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Breakout English

Advanced (CAE) Essay Questions and Sample Answers

The Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) essay is a formal, academic writing. You’ll find it in Part 1 of the CAE writing exam and, just like at other levels, Part 1 is mandatory. That means whether you like it or not, you’ll be writing an essay for your C1 Cambridge exam. Considering that, it’s probably a good idea to practise. The good news is, the CAE essay can be quite formulaic. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll notice the structure and style are always pretty similar. Before you know it, you’ll be writing them in your sleep! In this post, you’ll find some useful CAE writing tips and three essay questions with sample answers.

If you’re looking for a complete overview of the CAE writing exam, with CAE writing tips and much more, check out Advanced Writing Plus , our complete self-study course.

Topics for Advanced (CAE) essay questions

At C1 level, you are expected to be able to write about pretty much any topic you can imagine. However, CAE essay topics are generally going to be quite formal. You’re not going to be asked about your plans for the weekend!

These are some of the topics which are most likely to come up in an Advanced essay question:

• Environmental issues
• Public projects
• Science and nature
• Global issues

Make sure you’ve looked into these topics and studied relevant vocabulary. You can also read different articles and listen to radio broadcasts (or podcasts) related to the topics. Don’t forget to note down important vocabulary so you can remember it for your writings!

C1 Advanced (CAE) Essay Tips

You’ve probably got plenty of experience writing in English if you’ve reached a C1 level. Students who prepare for this exam often need their skills focused in the right way rather than being taught brand new ideas.

Here are my top tips for preparing the CAE essay task.

• Don’t do anything too strange – The essay question is likely to be on quite an interesting topic. It could even be on something you feel strongly about or specialise in. But be careful! When essays start to ramble too much or go too far, they lose their strength. This essay isn’t going to change the world, so don’t go overboard!
• Use advanced language – Remember that to get top points, you must use advanced structures in your writing. Take some time to practise inversion, cleft sentences and participle clauses, then use them in your essay.
• Don’t be stingy with linking words – Linking words (and expressions) are the glue of a writing. Without them, everything falls apart. This doesn’t mean you have to use ridiculous uncommon linking words, but you should use them frequently, probably more than you expect. Take a look at our post about linking words for some ideas.
• Be stylish! – An essay needs to read like an essay, just like a report needs to read like a report. This means it is a formal, academic text. Formal means no contractions, few phrasal verbs, complex sentences and an impersonal style. The essay needs to include your opinion, so you need to express that opinion through style and substance, supported by facts.
• Focus on argument and coherence – To score high in the CAE essay, it’s important to have a clear argument and structure. Plan your essay and stick to the plan, making sure each paragraph has a clear purpose. Ensure that your points are logically connected and that your writing is coherent.
• Use a variety of sentence types – Varying sentence types and lengths keep the reader engaged and demonstrate your writing skills. Mix simple and complex sentences to add interest to your writing.
• Check your writing! – Proofreading is critical for writing a top-scoring CAE essay. Check for grammatical and spelling errors and make sure the writing flows well. Also, don’t forget to check your writing style and tone to make sure you sound professional and academic.
• Practice, practice, practice – Finally, practise writing essays under timed conditions. This will help you to improve your time management and build confidence for the actual exam.

The materials

Here are three Advanced (CAE) essay questions. They each use different CAE essay topics. Use them to practise and improve in preparation for the Cambridge C1 Advanced exam. After completing your own essay, check the example answer and compare.

• How to write a C1 Advanced Essay

• Posted on 26/02/2020
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: C1 Advanced , Cambridge Exams , Writing

The Cambridge C1 Advanced is an excellent qualification to aim for if you’re thinking of studying or working abroad. It’s recognised by universities and governments all over the world and also helps you prove your language skills to future employers.

One of the most demanding parts of the exam is Part 1 of the Writing paper, which includes writing an essay. For many of you, this won’t come naturally… especially in another language.

So, to give you the best chance at success, we’ve created this in-depth guide full of Cambridge C1 Advanced Writing tips and useful language to get you producing excellent essays in no time.

So, pick up your pen, and let’s get started!

If you’d like to get more help with the C1 Advanced, consider our exam preparation class!

C1 Advanced Writing Requirements

The C1 Advanced Writing exam has two writing parts, which you must complete in 90 minutes. Both parts have a word limit of between 220-260 words. We recommend getting lots of writing practice under these conditions!

Part 1 is always a discursive essay . It requires you to think about arguments for and against a topic.

Part 2 is a situationally based writing task. This could be a letter , an email , a report , a proposal or a review and you have three options to choose from.

Today, we’ll be looking at how to do your best in part 1.

Before you begin

When you turn over the paper and begin Writing Part 1, take some time to read the task instructions. Identify all parts of the question, underlining which parts are obligatory and noting which parts are optional.

Let’s take a look at an example question!

Remember, you don’t have to use the opinions expressed in the box, but they may help you to get the ball rolling . Also, you only have to talk about two of the options given, not all three.

Make a plan

Take ten minutes to lay out your ideas. Make a pros and cons list for each of the three options and then decide which two you feel most confident with. Here’s some things you might come up with, can you think of any more?

Structure your essay

The essence of a good essay is a clear structure.

Introduction

Here you want to introduce the topic in your own words. Your first line should also grab the reader’s attention, then you should paraphrase the question. Finally, try using a statistic or a rhetorical question. This will make them want to read on, right?

Paragraph 1

Discuss the first option you’ve chosen. Include a good topic sentence and remember to give reasons for your answer. Describe some of the advantages, and even some of the disadvantages too. This will give a well-balanced argument.

Paragraph 2

Here’s where you introduce the second option. Again, try to present both sides of the argument and give reasons for your ideas. Gradually work towards the conclusion.

State your final opinion. This should be a summary of the rest of the essay and point clearly to which option you think is the most important. Do not introduce any new arguments at this stage. The conclusion is where you tie-up any loose ends .

