fce essay fashion

Lesson Plans and Ideas

B2 – Writing Part 1 (Essay) – The effects of fashion on people’s lives

Love it or hate it, we all follow trends and fashion. It’s also one of the evergreen topics that can be approached in many different ways. You can deal with fast fashion and sustainability, the newest trends during the fashion week, or do what I did and talk about its effects on our lives.

My inspiration to create Cambridge lesson plans comes in waves, depending on the students and their upcoming exams. One of my B2 students is taking her FCE exam at the beginning of March, which motivates me to craft lessons for her and ensure that she gets the highest score possible. I thought that this week we could review and tackle Writing Part 1. As this part is obligatory, it is essential to be well-prepared and ready to write the best essay possible while following and having a deep understanding of the writing assessment criteria.

Scroll until the end of the post to get the worksheet with the teacher’s notes, and the presentation in case you teach online (like I do!). This lesson material can also be found in  B2 Sample Paper 2 , and all the example essays are taken from  B2 First Handbook .

The other week in one of the podcasts that I listen to regularly, I heard about a fashion rule that we should all follow. Before you get dressed, think about three adjectives that best describe your style, and dress accordingly. I immediately thought that this activity could work well as a warm-up before the heavier part of the class, which is all about analysing the exam task and understanding the writing criteria. If you have a bigger group, you could ask them to write the three adjectives anonymously on sticky notes and then match the style descriptions with the students.

Once you match everyone with their style descriptions, present students with five  stylish  women. Students may work in pairs (or individually) and rank them from 1-5, 1 being the most fashionable and 5 being the least. Students present their order and justify their choices.

Introduce the writing task by showing the thesis of the essay –  Some people say the fashion industry has a bad effect on people’s lives . Divide students into two groups. Group A thinks about reasons that support this statement. The other group thinks of reasons against this point. Once groups have a few ideas, put one student A with one student B, so they can debate each other’s points and reach a final decision.

Now, show students an example essay which relates to the previous statement. Students read for gist and check if any of the ideas mentioned in the previous activity appeared in the text. Read it again and identify three main points that the text deals with. Are they positive or negative?  (There are one positive and two negative points) . Show the exam task and explain the rules of FCE Writing Part 1. Say that in this part, students always have to write an essay. They need to include two points mentioned in the task and one extra idea of their own. Read the text again and underline the parts of the text that mention all three points. Point out the structure of the essay and the purpose of each paragraph.

• Paragraph 1: Introduction
• Paragraph 2: Points supporting the thesis (job creation)
• Paragraph 3: Points against the thesis (judging appearance and the price of clothes)
• Paragraph 4: Conclusion

Now that everyone read the example answer at least three times, analyse the examiner’s notes. Explain the criteria used in the writing assessment – content, communicative achievement, organisation and language. I think that students must understand what they are being assessed on to perform well in this part. It will help them see that even though grammar and vocabulary are important, they are not critical, and it’s possible to get a good score, even with some mistakes.

Once they understand the criteria, it’s time to put on the examiner’s hat. Show two essays answering the same task as before. Give some time to read the answers and discuss which of the two is better and why. It’s obvious that the second one is way better, but students may already start justifying their decisions using the writing assessment criteria. Put students into pairs and ask them to score the two answers. Look at everyone’s answers and compare them with the actual scores and explanations. Discuss if any of the scores surprised them.

If you have some spare time, you can give 5 minutes to plan the answers to the same task as before. Explain the importance of planning and thinking before jumping into writing. If you can afford it and make sure that everyone hands in their essay, give them about 40 minutes to write their answers. You can even shorten this time, as there was plenty of time to think about the answers, and most likely students already know what they want to write about. If you don’t have that much time, you can set it as homework.

Since the lesson was quite heavy with a lot of reading and analysis, finish by discussing four short questions on fashion and style. Think about the importance of getting dressed well and people who decide what’s fashionable or not.

Hope you enjoyed this instalment of FCE practice! Click the files below to get the presentation and the worksheet with the teacher’s notes.

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Published by joannaesl

A CELTA certified ESL teacher based in Altea, Spain. I share my experience regarding teaching in Spain, getting into ESL from scratch, but I also like to prepare lesson plans and classroom content. View all posts by joannaesl

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FCE topics: 7 fashion

Created on May 23, 2021

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Language development: Prepositional phrases

Use of English: multiple choice cloze

Use of English: key word transformation

Language development: Speculation and deduction

Writing: Following Fashion Essay (part 1)

Listening: (Part 3)

Language development: Permission and necessity

Speaking – Clothes and Fashion

Reading and Use of English (Part 3)

Reading and Use of English: Part 3

grammar :articles, determiners, prepositions, auxiliaries, pronouns, conjunctions

The focus is either on grammar or lexicogrammar.

FCE Use of English Part 2 “Open cloze” consists of a short text with eight gaps. Unlike Part 1, there are no choices for what word you need. You must use your knowledge to fill the gap with the correct word.

lexicogrammar: phrasal verbs, linkers, fixed expressions, collocations

• The answer will always be a single word.
• Contractions (e.g. don’t, we’ve, won’t) count as two words. However, can’t is a contraction of cannot, which is one word.
• Sometimes, there is more than one correct answer. Cambridge will always account for this and all options will be accepted. However, you should not write more than one answer.
• Correct spelling is essential for all of the FCE Use of English paper.
• Read the text before and after each gap before answering.

You should always try to complete FCE Use of English Part 2 in a systematic way. Don’t forget these essential points as you answer the task:

6) If the answer is a verb, check that you are using the correct form and that it agrees with its subject.7) The same word is unlikely to be used to fill two different gaps within one text.8) Always read the text quickly before you start to get a general idea. This should not take more than 1 minute.9) Don’t spend lots of time on a word you don’t know. Losing time on this activity might cost you points later in the exam because you won’t have enough time to do other tasks well.10)Check your answers, your spelling and don’t copy the example onto the answer sheet!

Throughout history people have worn clothing of one description or another. Apart (13)___ protection against the weather, clothes were also often used to show the wearer’s status and wealth. Over the years, numerous fashions in clothing have come and gone. (14) ___some of these have been popular for relatively short periods, others have lasted longer. Until the first half of the 20th century, the ability to follow fashion was limited to those (15)___ had the money to (16)___ so. But following fashion did not only demand money, it also required large amounts of leisure time. Wealthy people took fashion very seriously and close attention had to (17)___ paid to detail. Wearing the correct clothes for different occasions was very important, despite the (18)___ that this often meant changing clothes five or six (19) ___a day. More recently, fashionable clothes have come within the reach of ordinary people. The traditional craft of dressmaking, (20) ___usually involved sewing (21)___ hand, was both costly and slow. But today, large-scale manufacturing has made it easier for people to keep (22)____ with changes in fashion (23)____ having to spend a great (24)___ of money.

For questions 13 – 24, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap

Look at these comments made in a restaurant. Which ones are more likely to be made by a waiter (W) and which ones by a customer (C)? 1 Children under l2 are allowed to use the play area. 2 You don't have to give them a tip. 3 l'm afraid you cannot sit there - it's reserved. 4 You are not allowed to bring your own food into the restaurant area. 5 Excuse me Sir, children under l2 mustn't use the play area. 6 Steve, you are not supposed to use your mobile phone here. Turn it off. 7 l'm sorry, but you have to wear a tie to eat here. 8 I must try one of the desserts, they look delicious. 9 You can choose any table on this side, Madam. 10 I think we are supposed to leave a tip.

Permission and necessity: present

Expressing lack of necessity (10)

Expressing obligation (7) (the speaker feels it's necessary)(8) (the rules or situation make it necessary)(9) (the rules or situation make it necessary)

Expressing prohibition(3) (4)(5)(6)

Giving permission (1) (2)

b Write the words and phrases in the correct place in the table.

We went to that new restaurant yesterday. lt's very big, so we didn’t have to book a table. John wore a suit because he thought it would be very formal, but in fact, it wasn't, so he needn't have dressed so smartly. Of course, the children couldn't play in the restaurant but they were allowed to use the play area outside. The meal was very expensive though - we had to pay by credit card because we didn't have enough money with us. And worst of all, I wasn't allowed to use my phone to call a taxi I had to go outside!

Read the extract from an email about a new restaurant and answer the questions. I Was it necessary to wear a suit? 2 What was the worst thing about the restaurant?

