essay writing examples c1

Breakout English

Advanced (CAE) Essay Questions and Sample Answers

The Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) essay is a formal, academic writing. You’ll find it in Part 1 of the CAE writing exam and, just like at other levels, Part 1 is mandatory. That means whether you like it or not, you’ll be writing an essay for your C1 Cambridge exam. Considering that, it’s probably a good idea to practise. The good news is, the CAE essay can be quite formulaic. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll notice the structure and style are always pretty similar. Before you know it, you’ll be writing them in your sleep! In this post, you’ll find some useful CAE writing tips and three essay questions with sample answers.

If you’re looking for a complete overview of the CAE writing exam, with CAE writing tips and much more, check out Advanced Writing Plus , our complete self-study course.

Topics for Advanced (CAE) essay questions

At C1 level, you are expected to be able to write about pretty much any topic you can imagine. However, CAE essay topics are generally going to be quite formal. You’re not going to be asked about your plans for the weekend!

These are some of the topics which are most likely to come up in an Advanced essay question:

• Environmental issues
• Public projects
• Science and nature
• Global issues

Make sure you’ve looked into these topics and studied relevant vocabulary. You can also read different articles and listen to radio broadcasts (or podcasts) related to the topics. Don’t forget to note down important vocabulary so you can remember it for your writings!

C1 Advanced (CAE) Essay Tips

You’ve probably got plenty of experience writing in English if you’ve reached a C1 level. Students who prepare for this exam often need their skills focused in the right way rather than being taught brand new ideas.

Here are my top tips for preparing the CAE essay task.

• Don’t do anything too strange – The essay question is likely to be on quite an interesting topic. It could even be on something you feel strongly about or specialise in. But be careful! When essays start to ramble too much or go too far, they lose their strength. This essay isn’t going to change the world, so don’t go overboard!
• Use advanced language – Remember that to get top points, you must use advanced structures in your writing. Take some time to practise inversion, cleft sentences and participle clauses, then use them in your essay.
• Don’t be stingy with linking words – Linking words (and expressions) are the glue of a writing. Without them, everything falls apart. This doesn’t mean you have to use ridiculous uncommon linking words, but you should use them frequently, probably more than you expect. Take a look at our post about linking words for some ideas.
• Be stylish! – An essay needs to read like an essay, just like a report needs to read like a report. This means it is a formal, academic text. Formal means no contractions, few phrasal verbs, complex sentences and an impersonal style. The essay needs to include your opinion, so you need to express that opinion through style and substance, supported by facts.
• Focus on argument and coherence – To score high in the CAE essay, it’s important to have a clear argument and structure. Plan your essay and stick to the plan, making sure each paragraph has a clear purpose. Ensure that your points are logically connected and that your writing is coherent.
• Use a variety of sentence types – Varying sentence types and lengths keep the reader engaged and demonstrate your writing skills. Mix simple and complex sentences to add interest to your writing.
• Check your writing! – Proofreading is critical for writing a top-scoring CAE essay. Check for grammatical and spelling errors and make sure the writing flows well. Also, don’t forget to check your writing style and tone to make sure you sound professional and academic.
• Practice, practice, practice – Finally, practise writing essays under timed conditions. This will help you to improve your time management and build confidence for the actual exam.

The materials

Here are three Advanced (CAE) essay questions. They each use different CAE essay topics. Use them to practise and improve in preparation for the Cambridge C1 Advanced exam. After completing your own essay, check the example answer and compare.

• How to write a C1 Advanced Essay

• Posted on 26/02/2020
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: C1 Advanced , Cambridge Exams , Writing

The Cambridge C1 Advanced is an excellent qualification to aim for if you’re thinking of studying or working abroad. It’s recognised by universities and governments all over the world and also helps you prove your language skills to future employers.

One of the most demanding parts of the exam is Part 1 of the Writing paper, which includes writing an essay. For many of you, this won’t come naturally… especially in another language.

So, to give you the best chance at success, we’ve created this in-depth guide full of Cambridge C1 Advanced Writing tips and useful language to get you producing excellent essays in no time.

So, pick up your pen, and let’s get started!

If you’d like to get more help with the C1 Advanced, consider our exam preparation class!

C1 Advanced Writing Requirements

The C1 Advanced Writing exam has two writing parts, which you must complete in 90 minutes. Both parts have a word limit of between 220-260 words. We recommend getting lots of writing practice under these conditions!

Part 1 is always a discursive essay . It requires you to think about arguments for and against a topic.