This is an advanced piece of writing, so make sure your choice of language reflects it. You will get marked for accuracy, however, occasional errors can still be present as long as they do not impede understanding. So don’t play it too safe . This is your opportunity to show what you can do, so take some risks and have fun with it!

In the writing paper you should use a range of vocabulary, including less common lexis. Brainstorm some vocabulary related to the topic. Take your time to think of nouns and compound nouns that you know at C1 level. Really let your vocabulary sparkle .

No one likes a broken record . Find synonyms for simple words. You want to use a variety of language, and try not to repeat yourself too much. Check out these different ways of saying the same thing:

advantage = benefit, positive, upside

disadvantage = downside, drawback

effect = influence, impact, result, outcome

problem = issue, challenge, difficulty, obstacle, setback, complication

important = valuable, essential, beneficial

expensive = costly, dear, high-priced, extortionate

cheap = inexpensive, affordable, economical

big = great, large, sizeable, considerable, wide, vast

small = slight, tiny, little

Quick tip: Visit Thesaurus.com to study more synonyms!

Experiment with different grammatical forms. At this level you’re expected to have a good grasp on the grammar. You should use a range of simple and complex grammatical forms with control and flexibility. So challenge yourself with some of these…

• Participle clauses
• Conditionals
• Modal verbs
• Passive with reporting verbs
• Cleft sentences
• Comparatives
• Relative clauses

Useful expressions

To make your essay flow it’s best to use some key phrases. These will link all your ideas together, and help it sound semi-formal. Take a look at the expressions below. Why not use some in your next essay?

Introduction:

It is often said that…

Many people feel that…

We live in an age when..

More and more…

Introducing & Addition:

Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

On the one hand…

In addition…

What is more…

For example…

For instance…

As a case in point…

Contrasting:

In contrast…

On the other hand…

Alternatively…

However…

Conclusion:

All things considered…

As far as I’m concerned…

In light of the above…

What the examiners are looking for

When writing your essay, bear in mind what you’ll be marked on:

Have you answered all parts of the question? Is everything relevant to the question?

Communicative Achievement

Is the style and tone appropriate? Remember it should be semi-formal and neutral.

Organisation

Does it follow a logical order? Have you used paragraphs and linking devices?

Are you using a variety of grammar and vocabulary? Is it accurate?

Now your masterpiece has come together. Remember to take time to check your work. Here’s the official Writing Checklist from Cambridge Assessment English . And our list of the most common mistakes:

• subject + verb agreement
• singulars / plurals
• question formation
• variety of tenses
• dependent prepositions

Some final tips

Avoid contractions (I’m, they’re, we’re) as this is a formal writing.

Don’t use first person pronouns (I, my, our, us).

Practise under timed conditions.

Use model answers to practise fixed expressions.

——

Looking for more help with your Cambridge C1 Advanced exam? Here are our other guides from our blog:

C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English – Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3

And if you are not sure if you’re ready for the C1 Advanced, check out our article Am I ready for the C1 Advanced exam? to find out!

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Get the ball rolling (exp) : to start something.

Lay out (v): to explain something in detail.

Paraphrase (v): to say the same thing in a different way.

Tie-up any loose ends (exp): to resolve issues.

Play it safe (exp): to act cautiously.

A broken record (exp): when someone repeats themself.

Sparkle (v) : to shine.

Good grasp (exp): a good knowledge.

Bear in mind (exp) : to consider.

Masterpiece (n): an incredible work of art.

exp = expression

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Write an  essay  discussing only two points . You should explain which point is more important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

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C1 Advanced (CAE) essay example

FOR LEARNERS

C1 Advanced Writing Part 1: Essay

(220-260 words, 45 min approx.)

TASK: Your class has watched a panel discussion on the areas which have benefited from the internet. You have made the following notes:

Entertainment

• Social relationships

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the areas in your notes. You should identify which area has benefited more from the internet, giving reasons for your choice.

Write your answer in 220 – 260 words in an appropriate style.

Task taken from Cambridge Write and Improve website. Link below. 

https://writeandimprove.com/workbooks#/wi-workbooks/bdc648bc-b760-4bac-98bc-161a95deff5e/tasks/62602255-69f6-4369-8224-48fc6013bd1d

Let’s analyse the task

The first thing when reading the task is to identify what two areas from the notes you are going to write about and choose the one that (in this case) has benefited more . Then, brainstorm some arguments .

While writing

For the introduction, try to rephrase the task and be as general on the topic as you can. Make sure to mention the two areas you have chosen to write about.

When writing the paragraphs don’t forget to include a Topic sentence . This sentence serves as an introduction of the paragraph. Then follow it by your arguments and reasons.  Here is a video explaining the whole process.

For the conclusion, repeat what you said before using other words and express your opinion clearly on which one area has benefited more from technology.

Here is my take on the task

Introduction.

There is no doubt that the new technologies have changed our lives. Education and entertainment can be identified as two main areas that have experienced a positive impact. 

First of all, schools have changed a lot since the Internet was introduced. They cater more to different learning styles using a wide range of media and tools such as interactive boards, tablets and Kahoot. Moreover, using technology in the classroom has proven to be more engaging than the old-fashioned blackboard. For instance, it results that students would readily write a text for a blog or a website rather than an essay. Last but not least, learners tend to do their homework more diligently if the task has to do with social media.

Another area that has changed for the better is entertainment. Streaming platforms such as Netflix have brought TV to our fingertips and made it incredibly cheap and easy to access. No more saving to go to the cinema or buy the latest DVD. Now you can Google almost anything and have it delivered or play it right away. What’s more, you can create your own content and monetise it as any aspiring You-tuber will tell you. 

In conclusion, the Internet and new inventions such as smartphones and tablets are shaping the way we consume information whether it is for work, studies or just fun. However, as far as I am concerned the field which has benefited the most is entertainment. It has become even more widespread than before and more and more people are spending their time and attention watching such content. 

Don’t memorise examples!