Permission and necessity:past

It was done but it wasn't necessary. (6)

It wasn't necessary. (5)

It was necessary (4)

It was prohibited (2) (3)

It was permitted. (1)

Correct the mistakes in the sentences. 1 You ought complain about that soup - it's cold. 2 You shouldn't having a dessert if you are full up. 3 lf you don't llke pasta you'd better to have a pizza. 4 You must have try that new restaurant in Castle Street

Advice and recommendations

Dear Melanie, Thanks for agreeing to look after our house while we're away. Just a few things to remember: Be careful with the front door lock. (1) lt's necessary to pull the handle up before turning the key. But (2) it’s very important not to force the key or it'll break!Please feed the cat twice a day. you (3) are allowed to give him anything from the bottom shelf (4) lt's not necessary for you to pay us Lo use the phone and you (5) are permitted to use the computer. (6) We strongly recommend you try the local restaurant. (7) lt's a good idea to book though.Have fun, Louise

For this essay, you are asked the following question about fashion: Many people like to follow different styles in fashions. Is it a good or bad thing to keep up with these trends? Notes 1. slaves to fashion 2. too expensive and not practical 3. pressure from department stores

4. conclusion

3. ideas ( 2/3 paragraphs)

2.introduction

Following Fashion When it comes to fashion, most of us (1)____________ we can simply make up our own minds with what we wear each day. So, not many of us would (2)_____________ to being slaves to fashion. However, we are not just (3)____________ of the expensive fashion houses, which very few of us can afford. We are talking of fashions and trends in everyday clothes. It is the regular ones that we always wear, the ones we (4)____________ comfortable wearing because they (5)__________ cheap and practical. But, isn't this the same as everyone else is wearing? Doesn't that mean that we like to be fashionable? Of course, the large department stores to some extent, (6)___________ us what we wear. They keep our interest with their seasonal collections or a regular sale. They always (7)________________ a choice, but they are careful to choose the clothing, which (8) __________________ trending at that time. However, we must (9)_____________ that this extends far beyond the clothes we wear, it includes accessories, makeup and, hairstyles. So, it is easy for us to say, that we do not (10)_________ fashion, but don't we all like to be followers of a group?

Some people say the fashion industry has a bad effect on people’s lives. Do you agree? Write an essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view. Notes Write about: 1. whether people’s appearance is important 2. the price of clothes 3. …………………… (your own idea)

1) How would you describe the differences in how the people are dressed (e.g. scruffy, fashionable)?2) When do people wear these things? flip-flops pyjamas trouser suit fur coat high heels jumper open neck shirt parka sandals shorts slippers tracksuit trainers vesttop

Clothes and Fashion

In which situations would you: 1 dress down? 2 dress up? 3 get changed? 4 try something on? 5 tuck something in? 6 hang something up? 7 get a bigger size? 8 get something taken in?

must-have off the peg on the catwalk a slave to fashion to suit someone to take pride in one’s appearancetimeless vintage clothes

fashion show to go out of fashion hand-me-downs to have an eye for (fashion) to have a sense of style the height of fashion to keep up with the latest fashionto mix and match

to be on trend casual clothes classic style designer label dressed to kill to dress for the occasionfashion house fashion icon to get dressed up

A I can't afford new clothes. B I buy good qualrty c othes. C I don't care what I wear. D I choose clothes that are easy to look after E I wear fashionable clothes. F lt's important that my clothes are clean. G I dress to look smart H My priority is to be comfortable.

You will hear five short extracts in which people are talking about the clothes they like to wear. For questions'l-5 choose from the list (A-H) what each speaker says. Use the letters only once. There are three extra Ietters which you do not need to use.

Combine modals of deduction and speculation must, might, could, may and then an infinitive verb to deduce and speculate about an action that happens in the present. modal (present) + infinitive Below is a sample scenario using modals of deduction and speculation in present. Know the proper modal to use depending on how true you think that an action occurs. You are waiting for Amanda with another friend, Danny. You ask Danny this question: Where is Amanda? Danny speculates: She must be on her way here. (fairly sure this is a good guess) She might arrive soon. (maybe) She could be lost. (maybe) She may be in the wrong place. (maybe) She can’t be at home. (fairly sure this isn’t true) Note that in this case, the opposite of ‘must’ is ‘can’t’.

Deducing and speculating about the present

Combine modals of deduction and speculation must, might, could, may and then an infinitive verb to deduce and speculate about an action that happens in the present. modal (present) + infinitive Below is a sample scenario using modals of deduction and speculation in present. Know the proper modal to use depending on how true you think that an action occurs.

You are waiting for Amanda with another friend, Danny.You ask Danny this question: Where is Amanda?Danny speculates: She must be on her way here. (fairly sure this is a good guess) She might arrive soon. (maybe) She could be lost. (maybe) She may be in the wrong place. (maybe) She can’t be at home. (fairly sure this isn’t true) Note that in this case, the opposite of ‘must’ is ‘can’t’.

Will / won’t We use will and won’t when we are very sure. He will be at school now. Should / shouldn’t We use should and shouldn’t to make an assumption about what is probably true, if everything is as we expect. They should get there by now. It shouldn’t take long to drive here. This use of should isn’t usually used for negative events. Instead, it’s a better idea to use will. Correct: The temperature will be too high today. Incorrect: The temperature should be too high today.

Can We use can for something that is generally possible, something we know sometimes happens. The cost of living can be very high in big cities. We do not use can to talk about specific possibilities. Correct: Mom could be at the supermarket. Incorrect: Mom can be at the supermarket.

Put together modals of deduction and speculation must, might, could, may, can’t and have and then a past participle verb to deduce and speculate about an action that occurred in the past. modal (past) + have + past participle It must have rained last night. She might / might not have registered for the seminar. They could have finished the training if not for the technical issues. You may / may not have done the dishes this morning. I can’t have wished ill of another person.

Deducing and speculating about the past

This is a sample scenario using modals of deduction and speculation in the past. Know the proper modal to use. Roy asked: Where was Sandra last night?Maria speculated: Sandra must have forgotten about our appointment. She might have worked late. Sandra could have lost track of time. She may have gotten sick. She can’t have stayed at home.

CouldWe can use could + infinitive to talk about a general possibility in the past. Labor could be low in the sixteenth century. This is not used to talk about specific possibilities in the past. Instead, we use could + have + past participle. He could have been working late. (not: ‘could be’. As this is a specific possibility, ‘could be’ is present tense)

Will We use will for something in the past that we are very certain happened. The parcel will have arrived before now. Should / Shouldn’t We use should and shouldn’t have to make an assumption about something that has probably happened, if everything is as we expect. The plane should have left by now. We shouldn’t have gone in that direction.

Modals of Deduction and Speculation Exercise Answer this exercise on modals of deduction and speculation.

1. Their shop is easy to locate. It’s right around the corner. She _____ miss it!a. might b. can’t c. must 2. Chris’s things are still here so he _____ gone home. a. shouldn’t have b. might have c. can’t have 3. What a great show! They _____ go on a world tour. a. can’t b. might c. must

4. She can’t remember the suspect’s face. But she _____ seen a distinguishing feature. a. couldn’t have b. must have c. may have 5. It _____ be sugar-free. It has ice cream in it. a. can’t b. may not c. must 6. Clara and Laura weren’t replying to my chat messages. Maybe they went to the movies or they _____ gone to a spa. a. might have b. couldn’t have c. must have

7. Anthony is very stressed out lately. I am not sure but he _____ gone on vacation. a. can’t have b. might have c. must have 8. Your sisters tell different versions of what happened. One of them _____ be lying. a. must b. may c. could 9. I _____ known about this faulty wiring. I would have noticed it. a. couldn’t have b. must have c. might have 10. Look at this piece of art. Maybe it’s Monet or it _____ be Van Gogh. a. would b. could c. couldn’t

1 l'm sure Tom's tired because he's yawning a Lot. MUST Tom_______________ because he's yawning a Lot. 2 I'm hungry because the last time I ate was live hours ago. FOR l'm hungry because I _________ five hours 3 He's so relaxed I’m sure he's,1ust got back from holiday. BEEN He's so relaxed - he __________ holiday.

For questions 1-6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

4 l'm not fit enough to go rn for a marathon. TOO l'm____________go in for a marathon. 5 It was possible that he was having a shower, which is why he couldn't hear the bell. MAY He ________shower, which is why he couldn’t t hear the bell. 6 l'm sure she hasn't left because her coat's still here. HAVE She __________ because her coat's still here.

Use of English:multiple choice cloze

Hairstyles Hairstyles tend to (0) C statements about what people are like They are sometimes used to give the (1)__ that we are different from others Alternatively, we can choose a particular hairstyle in the (2)__ that people will think we are fashionable. ln the UK in the early 1960s, the Beatles‘ hairstyle was copied by boys who, on the whole wanted and (3)__ to shock their parents. Later, middle-class 'hippies' let their harr grow long to (4)__ their commitment to an alternative lifestyle ln the 1970s,'sklnheads' shaved their heads and (5) __ to represent the working class; for those who felt themselves part of a multicultural society, dreadlocks were (6)__ fashion. Recently, fashion icons such as the footballer David Beckham have (7)__ a huge influence on men's hairstyles. ln fact, one consequence of the Beckham phenomenon is that young men now spend as much time and money (8) _ their appearance as young women do.