Part 2 is a situationally based writing task. This could be a letter , an email , a report , a proposal or a review and you have three options to choose from.

Today, we’ll be looking at how to do your best in part 1.

Before you begin

When you turn over the paper and begin Writing Part 1, take some time to read the task instructions. Identify all parts of the question, underlining which parts are obligatory and noting which parts are optional.

Let’s take a look at an example question!

Remember, you don’t have to use the opinions expressed in the box, but they may help you to get the ball rolling . Also, you only have to talk about two of the options given, not all three.

Make a plan

Take ten minutes to lay out your ideas. Make a pros and cons list for each of the three options and then decide which two you feel most confident with. Here’s some things you might come up with, can you think of any more?

Structure your essay

The essence of a good essay is a clear structure.

Introduction

Here you want to introduce the topic in your own words. Your first line should also grab the reader’s attention, then you should paraphrase the question. Finally, try using a statistic or a rhetorical question. This will make them want to read on, right?

Paragraph 1

Discuss the first option you’ve chosen. Include a good topic sentence and remember to give reasons for your answer. Describe some of the advantages, and even some of the disadvantages too. This will give a well-balanced argument.

Paragraph 2

Here’s where you introduce the second option. Again, try to present both sides of the argument and give reasons for your ideas. Gradually work towards the conclusion.

State your final opinion. This should be a summary of the rest of the essay and point clearly to which option you think is the most important. Do not introduce any new arguments at this stage. The conclusion is where you tie-up any loose ends .

This is an advanced piece of writing, so make sure your choice of language reflects it. You will get marked for accuracy, however, occasional errors can still be present as long as they do not impede understanding. So don’t play it too safe . This is your opportunity to show what you can do, so take some risks and have fun with it!

In the writing paper you should use a range of vocabulary, including less common lexis. Brainstorm some vocabulary related to the topic. Take your time to think of nouns and compound nouns that you know at C1 level. Really let your vocabulary sparkle .

No one likes a broken record . Find synonyms for simple words. You want to use a variety of language, and try not to repeat yourself too much. Check out these different ways of saying the same thing:

advantage = benefit, positive, upside

disadvantage = downside, drawback

effect = influence, impact, result, outcome

problem = issue, challenge, difficulty, obstacle, setback, complication

important = valuable, essential, beneficial

expensive = costly, dear, high-priced, extortionate

cheap = inexpensive, affordable, economical

big = great, large, sizeable, considerable, wide, vast

small = slight, tiny, little

Quick tip: Visit Thesaurus.com to study more synonyms!

Experiment with different grammatical forms. At this level you’re expected to have a good grasp on the grammar. You should use a range of simple and complex grammatical forms with control and flexibility. So challenge yourself with some of these…

• Participle clauses
• Conditionals
• Modal verbs
• Passive with reporting verbs
• Cleft sentences
• Comparatives
• Relative clauses

Useful expressions

To make your essay flow it’s best to use some key phrases. These will link all your ideas together, and help it sound semi-formal. Take a look at the expressions below. Why not use some in your next essay?

Introduction:

It is often said that…

Many people feel that…

We live in an age when..

More and more…

Introducing & Addition:

Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

On the one hand…

In addition…

What is more…

For example…

For instance…

As a case in point…

Contrasting:

In contrast…

On the other hand…

Alternatively…

However…

Conclusion:

All things considered…

As far as I’m concerned…

In light of the above…

What the examiners are looking for

When writing your essay, bear in mind what you’ll be marked on:

Have you answered all parts of the question? Is everything relevant to the question?

Communicative Achievement

Is the style and tone appropriate? Remember it should be semi-formal and neutral.

Organisation

Does it follow a logical order? Have you used paragraphs and linking devices?

Are you using a variety of grammar and vocabulary? Is it accurate?

Now your masterpiece has come together. Remember to take time to check your work. Here’s the official Writing Checklist from Cambridge Assessment English . And our list of the most common mistakes:

• subject + verb agreement
• singulars / plurals
• question formation
• variety of tenses
• dependent prepositions

Some final tips

Avoid contractions (I’m, they’re, we’re) as this is a formal writing.

Don’t use first person pronouns (I, my, our, us).

Practise under timed conditions.

Use model answers to practise fixed expressions.

——

Looking for more help with your Cambridge C1 Advanced exam? Here are our other guides from our blog:

C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English – Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3

And if you are not sure if you’re ready for the C1 Advanced, check out our article Am I ready for the C1 Advanced exam? to find out!