You can use example essays to get a feel of the style. Compare your ideas and organisation. Learn some phrases to use in your own writing. But don’t forget that we all have different writing styles and there isn’t one correct way of doing it. 

Still not confident about your writing?

Check out my other articles:

How to write an essay using a template

How to write a B2 First essay

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How to Write an Essay for C1 Advanced (CAE)

Luis @ kse academy.

• diciembre 21, 2022

As I’m sure you already know, Cambridge exams have several papers (Reading, Writing, Use of English, Speaking and Listening), and each of these components is divided into different parts. In this post, I want to focus on Writing Part 1 of the C1 Advanced, that is, how to write an Essay for the CAE . Because, remember, C1 Writing Part 1 will always be an essay 🙂 

Sample C1 Essay

New C1 Writing Guide out now!

• 3 examples of every task type
• Essay, Review, Formal and Informal Email and Letter, Report & Proposal
• 500+ useful phrases ready to use in your writings
• 95 pages of exclusive and original writing content
• Description of the C1 Writing paper
• Detailed description of each part of the Writing paper
• Assessment criteria and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

See sample or Buy on Amazon

What are the parts of the C1 Advanced Writing?

The C1 Advanced (CAE) Writing, as we have already seen in another article, has 2 parts , and for each one you will have to write a text according to the exercise instructions. What you should know is that there is a limited range of text types that you may be asked to write in each part, so let’s see: 

• Writing Part 1: In this part you will always have to write an essay, and you will have no other options to choose from. That’s why it is really important that you pay attention to this article and learn how to write an essay for C1 Advanced to the best of your ability. 
• Formal letter/email
• Informal letter/email
• Review 
• Proposal 

Each writing task you do should be between 220 and 260 words long, approximately, and, as they are different types of writing, you should take into account the peculiarities of each one in terms of structure, register, grammar and vocabulary, etc. 

So let’s start with the one that concerns us in this article: Essays! 

What is an essay ?

An Essay is a text of opinion in which we analyse a topic, a situation or a problem from different points of view or by considering several points or solutions to the problem. In each of the paragraphs, we deal with each point and express different facts, considerations and opinions. 

Now that we know what an essay is, let’s look at how to write an essay and its characteristics. 

How to Write an Essay for CAE Writing

Here are the main characteristics of a C1-level essay so that you can keep them in mind when writing: 

• Purpose: With an essay, what we do is evaluate a topic, situation or problem that is of some interest or controversy (e.g. teenage mobile phone use ). Often, the Writing activity is set as a task that takes place after a class debate. In an exam, you will have to imagine the debate for yourself (duh!).
• Tone and register: As it is a text on a serious or controversial topic, the Essay is always written in a formal context, so we must use an objective tone. Furthermore, the linguistic register should always be formal, avoiding common words such as things , stuff , get , etc.; contractions ( can’t , don’t , won’t , etc.); or expressions that may sound informal. 
• Structure: Like all writing tasks, an essay has a fairly well-defined structure, although it is not 100% fixed and immovable. To begin with, we can choose to give it a title or not, but, personally, I find it more appropriate to write an Essay with a title. Have you ever seen a text published without a title? Probably not.  As for the body of the essay, it should be divided into the following paragraphs: introduction, point 1, point 2 and conclusion. In other words, in general, a Cambridge C1 Essay should have 4-5 paragraphs.
• Opinion: This is where we have the most leeway when writing an essay for C1. There are many ways of expressing your opinion in an Essay, so you should choose the one that best suits your Writing approach. What I usually recommend, however, is that you remain impartial throughout the whole text and only express your opinion at the end, in the last paragraph, as a conclusion. As always, the most important thing is that you justify everything you say in your writing and that your conclusion answers the main question of the assignment.
• Coherence and progression: Coherence is essential in all Writings, but especially in the essay. As it is a supporting and argumentative text, you cannot write unconnected sentences and paragraphs; the ideas must follow a logical and well-connected order, using connectors appropriate to C1 level, in this case. Furthermore, the reader must perceive a logical progression of paragraphs, without losing the thread of what you are trying to argue. Otherwise, when they get to the last paragraph, they won’t know what you are talking about and our writing will have failed catastrophically. 

CAE Writing Essay Example

Now that we are familiar with the main features of an essay for Cambridge Advanced (CAE) Writing, let’s look at a sample essay at C1 level, both the sample instructions and a possible answer.

C1 Essay Instructions

In the picture below you can see an example from the Cambridge website. 

From these instructions, we must always extract the essentials: 

• Topic: facilities which should receive money from local authorities
• sports centres
• public gardens
• «Museums aren’t popular with everybody!»
• «Sports centres mean healthier people.»
• «A town needs green spaces – parks are great for everybody.»
• Address only 2 of the 3 points given. 
• Answer and justify the main question (« to which facility is it most important that local authorities give money «).
• Justify your answer (« giving reasons in support of your answer «)
• Use your own words (« use your own words as far as possible «)

According to the task model outlined above, we can approach out writing with the following structure: 

• Introduction
• Point 1 (museums)
• Point 2 (sports centres)

Although it is not set in stone, you will normally get 4 paragraphs. So now let’s look at an example Essay for CAE Writing: 

At first glance, we can see that this Essay for C1 has an introductory title and 4 paragraphs ( introduction , museums , sports , conclusion ). In addition, if we read the text carefully, we can see the following aspects: 

• Title: The title perfectly summarises for the reader the topic to be covered in the text. Sometimes, a title in the form of a question such as « Which facilities should receive funding from local authorities? » can be a good idea, although I always prefer more concise titles.
• Introduction : introduces the topic and mentions the two options we are going to discuss in the following paragraphs. 
• Museums : Discusses the benefits of museums and the benefits of investing money in them. 
• Sports centres : Discusses the benefits of sports centres and the consequences of investing money in them. 
• Conclusion : In a very clear way, museums are seen as the ones that should receive the investment for certain reasons that are well justified. 
• Connectors: Connectors are used that clearly define the coherence and progression of the text.: on the one/other hand, in addition, ultimately, however, while, etc. 
• We do not use contractions or catch-all words.
• When it comes to
• comes to mind
• valuable cultural resource
• heritage 
• generating income
• engage in physical activity
• positive outlet for energy
• Grammar is also advanced (E.g.: Not only can…, but they also… )

In short, this is a good example of an Essay for CAE Writing. It should be noted, however, that this writing is written to simulate a strong C1 level, perhaps without necessarily going into a C2 level.