For questions 1-8, read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap. There is an example at the beginning )

They first met at a party. (preposition + noun phrase) She was taken ill during the film. (preposition + noun phrase) Would you like to come with me please? (preposition + pronoun) From there, it’ll take you about half an hour to our house. (preposition + adverb) Until quite recently, no one knew about his paintings. (preposition + adverb phrase)

Prepositional phrases consist of a preposition and the words which follow it (a complement). The complement (underlined below) is most commonly a noun phrase or pronoun, but it can also be, an adverb phrase (usually one of place or time), a verb in the -ing form or, less commonly, a prepositional phrase or a wh-clause:

Prepositions and their complements

She’s decided on doing a Chinese language course. (preposition + -ing clause) Not: … decided on to do … It’s a machine for making ice-cream. (preposition + -ing clause) If you can wait until after my meeting with Jack, we can talk then. (preposition + prepositional phrase) We were really surprised at what they wrote. (preposition + wh-clause)

We can put an adverb before a preposition to modify it. This applies mainly to prepositions of time or place which are gradable (above, before, far, deep, down, opposite): They’ve moved far into the country. They left the party just before us. You can’t miss it. His office is almost opposite the coffee machine

Prepositional phrases can be complements of verbs. If we need a special preposition to introduce the complement of the verb, we call such verbs ‘prepositional verbs’:Do these keys belong to you? We’re not happy but we do approve of their decision. We sometimes use an adverb particle before the preposition. The verb + adverb particle + preposition structure forms a verb which has a single meaning. We call such verbs ‘phrasal prepositional verbs’. Their meaning is often not related to the meaning of the original verb: She really looks up to her grandfather. (admires) We’re all looking forward to having a few days’ holiday together. (anticipate with pleasure)

Prepositional phrases after verbs

Before I was sent to Milan to write an article about Fashion Week, I hadn't realized that it was a place where you are expected to look good (1) at all times / at the moment. So, when I arrived in scruffy jeans and with my hair all over the place, people stared at me as if they were (2) in danger of / in favor of contracting some dreadful disease. Things went (3) from time to time / from bad to worse. When I got to my hotel, (4) at least / at first the receptionist assumed I had walked in (5) by mistake / by the way and (6) to my surprise / to my advantage, asked the porter to give me directions. When she realized I was a guest, she apologized but (7) by that time / by heart I was (8) in a very loud voice / in an extremely bad mood. However, I had learnt my lesson. (9) From time to time / From then on, every morning (10) without fail / without notice I would spend hours in front of the mirror making sure I looked good before I went out.

Choose the correct answers.

c Cross out the word in each group that cannot be used with the preposition in bold. 1 on: sight / purpose / the beginning 2 for: fun / conclusion / a change /no long 3 in: uniform / the end / luck / time to time / conclusion / fashion 4 out of: date / fashion / sight / purpose /breath Replace the words in italics in the sentences with a prepositional phrase1 Fallen didn't turn up, so finally I decided to go in by myself 2 My clothes were no longer a popular style. 3 The doorman sard my pass was no longer valid. 4 l'm sorry, I didn't do it deliberately. 5 Please be honest with me in contrast with your usual behavior. 6 You're fortunate today l've found your wallet.

7. a difference8. a job 9. an excuse 10. something for living 11. a profit 13. a good impression

• a suggestion
• the washing up
• a phone call

Hairstyles tend to make / do statements about what people are like.Young men now buy / spend as much time and money on their appearance as young women do.

b Complete the phrases with make or do.

d Choose the correct answers. 1 That fashion company's profits didn't raise / rise at all last year. 2 lt all started when Johnson became / grew the director 3 it soon emerged that he earned / won 52a million a year. 4 The r reputation was badly damaged / injured by the scandal 5 He was forced to retire / resign and look for another post. 6 But the company's wounds have still not cured / healed.

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Free English Lessons

Fce (b2 first) writing exam (essay) – video.

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In this lesson you can learn how to write an essay for the Cambridge FCE exam , step by step.

You’ll see exactly what to do at each stage in the fce writing essay section, and how to get the best possible fce score ., there are four steps to the writing process. you’ll see what to do at each step, then you’ll learn how the writing is assessed., 1. how to analyse your fce writing essay task.

First, you need to read the FCE writing essay task and identify exactly what needs to be included.

Let’s look at a sample question:

You’ve recently had a discussion in English class about society. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay. Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.

University should be free for everyone. Do you agree or disagree? Notes 1. Taxes 2. Opportunity 3. Your own idea

So, what do you need to do? Most importantly, you need to say if you agree or disagree that university should be free for everyone.

You also need to use all the notes and give reasons for your point of view. That means your essay needs to include three central ideas: taxes, opportunity, and one other.

It also means that you need to reach a clear, justified conclusion. You can’t just say, ‘I agree’, or ‘I disagree.’ Think of it like this: you need to convince the examiner that your conclusion is correct.

You might think at this point, ‘yeah, obvious, thanks for the help, Kasia!’ Trust me; it’s harder than it sounds. Many FCE essays that we see don’t get these basic things right. It’s very easy to leave something out, or to go in the wrong direction.

Next, you’re writing this answer for your teacher so what style do you think it will be in? Formal or informal?

An essay should be formal. What does that mean?

Formal writing doesn’t use contractions, like ‘I’d’, ‘you’re’ or ‘don’t’. Write the full forms. You should also avoid using slang, colloquial vocabulary, or anything which sounds very conversational.

Next, think: what do you need to include?

You need to talk about taxes, opportunity, and you also need to add your own idea.

Even the ideas which are given to you—taxes and opportunity—are quite vague. That means you need to decide exactly what to talk about.

You also need to think about how to connect your ideas.

For example, with taxes you could say that if you pay taxes, then this should go back into society to benefit everyone. You could add to this by pointing out that having equal opportunities also benefits society. And for your own idea, you could talk about how people with higher education are more likely to be economically productive.

This is just one example, of course! There are many paths you could take.

Let’s talk about that in more detail.

2. How to Plan Your FCE Writing

Here’s what you need to do when you plan your writing for the FCE writing essay.

First, you need to decide what your conclusion is going to be. Are you going to agree or disagree that university should be free for everyone?

Decide your conclusion first, because everything else in your essay needs to lead to it.

Secondly, you need to plan how many paragraphs you’re going to have, and what you’ll put in each one.

Thirdly, you need to make sure your paragraphs are connected to your conclusion.

Let’s see an example:

• Taxes – parents pay taxes so children should get education. Children will pay taxes in the future.
• Opportunity – education creates more equal society. Higher standard of living for everyone.
• Economy – educated workforce helps the economy grow.
• Conc. – agree with statement

Pause the video if you want some more time to read the plan.

You can see that we use the key idea of ‘education’ in the notes for each paragraph. Doing this can help you to stay focused and on-topic, because you’re connecting each paragraph back to the main idea of the question.

When you plan, make sure that each paragraph has a clear focus.

Every good paragraph starts with a topic sentence, which summarises the main point of the paragraph.

The sentences which follow are called supporting sentences. These include reasons and examples to support your topic sentence.

A good exercise during planning is to take a paragraph and think to yourself: “What’s this paragraph about?”

If you can answer that question in one simple sentence, then that’s a good sign. Hopefully, your plan is clear. However, if you can’t answer that question, that shows that your plan isn’t totally clear in your head.

Once you’ve finished your plan, you’re ready to write your answer!

3. How to Write Your Answer

In your candidate answer book, you will now write your essay.

Let’s look at a model answer:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
• Firstly, a proportion of taxes should go to education. Some might say if you can afford university, then you should pay for it. But, this doesn’t take into account the fact that higher earners pay higher income tax so they are already contributing more.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunitys for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation it makes the playing field more level.
• In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. The more people with degrees there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. So, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.
• In conclusion, free university ultimately benefits all members of society.

Pause the video to read, and start again when you’re ready.

First question: have we answered the question?

Yes: the conclusion states that ‘free university benefits all members of society.’ This shows that we agree that university should be free for everyone.

Next: have we used topic sentences?

Yes, we have. The first sentence of the essay tells you what the entire essay will be about.

Then, each paragraph’s topic sentence contains a key word from our plan. We have ‘taxes,’ ‘opportunities’ and ‘economy’.

Also, the topic sentences and paragraphs all reference the idea of ‘education’, either directly or indirectly. This shows that our points are relevant and connected to the task.

So, now you’re finished, right? No–there’s one more step. This answer is not bad, but it could be better.

4. How to Check and Improve Your Answer

The final step is to check your answer.

What type of things do you think you should look for?

Grammar, of course, but what else?

Check for spelling mistakes. Check for style—have you used any conversational language which doesn’t fit the tone of an essay like this?

