B2 First Writing Part 1 (Essay) plus Sample Question

Introduction

This guide explains the four B2 First Writing marking criteria – Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language – and gives you practical tips to score well in the compulsory essay.

The Cambridge B2 First is one of the world's most widely recognised English language qualifications. The Writing test poses a significant challenge, and candidates often need guidance when approaching Part 1. Since you won't have any choice about the question, you'll want to be as prepared and confident as possible. Below, we'll analyse what's required across all four marking criteria.

In the B2 First Writing exam, you have 1 hour and 20 minutes to write two texts of 140–190 words each – roughly 40 minutes per text, which is enough time to plan and write. Each text is marked out of 20 across four categories: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, worth five points each, for a total of 40. To pass, you need to score 24 out of 40 – that means at least 3 out of 5 in every category.

Each section below includes a TOP MARKS! tip for those aiming for a Merit or Distinction. B2 First examiners can be selective about awarding maximum points in the Writing exam, but that's no reason not to aim for the best possible result.

CONTENT: How to Include All Three Points

Have you included all three notes? This is the most common mistake, so it's worth addressing first. Part 1 questions always include three notes to write about, and the third is always "your own idea." This doesn't simply mean stating your opinion on the topic – the whole essay is your opinion! It means you need to introduce a new idea, topic or theme of your own.

For example, in an essay about the advantages and disadvantages of teens playing video games, if the first two notes are "social life" and "learning useful skills," your third point could be "the effect on school work" or "sleeping patterns." Since essays should present a balanced argument, try to choose an idea that considers a different angle.

Have you answered the question? The essay is always worded as a question – usually asking whether you agree with a prompt statement. It's surprising how often students forget that a question needs a direct answer. Your conclusion should clearly state whether you agree, disagree, or partly agree.

Have you written 140–190 words? Both under- and over-writing can cost you marks. If you've written fewer than 140 words, you've likely missed something or haven't developed your ideas enough. If you've gone over 190, some content may be unnecessary or irrelevant, which can lose the reader's attention.

TOP MARKS! Scoring full marks for Content is very achievable. Make sure you've addressed all the content points, introduced a clear and distinct idea of your own, and spent enough time developing each one.

COMMUNICATIVE ACHIEVEMENT: How to Write a Recognisable Essay

Is it clearly an essay? How do we know a text is an essay? Essays have separate introduction and conclusion paragraphs, use formal language, and avoid too many contractions or overuse of "I" – formal writing is less personal. The purpose of an essay is to express an opinion and persuade the reader that it's a strong argument. A useful way to think about it: you're presenting your opinion as though it were fact, backed up with clear reasons.

Is the text easy to follow? Errors can make a text difficult to read. Always re-read what you've written before you finish, and make sure your meaning is clear throughout.

TOP MARKS! Top marks go to candidates who can express both simple and complex ideas clearly. A complex idea is one that takes more thought to put into words. For example, "we use computers every day" is simple, whereas "over the last fifty years, computers and technology have become central to modern life" is more sophisticated and specific. Showing you can handle both will impress examiners.

ORGANISATION: Paragraphs and Linking Words

Is the text organised into paragraphs? A single 190-word paragraph would be very difficult to read. You need to show that you can structure your ideas into a coherent argument that develops throughout the essay. Each paragraph should introduce a new and distinct idea, with all information in the right place. If you find this difficult, spend a few minutes making a brief plan before you start writing – it doesn't take long, and it often helps you write more quickly and confidently.

Are you using a variety of linking language? Basic linking words (and, but, or, because) are essential, but to score 3 or above at B2 First level you should also be using cohesive devices – linking words and phrases that begin sentences, such as however, for example, furthermore and as a result.

TOP MARKS! To go further, try using more subtle organisational patterns: a rhetorical question to open a paragraph, or a substitution word like "one" to avoid repetition (e.g. "The first one" or "The most important one").

LANGUAGE: Vocabulary and Grammar Range

Have you used a range of vocabulary and grammar? B2 First is an upper-intermediate level exam, so examiners expect you to show some flexibility and ambition in your language. An essay written entirely in short sentences using only the present simple and basic adjectives won't score highly. Try using more precise vocabulary, and vary your grammar structures to demonstrate your range – for example, passive forms, conditionals, gerunds and infinitives, and modal verbs.

Do any errors affect the reader's understanding? A B2 First essay doesn't need to be perfectly error-free, but examiners do want to see that you can regularly produce accurate sentences. Most importantly, any errors shouldn't prevent the reader from understanding your meaning.

