THE ULTIMATE

WRITING GUIDE
FOR THE
C1 - ADVANCED
This guide has been created with all
Cambridge C1 Students in mind.

It is very common that students find

the writing part one of the hardest
ones in the Cambridge examination
format and it is mainly because there
are a few things that students need to
remember and have practised
thoroughly.

We have tried to include all the

important aspects that the writing part
requires in the Cambridge C1 –
Advanced.

The guide focuses on the type of

task, required language and style and
assessment of each task.
PAPER 2 CAE Advanced
WRITING

TIME
1 hour 30 mins

PART 1
TASK

Essay
220-260 words

Producing a text based on two points given in the input text and
giving opinions on what is stated in the two texts.

IT’S A COMPULSORY TASK

YOU MUST DO IT!

MARKS: 20
PART 2
TASK

Choose one from:

220-260 words

Proposal Review
Report Letter/email
IT’S A MULTIPLE-CHOICE TASK

MARKS: 20
TIPS
When planning and writing your answer there are a number of aspects
to consider, as it will be judged according to the following criteria:

CONTENT
You must make sure that you identify and summarise all the key
points/opinions and if there are more you need to choose twopoints and you
also give your own opinions on what is stated in the rubric. When you give
your own opinions, you can agree or disagree with what is stated in the points.

COMMUNICATIVE
ACHIEVEMENT
Your essay should be suitably neutral or fairly formal in register but it does not
have to be extremely formal. In it, you need to demonstrate that you have fully
understood the main points, by summarising them in your own words, not
copying the texts. The opinions that you give must be closely related to those
main points so that your essay is both informative and makes clear sense as a
whole.
 ORGANIZATION
Make sure that your essay flows well and logically and is divided appropriately
into paragraphs. Make sure that there is a clear connection between your
opinions and the content of the two texts, and that these features are linked
using appropriate linking words and phrases, both between sentences and
between paragraphs.

LANGUAGE
The language that you use needs to be both accurate and not simple/basic. You
need to demonstrate that you have a high level of English by using a range of
grammatical structures and appropriate vocabulary correctly. Don't use only
simple words and structures throughout your answer, try to think of ones that
show a more advanced level, without making sentences too complicated for the
reader to understand. It is advisable to check very carefully for accuracy when
you have completed your answer, as well as making sure that everything you
have written makes clear sense.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE

ESSAY FOR THE CAE

PART 1
(220-260 words)
PART 1 - ESSAY
MARKS: 20
In Part 1 of the Writing paper you are required to write an essay
based on two points.

In the essay you must:

• explain the key points
• give your own opinions on the topic
• provide a clear conclusion

THE POINTS
• You will have to develop your essay on two of the points given
• You will need state your opinion on the points

YOUR ESSAY
• The content of your essay does not have to follow any particular
order.
• You can also relate to some of the opinions that may appear in
this part of the writing
• You can give your opinion on each point from the text as you
explain it.
SAMPLE: READ THIS ESSAY TASK

You have watched a TV debate about which charity organisations should receive
funding from the government. You have made the notes below

WHICH CHARITIES SHOULD RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE

GOVERNMENT?

• Sports and recreation Charities

• Health Charities
• Human Rights Charities

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:

“We should not spend money on sport but on health.”
“Cancer charities have helped lots of people and need our support”
“Human rights issues should addressed.”

Write an essay discussing two of the charities in your notes. You should
explain which charity is more important to give money to, 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.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE SAMPLE ESSAY BELOW

Everywhere we turn, nowadays we see charities beseeching the
public for money. Whether in the many 'begging letters' that pop
unsolicited though our mailboxes daily, or in the televised appeals for
charities, headed by celebrities trying to tug at our heart-strings, but
the question is, which charities deserve to be funded and which should
be given priority in government funding? Are sports and recreation
charities more worthy a cause for example, than health charities? This
is a major dilemma that is by no means a clear-cut issue.

Let's take sports and recreation charities compared to health charities

as a case in point. The former have a valid claim to government
funding. Sport and recreation help reduce stress, and keep people fit,
positive and healthy. In addition, sports and recreation centres also
provide a community focal point, enriching the lives of many.

However, what good is recreation and sport if you are too unwell to
participate? There is a much stronger argument, that health is a far
greater priority than sport and recreation.