Check your use of linking words and phrases. Many students overuse them; don’t use a linking word like nevertheless unless you’re sure it fits.

Check for repetition of vocabulary. Could you replace any simple vocabulary with something more advanced?

Look at our model answer again:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if the university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity and the economy.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunitys for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation * it makes the playing field more level.

The bold words are either mistakes, or they could be improved somehow.

How would you improve this? Pause the video while you read and decide.

The first problem is with grammar. Unless you’re talking about one specific university, you don’t use the.

Okay, what’s wrong with doesn’t? We’ve used a contraction! Don’t use contractions in your essay. So, it should be does not.

The next problem is a spelling mistake. When a word ends in ‘y’, it changes to ‘ies’ in the plural: opportunities .

Next is a punctuation mistake. There’s a comma missing. There are two clauses in this sentence and they need to be separated by a comma.

There’s nothing wrong with people with degrees but it’s quite basic. What else could you say?

You could say educated people, or even highly-educated people, either of which is slightly more elegant.

So is not a mistake, but we used so in the second paragraph already. You want to show the examiner your range of language, so here you could use something more precise like consequently.

Our conclusion is only one sentence, so let’s add an extra point. We’re still under the maximum word count. This could help us to state our opinion more clearly.

Let’s change it to:

• In conclusion, free university should be free for everyone. It makes economic sense and ultimately benefits all members of society.

Here’s the final version of our essay:

• There are many factors to consider when deciding if university should be free or not. Among these are taxes, equality of opportunity, and the economy.
• Firstly, a proportion of taxes should go to education. Some might say if you can afford university, then you should pay for it. But, this does not take into account the fact that higher earners pay higher income tax so they are already contributing more.
• Secondly, by making university free for all, it creates more opportunities for those from low-income backgrounds. Although they may still have difficulty meeting other costs such as accommodation, it makes the playing field more level.
• In addition, having an educated workforce is proven to help the economy grow. The more highly-educated people there are, the higher the standard of living for everyone. Consequently, more people will be able to pay taxes to fund the education of future generations.

At this point, it’s looking good! Next, let’s focus on what you can do to produce a good FCE writing essay which will get a high score in your exam.

5. How to Improve Your Score

Your essay score is made up of four parts. For each part, you get a score from zero to five.

• Content – how well the candidate has fulfilled the task
• Communicative Achievement – how appropriate the writing is for the task
• Organisation – how well the writing is put together
• Language – focuses on vocabulary and grammar

First there’s Content . The mark scheme says this “focuses on how well you have fulfilled the task”. In other words, have you done everything you were asked to do?

This corresponds to step one of our writing process. Analyse the task carefully and make sure you do everything it asks you to. A good tip is to underline the key words in the task to help you identify what you need to do.

Next there’s Communicative Achievement . This “focuses on how appropriate your writing is for the task”.

Have you used the correct register? Have you used contractions? Basically: does your essay look and sound like an essay?

Then we have Organisation . This looks at “how the writing is put together”. Is it logical and organised? By planning your writing carefully, it will already be organised. Remember to plan your paragraphs carefully and write a clear topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

You can also use linking words and phrases to make the connections between paragraphs even clearer.

In our essay, we used many linking words, including firstly, secondly, in addition, although, consequently and in conclusion. Look through the essay again, and note how the linking words and phrases are used. Can you find any more examples of linking words in the essay?

Finally, you have Language : vocabulary and grammar. The examiners will be looking for a range of language as well as how accurate it is. In step four, you saw how checking your essay can improve your language.

Are you worried that making mistakes will affect your mark? Of course, making a lot of mistakes will lower your mark, but remember this is only one part of your score.

For B2 level, the Cambridge mark scheme says, ‘Occasional errors may be present but do not impede communication.’ That means you can still score 5 from 5, even with some small mistakes.

But, hopefully, you’ll catch most of them when you’re on step four – checking and improving your answer.

You’ve seen how to write an essay for FCE, but you can use the same process for other Cambridge exams, including the CAE and CPE when you get that far.

Good luck with your exam preparation and let us know when you pass! Thanks for watching!

Keep practicing with more Free English Writing Lessons from Oxford Online English!

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How to Write an Essay for B2 First (FCE) Writing

Luis @ kse academy.

• noviembre 24, 2019

As you probably know already, Cambridge English exams usually have some or all of the following parts: Reading, Writing, Use of English and Listening. In this post I am going to talk about the FCE Writing B2 part and, more specifically, about how to write an essay for FCE Writing . We will see a good example of an essay for FCE and you can check out a full FCE Writing Guide where you can find more examples of emails , letters and other types of writings.

Essay Sample Answer

Este artículo también está disponible en castellano.

What are the parts of the FCE Writing?

The First (FCE) Writing has only two parts. For each part, you must write a composition which will depend on the instructions you receive for each task. For the  first part , you will always be asked to  write an essay , as it is the only option provided. However, in the  second part , they allow you to choose one out of 3 options. These include  different types of writing , which are : letters/emails ,  articles ,  reviews and  reports . Each piece of writing must have between 140 and 190 words , approximately.

Since they are different types of writing , the language and structures to use will also differ. But that’s what I’m here for, to explain to you exactly how to write each part. And today, I’m starting with  how to write an essay .

How to Write an Essay for FCE Writing

An  essay is an opinion writing with which we analyse a topic , a situation or an issue from different points of view , providing different arguments and expressing our opinion about it. For this reason, an  essay must have the following features:

• Purpose: What we usually do with an essay is to analyse and assess a topic, situation or issue which, in some way, is interesting or controversial. It is normally set as a writing task after a class debate. In the exam, you have to imagine the debate, obviously.
• Tone and style: Given that you’re writing about a  serious or controversial issue , an essay is written in a formal style, so we must stick to an objective tone and style . Our language must be formal, thus avoiding words that are simply too common or generic (E.g.:  things, stuff, get,   etc.) and contractions (E.g.:  can’t, don’t, won’t,  etc.).
• Structure: Like every piece of writing,  an essay must present a defined structure . For starters, we can choose either to give it a title or not. Personally, I would say that it is more appropriate to have an essay with title . Then, the body must be divided into introduction, idea 1, idea 2, idea 3 and conclusion. This means that, in general,  essays must have 5 paragraphs ,   although it is not entirely necessary.
• Opinion:  There are countless ways of expressing your opinion in an essay, so you must choose the one that suits you best. However,  it is advisable to remain impartial throughout your writing and give your opinion only in the last paragraph , as a conclusion. But, as I say, it is optional. The most important thing is that you justify everything you say in your essay.
• Coherence: Coherence is essential in every type of writing, but especially in an essay. As it tends to be an argumentative text, you must avoid writing incoherent paragraphs that have nothing to do with one another. Your ideas must  follow a logical order and be well connected with appropriate linkers .

FCE Writing Essay Example

Now that we are familiar with the  characteristics of an essay for First (FCE) Writing , let’s take a look at an  example of an essay at B2 level , both at the task and at a sample answer.

Instructions of an Essay

In the following image you can see the instructions of an essay which involves a typical topic, that of the environment:

In these instructions, we must pay attention to the following:

• The  first paragraph introduces the topic: … different ways in which you can protect the environment.
• The  second sentence is usually the same in every task:  Write an essay using  all the notes…
• In the box , you are given the main topic as a question and they give you something to talk about:  recycle, using bicycles and walking, your own idea . As you can see, you have to come up with the third idea, something connected to the topic which is not provided in the exam task.

Given the model task above, each paragraph will correspond to a different idea, apart from the introduction and conclusion. Again, it is only natural to have 5 paragraphs. So, the best way to know how to write an essay for FCE Writing is to take a look at an  example of an actual essay for FCE Writing :

At first sight, the essay has  a title and 5 paragraphs (introduction + idea 1 + idea 2 + idea 3 + conclusion). And if we stop to read the essay more carefully, we’ll notice the following things:

• The paragraphs are visual and well defined , which is very important.
• The title summarises the topic  of the essay. Another option is to use the question ( What can people do to help protect the environment? ) as title. However, it usually tends to be too long, so I prefer to summarise it into a shorter heading.
• Introduction: it introduces the topic in a general way and it leads to the second paragraph (first idea).
• Paragraph 2: it deals with idea 1.
• Paragraph 3: it deals with idea 2.
• Paragraph 4: it deals with idea 3.
• Conclusion: we express our opinion to conclude and summarise the essay.
• It uses connectors to define the development of the essay:  firstly, second, finally, etc.
• It doesn’t use many contractions or pet words.
• One of the things that
• In the last few decades,
• For this reason,
• First, / Second, / Third,
• By doing so,
• For example,
• In conclusion,

This is a good example of an essay for FCE Writing . By the way, you must bear in mind that it has been written to simulate a strong B2 level, without reaching C1.

FAQ: Do I get penalised for writing over 190 words?