Will I be penalised if I write less than 220 or more than 260 words?

This is the most typical question in this part of the exam and the answer is: yes and no. Let me explain. The assessors won’t count the words and penalise you according to the number of words only. There is a rumour going around among students and teachers that for every 10 words they take away X points, but this is not true. However, if you have gone over 260 words by 50 or 100 words, or more, there is probably some content that is not relevant to the assignment, and that is penalised. Likewise, if you write less than 220 words, you are probably missing important information or you are not covering it in the detail required by the task instructions.

For this reason, I always recommend going over 20 words at most. That way you won’t lose points if your assignment covers the required topics and points. 🙂

The best guide for C1 Advanced Writing with examples and useful expressions

Although I will be publishing more articles explaining how to do each type of task for C1 Advanced, the best thing you can do to get plenty of information and practice is to buy the official KSE Academy guide to CAE Writing. In this guide you will find the following:

I hope you found this post useful. If you did, don’t forget to share with your friends and family. 🙂

I’ll see you in the next post. Until then, don’t forget to keep smiling! 

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Home / CAE / CAE Writing

CAE Writing

Writing will be the second part of your Certificate in Advanced English exam. CAE Writing is 90 minutes long and it consists of two separate tasks:

In CAE Writing Part 1 you have to read three points on a topic and then write an essay based on two of them. In your answer you have to point out which of the two points are more important. Your essay has to be 220-260 words long.

For CAE Writing Part 2 you get three different assignments to choose from. There are four possible types of assignments: a proposal, a review, a report and a letter. Again, it must be 220-260 words long.

CAE Writing Assessment Criteria Writing Part 1 Writing Part 2 — Review — Report — Letter — Proposal

You might want to read advice on  basics of essay composition before moving to the exam tasks.

CAE Writing Assessment Criteria

Your Writing score depends on four different aspects:

• Content.  How well you is your writing at achieving the task. Have you developed all the points required by the task?
• Communicative Achievement.  How appropriate is your writing in terms of style. Have you used the right register ( formal or informal )? Does your writing fill the style requirements of your text type (report, review, essay, letter)? Do you understand the purpose of the text you’re writing?
• Organisation. How logically you structure your text (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion). How well you connect your ideas in the text ( cohesion ).
• Language. Your grammar and vocabulary. How diverse is your choice of grammar structure?  Is the vocabulary you use fairly varied? Do you make any mistakes in both and how much do they affect understanding the idea you convey?

Writing Part 1

We will use an example task as an illustration:

You have watched a TV programme about scholarship and who should get in in your country. You have made the following notes:

Who should receive scholarship?

• People with exceptional academic performance
• Foreign exchange students
• Members of low-income families

Some of the opinions expressed in the programme:

“Students have to earn their right for free education.” “Children of parents with low income are usually more diligent learners.” “Students from abroad should feel welcomed in our country.”

You should write an essay for your tutor discussing two groups of people that should get scholarship. You are free to use any of the opinions from the programme if you like, but you should use your own words whenever possible.

Your introductory paragraph should state the topic of your essay and its purpose. It is recommended to make it clear which two points (out of three) you will be writing about. Alternatively you may choose to state that in the first sentence of each body paragraph. It is possible to use both approaches together — then you will have to make sure to paraphrase these statements. Avoid making your introduction too long — 3-5 sentences is an optimal length for your opening paragraph.

Body paragraphs are the tools which you use to deliver the key message of your essay. As you will be writing about two different points it is natural to dedicate one paragraph to each point. You are advised to keep body paragraphs approximately the same size — both points should be developed equally well. Some of the tasks require you to choose which of the two aspects is more important, and to state the reason for it being more important. In that case it is acceptable to make one of the paragraphs slightly bigger. This can be done both in the body paragraph and conclusion.

Your conclusion is commonly the shortest of all paragraphs. Most students tend to write a slightly paraphrased version of ideas already mentioned in introduction or body paragraphs. This is a valid technique and there is nothing wrong about it. It is especially useful when you have exhausted the topic and therefore you have nothing else to contribute to the text. Another possible approach is to introduce extra ideas as shown in the example essay below.

CAE Writing Part 1 Sample Essay

Tuition fees have never been low — on the contrary, only the chosen few can comfortably afford paying their studying costs. To participate in a scholarship programme has always been every student’s aspiration. Not only does the scholarship spare serious expenses, it also looks good on one’s CV. In the paragraphs below I will explain my opinion on why members of poor families and students with outstanding marks should be getting preferences for scholarship programme participation. Young people from families with insufficient means are generally unable to to pay for their education. Conversely, children of financially-sound households are more likely to get into scholarship, as they usually have much better secondary education — not to mention their parents being well able to cover tuition fees. These facts eventually lead to further widening of the wealth gap between the rich and the poor, entailing a number of social and economic issues. Such opportunity inequality could be mitigated by lowering the scholarship requirements for the less wealthy. Prospective students with impressive academic records should not be discouraged from continuing their education by charging for it. Considering their mental aptitude and zeal, these young people are very likely to become highly-qualified professionals, potentially making an appreciable contribution to society. Therefore they ought to be eligible for scholarship participation even if they do not meet other, non-academic requirements. Provision of scholarship grants is not an easy task. The decision-making system should be fair and impartial, ensuring that only the most worthy and needy have their academic expenses taken care of by the government. It is only then we can ensure that the programme serves its initial purpose. (272 words)

Writing Part 2

The second part of CAE Writing gives you a choice of three different tasks to choose from. It is recommended to practice at least two out of four possible tasks (Review, Report, Letter and Proposal).