Furthermore, an increasingly aged population is becoming a heavy

burden on healthcare, necessitating greater funding for charities as the
prevalence of Alzheimer's and cancer increase proportionally with an
ageing population. Many now are reliant on support from health
charities. We have an obligation to fund these charities, in return.

I believe that the funding of health charities is the greater priority. After
all, what good are health and recreation centres if we don’t have
enough hospitals for people who are suffering? Without doubt,
government funding must be directed first and foremost to health
charities.
USEFUL PHRASES TO INTRODUCE
• It is often said that
• Many people believe that/claim that
• Everyone often says/mentions/claims

USEFUL PHRASES TO CONTRAST AND ADD

• The second point argues/claims that… • In addition to the aforementioned point, it
• The second text makes bold statements in also claims that…
support of… • The second point puts forward the idea that…
• Not only does the first point state that…, but it
also claims that…

USEFUL PHRASES TO CONCLUDE

• In conclusion
• Therefore • To conclude
• To sum up • Finally
• On balance • Consequently
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE

ARTICLE FOR THE CAE

PART 2
(220-260 words)

An article is a piece of writing on a given topic that would be

suitable for the specified type of publication.
AN ARTICLE SHOULD INCLUDE

TITLE
INTRODUCTION

MAIN BODY

CONCLUSION

Read the rubric and make sure you understand:

Where the Who is going to What is the aim

article is going to read it? of the article?
appear?

Newspaper Teens To advise

Magazine Adults To suggest
Blog To inform
TITLES

A title is totally necessary and should be a concise summary of

the information which is going to follow in the article.

TOPIC SENTENCES

You need to include topic sentences. These are sentences that

sum up the main idea of the paragraph,

SAMPLE EXAM TASK

You have been asked to write the following article:

Have you studied abroad?

Have you spent time studying in another country? We invite you, our
readers, to submit an article on your experiences in that country, to be
included in our forthcoming series on living and studying abroad.
Share your experiences with us. Tell us what you studied and about
any difficulties you faced while you were there. Have you changed as
a result of this?
LEARNING ABOUT LIFE
Studying abroad is an exciting experience, giving you the opportunity to learn
more about the traditions and culture of the host country and its people. Apart
from the excellent education I received during three years in England, I also
made a wide circle of friends and improved my language skills. I learned how to
face and deal with various problems, and as a result, have become more
independent and self-confident.

I studied English Literature and this, along with making many friends both at
university and through the part-time job I had, helped improve my English.
Although I already spoke the language quite well, when I first arrived I had
trouble understanding some accents and the slang or colloquialisms that are in
everyday use. Now I am a much more fluent and natural speaker, and my writing
has improved, too.

The biggest problems I faced were finding somewhere to live when I did not
know the area well, getting the electricity and phone connected and generally
learning to look after myself. I had to get used to shopping, cooking and doing
the housework, as well as studying and working, so I quickly mastered the art of
planning my time sensibly. Although adapting to living in a new country is not
easy, once the initial homesickness and missing the family has been overcome,
learning to fend for yourself certainly makes you a more independent person,
and definitely more self-confident.

My time abroad helped me grow as a person and I feel I could tackle any
problem now in a calm and confident manner, without having to immediately ask
someone for their help.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE

REPORT FOR THE CAE

PART 2
(220-240 words)

A report is a formal document which you write to a figure of

authority to describe an experience such as attending a
conference or taking part in a project.
A REPORT SHOULD INCLUDE
Title and subtitles (or subheadings) and be divided into clear
sections.

There is usually an introduction and a conclusion

LANGUAGE IN A REPORT

Avoid using contractions in reports as they are too informal.

Another thing to avoid is using idioms and phrasal verbs as

they tend to be spoken and informal.

USEFUL PHRASES
In the introduction In the conclusion

• The aim of this report is to... • I strongly recommend...ing

• The purpose of this report is to outline... • It would be highly advisable to...
• This report will also provide some • I would no doubt suggest...ing
recommendations on... • I also believe we should

SAMPLE EXAM TASK

You have been asked to write the following REPORT:

You work for a local newspaper, which is considering launching a

weekly magazine supplement that would be included in the
newspaper. You have been asked to conduct a survey of local people
to find out what the supplement should contain. Write a report
detailing the findings of the survey and what conclusions can be
drawn from it.
REPORT - WEEKLY MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT

Research

I prepared a short questionnaire, in which people were asked whether they

would be interested in reading a weekly magazine supplement and, if so, what
they thought it should include. I listed various categories for sections and
articles, and included 'other' for suggestions people might have that I hadn't
included.

