B1 Preliminary Exam Guide
Writing Paper Paper: Part Two
Contents
Overview
What is it? Choose one writing task from two options.
Word count: About 100 words
Marks: Part Two is worth 20 points. Overall, the Writing paper is worth 25% of the B1 Preliminary exam.
Task types: Article or story
Types of Writing Tasks
- Article: Write for a magazine or website, answering questions about a topic
- Story: Continue a story from a given opening sentence
How to Approach
- Read both tasks carefully before choosing one
- For an article, make sure you answer all the questions given
- For a story, match the style of the opening sentence
- Plan your writing before you start
- Check you've written about 100 words
What Examiners Look For
Your writing needs to show you can:
- Write clearly and logically
- Use appropriate vocabulary for the task
- Follow task instructions correctly
- Link your ideas together well
Tips
- Choose the task type you feel most confident with
- If writing a story, keep the same narrator throughout (first or third person)
- For articles, make your opinions clear and give reasons
- Plan your time - leave a few minutes to check your work
How It Looks
Student Suggestion
"For articles, I always make notes about each question first. This helps me organise my ideas and make sure I don't miss anything important." - Luis Martinez
Practice Exercises
Practice Writing Part 2 here: B1 Preliminary: Writing Part 2 Exercises