Your paper should be between 220-260 words long. Going over the limit is not penalized, but potentially leads to more mistakes. However if your text is under 220 you will have points deducted from your overall score.

CAE Review is about providing details on the task subject, giving your opinion and recommending (or not recommending) to see/watch/read it. Your review can be on a variety of things such as books, movies, plays, events and much more.

Your writing can be either formal or informal . It is clear from the task which register you are supposed to use. Whichever you use, you should be consistent and stick to one register throughout the whole essay.

Suggested CAE Review Structure

Use the introductory paragraph to name what you are going to be reviewing, state its genre (i.e. a science fiction novel, a horror movie, a vaudeville performance and so on). It is possible to write about author’s other notable works if there are any. To make your introduction more engaging, you may briefly state your general impression on it. Make your introduction at least three sentences long.

Your first body paragraph should give a short summary of the reviewed material. Give a brief overview — plot, setting, actors, general idea. Avoid giving your opinion in this paragraph — you will do this in the following passages.

Second and third body paragraphs can be used to describe good and bad points respectively. Unlike CAE Writing Part 1 your paragraphs don’t have to be of same length — if you liked the described thing then your paragraph with good points will be naturally bigger than the other one. In the negative points paragraph you can name things that could be changed to improve the quality of the product.

Conclusion will contain your general impression and your verdict. Use this paragraph to sum up the good and bad points to make an objective assessment of the reviewed material. You may then recommend or dissuade your readers from seeing/attending it.

An example CAE Review task to illustrate these points:

CAE Writing Part 2 Review Sample

The title I am going to review is a rare example when the movie manages to trump the book it is based on. Today I am reviewing Fight Club by an infamous American novelist Charles Palahniuk — his most widely-known, universally acclaimed work. It is a daunting task to find a person unfamiliar with the movie. The plot engages you from the very start — a young professional finds his apartment destroyed by an explosion of unknown origin. Agitated, he phones his newfound acquaintance Tyler whom he had met on the plane. They see each other at a bar and the story becomes increasingly complex, yet pleasantly effortless to follow. Through its narrative a number of problems are tackled – self-identity, peer pressure, middle-life crises and some other. The characters are likeable and easy to relate to. Both acting and directing are superb. But what makes it better than the book? The only objective fault I could find in the book was the order of events. It goes back and forth, which at times proves to be confusing. The movie manages the sequencing much better. Other than that the book is brilliant — vigorous prose that manages to evoke strong images. The movie however is so good that the book tends to slightly fade in all its glory. People tend to read the book after seeing the adaptation, thus coming with high expectations that can be hard to meet. To sum this up, I would recommend reading the book nonetheless. It may seem inferior in some respects, but it does help to understand the main theme of “Fight Club” better. (266 words)

CAE Review tips

• The task clearly stated that you will be writing to your tutor, which implies use of formal register.
• As you write review you will inevitably use words meaning “good, bad, very” and so forth. It is important to know as many synonyms to very and other general words .
• To get more idea of what a review should look like check some user reviews: For movies go to www.imdb.com and click on any movie. Then scroll down to see the user reviews. Click to see the full list of reviews like this one. Please note that these reviews do not follow the required CAE Review format — they are to give you some ideas and vocabulary examples. For book reviews try  www.goodreads.com . Just like the previous site you have to choose a book and read other people’s thoughts on it. The top-rated  reviews are at the top of the main page.

CAE Report task is giving your opinion on a subject or assessment of a situation. The difference between CAE Review and Report tasks is that your report should be as objective as possible. Another important difference is that CAE Report should have clear headings for each paragraph.

CAE Report has to be written in formal English. Check this page on formal vocabulary to avoid making any mistakes or inconsistencies.

Suggested CAE Report structure

In your introductory paragraph you state the subject your report will be about. It is usually done by paraphrasing the information you are given in the task (see example report below). You may also state the main points of your report to make it easier for your reader to navigate through it.

As it was mentioned before, each of your paragraphs should have a separate heading. For body paragraphs each heading will be an aspect of the thing your report is about. For example, if your report is on a local school, your headings could be:

• Staff . This paragraph will be about the school’s teachers and other personnel
• Classrooms . Description of school premises and facilities
• Curriculum . How the teaching process is organised.

The names of your headings don’t have to be that straightforward — you can show some creativity there. Make sure that the meaning of your headings is clear — your reader should understand the content of the paragraph from the heading.

Your conclusion sums up the points mentioned above and provides a general assessment. You can voice your recommendations and suggestions if the task says you to do so.

To help you structure your report you can write out possible headings. A properly structured text is much easier to write and more pleasant to follow. Use your draft paper to write up an outline plan, but do not spend too much time on it — 2-4 minutes are usually enough to come up with a solid heading structure.

CAE Writing Part 2 Report Sample

You have completed your internship at a big company. As a part of your job placement programme you should write a report to your employment counsellor. In your report you should describe the company you worked at, the problems you encountered and propose any additional training you feel is necessary.