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Get the ball rolling (exp) : to start something.

Lay out (v): to explain something in detail.

Paraphrase (v): to say the same thing in a different way.

Tie-up any loose ends (exp): to resolve issues.

Play it safe (exp): to act cautiously.

A broken record (exp): when someone repeats themself.

Sparkle (v) : to shine.

Good grasp (exp): a good knowledge.

Bear in mind (exp) : to consider.

Masterpiece (n): an incredible work of art.

exp = expression

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Small Talk For Business English

• By: oxfordadmin
• Posted on 19/02/2020

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Home » C1 Advanced » CAE Writing Examples » CAE Essay Topics » CAE Essay Examples | 1 Great Way To Learn

CAE Essay Examples | 1 Great Way To Learn

Table of Contents

CAE Essay Examples Introduction

Before looking at some CAE essay examples, we should quickly answer this question: "What is a CAE essay?"

A CAE essay  is an obligatory task in the C1 Advanced (CAE) Cambridge English exam. There are 4 CAE exam papers: Speaking, Listening, Reading & Use of English and Writing. The CAE essay forms part 1 of the 2 part writing paper. Students need to answer a question and write between 220-260 words.

On the rest of this page I have put some CAE essay examples which my students have sent to me. If you keep reading, you will find tasks to complete and either a video or written feedback which I provided to the student. The feedback is based on the Cambridge English Assessment Scale from the C1 Advanced handbook for teachers. It is very important to understand this marking criteria if you want to pass this part of the exam.

If you don't know how to write a good essay, or if you want to know how examiners mark your essay, check out my C1 Advanced Essay page.

CAE Essay Example 1 - Question, Critique etc.

Cae essay question.

WAYS OF LOOKING AFTER YOUNG CHILDREN:

At home with parents or other family members In nurseries or pre-school With a professional nanny

Write an essay for your tutor in 220-260 words. You should discuss two of the ways of looking after young children in your notes. You should explain which way is more beneficial and provide reasons to support your opinion.

CAE Examiners Assessment Template

Download this assessment template here or complete the online version here with your thoughts on the writing below.

CAE Essay Example 1 - Answer

C1 Essay Example Answer & My Comments

I have highlighted the mistakes and written comments showing you how to correct them in ( bold and italics).

HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOUNG CHILDREN

There is no doubt that one of the problems of (the word ‘problem’ collocates with ‘with’ before a person/people) modern families is how to take care of young children. Some years ago, the most common solution was to leave the new-borns with a family member. Usually, it was the mother, who had to leave her job and sacrifice her career for the new arrival. Today, the situation is slightly different, because, often, both parents have to work and no relatives are available to come into (‘into’ is not the right word to use here - you could say - ‘come and support’) support of (don’t write ‘of’ here. We say ‘support somebody’ in English, not ‘support of somebody’) the family. In this essay, I will discuss two possible solutions (‘solution’ is not the right word here. ‘Solution’ implies that leaving the children with a family member is not an option, and that you will therefore discuss two alternative methods. The problem is the next paragraph then talks about leaving the children with a family member)  and their advantages and disadvantages.

One of the advantages of leaving your children with a family member is that you trust this person (I would say ‘this person will usually have your trust’ - because it is better to try and use the passive voice in an essay. We also tend to use more nouns and fewer verbs in formal writing) and you know (do you know that?) that they will certainly take care of them in the best way. Furthermore, when the children are sick, you can leave them in bed and check their temperature frequently, preventing complications. (I think you could develop this last sentence more and state that you cannot do this if the children go to nursery) . On the other hand, though, your children could (you should use ‘may’ or ‘might’ rather than ‘could’ here. ‘Could not’ in this sentence means they were not able to. It is a definitive statement and it does not imply possibility) not develop some important social skills such as team playing (‘teamwork’ might be a better word to use here) and sharing (‘connecting’ might be a better word to use. We tend to say ‘sharing’ + something) with peers, but they could be left (for) some time in front of a screen (you could explain why this wouldn’t be beneficial) .

Another solution could be to make them attend a nursery. There are numerous advantages in (‘advantages’ collocates with ‘to’) this approach as well, but, above all, I would enlighten (‘enlighten’ is usually followed by an object) that children are taught to stay together, to help each other and to have fun. Unfortunately, on the other hand, they run the risk of getting ill more frequently and this could be a problem for parents who have to take maternity leave to cure (‘look after’ or ‘take care of’ are better phrases to use here. ‘Cure’ is stronger and implies the parents will heal them from a serious illness or disease) them.