TOP MARKS! The sweet spot in language learning is the balance between accuracy and fluency. Some learners are accurate but cautious, while others are expressive but make frequent errors. When you can communicate both fluently and accurately, that's where real progress – and top marks – happen.

Conclusion

To summarise, here's what a successful B2 First essay does:

• Content – all three notes are addressed, the question is answered, and the essay is 140–190 words.
• Communicative Achievement – the text is easy to understand and clearly written as an essay.
• Organisation – ideas are divided into logical paragraphs, with a variety of linking language.
• Language – a range of grammar and vocabulary is used with accuracy and flexibility.

The Organisation and Language criteria also apply to Part 2 of the Writing exam, where you choose from three different question types – but we'll cover that in a future post.

Understanding these criteria is essential, but the best way to improve is simply to practise. Find some example B2 First essay questions and write one for each, putting everything above into action. Why not start today?

Sample Question

In your English class, you have been talking about how technology affects our free time. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay.

Write an essay using all the notes and give reasons for your point of view.

"Spending a lot of time on social media does more harm than good for young people." Do you agree?

Notes:

1. mental health
2. relationships with family and friends
3. …………………… (your own idea)

HELP! If you're having difficulty coming up with a third idea, consider a topic such as the amount of advertising or misinformation on social media, or something positive like the ability to stay in touch with friends and family wherever they are.

Sample Answers

Read both answers below. One is a strong response aiming for a high score; the other is an average response that would pass but no more. Can you spot the differences before reading the annotations?

Answer A

In recent years, social media has become a central part of young people's lives. While there are some benefits, I largely agree that spending too much time on these platforms does more harm than good.

To begin with, excessive social media use can have a serious impact on mental health. Young people often compare themselves to others online, which can lead to feelings of low self-esteem and anxiety. Furthermore, spending hours scrolling through a screen can cause sleep problems, which makes these issues worse.

However, one advantage is that social media allows young people to stay in touch with friends and family, even across long distances. As a result, relationships do not have to suffer when people move away or lead busy lives.

That said, social media also exposes young people to a huge amount of misinformation. False news and misleading content spread quickly online, and many young users struggle to identify what is and is not true.

In conclusion, although social media has its uses, I believe the risks to mental health and critical thinking outweigh the benefits for most young people.

(182 words)

Answer B

Nowadays, a lot of young people use social media every day. I think it is bad for them in some ways but also good in others.

First, social media can be bad for mental health. Young people see photos of other people and feel bad about themselves. Also, they use their phones for a long time at night and don't sleep well.

Another point is that social media is good for relationships. You can talk to your friends and family on social media when you don't see them. This is helpful if they live in a different place.

My own idea is about advertising. There is a lot of advertising on social media and young people want to buy things. This can be a problem for their families because it costs a lot of money.

To conclude, I think social media is more harmful than good for young people, but it depends on how much time they spend on it.

(161 words)

Annotations

Answer A — Strong response (targeting 4–5 out of 5 in each category)

• Content — all three notes are addressed (mental health, relationships, and misinformation as the candidate's own idea), the question is answered directly in the conclusion, and the word count sits comfortably within the 140–190 range.
• Communicative Achievement — the tone is consistently formal, contractions and overuse of "I" are avoided, and the essay builds a persuasive, balanced argument throughout.
• Organisation — five clear paragraphs each with a distinct focus, and a strong variety of cohesive devices (to begin with, furthermore, however, as a result, that said).
• Language — a range of structures including relative clauses (which can lead to), and vocabulary that goes beyond the basics (excessive, self-esteem, misinformation, outweigh). Any errors are minor and don't affect understanding.

Answer B — Average response (targeting 3 out of 5 in each category)

• Content — all three notes are included and the question is answered, but each idea is underdeveloped. The third note (advertising) is present but not fully explored.
• Communicative Achievement — the text is recognisable as an essay with an introduction and conclusion, but the tone is inconsistent. Phrases like "feel bad about themselves" and "it depends" are too informal for a B2 essay.
• Organisation — paragraphs are clearly divided and basic linking words are used (first, another point, also), but there is little variety. The argument doesn't build particularly convincingly from one paragraph to the next.
• Language — grammar is mostly accurate but the range is limited. Sentences are short and simple, and vocabulary rarely goes beyond everyday words (bad, good, helpful, a lot of). There is little evidence of the ambition examiners want to see at B2 level.