Introduction For the past three months I had been working for Escom Limited, the biggest law firm in our town. I have participated in real working environment, gained new skills and made acquaintances with people from the industry. In this report I will sum up my experience in this company. Escom Structure The company has a well-defined tier system. Being an intern I started at the first tier with everybody except other interns being my superiors. To get used to this strict hierarchy proved to be a serious challenge but eventually I adapted to it. Such system has its merits — as you move up the ranks you get access to more documents, legal tools and get to interact with senior staff. Even though the system has its downsides it is nevertheless very effective and efficient. The Challenges As an intern I had to perform a wide array of tasks. I had to interact with the company’s clients, fill in various forms, go through tomes of legal data and sort the mail. Unfortunately some of them had no relation to my field of study whatsoever — oftentimes I would get asked to bring in some take-away food or fix a malfunctioning computer. Some of the tasks proved to be too daunting for me, but overall I think I did just fine. Improving Myself Having completed my internship I could finally see my professional shortcomings. There are many things to improve on — first and foremost I have to work on my social skills. I found it difficult to talk to clients that I see for the first time and it is a must to make them feel comfortable. I should also study up on the recent law amendments — at times I found myself unaware of the latest developments in legal proceedings. Conclusion I have thoroughly enjoyed my brief stay with the company. Even though the system has its downsides it is nevertheless very effective and efficient. (274 words)

CAE Letter/E-mail

This type of task presents a certain situation that you have to write a reply to. CAE Letter is one of the more diverse type of tasks, as it can vary greatly in content of the letter as well as the required style and register. For example, a letter to your friend is going to be rather informal and its content will be narrative. Conversely, a letter to a manager of a restaurant should stay stylistically formal as well as factual.

Narrative or factual?

The terms “narrative” and “factual” can be a bit confusing – after all, when we talk or write about something, we tell a story (we narrate) and we include facts. That is true indeed, and both styles include elements of one another. In fact, they overlap considerably. However, there is a difference.

Narrative style (Informal letters/e-mails)

Narrative style focuses on the subjective aspect of your writing. It is about making your writing piece more emotionally engaging. It is more appropriate when you want to make the reader interested in what you are writing.

You can use a number of devices to engage your reader. The two most used ones in informal types of CAE Writing are exclamation and question marks. The former makes your message stronger and more emphatic. The latter can be used for a rhetoric question (one that requires no answer) or to make the reader more included in the narrative:

Hey, how have you been? I heard that your last music album was an immediate success. Really great to hear that!

16 thoughts on “CAE Writing”

I appeared on CAE exam last month in part 2 of writing I forget to mention part number in the answer box and I did e-mail part one with full format etc .it will create any problem??

Hello Waqas! I believe you shouldn’t feel too worried about it, unless it is not clear from the context of your answer!

There is clearly a mistake on the report section. Instead of the example of the report there are two reviews. Would it be possible to fix it? Thank you very much!

Thanks you, fixed that. We seem to have some text missing here, we will have to look into this at some point 🙂

Hello, in the writing part of the exam, I did not finish my review (I only managed to write an introduction and one paragraph, but my essay was complete). Although, I am confident about other parts of the CAE exam. How does this issue affect my overall score. Does it prevent me from getting the certificate?

Hello, Jessica. You get a choice of 3 different types of writing in Part 2, you can just choose something else. In fact, you might not get a review in the three offered tasks at all. Usually students struggle with reviews as it requires a more specific set of vocabulary, so many choose to skip it and not spend their time on it.

Hello I have realized that both my essay and my letter consist of approximately 310 words each. Could it affect my score drastically? Or is it appropriate to put down more than 260 words (310 in my case) if I would like to cover all the points of the task?

Hello, Julia! As per Cambridge CAE Handbook: “Guidelines on length are provided for each task; responses which are too short may not have an adequate range of language and may not provide all the information that is required, while responses which are too long may contain irrelevant content and have a negative effect on the reader. These may affect candidates’ marks on the relevant subscales.”

In other words, the examiners might see excessive length as poor ability to organise your writing. I would recommend against going over 280 words. Your ability to write concisely and convey a message through fewer words is a skill they expect you to have at CEFR C1 level. I hope this answers your question 🙂

Hello I would like to ask you if you think writing an email to a club organiser at your college is supposed to be an informal or a formal email? You know the whole name of the organiser and the note said something like: “You can choose the next 2 movies that we will watch next Tuesday. Tell us your ideas!” I wrote an informal letter but I’m not sure if it’s right. Thank you for any answers!

Hey Barbora! Generally, exclamation marks like in “Tell us your ideas!” indicate that it would be informal. Moreover, the general context of the text hint at a more relaxed style, so sticking to informal register is the way to go. Therefore, you have made the right call!

Hello. Unfortunately, I have exceeded the word limit of the writing (a lot). I am worried that they will deduct points. Do you perhaps know how many points or what impact it has? please be detailed. Thank you very much.

Hello Hosi, I am sorry I missed your message at first. Exceeding your word limit considerably can be punished both directly and indirectly. The former way is to see it as inability to express your ideas in a structured and compact way. Indirectly you might get a penalty for all the possible mistakes that come with those extra sentences. It is a part of the four assessment aspects, so at best it accounts for 1/8th of your mark. So unless your general planning and structuring was absolutely terrible (I hope it’s not!) you should not be too worried about this.

Hi, I attended the CAE exam just last week. I made a silly mistake in Writing part 2 when I jotted down the wrong number of the assignment (I chose letter and wrote down the number for proposal). Will this somehow affect my scores? Also, I’d like to ask, I was supposed to write a letter to all of my customers telling them about my company (what does it do, what makes it different, benefits for new customers) etc. is formal letter appropriate in this context? Thanks a lot for your answer!

Hey Dionne, hope you’re doing great! To answer the first part of your question – no, it probably won’t affect your mark as it should be evident from the context of your answer which task you chose for the second part. As for using formal register when writing to your customers – yes, you definitely made the right call! Please let me know how it went as soon as you get the results.

Hi! I attended CAE writing exam today and in Part 2 I chose to write a review BUT instead used the report structure, using subtitles ☹️. Also, I didn’t have the time to write a conclusion. Will I receive any points for Part 2? Thank you!

Hello Monica! Using titles is not punished directly. You should be fine, provided these titles add cohesion rather than confusion to your writing. You will probably get slightly lower mark for failing to include a conclusion on the grounds that the potential reader will not be “fully informed” (Content criteria). It might also affect your Organisation score. I wouldn’t worry too much about getting zero points as it is never the case with Cambridge exams. Please let us know how it goes when you get your score!

