Composition Marking Service

Silver Service

1. Full grammar and spelling corrections

Example Question 1

You must answer this question. Write 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

In your English class you have been talking about the environment. Now, your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view.

Every country in the world has problems with pollution and damage to the environment. Do you think these problems can be solved?

Notes

Write about:

• transport
• rivers and seas
• .................. (your own idea)

Example Corrections:

Original: "Environmental issues are effecting every country in the world today. Many experts beleive these problems can be solved, however I have different opinion. First, the pollution from cars are getting worse because people rather drive than use public transport. The rivers in my country became more polluted since factories started dumping there waste. Despite the goverment tried to stop it, deforestation continues to destroy ecosystem. I am not confidence we can solve this problems."

Corrected: "Environmental issues are effecting[1] every country in the world today. Many experts beleive[2] these problems can be solved, however[3] I have different[4] opinion. First, the pollution from cars are[5] getting worse because people rather[6] drive than use public transport. The rivers in my country became[7] more polluted since factories started dumping there[8] waste. Despite the goverment[9] tried to stop it, deforestation continues to destroy ecosystem[10]. I am not confidence[11] we can solve this[12] problems."

Corrections:
1. Wrong word form - should be "affecting" (affect = verb, effect = noun)
2. Spelling error - should be "believe"
3. Punctuation - needs comma before "however"
4. Missing article - should be "a different"
5. Subject-verb agreement - "pollution" (singular) requires "is"
6. Missing verb - should be "would rather"
7. Wrong tense - should be "have become" (present perfect for continuing situation)
8. Wrong word - should be "their" (possessive)
9. Spelling error - should be "government"
10. Missing article - needs "the ecosystem" or plural "ecosystems"
11. Wrong word form - should be "confident" (adjective needed)
12. Wrong determiner form - should be "these" to agree with plural "problems"

2. Vocabulary and style improvements

Example Vocabulary Improvements:

Original: "I think the situation with the environment is very bad and getting worse. Cars and buses make a lot of pollution in cities and many people get sick because of it. Also, big companies put lots of bad chemicals in rivers and kill fish. Trees are being cut down very fast and this is very bad for animals."

Suggested improvements: "The environmental situation is critical and deteriorating rapidly. Vehicle emissions contribute significantly to urban air pollution, leading to serious health issues among city residents. Additionally, industrial waste contamination of waterways poses a severe threat to marine life. The accelerating rate of deforestation is devastating natural habitats."

- Replaced basic adjectives ("bad", "big") with more precise vocabulary
- Added formal linking expressions ("additionally")
- Used topic-specific terms ("emissions", "contamination", "deforestation")
- Improved sentence structure to sound more academic
- Eliminated informal expressions ("lots of", "very")
- Maintained clear B2-appropriate academic style

3. Feedback on structure and organisation

Example Structure Feedback:

Original paragraph structure: "Environmental problems are very serious today. Cars make a lot of pollution. I think we can't solve these problems. The rivers are dirty from factories. More people are buying cars every day. Some experts say we can fix things but I disagree. Trees are being cut down. The pollution from transport is getting worse. Factories put chemicals in the water. In conclusion, I think these problems are too big."

Suggested reorganisation: "Environmental problems are very serious today, and while some experts believe they can be solved, I disagree. Firstly, transport-related pollution is continuously increasing as more people purchase cars, making air quality worse in our cities. Secondly, our rivers and seas face severe contamination from factories dumping chemicals into waterways. Finally, ongoing deforestation is destroying vital ecosystems. In conclusion, these combined factors make environmental problems too significant to resolve completely."

- Created clear paragraph structure (introduction, 3 main points, conclusion)
- Organised ideas by topic (transport, water pollution, deforestation)
- Added transition signals (firstly, secondly, finally)
- Grouped related ideas together (all transport points in one paragraph)
- Ensured each point responds directly to the essay question
- Maintained consistent argument throughout

4. Tips for improvement

Example Improvement Tips:

Based on your composition, here are key areas to focus on:
- Build a vocabulary bank of environmental collocations (e.g., "environmental impact", "renewable energy", "sustainable development")
- Study formal academic alternatives to basic expressions like "very bad", "lots of", "get sick"
- Practise using complex sentences with linking words like "despite", "while", "although" to show contrast
- Learn topic-specific terminology for key areas (transport, pollution, conservation)
- Review article usage, especially with uncountable nouns like "pollution", "transport", "deforestation"
- Work on paragraph structure: clear topic sentences, supporting points, and conclusions

Gold Service

1. Detailed exam-specific feedback

Example Exam Feedback (B2 First Essay):