This is the most typical question in this part of the exam and the answer is « yes and no «. Let me explain myself. Cambridge English examiners don’t count the number of words and penalise you based upon that fact alone. There’s a rumour going around among teachers and pupils that says that for every 10 words over 190, they take «this many» points off, but it is not true. However, think about this: if you’ve written 50 or 100 words more than asked, you are probably including irrelevant information to the task , right? Now that’s a reason for losing points. In the same way that if you  write under 140 words you are probably missing essential information , don’t you think?

For this reason, I always recommend writing up to 10 or 20 words over the limit. In this way, you won’t lose any points for including irrelevant information.

FCE Writing Guide with examples (pdf)

Although I intend to write more posts on how to do each piece of writing for FCE, if you don’t want to wait any more, simply download the official KSE Academy FCE Writing Guide . In this guide you will learn:

• How to write an essay  and 3 examples.
• How to write an article  and 3 examples.
• How to write a review  and 3 examples.
• How to write a report  and 3 examples.
• How to write an email or letter  and 3 examples.
• Over 300 useful expressions for every FCE Writing .

Would you like to see a sample of this guide? Here it is!

Did you find this useful?  Why not share it with other teachers and students of English? Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, y YouTube. 🙂

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Breakout English

First (FCE) B2 Essay Structure – Essay Skeletons

There have been many occasions where my students have no time to learn the correct B2 essay structure for a Cambridge B2 First exam. Course books often do a great job of providing model answers, useful phrases and much more. However, sometimes people just want to be spoon-fed the correct way to write an essay. Well, are you hungry?

What is an essay skeleton?

An essay skeleton provides you with the base for an essay, without including any of the content. It includes all the necessary linkers, transitions and placeholders to emulate the ideal B2 essay structure. However, it is incomplete. In an ideal word, these skeletons can be memorised and adapted to any topic that you may find in the B2 First exam. Obviously, it isn’t likely to always be a perfect fit, so it can’t replace learning how to write an essay from scratch. However, if you are short on time or really struggling to produce a passing essay, this skeleton may be helpful.

B2 essay structure

A Cambridge B2 First essay has a reasonably set structure. This is because the tasks are always similar. Take a look at the task below:

When we analyse the task, the most obvious structure is to write 5 paragraphs. This allows us to keep a clear separation between our three points. It also gives us plenty of opportunities for lovely linking words . With a word limit of 190 words, these paragraphs will be quite short, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be clear and effective.

Our standard paragraph plan for a B2 essay structure is…

• Introduction – Including a thesis statement that mentions the 3 areas of focus
• Body paragraph 1 – In this case about pollution
• Body paragraph 2 – In this case about rubbish
• Body paragraph 3 – Our own idea (for example, endangered animals)
• Conclusion – Summarise the 3 areas and optionally choose the most important

The two proposed essay skeletons below follow this paragraph plan in order to produce the perfect B2 essay every time.

The materials

We’ve designed two essay skeletons. They are similar but have subtle differences. Either one of them can be used with any topic that may come up in the B2 First exam. If you want to practise using the essay skeletons, try it out with a B2 essay task .