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Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE): How Your Writing is Marked

Introduction

One of the more complicated things about C1 Advanced is definitely how your writing tasks are marked. I get this question asked a lot by my students, but the problem is that it is very difficult to explain the whole thing in just a minute or two. So I thought it would be a good idea to put everything in writing for you. This way you get all the information you need, you can revisit this post whenever you want and you will better understand how you can make your texts in CAE stand out and gain great marks.

The four different marking scales

After looking at the very basics we need to get into more detail because the four marking scales in C1 Advanced look at very different and specific aspects of your writing abilities. Only if you are able to show a high level in all four, you will get good marks so let’s check what exactly each scale means.

Get Your Free C1 Advanced Writing Cheat Sheet Now!

Communicative achievement.

This scale is a little bit trickier than Content because it is not so obvious what you need to do if you want to get a good score. Communicative Achievement includes all the things that are necessary to communicate your ideas the right way. Did you choose the most appropriate register (formal vs neutral vs informal)? Does your text have the right structure and layout? Did you communicate your ideas clearly? Did you hold the reader’s attention or is you text difficult to follow?

In the second example task you need to write a review and in this case the readers are the visitors of a website called Great Lives . Comparing it to the proposal from earlier, how formal or informal should your text be? Do these readers require the same level of formality or can you be a little bit more casual? I would say you can definitely be more neutral in tone while trying to engage the reader at the same time . After all, the people reading your review are regular people like you and not your superiors.

Last but not least, in Communicative Achievement the examiner also looks at your ability to communicate your ideas clearly and to hold the reader’s attention. When you read your text you should have the feeling that it is engaging and your arguments/ideas are clear and easy to understand for someone who might not know a lot about the topic.

Organisation

Writing is alright after all.

Marking writing tasks in C1 Advanced is very complex and the examiners check many different aspects of your skills. You really have to show that you are good all around, but with the knowledge and the right tools you can achieve greatness. Find the areas in which you have room for improvement and start practising today.

Similar Posts

Cambridge c1 advanced (cae): how to write a review, reading skills – 7 great tips to improve, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): how to write a proposal, cambridge c1 advanced (cae) – speaking, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): reading and use of english, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): how to write a report.

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Cambridge english: c1 advanced (cae) writing.

Difficulty level : C1 / advanced What is the Advanced (CAE) Writing test like? The test has two sections and takes 90 minutes:

• Part 1 - Write an essay with a discursive focus Some material to read (up to 150 words) which may include material taken from advertisements, extracts from letters, emails, postcards, diaries, short articles, etc. Using this information, write an essay with a discursive focus. 220–260 words.
• Part 2 - Situationally based writing task Choose one of four questions. You have to read some input material and write one of the following: a letter/email , a proposal, a report or a review . 220–260 words.

Scoring The Advanced (CAE) Writing Test makes up 20% of the entire exam.

Your writing is assessed using four criteria:

• Content - have you answered the question?
• Communicative Achievement - have you completed the task in the right sort of language
• Organisation - have you structured your writing with paragraphs?
• Language - have you used a good range of grammar and vocabulary

How to prepare for the Advanced (CAE) Writing test

• Choose a question that you are interested in. You will write better if you know the subject.

Read this explanation of how to write an article .

• Read the instructions carefully before you start. Make notes. You must include all the points in the instructions.
• Make a plan before you start writing. Decide what information to put in each paragraph.
• Think about who you are writing to and use an appropriate style of language.
• Try to use a range of complex language.
• Leave enough time to check what you have written.

CAE Writing tests

• Writing part 1 (essay)
• Writing part 2 (email)
• Writing part 2 (brochure)
• Writing part 2 (letter of application)
• Writing part 2 (review)
• Writing part 2 (letter to a newspaper)

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Home » C1 Advanced » CAE Writing Examples » CAE Essay Sample – 2

CAE Essay Sample – 2

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CAE Essay Sample Book

I recently published a book with 6 CAE essay samples along with 15 other writing samples. They all have feedback and scores.

You can read it for FREE with Kindle Unlimited. Read it now >>

CAE Essay Sample 2 - Question

A student recently paid for my Cambridge writing exam feedback service. I corrected the mistakes in his essay and gave it a mark with my comments, the same as the examiners do. I have shared this CAE essay sample on this page for you because it will help you understand how to SMASH the essay in the exam 😉

Essay Question:

The question below came from the CAE online testbank which you can join here .

CAE Essay Sample Answer:

There are so many vitally important factors in our lives which enable us to achieve our goals and dreams. According to a recent article, every person in our society has a unique set of abilities at his or her disposal. The article did not state which factors lead to our success. That is why I intend to have a look at two of them in detail.

It goes without saying that our personality is what has a major influence on our decisions and behaviour. If somebody is strong-willed, it is very unlikely that this person will not stand up to any trials in the future. Hence, making a success of something would not cause any severe issues. On the other hand, those people who are more sensitive and closed would probably struggle with achieving their aims. Since public speaking started playing an important role, it is desirable to be the person who is different in terms of voice, gestures, confidence and other things. In other words, being a person with a strong personality has several assets. Not only is it easier to deliver our goals, but it can also make a positive impression on listeners. 

Another potential way of ensuring success is our qualifications. It cannot be denied, that those people who were provided with the right qualifications are more successful. However, it can be questioned. If we are not able to take advantage of having a good degree, we can fail. Moreover, from my point of view, these people often have a lack of communication skills which often play an important role when it comes to their success. 

To sum up, as far as I am concerned, our personality outweighs the advantages of having good qualifications. If we didn't have a strong personality, we wouldn't be able to study and to stand out from the crowd to be heard.

Examiner Assessment Scale

Before you read my critique of this essay, you should mark it and write comments like you are an examiner. If you can get in the mind of an examiner, you will achieve higher marks in the exam! If you want help with this, check out this page from my ultimate CAE course. If you feel confident in marking an essay, dive straight in and complete this online or hard copy assessment scale.