Content: 3/5
- Transport pollution covered adequately
- Water pollution point needs more specific examples
- Own idea (deforestation) needs clearer connection to main argument
- All points addressed but development is uneven

Communicative Achievement: 3/5
- Essay format is appropriate
- Academic register inconsistent (mix of formal and informal language)
- Position on the issue is clear but arguments need stronger support
- Holds reader's attention but impact weakened by basic vocabulary

Organisation: 3/5
- Clear overall structure with introduction and conclusion
- Paragraphing present but not always logical
- Limited use of linking words between and within paragraphs
- Some ideas would benefit from better ordering

Language: 3/5
- Some good attempts at complex structures
- Several basic errors with articles and subject-verb agreement
- Limited range of environmental vocabulary
- Good control of simple sentences but complex ones contain errors

Cambridge B2 First Score: 12/20
Pass level achieved but improvements needed for Merit/Distinction

Priority areas for improvement:
- Learn topic-specific vocabulary for environmental issues
- Practise using a wider range of linking phrases (furthermore, moreover, as a result)
- Work on maintaining formal academic style throughout
- Focus on developing each main point with specific examples

2. What Cambridge Wants

Cambridge B2 First Essay Requirements Analysis:

Content & Communicative Achievement Requirements:
- All bullet points must be clearly addressed and developed
- Clear opinion/position maintained throughout
- Appropriate essay style (formal/semi-formal)
- Convincing arguments supported by examples

Where Your Essay Differs:
- Transport point lacks specific examples of solutions
- Water pollution section needs clearer link to main argument
- Personal opinion present but not consistently supported
- Mix of formal ("environmental issues") and informal ("lots of", "very bad") language

Organisation Requirements:
- Standard essay format with clear introduction stating position
- Each main point in separate, developed paragraph
- Effective use of linking phrases between ideas
- Conclusion that reinforces main argument

Where Your Essay Differs:
- Introduction doesn't clearly preview main points
- Paragraphs contain mixed ideas about transport/pollution
- Limited use of linking phrases between paragraphs
- Conclusion simply repeats opinion without summarising arguments

Language Requirements:
- Range of appropriate environmental vocabulary
- Mix of simple and complex grammatical forms
- Good control of B2 level structures
- Clear meaning despite any errors

Where Your Essay Differs:
- Basic vocabulary ("bad", "good", "big problem")
- Mainly simple present tense with few complex forms
- Errors with articles and agreement affect meaning
- Limited range of structures for expressing opinion

3. Personal improvement plan

Example Personal Improvement Plan:

Based on your environmental essay performance, here is your 6-week improvement plan:

Week 1-2: Building Topic Vocabulary
- Study environmental collocations (environmental impact, renewable energy)
- Learn formal alternatives for basic expressions (significant instead of very big)
- Practise using specific examples instead of general statements

Week 3-4: Essay Organisation
- Master essay introduction formula (topic + position + preview)
- Practise writing topic sentences for each main paragraph
- Work on conclusion techniques that reinforce arguments

Week 5-6: Language Accuracy
- Focus on article usage with environmental topics
- Practise complex sentences with although/despite/while
- Build a bank of formal opinion expressions

Weekly Writing Tasks:
1. Write one B2 First essay using that week's focus points
2. Review and correct common errors from previous essay
3. Study one model answer focusing on target language

Recommended Resources:
- Cambridge B2 First Writing bank (environmental topics)
- Academic Word List for topic vocabulary
- Model essays with examiner comments
- Grammar exercises focusing on articles and complex structures

What is the turnaround time?

We aim to return marked compositions within 2-7 days, depending on length and quantity. We'll confirm the exact timeline when you submit your work.

Do you only mark Cambridge exam compositions?

No, we'll mark any English composition you send. While we specialise in Cambridge exam preparation, we're happy to mark writing from coursebooks, our own website materials, or any other source.

Who will be marking my compositions?

We have several UK-based ESL teachers working for us who have all taught Cambridge exams for over twenty years.

Will I always get a mark for my composition?

Yes, we mark all compositions using Cambridge assessment criteria (Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation, and Language). This gives you a clear indication of your current writing level and areas for improvement.

Do I need to send the writing questions/tasks?

Yes, please send the complete writing task or a link where we can find it. This helps us assess whether you've fully addressed all parts of the task and used appropriate language and format. We have many sample compositions for all Cambridge exam levels right here on this site, so for those, you need only send the link.

Do you offer group or school discounts?

Yes, we offer special rates for schools, language academies, and teachers with multiple students. We can also create customised packages based on your specific needs and volume of compositions. Please contact us for a tailored quote.

How do I pay?

We accept PayPal payments. If you need to discuss alternative payment methods, please contact us through our contact form.