intermediate 12-17 1478 intermediate 8-17 1301 elementary 8-17 1133 elementary 12-17 1091 intermediate 10-17 898 intermediate 14-100 182 intermediate 12-17 648 advanced 14-17 653 intermediate 14-17 612 intermediate 10-17 572 intermediate 14-17 524 intermediate 12-17 504 intermediate 13-17 481 intermediate 13-17 508 elementary 8-17 497 intermediate 8-17 465 advanced 13-17 428 intermediate 11-14 404 elementary 12-14 373 intermediate 14-17 370 Worksheets that listen. Worksheets that speak. Worksheets that motivate students. Worksheets that save paper, ink and time.   > > > intermediate +13 36 Exam English ✓ B2 First (FCE) Reading & Use of English Cambridge exams Free Practice Tests for learners of English Cambridge first (fce) writing part 1(essay). Difficulty level : B2 /Upper Intermediate Write 140-190 words in an appropriate style. In your English class you have been talking about old people in society. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay. Around the world, people are living and staying healthy for longer and longer. What changes does this bring to today’s society? Are these changes good or bad? Notes Write about: 1.  Caring for the elderly 2.  Jobs 3.  __________ (your own idea) First (FCE) Writing tests Writing part 1 (essay) Writing part 2 (review) Writing part 2 (article) Writing part 2 (email) Writing part 2 (report) How to write an article Writing essay introductions Brainstorming ideas for essays Answer the question! First (FCE) Sections Cambridge First (FCE) 2021 © Exam English Ltd. ALL Rights Reserved. Home | Terms of Use | Privacy policy Cookie preferences. --> Articles – examples & model answers | B2 First (FCE) Fce example article:  topic (learning) . You see this announcement on an English-language website. Example Answer (Grade: 3-4) The most useful thing I have ever learned The most useful thing i have learned is surely speaking English. I’ve been studing English for nine years till now. I used to take regular classes in these language which i found very interesting. Also, i learn English in school, my teacher is awesome but strict, so i have to study constantly. But most of all, i learn English, watching movies, TV shows. Allso cartoons when i was younger. When i came across a movie which was subtitled i turned the subtitle off. I enjoy wathing TV and movies on English. English is the most spoken language across the world. It is studied all over the world. In order to get in a conversation with a stranger from other country, you need to speak English. I’m a swimmer, so i go on competissions in many countries, and in all of those countries i speak English. I want to study abroad when i finish highschool, so i’ll defenetly need English. All in all, i enjoy speaking it, writing it, and I’m very glad I got to learn it, i find it very useful. Get Your FCE Article Checked! 5 All content is relevant and the target reader is fully informed. The article describes the most useful thing which the writer has learned: speaking English, and explains why it is useful.The second aspect of the task is discussed in detail and various methods of learning are described. 3 The conventions of writing an article are used appropriately to hold the reader’s attention. The tone is friendly and informative and the topic is clearly introduced and developed through the paragraphs. The subject is appropriate for the English website and straightforward ideas are communicated. The conclusion summarises the candidate’s opinions and rounds off the article, re-stating the main points of the question. 3 The text is generally well organised and coherent. There is a clear structure to the whole text, an introduction of the topic, paragraphs dealing with different aspects, and a neat conclusion. 3 A range of everyday vocabulary is used appropriately and some attempts are made to use less common lexis. There are some slips with plural/singular pronouns (these language) and some prepositions as well as a few errors with spelling but these do not impede communication FCE Example Article:  Topic (Music)  You see this announcement on an English-language website: Example Answer (Grade: 3) I always listen to music, wherever I go I have my headphones on my ears. Listening to what I like satisfy’s me and makes me calm all the time. When the bus is taking me to school I listen to the music so I could wake up. I love to listen to classical music, jazz, rock, hip-hop, dubstep, pop music. But I can’t listen to Serbian folk, any rap, techno or K-pop music. It just anoy’s me. Of all the songs I can listen, I adore pop and dubstep the most. I’m glad that my parents listened to roc and ninetees serbian songs which I like to listen sometimes. Everybody has his own taste for music, somebody likes rock, somebody likes rap or something else, and that’s ok. I’m proud of myself that I’m listening to what I’m listening. 4 All content is relevant. The article discusses music, describes when the writer listens to music, and explains personal musical preferences. However, the second question is not fully addressed. We learn about the music the writer likes but not about how certain music is chosen at different times. This second point is not fully developed but the target reader is on the whole informed about this aspect. 3 The article generally follows the conventions of the task. The subject is personal to the writer and relevant examples are given from personal experience. The article is written in a tone that is appropriate for a general audience and holds the reader’s attention. 2 When presenting musical preferences, the information is presented in a list format, rather than comparing or contrasting different styles, with cohesive devices to show the relationship between the writer and the music described. 2 Everyday vocabulary is used appropriately and there is a range of vocabulary connected with musical styles. Simple grammatical forms are used with a good degree of control, but there is a lack of range with the present tense being most frequently used. Errors do not impede communication FCE Example Article:  Topic (Ambition)  I think you would agree that ambition has a big influance on our lifes. But what really mean to be ambitious? How important is ambition in a daily life? From my point of view it is very hard to talk about ambition. I have many ambitions. I want to be well-educated and sporty. I believe that these aims are good for me because I have to try to achieve them all the time. They make that I am not a lazy person. Good ambitions do not let us stop working and learning. But what happen when we are too ambitious? I know many people who think that their ambitions, ideas and aims are the most important think in their life. It is a beautiful idea but we have to know where is the border. We cannot forget about other people when we are intending to achieve our ambition we must remember to stay a human for example, I spend a lot of time learning but I often prefer to go for a trip with my parents even if I will get a bad mark. To sum up, ambition is very important in my life but I know there are many things which I value more like my family. I want to achieve my ambitions but it would not be a big loss for me do not do it. 3 The target reader is on the whole informed despite minor irrelevance and omissions. We learn about what ambition means to the writer and, briefly, about the writer’s own ambitions. Details about how the writer intends to achieve their ambitions have been omitted and there is some irrelevance in the paragraph on problems with being too ambitious. 4 The conventions of writing an article are used effectively to communicate ideas using an engaging tone. The use of rhetorical questions and the balance between general statements and personal opinions hold the reader’s attention throughout. 3 The text is generally well organised and coherent with a clear introduction and logical development of the topic, making use of paragraphs, a variety of linking words and some cohesive devices, such as referencing and substitution. Some attempt is made at connecting ideas in longer sentences, for example the final sentence of the third paragraph. 3 A range of everyday vocabulary suitable for the task is used appropriately (well-educated; sporty; intending to achieve; it would not be a big loss). There is a range of simple and some more complex grammatical forms used with a good degree of control. Some errors with lexis and sentence structure are present, but they do not impede communication. FCE Model Article:  Topic (Holidays)  You see this announcement in an international travel magazine. Model Answer (Grade: 5) I don’t know If I have found the perfect holiday destination but I’m sum that Watamu is the beet place I have ever visited. Watamu Is a small village on the coastline of Kenya. It takes three hours to arrive there by car from the capital Nairobi but it’s a trip that is worth to be done. When I booked the holiday I thought I was going to spend all the time laying on the beach. I was wrong! Once arrived there I discovered a lots of way to have fun. The sea and the white beaches with the palms am stunning but them something mom you can enjoy. The countryside is also Interesting and people are friendly and sell the products of their poor country always smiling. And you cannot imagine how amazing is to make a safari In the park. Because of the very hot temperature, you have to set out very early in the morning if you want to see all the animals. The landscape of the park is fascinating, everything seems to very dry, them are no trees Just bushes. Driving on yourjeep you discover something real& special: a wild world full of life. 5  Full realisation of the task, with appropriate expansion. 5 Good article style. The target reader Would be fully informed. 5  Effectively organised with a strong, positive ending. 5 Wide range e.g. ‘the white beaches … are stunning’. Relevant vocabulary. Minimal errors. Good control. Would you pass B2 First (FCE)? Main navigation B2 first for schools exam format. The updated B2 First for Schools exam (for exam sessions from January 2015) is made up of four papers developed to test students' English language skills. You can see exactly what’s in each paper below. The formats below are the same for both the paper-based and computer-based exams and digital exams. Please note, during March 2024 we will be moving from our current computer-based exam delivery to Cambridge English Qualifications Digital, which will offer you even more benefits. Information on the switch and what this means for you can be found on our Cambridge English Qualifications Digital page. Paper Content Purpose (1 hour 15 minutes) parts/ questions Students need to be able to understand a range of texts, including how they are organised and the opinions and attitudes expressed in them. The texts will be from sources familiar to school-aged learners, such as magazines, articles, fiction and advertisements, but targeted at the interests of students. Students’ use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well they can control their grammar and vocabulary. (1 hour 20 minutes) parts Students are required to produce two pieces of writing. The first piece is compulsory and will be an essay of 140–190 words. For the second, they can choose from an article, email/letter, essay, review or story of 140–190 words. (about 40 minutes) parts/ questions Requires being able to follow and understand a range of familiar spoken materials, such as news programmes, public announcements and other sources, but targeted at the interests of school-aged learners. (14 minutes per pair of candidates; 20 minutes per group of three) parts Shows you can take part in a conversation by answering and asking simple questions. Your Speaking test will be conducted usually face to face with one or two other candidates and two examiners. One of the examiners (who could be online, examining remotely) talks to you and the other examiner listens. This makes your test more realistic and more reliable. Examiners may use their mobile phones for entering marks using an app. openbook Reading and Use of English compose Writing playlist Listening megaphone Speaking openbook What’s in the Reading and Use of English paper? The B2 First for Schools Reading and Use of English paper is in seven parts and has a mix of text types and questions. For Parts 1 to 4 , students read a range of texts and do grammar and vocabulary tasks. For Parts 5 to 7 , students read a series of texts and answer questions that test reading ability and show that they can deal with a variety of different types of texts. Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes Number of parts: 7 Number of questions: 52 Marks: 40% of total Lengths of texts: 2,200–2,500 words to read in total. Texts may be from: Newspaper and magazine articles, reports, fiction, advertisements, letters, messages, informational material (e.g. brochures, guides, manuals, etc.). Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze) What’s in Part 1? A text in which there are some missing words or phrases (gaps). After the text there are four possible answers for each gap and students have to choose the correct answer (A, B, C or D). What do students have to practise? Vocabulary – words with similar meanings, collocations, linking phrases, phrasal verbs, etc. How many questions are there? 8 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. Part 2 (Open cloze) What’s in Part 2? There are some missing words (gaps). Students have to think of the correct word for each gap. What do students have to practise? Grammar and vocabulary. How many questions are there? 