CAE Essay Sample With My Corrections

Now you should compare the mistakes you found and corrected with the ones I found here:

"There are so many vitally important factors in our lives which enable us to achieve our goals and dreams. According to a recent article, every person in our society has a unique set of abilities at his or her disposal. The article did not state which factors (they do talk about the factors, but they do not say ‘which factors are the biggest in leading’) lead to our success. That is why I intend to have a look at two of them in detail. (The essay is not based on an article, it is based on a discussion.)

It goes without saying that our personality is what has a major influence on our decisions and behaviour. If somebody is strong-willed, it is very unlikely that this person will not stand up to any trials in the future. Hence, making a success of something would not cause any severe issues (I think this sentence could be worded more accurately. It is not ‘making a success of something’ which generally causes problems, but rather the path to ‘making a success’) . On the other hand, those people who are more sensitive and closed would probably struggle with achieving their aims. Since public speaking ‘has’ started playing an important role (in everyday life?) , it is desirable to be the ‘a’ person who is different in terms of your voice, gestures, confidence and other things (avoid the word ‘things’) . In other words, being a person with a strong personality has several ‘good/positive’ assets. Not only is it ‘ can it be’ easier to deliver your goals, but it can also make a positive impression on listeners. 

Another potential way of ensuring success is your qualifications. It cannot be denied , that those people who were provided with the right qualifications are (‘tend to’ may be more appropriate) more successful. However, it can be questioned (this contradicts the ‘it cannot be denied’ phrase in the last sentence. It would be better to say ‘Whether or not everybody with qualifications takes full advantage of these, can be questioned’) . If you are not able to take advantage of having a good degree, you can fail (fail in what? Can you be more specific?) . Moreover, from my point of view, these people often have a lack of communication skills which often play an important role when it comes to their success. 

To sum up, as far as I am concerned, our personality outweighs the advantages of having good qualifications. If we didn't have a strong personality, we wouldn't be able to study and to stand out from the crowd to be heard (this is too broad, it would be better to say ‘we wouldn’t have as many study and work opportunities or be able to stand out from the crowd in competitive situations’) ."

CAE Essay Sample With Marks & Comments

Pass or Fail?

I have awarded this CAE essay sample the following marks:

Content - 3

Communicative Achievement - 2

Organisation - 4

Language - 4

Total: 13/20

The student scored 13/20. If the student scored 13 in part 2, they would pass the exam at a C1 level.

CAE tip : If we don't know the gender, we often refer refer to a single person as 'they'.

If you would like to see more sample writings with my comments and feedback, check out my CAE essay examples or CAE writing samples pages.

Writing Critique

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Cambridge English: Advanced

Check out students' answers to Flo-Joe's CAE Writing tasks with a teacher's feedback

• Writing Class

Writing Class: Essay

Task type: essay.

Question Your class has had a discussion about the negative effects of globalisation on local culture. You have made the notes below:

Write an essay discussing TWO of the effects listed in your notes. You should explain which effect is more important, giving reasons in support of your answer.

You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible. (around 220-260 words)

Makeover: Elena

Read Elena's answer to this question below. Try correcting the piece of writing yourself first: use the marking codes to think about what might be wrong (or what's good) about the piece of work. Then when you're ready, click the green buttons in the text for our feedback.

This is generally a good essay Elena. You have focussed on two of the points listed and given a full and thoughtful answer to the question. Your organisation is also clear with good use of paragraphs and cohesive devices. There are lots of examples of good choices of vocabulary and advanced use of English. Overall, your ideas are communicated very clearly and in an engaging, semi-formal register. The reader would be fully informed. Well done!

Marking Code

/\ Word(s) missing

- Omit word

C Capitalization

O Organisation

P Punctuation

PE Poorly expressed

R Register/Formality

SS Sentence Structure

T Tip (Not wrong but a suggestion)

WF Wrong form

WO Word order

WT Wrong tense

WW Wrong word

CAE Info and Practice

Cae resources to buy.

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Guest Essay

One Blue Feather. A Changed World?

By Margaret Renkl

Ms. Renkl is a contributing Opinion writer who reports from Nashville on flora, fauna, politics and culture in the American South.

It was lying in the street, rocking gently with the turns of a placid wind. At first I thought it was some bit of detritus set free by a garbage truck, the driver hurrying to complete his rounds before the temperature reached that day’s brutal high. By the time I got close enough to see that it wasn’t any sort of trash at all, the wind had lifted it and tossed it into our yard: a blue jay’s tail feather, newly molted .

In late summer, many resident songbirds undergo a full molt, leaving behind their old, battered feathers and growing gleaming new ones in their place. The new feathers will be needed to offer the best insulation against the cold in winter, and to make the bird’s best case for a mate come spring. The blue jay this feather once belonged to was already in the process of gaining a shiny new version of itself.

But the time between old feathers and new is hard for birds. They feel bad. They’re cross with one another. Blue jays and cardinals, especially, tend to lose many feathers at once. Sometimes they spend a few weeks completely bald . A bird without a full set of feathers is vulnerable. During the molt, they keep quiet and close to the shadows.

I left the blue jay feather where I found it last week. In nature, someone always makes use of what someone else doesn’t need. Another creature will use it to line a nest or a burrow.

I carried that feather with me all week in other ways, though. As with Wordsworth , the world has been too much with me lately, and I welcomed the reminder of the blue jay’s world. Though threatened, at least some things in nature are still timeless, proceeding exactly as they should. I wish I could say the same of us.

In our world, just days after a 14-year-old is alleged to have killed four people in Apalachee High School in Georgia and wounded nine others, a 6-year-old in Memphis brought a loaded gun to school , passing it around for classmates to handle. Days after that, schools were closed in southern Kentucky while authorities searched for an assailant who shot five strangers driving on Interstate 75. In the 25 years since the massacre at Columbine High School, advocates for common-sense gun laws have been indefatigable, their ranks continually growing , yet here we are again.

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