To sum up (this expression is a little too informal for an essay) , I think that I would choose a mixed solution for my children: a family member during the first years but then a nursery as soon as they start speaking and relating (‘building relationships’) with others, so that to (remove the word 'to' and replace it with 'they') improve their abilities (‘ability’ should be countable singular here) to be part of a group.

CAE Essay Sample Marks

Cae essay sample - pass or fail.

Adding the marks together, the student has scored:

Content: 3/5

Communicative Achievement: 3/5

Organisation: 4/5

Language: 2/5

Total: 12/20.

If you can't remember what these scores mean, watch my CAE writing marking criteria video .

If this student got 12/20 for their part 2 writing in the exam, they would have 24/40 for the C1 Advanced writing paper.

The student would therefore pass this exam paper.

To understand how these marks are calculated, check out this page . I suggest using a table like this to mark your scores when you are practising for all the different exam papers.

CAE Essay Examples - Question 2 Critique etc.

This question has come from ' Cambridge English Advanced Practice Tests - Plus 2 ' by Nick Kenny and Jacky Newbrook.

While you read this example answer, you should write down any mistakes you find on this document , then complete the examiner assessment template below:

Online template

Hard copy Assessment Scale Template

Example Answer Download

C1 Writing Exam Assessment Template

If you haven't done it yet, download this assessment template here , or complete it online here with your thoughts on the writing above.

C1 Essay Sample Answer 2 & My Comments

Here is the student's answer with my corrections and comments written in ( bold and italics).

Nowadays , many young people tend to ask themselves how valuable is the benefit of taking part in sport competitions in which they participate ( I don’t think these words add any extra to the sentence) . It is said that ‘ it’ ( after using the phrase ‘it is said/thought that’ you should repeat the subject) is worth y (you should use ‘worth’ here) for healthy people to hav ing a positive attitude and th is (the attitude) are also usually able to contribute s more to a the healthy mind. 

But which point s can be highlighted as valuable from ‘ having’ healthy lifestyles? (Personally, I wouldn’t ask questions in an essay). Not only ‘ does’ physical condition ha ve a very important role to play, but also mental condition might be affected ‘ as a result’ .  This (what starts at the beginning?) starts at the beginning (the beginning of what?) when the young child can learn about the value of exercise. Despite having a fit ness body, this (what is ‘this’?) should not only be aimed at sport s competition s . They need to have continuous ‘win nings and los ses ings ’ in order to understand the importance of being trained mentally ( I think the argument of the essay disappears a bit here). For instance, Usain Bolt is an excellent athlete thanks to ‘ his’ capability to accept to los s e s and train hard for the next sport competition.

Attitude alone, however, is not enough. Young athletes need to have easy access to resources which will enable them to learn in a better way. There is no point in having a great attitude to learn if they cannot find materials that other athletes can share as tips in order to make the difference. In this case, these materials refer s to personal experiences and train ing methods ed abilities which youngsters need to pay more attention ‘to’ . If cooperation is not performed (we don’t normally ‘perform cooperation’, it would be more common to say ‘if cooperation does not exist’ , young people are all too likely to slip into bad habits (this  paragraph is well written) .

To sum up, of the two values outlined above, healthy lifestyles is the more effective one. lt is more far reaching in that it relates to all aspects of living healthily. In addition to this, after all, through (‘developing the right’) attitude , that a person will learn why it is better to go to a sport competition than to lie on a couch in front of the television. (I don’t think I understand this final sentence. Do you mean attitude will teach a person? I probably wouldn’t introduce a new idea into the final sentence of an essay).

CAE Essay Sample 2 Marks

Below, you can read my critique on the examiner assessment scale...

Sorry, you'll need to register or upgrade your membership in order to access the content below.

CAE Essay Sample 2 - Pass or Fail

This student has scored:

Communicative Achievement: 2/5

Organisation: 3/5

Language: 3/5

Total: 11/20.

If this student got 11/20 for their part 2 writing in the exam, they would score 22 out of 40 and they would not pass the CAE writing exam at a C1 level.

The student might still pass the exam if he/she gets higher marks in the other exam papers, Reading , Use of English , Speaking and Listening .

CAE Essay Examples - Question 3

Let's have a look at another example essay that a student sent to me. Similar to the first two, we'll have a look at the question, answer and my feedback.