I then spent a week asking people in the streets in the city-centre for their views
and completing the questionnaires with them. I got the views of 220 people of all
ages.

Findings

In general, the people r spoke to were keen on the idea of the supplement,
although 15 people said they couldn't see the point and wouldn't have enough
time to read one. The idea of a sports section was the most popular, and about
60% of the people I spoke to thought this should have articles about the local
clubs and interviews with the players - at the moment, the newspaper only has
short match reports.

Another popular idea was to have a section for hobbies, with details of clubs that
people can join to do them - a bout 50% liked that idea. Also, a bout 40% said
they would like longer reviews of films, plays and books because the ones in the
paper are usually very short. Six people suggested that it would be a good idea
to have a restaurant review column, which was not included in my questionnaire.
The idea of having a weekly recipe was also quite popular. The most unpopular
idea was to include articles about local politics - 80% of the people I spoke to
said they didn't want this – and about 70% said they didn't want articles on
environmental issues or financial matters.

Conclusions

It would appear that there is enough enthusiasm for the supplement to make it
worth doing. However, my survey indicates that people would prefer it to be
entertaining and enjoyable rather than having anything serious in it. It should
concentrate on people's interests rather than more serious issues and clearly
sports, hobbies and reviews should be covered in it.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE

REVIEW FOR THE CAE

PART 2
(220-260 words)

A review is a semi-formal text which includes information that

gives details about the positive and negative aspects in any
given context or format.
SAMPLE EXAM TASK
You have been asked to write the following REVIEW:

A magazine you read has asked readers to send in reviews of

particular TV channels or radio stations. Write a review of a TV channel
or radio station, commenting on the type and/or mixture of
programmes it broadcasts, the standard of its broadcasts, which
people it generally appeals to and how it compares to other TV
channels or radio stations

As a keen reader of your magazine, I noticed the appeal in your last issue for
writing a review of my favourite TV channel or radio station, which is here to
follow.

The radio channel I've chosen to write about is called FIZZ FM. Many of your
other readers may not have heard about this channel. The reason is that it's only
on air between 11 pm and 4a m. It's a private channel only run by five people.

The main aim of FIZZ FM is to entertain people who have to work or get up either
late at night or early in the morning. So, it does not appeal to a certain social or
age group, but to particular work groups such as nurses, bakers, etc.
Nevertheless, it's very popular with people from 14 to 25 who, even if they don't
have to, get up in the middle of the night just to listen to that programme.

Concerning their mixture of programmes, they don't have a fixed schedule. It's a
'colourful' mix of music (from the 60s, 70s, Bos, 90s. . .), news and discussions.
Everything is very easy going, so it can happen that there is a whole night of
music, followed by a night of discussions about anything. Th e coordinators of
FIZZ FM want to make it easier for working people who have to face a long day
full of work.

Though it's not a very busy or (sometimes) interesting station, it is able to

compete against bigger stations, because a broad range of people enjoy
listening to it. To my mind, this is
because of its unique style and appearance. These people have successfully
filled a gap in the market without having the problem of competing against
others, just because other stations don't care about that time of day.

Perhaps now more people will tune in to FIZZ FM, who knows?
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE

LETTER FOR THE CAE

PART 2
(220-260 words)

You will likely be asked to write a formal letter in which you

may be required to give opinions, explain reasons for writing
the letter, describe events or request actions.
STRUCTURE TO WRITE A LETTER

START WITH A POLITE GREETING

PART 1 – STATE WHY YOU ARE WRITING & GIVE YOUR POINT OF VIEW

PART 2 – SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW WITH ARGUMENTS

PART 3 – SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW WITH ARGUMENTS

PART 4 – SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW WITH ARGUMENTS

PART 5 – STATE YOUR OPINION CLEARLY AND GIVE YOUR POINT OF VIEW

SAMPLE EXAM TASK

You recently read an article in a newspaper that encouraged

youngsters to carry out extremely dangerous activities such as hiking
and down-hill mountainbiking. A possibility has risen in order to ban
these sports from your local activity catalogue. Some sportspeople
have complained about the unfairness of the situation.
Write a letter supporting the ban on these sports giving a solid
foundation for your opinion.
Dear editor

PART 1 – STATE WHY YOU ARE WRITING & GIVE YOUR POINT OF VIEW
I am writing in reply to the article about dangerous sports which was published
in your newspaper on Sunday 8th July. I would definitely agree with the idea
that such sports put people at risk and that it would be infinitely preferable for the
government to ban them.