8 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. Part 3 (Word formation) What’s in Part 3? A text containing eight gaps. Each gap represents a word. At the end of the line is a ‘prompt’ word which the student has to change in some way to make the correct missing word and complete the sentence correctly. What do students have to practise? Vocabulary – word-building: the different words which the student can make from a ‘base’ word, e.g. ‘compete’ becomes ‘competition’, ‘competitor’, ‘competitive’, ‘competitively’ or ‘uncompetitive’. How many questions are there? 8 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. Part 4 (Key word transformations) What’s in Part 4? A sentence followed by a key word and a second sentence which has a gap in it. Students have to use the key word to complete the second sentence so that it is similar in meaning to the first sentence. What do students have to practise? Grammar and vocabulary – rewriting sentences with different words so that they mean the same thing. How many questions are there? 6 How many marks are there? Up to 2 marks for each correct answer. Part 5 (Multiple choice) What’s in Part 5? A text with some multiple-choice questions. Each question has four options (A, B, C or D), and students have to decide which is the correct answer. What do students have to practise? How to understand the details of a text, including opinions and attitudes. How many questions are there? 6 How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer. Part 6 (Gapped text) What’s in Part 6? A text with some empty spaces (gaps). After the text there are some sentences taken from the text. Students have to choose the correct sentence for each gap. What do students have to practise? How to understand the structure and follow the development of a text. How many questions are there? 6 How many marks are there? 2 marks for each correct answer. Part 7 (Multiple matching) What’s in Part 7? A series of questions and a long text or several short texts to read. For each question, students have to decide which text or part of the text mentions this. What do students have to practise? How to find specific information in a text or texts. How many questions are there? 10 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. compose What’s in the Writing paper? In the two parts of the B2 First for Schools Writing paper, the student has to show that they can write different types of text in English. Time allowed: 1 hour 20 minutes Number of parts: 2 Number of questions: Part 1: one compulsory question Part 2: one question from a choice of four, including one set text question Marks: 20% of total Types of task: Article, email, essay, letter, review, story. Removal of set text questions in B2 First for Schools From January 2024 we are removing the optional set text questions in the B2 First for Schools Writing papers. The reason for this change is that only a few candidates choose those questions and often do not perform to the best of their ability. Set text for January 2021–December 2022: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (Pearson Level 5 Edition). Teachers may choose to prepare candidates for questions on this set text by studying any film version of Rebecca , as well as, or instead of, the book. Set text for January 2023–December 2023: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Pearson Level 5 Edition). Teachers may choose to prepare candidates for questions on this set text by studying any film version of The Great Gatsby , as well as, or instead of, the book. Students should not attempt the optional set text question in Part 2 unless they have the necessary understanding of the text to answer the task set. Teachers are best placed to judge if the set texts and/or film version may be appropriate and stimulating for a given teaching situation. The suggested edition is a graded reader which has been adapted to the level and is suitable for B2 First for Schools candidates. Other editions of this book may be available. Teachers and students should be aware that the language level in other editions may be less accessible. What’s in Part 1? Students are given an essay title and two ideas. They write an essay giving their opinion about the title, using the ideas given and adding an idea of their own. The title will be a subject of general interest – students won’t need any specialised knowledge. What do students have to practise? Giving an opinion and providing reasons for that opinion. How many questions are there? One compulsory question. How much do students have to write? 140–190 words What’s in Part 2? A choice of four questions. The answer students have to write will be one of the following: article, email/letter, essay, review, story. What do students have to practise? Writing different types of text: articles, essays, letters/emails, reviews. Depending on the question, students will have to advise, compare, describe, explain, express opinions, justify and/or recommend something. How many questions are there? Students choose one question from a choice of four, including one set text question. How much do students have to write? 140–190 words playlist What’s in the Listening paper? The B2 First for Schools Listening paper has four parts. For each part students have to listen to a recorded text or texts and answer some questions. They will hear each recording twice. Time allowed: About 40 minutes Number of parts: 4 Number of questions: 30 Part 1 (Multiple choice) What’s in Part 1? A series of short, unrelated recordings of approximately 30 seconds each. Students have to listen to the recordings and answer one multiple-choice question for each. Each question has three options (A, B or C). What do students have to practise? Listening for feeling, attitude, opinion, purpose, function, agreement, gist and detail. How many questions are there? 8 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. Part 2 (Sentence completion) What’s in Part 2? A monologue (one person speaking) lasting 3–4 minutes. Students have to complete the sentences on the question paper with information they hear on the recording. What do students have to practise? Listening for detail, specific information, stated opinion. How many questions are there? 10 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. Part 3 (Multiple matching) What’s in Part 3? Five short related monologues of approximately 30 seconds each. Students listen to the recordings and choose which statement from a list of eight best matches what each speaker says. What do students have to practise? Listening for general gist, purpose, feeling, main points and detail. How many questions are there? 5 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. Part 4 (Multiple choice) What’s in Part 4? An interview or exchange between two speakers and lasting 3–4 minutes. Students have to listen to the recording and answer seven multiple-choice questions. Each question has three options (A, B or C). What do students have to practise? Listening for opinion, attitude, gist, main idea, specific information. How many questions are there? 7 How many marks are there? 1 mark for each correct answer. megaphone What’s in the Speaking paper? The B2 First for Schools Speaking test has four parts and the student takes it together with another candidate.  There are two examiners. One of the examiners conducts the test (asks questions, gives the student a booklet with things to talk about, and so on). The other examiner listens to what the student says. Time allowed: 14 minutes per pair of candidates Number of parts: 4 The student has to talk: with the examiner with the other candidate on their own Part 1 (Interview) What’s in Part 1? Conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks questions and students may have to give information about themselves, talk about past experiences, present circumstances and future plans. What do students have to practise? Giving information about themselves and expressing opinions about various topics. How long does each student have to speak? 2 minutes Part 2 (Long turn) What’s in Part 2? The examiner gives the student a pair of photographs to talk about and they have to speak for 1 minute without interruption. The questions about the photographs are written at the top of the page to remind the student what they should talk about. When they have finished speaking, the student’s partner then has to answer a short question from the examiner about their photographs. What do students have to practise? Talking on their own about something: comparing, describing, expressing opinions. How long does each student have to speak? 1 minute per candidate, plus a 30-second response Part 3 (Collaborative task) What’s in Part 3? Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner gives the students a question and some written prompts. The students discuss these together for two minutes. The examiner will then ask them to make a decision together about the topic they have been discussing. What do students have to practise? Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc. How long does each student have to speak? A 2-minute discussion followed by a 1-minute decision-making task Part 4 (Discussion) What’s in Part 4? Further discussion with the other candidate, guided by questions from the examiner, about the same topic as the task in Part 3. What do students have to practise? Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing. How long does each student have to speak? The discussion should last 4 minutes Essay on Fashion for Students and Children 500+ words essay on fashion. Fashion refers to anything that becomes a rage among the masses. Fashion is a popular aesthetic expression. Most Noteworthy, it is something that is in vogue. Fashion appears in clothing, footwear, accessories, makeup, hairstyles, lifestyle, and body proportions. Furthermore, Fashion is an industry-supported expression. In the contemporary world, people take fashion very seriously. Fashion is something that has permeated every aspect of human culture. History of Fashion The origin of Fashion is from the year 1826. Probably everyone believes Charles Frederick to be the first fashion designer of the world. He also established the first Fashion house in Paris. Consequently, he began the tradition of Fashion houses. Furthermore, he gave advice to customers on what clothing would suit them. He was prominent form 1826 to 1895. During this period, many design houses hired artists. Furthermore, the job of these artists was to develop innovative designs for garments. The clients would examine many different patterns. Then they would pick the one they like. Consequently, a tradition began of presenting patterns to customers and then stitching them. At the beginning of the 20th century, new developments in Fashion took place. These developments certainly began in Paris first. Then they spread in other parts of the world. Consequently, new designs first came into existence in France. From Paris, they went to other parts of the world. Hence, Paris became the Fashion capital of the world. Also, Fashion in this era was ‘haute couture’. This Fashion design was exclusively for individuals. In the mid-20th century, a change took place. Now Fashion garments underwent mass production. There was a significant increase in the rate of production of Fashion garments. As a result, more and more people became involved with Fashion garments. By the end of the 20th century, a sense of Fashion awareness was very strong. Now people began to choose clothes based on their own style preference. Hence, people began to create their own trends instead of relying on existing trends. Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas Fashion Trend Political influences certainly play a major role in influencing Fashion. Many politicians become fashion symbols. Notable examples are First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Princess Diana. Also, political revolutions make a huge impact on the Fashion trend. For example, in 1960’s America, liberal clothing styles became popular among the younger generation. This was due to the Liberal revolution. Another significant factor which influences Fashion trend is technology. There certainly has been a rapid growth of technology in the Fashion industry. For example, wearable technology has become a popular Fashion trend. Furthermore, 3D printing technology and the internet have also made an impact on Fashion. Social influences are probably the strongest influences on the Fashion trend. Many music stars strongly influence Fashion choice. For example, wearing hoodies became famous due to rap musicians. Furthermore, movie and television actors create a big impact on Fashion. Many youngsters love to emulate the Fashion sense of their favourite celebrity. To sum it up, Fashion certainly has become a part and parcel of human life. It certainly is a force that is here to stay. Most noteworthy, Fashion has immersed every place on Earth. Customize your course in 30 seconds Which class are you in. Travelling Essay Picnic Essay Our Country Essay My Parents Essay Essay on Favourite Personality Essay on Memorable Day of My Life Essay on Knowledge is Power Essay on Gurpurab Essay on My Favourite Season Essay on Types of Sports Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Download the App Asia Pacific Middle East United Kingdom United States The Great Reboot Reuters Next Aerospace & Defense Autos & Transportation Environment Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Media & Telecom Retail & Consumer Sustainable Business Future of Health Future of Money Reuters Impact Legal Industry Transactional Asian Markets Carbon Markets Commodities Emerging Markets European Markets Global Market Data Rates & Bonds