Fantastic work if you've made it this far...you're really going to be helping yourself prepare for this tricky part of the exam. High five!

The following question can be found on this website .

While reading the next answer, you should complete the assessment scale. You can download the assessment template here or complete this online version .

CAE Essay Examples - Answer 3

CAE Essay Examples - Answer 3 pdf

Okay, so hopefully you've completed the hard copy or the online examiner assessment template with your marks and comments. Before reading my corrections below, you should now write down any mistakes you find on this document.

CAE Essay Examples - Answer 3 + My Comments

We live in a wor ’l’ d where there are so many options for travelling (Spelling mistakes are not a huge issue, but they are important if they disrupt the flow/meaning of your writing. This spelling mistake is in the first sentence and therefore might put negative thinking in the examiner’s mind) . According to a recent article, there has been an increase in international travelling. Since the article did not find the major causes of what is causing this new trend (can you think of a way to avoid saying ‘causes’ and ‘causing’ in the same sentence?) , I decided to raise two crucially important factors which could presumably contribute to this. 

It cannot be denied that we take most means of transport for granted and flying on a plane is becoming more prevalent (Good sentence) . In comparison to the previous century, the cost of airline tickets has noticeably decreased. In other words, most airlines are now aiming at a wide ’r’ range of ‘people’ public . (We don’t often say ‘a range of public.’) Not only do they want to attract the affluent, but they also want to ensure that even the poorest citizens can afford to buy a ticket. Moreover, the convenience of aircraft also plays a vital role as flying is not so time-consuming. (Good paragraph).

Another potential factor is global business and trade. The majority of successful companies, such as Foxconn and Apple, are spread out into ‘across’ the whole world. If they did not do this, they would not be able to satisfy their customers. Therefore, they often have no other option, but to dispatch (‘dispatch’ is not often a word used for people but more for inanimate objects) their representatives , (remember the comma as this is a non-definite relative clause because the next part of the sentence is extra information) who always travel by plane. Secondly, the world economy has reached its peak, that is to say, our population is buying more cars. (I think this point would be made stronger by adding another sentence.)

To sum up, as far as I am concerned, global business plays a bigger role when it comes to the increase in travelling. Despite the fact that means of transport have changed, companies have a major impact. To make it clear, companies have the power to shape our society. We are under the influence of them. They set down the rules in terms of new trends in our society (I think you could combine the final two sentences and avoid repeating the words ‘our society’) .

CAE Essay Examples - Question 3 Marks

Upgrade here to access my marks and comments >>

CAE Essay Examples - Question 3 - Pass or Fail

I have awarded the essay the following marks:

Content - 3 Communicative Achievement - 4 Organisation - 4 Language - 4

Total: 15/20

In my opinion, this is a good essay. Remember you only have 90 minutes to complete 2 writing tasks in the exam, but if you could write this and a similar part 2 answer in 35 minutes each, leaving time for planning and checking, I think you will stand a good chance of passing at a C1 level. The examiners tend to mark the writing paper quite strictly in my experience and so it’s possible that some of the marking criteria could be awarded a 3, but it’s also possible some could be awarded a 5. It depends a little bit on the individual examiner. Well done!

CAE Essay Examples - Question 4

This came from the book ' Cambridge English Advanced 2 ' which you can buy here >>

CAE Essay Answer

You should print off a copy of the answer below here and write down any mistakes you find.

Alternatively, you can write the mistakes on a separate sheet of paper or on this online template .

You should also complete the examiner assessment scale template in hardcopy or online .

CAE Essay Answer With My Corrections

Here is a video of me critiquing this answer:

If you would like to receive a similar video critiquing one of your answers, check out my CAE writing assessment service >>

Below, you can read the answer with my corrections and what I wrote on the examiner assessment scale...

Social trends are part of today’s society and they could be described as peculiar behaviours that become ‘a’ fundamental characteristic of a society. In the last few years there have been many changes such as the development of ‘the’ internet, mobile phones and cheaper flights that have had an important influence in ‘on’ social trends.

As far as I’m concerned, the factor which influence ‘s’ the most social trends ‘the most’ is the communication and especially the new communication via social network ‘s’ . As a matter of fact s , the way we communicate has been influenced a lot by the development of ‘the’ internet and technology. Therefore, internationally widespread social networks such as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok have created ways of communicating that make it very easy to spread a peculiar ‘specific’ social trend by imitat ‘ing’ e the trends of other countries.

