B2 First Writing Part 1: Essay

Dave
Feb 27, 2022
5 min read

Updated: Jul 2

earn how to plan, write and check a Cambridge B2 First essay. This guide is for Writing Part 1, the compulsory essay question.

In this part of the exam, you need to give your opinion, include the notes in the task, add one idea of your own, and support your ideas with reasons or examples.

The aim is not to sound like a university professor. The aim is to answer the task clearly, organise your ideas well, and use accurate B2-level English.

B2 First Essay Facts

What you need to know	Details
Task	Write an essay in response to a question or statement.
Length	140-190 words.
You must include	The two notes in the task and one idea of your own.
You must do	Give your opinion and support it with reasons or examples.
Style	Formal or semi-formal. Avoid very informal language.

What Examiners Look For

Cambridge examiners assess your essay using four main criteria:

Criterion	What it means
Content	Have you answered the question and included both notes plus your own idea?
Communicative Achievement	Does it sound like an essay? Is your opinion clear and easy to follow?
Organisation	Are your paragraphs clear and logical? Do your linking words help the reader?
Language	Is your grammar accurate? Have you used a range of vocabulary and structures?

Understand The Task

Before you start writing, read the question carefully. Then look at the notes.

Ask yourself:

What is the main question?
Do I agree, disagree, or partly agree?
What two notes must I include?
What is my own idea?
What reasons or examples can I give?

Your job is not just to mention the notes. You need to answer the question, include all three points, and explain your opinion clearly.

A common mistake is to write three separate mini-paragraphs without a clear opinion. In an essay, your ideas must work together to answer the main question.

Essay Task Analysis

Decide Your Opinion

Before you write, decide what you really think. A clear opinion makes the whole essay easier to organise.

Weak opinion	Stronger opinion
Video games have advantages and disadvantages.	I do not think video games should be eliminated completely, but young people need to use them in a balanced way.

The weak opinion is true, but it does not clearly answer the question.

The stronger opinion is better because the writer has a clear position. The essay can now explain the benefits of video games, the problem with exercise, and another important point such as sleep, schoolwork or social life.

Plan Before You Write

Spend 3-4 minutes planning before you begin. Do not write full sentences in your plan. Just write quick ideas.

For each note, think of:

your main idea
one reason
one example or result

Here is a simple planning pattern:

Point from the task	Possible idea	Reason or example
Things you can learn from video games	problem-solving, teamwork, English vocabulary	many games require quick decisions and communication
Doing exercise	too much screen time can reduce physical activity	teenagers should take breaks and spend time outdoors
Own idea	sleep	playing late at night can affect concentration at school

This gives you enough content for the main body of the essay.

Useful Essay Language

You do not need extremely complicated language to get a good mark. Clear, accurate and flexible language is better than risky phrases you cannot control.

Function	Useful phrases
Giving your opinion	In my opinion,… / It seems to me that… / I tend to think that…
Balancing ideas	Although there are benefits,… / On the other hand,… / There are two sides to this issue.
Giving examples	For example,… / For instance,… / A good example of this is…
Showing results	As a result,… / This means that… / For this reason,… / In this way,…
Concluding	Taking everything into account,… / Overall, I believe that… / To sum up, it seems clear that…

Useful Essay Language

A Safe Essay Structure

A B2 First essay is usually easiest to write in four or five paragraphs.

Paragraph	Purpose
1. Introduction	Rephrase the topic and give your overall opinion.
2. First note	Give your idea, reason and an example or result.
3. Second note	Give your idea, reason and an example or result.
4. Own idea	Develop your own idea with a reason or example.
5. Conclusion	Briefly close the essay with your final opinion. Do not introduce a new argument.

If you write four paragraphs, combine two body points earlier in the essay. Do not save your own idea for the conclusion.

Your conclusion should close the essay. It should not suddenly introduce a new argument.

Essay Planner

Model Essay

Read this model answer and notice how the writer includes both notes and one own idea before the conclusion.

Essay question: Young people today spend too much of their free time playing video games. Do you agree?

Nowadays, video games are one of the most popular free-time activities among teenagers. In my opinion, they should not be eliminated completely, but young people need to use them in a balanced way.

First of all, video games can help teenagers develop useful skills. Many games require players to solve problems, make quick decisions and work as part of a team. In this way, they can sometimes be more educational than people imagine.

However, spending too many hours in front of a screen can reduce the time young people spend doing exercise. This can have a negative effect on their health, so teenagers should take regular breaks and spend time outdoors.

Another important point is sleep. If teenagers play late at night, they may become tired and find it harder to concentrate at school.

Taking everything into account, video games can be useful, but only if young people use them responsibly.

Why This Essay Works

Feature	Why it helps
Clear opinion	The writer answers the question in the introduction.
All notes included	The essay covers learning, exercise and one own idea.
Good development	Each body paragraph gives a reason or example.
Own idea before the conclusion	The sleep paragraph is part of the main argument, not an afterthought.
No new argument in the conclusion	The final paragraph closes the essay cleanly.
Controlled language	The English is accurate and natural, not unnecessarily complicated.

Improve Your Phrases

Small phrase upgrades can make your essay sound much more natural.

Instead of…	Write…
do pauses	take breaks
effect on exercise	effect on physical activity
advantages we get playing games	advantages we get from playing games
develop problem solving	develop problem-solving skills
play videogames until late	play video games late at night

Final Checklist

Before you finish, check your essay carefully.

Check	Question
Content	Did I answer the question and include both notes plus my own idea?
Opinion	Is my position clear?
Reasons	Did I support my ideas with reasons or examples?
Organisation	Are my paragraphs clear and logical?
Language	Did I check grammar, spelling, punctuation and word choice?
Word count	Is my essay between 140 and 190 words?

Write And Check Your Essay

Extra Practice

Practice Task 1: Health And Fitness

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

Schools are responsible for teaching young people all the skills they need to stay fit and healthy. Do you agree?

Write about:

exercise
food
your own idea

Write your essay in 140-190 words.

Practice Task 2: The Environment

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

Individuals can do a lot to help the environment. Do you agree?