As a rule...

It is often that...

It is usually the case that...

People tend to regard...

The reality is that...

Being specific

With respect to...

In the case of...

As regards...

In terms of...

With the exception of...

From the... point of view...

They are seen as...

As far as...are / is concerned...

Raising an argument

Considering...

On the question of...

No one would dispute...

Giving one side

One argument in favour of this is...

In support of...

It is true that...

Giving the other side

At the same time....

In actual fact.....

On the other hand....

In contrast to....

Set/ weighed against this is...

Attitude

Personally...

Unfortunately...

Obviously...

Evidently...

Presumably...

Naturally...

Fortunately...