U.S. Markets Macro Matters Reuters Momentum Motor Sports Oddly Enough THE WIDER IMAGE In albania, two women take on a nation with a rooftop wedding. Edlira Mara (left), Alba Ahmetaj (centre), 44, and their twin daughters get ready for their wedding ceremony in central Tirana, Albania, May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Florion Goga By Florion Goga Filed May 31, 2024, 11:09 a.m. GMT Photography by Florion Goga Writing by Fatos Bytyci and Florion Goga Filed June 03, 2024, 08:00 a.m. GMT In many ways Alba Ahmetaj and Edlira Mara lead an ordinary life. They brush their twin daughters’ hair before school and play fight with them in their flat on weekend mornings. They have matching shoulder tattoos that mark their 14 years together. But in their fight to be treated like other families, the lesbian couple did something extraordinary. At dusk on Sunday, May 19, friends cheered as they stood out on the rooftop of the mayor’s office in central Tirana, kissed, exchanged rings and got married. Their marriage is not acknowledged by the state - Albanian law does not recognise same-sex civil unions. It has prompted outrage from the political right and the powerful religious community. But for Alba and Edlira, it was a real expression of love, a cry for equality and, as far as they know, the first wedding of its kind in the Muslim-majority Balkan country. “There are two people in love ... and now they have finalised it with this beautiful ceremony,” Edlira said after the wedding. “Society will never be ready ... What does this mean? That I cannot live?” While much of western Europe has made strides towards marriage equality, governments in much of the centre and east oppose change. In Albania, religion was prohibited for half a century under communism. Today, the country is known for its tolerance among Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox Christians. These faiths are united in their opposition to same-sex marriage. When plans for the couple’s wedding became public, social media was flooded with thousands of threatening comments. Police officers guarded the building during the ceremony. Two days later, opposition parties held a protest against the mayor over separate corruption allegations. But the speakers turned on Alba and Edlira too, accusing them of destroying family values. The furore over the wedding was just the latest stage in what the couple say has been a long struggle to get the same rights as heterosexual couples. When their daughters were born three years ago, the couple said they both wanted to be registered as parents, but that was not allowed under law. The children are registered under Edlira, the biological mother. “Our society is very patriarchal and homophobic,” Alba said before the wedding. “If you see comments on Facebook or Instagram ... you will see how little tolerance we have as a nation.” One of her twin daughters hugs Edlira as their dog Rainy looks at her empty plate, during breakfast at home in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024. REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba does her daughter’s hair at home in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024.  REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba, Edlira and their twin daughters have breakfast at home in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024. REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba and one of her twin daughters play at home in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024.  REUTERS/Florion Goga Edlira and one of her twin daughters feed their cat Pufi through the window of their apartment, in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024. REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba and Edlira pick up their twin daughters from nursery in Tirana, Albania, May 17, 2024. REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba picks up one of her twin daughters, at a park in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024.  REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba inflates balloons for her twin daughters as Edlira laughs, a day before their wedding ceremony, at home in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024. REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba and Edlira make arrangements for their wedding, a day before the ceremony, at home in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024.  REUTERS/Florion Goga Alba and Edlira’s twin daughters play at their apartment in Tirana, Albania, May 18, 2024.  REUTERS/Florion Goga Amid the struggle, the wedding became a bright spot. To prepare, the family blew up balloons in their apartment. On the evening of the ceremony, friends helped the couple into their big white wedding dresses. They walked, holding their daughters’ hands, towards the altar through a crowd of friends who threw white rose petals. Around them were the sights of downtown Tirana and mountains beyond, covered in mist. They were wed by two British pastors. “We are fighting against 90 percent of the population,” Edlira said. “Both of us are changing a lot of things.” The Wider Image Photography: Florion Goga Writing: Fatos Bytyci and Florion Goga Photo editing and design: Marta Montana Gomez and Maye-E Wong Text editing: Edward McAllister and Andrew Heavens LICENSE THIS STORY Follow Reuters Investigates Other Reuters investigations 395 IMAGES FCE Essay, Fashion FCE topics: 7 fashion FCE Essay, Fashion Fashion It is Everywhere A Constantly Changing Art Form Fashion Free FCE Essay Fashion Fashion vocabulary for FCE VIDEO Spirograph Tutorial 10.0 Was 2000’s fashion REALLY that bad Get 🆓SHEIN Card Worth 750$ From Channel Bio L!NK 💃🛍️ #SheinHaul #FashionFinds #TrendyLooks BEST B.DES COLLEGE IN ALWAR 10 Celebs Who Never Went To Their Prom MinimalVibes COMMENTS Essay FCE Essays - Sample/model answers and examiner comments. An essay is always written for the teacher. It should answer the question given by addressing both content points and providinga new content point of the writer's own. The essay should be well organised, with an introduction and an appropriate conclusion,and should be written in an appropriate register and tone PDF Question 1 A third aspect states how choice for consumers is limited due to the fashion industry's control over design and the market (the fashion industry in some people opinion, controls the market of clothes). Communicative Achievement 3 The conventions of essay writing are used appropriately. There is an introduction, topic paragraph and a ... B2 B2 FCE. B2 - Writing Part 1 (Essay) - The effects of fashion on people's lives. 16 February 2023 joannaesl. Love it or hate it, we all follow trends and fashion. It's also one of the evergreen topics that can be approached in many different ways. You can deal with fast fashion and sustainability, the newest trends during the fashion ... B2 Following Fashion B2 Following Fashion is an exercise for the B2 First Writing Part 1 which discusses the ways we tend to follow fashion in order to be part of a group. This Following Fashion essay is written for a teacher. It is well organised, with an introduction, opinions on the ideas given and with an appropriate conclusion. B2 Following Fashion. FCE topics: 7 fashion in fashion. contents. Reading and Use of English: Part 3. fashion. grammar :articles, determiners, prepositions, auxiliaries, pronouns, conjunctions. The focus is either on grammar or lexicogrammar. FCE Use of English Part 2 "Open cloze" consists of a short text with eight gaps. Unlike Part 1, there are no choices for what word you need. PDF The new Cambridge English: First Writing task The Cambridge English: First for Schoolstask is similar but the subject of the essay will reflect the younger candidates taking the exam. In the new exam specification for 2015 there is a new Writing task. The compulsory part 1 question is now an essay rather than an email or letter. The word count has increased to 140 - 190 words. FCE (B2 First) Writing Exam (Essay) First, you need to read the FCE writing essay task and identify exactly what needs to be included. Let's look at a sample question: You've recently had a discussion in English class about society. Now your teacher has asked you to write an essay. Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view. B2 First (FCE) Writing Part 1 EXAM PART: First (FCE) Writing Part 1 - Essay. EXAM SKILLS: Improving content and communicative achievement in essay writing. TOPIC: Lifestyle (living in the city vs living in the countryside) TIME: 30 minutes + 45 minutes writing (in-class or for homework) PREPARATION: One copy of the worksheet per student. PDF B2 Paragraph 1: a general introduction (generates interest) Paragraph 2: Advantages of the fashion industry Paragraph 3: Disadvantages of the fashion industry Paragraph 4: Conclusion + writer's opinion. The structure is very clear and helps locate and identify the main points of the essay. TOTAL TIME: ~45 mins. First (FCE) Essay Questions The question asks you whether you agree with a statement. Your conclusion should clearly express where you stand on the issue. Don't be wishy-washy! Trying too hard - The best First (FCE) essays are simple, to-the-point, well-structured and cohesive. Your essay isn't going to change the world, so don't go overboard. How to Write an Essay for B2 First (FCE) Writing Each paragraph has a clear purpose: Introduction: it introduces the topic in a general way and it leads to the second paragraph (first idea). Paragraph 2: it deals with idea 1. Paragraph 3: it deals with idea 2. Paragraph 4: it deals with idea 3. Conclusion: we express our opinion to conclude and summarise the essay. 20 English Essay Topics/Questions Article navigation: B2 First (FCE) Essay: Example Topics / Questions B2 First (FCE) Essay: Download (PDF) An essay is a piece of writing in which you are asked to discuss a topic that might be controversial or relevant somehow. It usually follows a class discussion. The language of an English essay should be formal.Also, make sure that you justify all your ideas and that you use appropriate ... PDF B2 First for Schools Writing Part 1 (An opinion essay) Summary • Learn useful techniques for planning your own essay. • Evaluate two examples of a Writing Part 1 essay. • Practise and evaluate your own answer to a Writing Part 1 task. Review: Writing Part 1 . The B2 First for Schools Writing paper has two parts. Part 1 has only one task, which you . must. answer. You will: be given the essay title. First (FCE) B2 Essay Structure B2 essay structure. A Cambridge B2 First essay has a reasonably set structure. This is because the tasks are always similar. Take a look at the task below: When we analyse the task, the most obvious structure is to write 5 paragraphs. This allows us to keep a clear separation between our three points. It also gives us plenty of opportunities ... FCE Essay, Fashion Fashion worksheets: "URBAN FASHION" -- Reading Comprehension Level: intermediate Age: 12-17 Downloads: 1478 Fashion show (part 1 of 2) Level: intermediate Age: 8-17 Downloads: 1301 FASHION Level: elementary Age: 8-17 Downloads: 1133 Let´s talk about FASHION Level: elementary Age: 12-17 Downloads: 1091 CLOTHES AND FASHION. Just a little ... Cambridge First Writing Practice test Cambridge First (FCE) Writing part 1 (essay) Difficulty level: B2 /Upper Intermediate. Write 140-190 words in an appropriate style. In your English class you have been talking about old people in society. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay. PDF Microsoft Word 1. Introduce the topic 'Following fashion' to your students. Ask if they like to follow fashion trends. 2. Check understanding of the following with a vocabulary warm-up activity: expensive, trends, comfortable, fashionable, seasonal, collections, hairstyles, accessories, followers, clothing. 3. Draw a table on the board: Articles Subscale Grade: Commentary: Content: 5: All content is relevant and the target reader is fully informed. The article describes the most useful thing which the writer has learned: speaking English, and explains why it is useful.The second aspect of the task is discussed in detail and various methods of learning are described. FCE Essay Fashion FCE Essay Fashion - Free download as (.rtf), PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site. B2 First for Schools exam format Students are required to produce two pieces of writing. The first piece is compulsory and will be an essay of 140-190 words. For the second, they can choose from an article, email/letter, essay, review or story of 140-190 words. Listening (about 40 minutes) See sample paper. 4 parts/30 questions Essay on Fashion for Students and Children 500+ Words Essay on Fashion. Fashion refers to anything that becomes a rage among the masses. Fashion is a popular aesthetic expression. Most Noteworthy, it is something that is in vogue. Fashion appears in clothing, footwear, accessories, makeup, hairstyles, lifestyle, and body proportions. Furthermore, Fashion is an industry-supported expression. PDF FCE Speaking fashion, FCE speaking part 4 practice Completion Time: 60 minutes Skill/Grammar: Discussion Age/Level: First Certificate Exam Resources: Clothes and Fashion Worksheet Teacher's Notes Warm-Up (10 minutes) • Give out the worksheet and ask students to match the pictures to the descriptions. Discuss the questions as a class. In Albania, two women take on a nation with a rooftop wedding In many ways Alba Ahmetaj and Edlira Mara lead an ordinary life. They brush their twin daughters' hair before school and play fight with them in their flat on weekend mornings. They have ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis