Writing for Cambridge C1 and C2 exams is notoriously challenging due to the high expectations for both language proficiency and sophisticated writing techniques. To excel, students need to complete a lot of practice writing tasks, writing all possible exam tasks, investing significant effort into revising and refining their work. My students are well aware that practicing exam writing tasks, receiving feedback and rewriting is a demanding task! However, it is crucial if you want to achieve C1 or C2 level to pass your exam.
Doing your Cambridge Writing task? Calm down and follow these
10 Writing Tips
1. Follow the Task
One of the most crucial tips for excelling in a Cambridge C1/C2 writing activity is to follow the task instructions carefully. The task will specify the type of writing required, such as an essay, report, letter etc. and will always include prompts – usually 3 of them - that need to be addressed. Ignoring these details will lead to losing marks for task achievement! To ensure you’re on track, underline the prompt and tick each of them as you elaborate on them while writing to make sure you are fully addressing the requirements.
2. Style
Adapting your writing style to suit the task is a must! An essay requires a formal style, while a letter might be formal or informal depending on the context. If you are writing a report or proposal, they have to be formal, of course. Misjudging the appropriate style or going overboard can make your writing seem out of place or confusing to the reader. A common problem is when students mix formal and informal tones, frequently shifting between them. To avoid this, familiarize yourself with the conventions (rules, norms, format etc.) of different writing styles and practice adjusting your tone and register to suit the given target reader and purpose(s).
3. Plan
Planning before you start writing can save time and improve the quality of your work. By outlining your main points and the structure of your piece, you can ensure that your writing is focused and covers all necessary aspects of the task. A good plan also helps prevent repetition and keeps your writing concise. Spend a few minutes brainstorming ideas, jotting them down and organizing them into a logical sequence before you begin writing.
4. Organise
A well-organized piece of writing is easier to read and understand. Organizing your writing means structuring it in a way that logically presents your ideas. Before starting writing, you have to know exactly how many paragraphs you need and what to include in each of them: have a clear introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion. Each type of exam task has different rules for paragraphing: you have to learn them! Clear and appropriate paragraphing is only the first step, each paragraph should focus on a single main idea, and these ideas should flow logically from one to the next.
5. Complex Ideas
To score highly in a C1 writing activity, it’s important to demonstrate the ability to express complex ideas clearly. This involves going beyond simple statements and developing your arguments or narratives with depth and nuance. Be specific when elaborating on the task prompts, use examples, comparisons, and analyses to explore your points in detail. Showing the examiner that you can handle sophisticated concepts indicates a higher level of understanding and proficiency in English. That is exactly the OPPOSITE of what AI does, so never use AI when you are honing your writing skills in preparation for the exam! AI is only useful for finding more advanced collocations / synonyms / phrases or more formal / informal alternatives.
6. Coherence and Cohesion
Coherence and cohesion are essential for producing writing that is logical and easy to follow. Coherence ensures that ideas flow naturally and make sense as a whole, while cohesion connects these ideas effectively within and between paragraphs. Achieving this involves more than just using linking words; it requires thoughtful organization of content and the use of appropriate transitional devices, advanced grammar structures to guide the reader smoothly from one point to the next. What do I mean by using advanced grammar structures for cohesion? For example: relative clause, advanced comparison, inversion, subordinating clause, reduced clauses etc. Yes, you must be able to use all of them! Which leads us to our next point.
7. Advanced Grammar in Complex Sentences
Using advanced grammar structures and complex sentences is key to achieving a high score in the exam. This includes using a range of passive constructions, conditionals, relative clauses, inversions, what- / it-cleft, to name but a few. However, these should be used naturally and accurately within the context of your writing. Overusing them will not improve your scores but you might end up losing marks! In preparation for the exam, practice writing sentences that combine different grammatical elements to convey complex ideas.
8. Advanced Vocabulary
Incorporating advanced vocabulary into your writing is indispensable to showcase your language proficiency. Use a variety of words and phrases that are appropriate for the context, genre and to avoid repetition. Advanced expressions, natural collocations, idioms, phrasal verbs are a must – depending on the style! However, be cautious not to overuse complex vocabulary unnecessarily, as this can make your writing sound forced or unnatural. Instead, aim to enhance your writing with advanced vocabulary that accurately conveys your message and suits the style. Yes, you can write a perfect writing piece in the exam using only B1-B2 expressions. But in this case, you will only achieve B2 scores!
9. Check
Finally, always leave time to check your work at the end. Proofreading allows you to catch and correct mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, as well as ensure that your writing flows well and adheres to the task requirements. Reading your work aloud can help identify awkward phrasing or unclear sentences. This final check can make a significant difference in the overall quality and coherence of your writing, so it’s a step that should never be skipped.
10. Practice
To be able to produce a C1 level writing, you have to write at least 10-14 writing pieces in preparation for the exam! All of which must be checked, corrected and assessed by your tutor. Getting regular feedback enables you to improve and adjust your writing each time based on your mistakes! In my C1 groups each student must hand in 14 writing pieces altogether which are individually corrected and sent back to them with personalised feedback.
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