PART 2 – SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW WITH ARGUMENTS

Having said that, it is also true that taking regular exercise is vitally important. For
example, yoga, tai-chi and other forms of gentle exercise can do wonders for our
health. As for more strenuous exercise, such as weight lifting and athletism, I
believe they can be practised at gyms and other special places where people can
be supervised by trainers and experts.

PART 3 – SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW WITH ARGUMENTS

The main problem with dangerous sports -yatch races, for instance- is that they
happen outdoor in remote areas where no control or supervision can be provided.
Tragedies like what happened to that yatch in Hobart not only put the participants´
lives at risk, but also the ones of the people in the rescue teams. It is also
important to mention that the operation to save the injured cost the state a
fortune, which might as well have been used to do some social work in favour
of Hobart´s community. If we banned extreme sports we would avoid both of
these problems.

PART 4 – SUPPORT YOUR POINT OF VIEW WITH ARGUMENTS

Of course, there will be sportmen who will complain when the ban is established.
They will probably claim that their freedom to choose their leisure activities is
being restricted, but surely you must understand that we would be doing it for
their own safety. Others will probably state that we need not to worry about the
cost of rescues as they can be assumed by insurance companies, but this is not
necessarily true. As far as I am concerned such companies will only take
responsibility of fifty per cent of the cost of rescue operations.
PART 5 – STATE YOUR OPINION AND GIVE YOUR POINT OF VIEW
To sum up, I think that it is urgent for the government to take action and ban
extreme sports now and for all. There is plenty of evidence that they are not only
dangerous, but they cost us taxpayers a big amount of money, which could be
better used to improve the quality of life of people in our city.

POLITE CLOSING
Yours faithfully
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE

PROPOSAL FOR THE

CAE
PART 2
(220-260 words)

A proposal is usually a formal document for a group of peers

or a supervisor. A report includes factual information to
persuade the reader or describe a certain change or progress
made.
STRUCTURE TO WRITE A PROPOSAL

TITLE

INTRODUCTION

HEADINGS (OPTIONAL)

PROPOSED ACTIONS (USE BULLET POINTS)

CONCLUSIONS

SAMPLE EXAM TASK

Language students – let us improve what we do for you!

Unfortunately, we can’t spend much money, but we’d like to improve what we
provide for our language students. Submit proposals to us explaining what is
useful about the current facilities we provide, describe any problems you have
with them and make recommendations for how we can improve them, giving
reasons to support your ideas.
How to improve the quality of language classes: a proposal

Introduction
The principal objectives of this proposal are to describe the current state of language teaching at the
Pennsylvania State University, identify areas for improvement, and offer recommendations on exactly
what improvements can be achieved.

Current situation
At the present moment, Penn State offers courses of several languages on three different levels. One
can study modern languages such as French, German, Italian Russian as a beginner, intermediate or
upper-intermediate student.

Issues
Following a final year survey among students taking language courses, the following areas for
improvement can be highlighted:

1. the number of languages in offer: undoubtedly narrow and restricted to European

languages;
2. the structure of the courses is flat: no advanced level
3. Llittle innovation in the language methods utilized: simple, old-fashioned grammar-
translation method still reigns supreme.

Recommendations
It is vital to address the issues raised in the student survey. Therefore, the following actions ought to be
performed with a view to improving the quality of the courses and their reception:

A. The offer should be increased to include other widely-spoken languages, especially non-European
ones, such as Chinese, Arabic and Hindi. These languages are real challenges for the speakers of
European languages.
B. It is advisable to expand the course options by offering lessons for advanced students. Only
comprehensive offer can motivate students to immerse themselves in language learning.
C. Last but not least, some variety needs to be introduced into the array of teaching methods available
to students, e.g. online multimedia lessons. The best method of language learning is using many
various methods.

All of these measures, if promptly implemented, are surely going to increase student satisfaction in the
area of language courses.