Other people may say that advertising is shaping social trends because of its u ‘i’ nescapable influence on consumers. Although it surely plays an important role and everywhere we go we are surrounded by advertising, in my humble opinion , we are totally used to them and we know how to ignore them, so they don’t ‘ do not’ have such a big influence on social trends.

In conclusion , it ’s ‘i s evident that what influence ‘s’ ‘social trends’ the most social trends are the ways of communicating used by the people of today. They have the ‘ability’ peculiarity to make the world smaller and spread a new trend amazingly rapidly with the feature that it will affect a big amount ‘number’ of people in a small amount of time.

CAE Essay Marks

C1 advanced writing - pass or fail.

Content - 3

Communicative Achievement - 3

Organisation - 4

Language - 2

Total: 12/20

You need a minimum of 24 out of 40 possible marks to pass the CAE writing paper. Remember, there are 2 different writings to complete, so you need to average 12 out of 20 for each writing task.

Remember, you do not need to pass every exam paper in order to pass the C1 Advanced (CAE) exam and get a certificate.

If you want to find out more about what marks you need in order to pass the exam, have a look at this page >>

More CAE Essay Examples + Feedback

I recently published a book with 6 CAE essay examples and 15 other CAE sample writings. They all have my mistakes and suggestions highlighted, as well as critique based on official writing marking criteria.

Some of you can read it for free with Kindle Unlimited:

Take a look inside >>

Register to start the course below >>

2 thoughts on “ CAE Essay Examples | 1 Great Way To Learn ”

I learnt a lot from your essays samples and corrections. Please send more of your lesson I need it for studies. Thanks

Thank you Evelyn, I’m glad they helped you. When you become a member of my website you get access to more of my materials: https://studentlanguages.com/membership-checkout/?level=4

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Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE): How to Write an Essay

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Introduction

An essay in the C1 Advanced Writing paper is usually written for an academic tutor and may be written as a follow-up to a class activity, such as attending a seminar or watching a documentary. The main purpose of the task is to underline relevant salient issues on the stated topic, and to support an argument with subsidiary points and reasons. An essay should be well organised, with an introduction, clear development and an appropriate conclusion. It should hold the target reader’s attention and communicate complex ideas using an appropriate range of vocabulary and structures. Source: Cambridge English C1 Advanced handbook for teachers

Essays are part of the first section of the CAE Writing paper. The task is mandatory, which means that you always have to write an essay unlike the other texts ( emails/letter , proposals , reviews , reports ) where you can choose which one you would like to tackle in the exam.

Essay writing is not that difficult…

…if you know what you are doing. For most students, essay writing feels like this huge obstacle that they won’t be able to clear when, in fact, it is not as bad as you might think.

Just like every other writing task in C1 Advanced you can apply a specific structure because the different tasks share the same characteristics. Obviously, the topic changes and the input you get from the question differs, but, essentially, it is like repeating the same task over and over again. For this, you can become pretty good at essay writing in a short time just by practising regularly until most of it becomes almost automatic for you.

Long story short, in this article I’m going to take you by the hand and guide you through all the different aspects of essay writing. We’re going to see what a typical essay task looks like, the structure and language and, of course, common problems and mistakes you should avoid on your way to mastering essays.

What a typical essay task looks like

As mentioned earlier, essay tasks in C1 Advanced look very similar to each other and once you understand what those common features are, you will see that everything becomes a lot easier. A typical task might look like the one below:

Every essay writing task looks like this with the content changing, but the structure staying exactly the same.

There are also a few things highlighted for you in bold which are definitely important for you to consider when you plan and, later, write your text.

First of all, in the bigger box there is always the question you have to answer and three option s to choose from and, as the rubric tells you, you have to pick two of them . These two points need to be discussed and compared and then you explain (with reasons!) which option you think is better, more suitable, nicer or whatever the task asks you to do (Here: Which facility is it more important for local authorities to give money to?).

Apart from that, you are also gifted a few ideas in the smaller of the two boxes . You can use these in your essay (You don’t have to.), but make sure that you don’t just copy them word for word. Instead, paraphrase them and make them your own, or simply come up with your own ideas.

If you have ever written a Cambridge B2 First essay , you will immediately see the similarities between the tasks, but in C1 Advanced there is less support for you and you have to make more decisions on your own before you can even start to make a plan for your text. Read the whole task very carefully and then choose wisely based on what feels best for you in any given case .

Formal or informal language in an essay?

I’ll keep this short for you because this works in every single task: Keep your language formal , which means no contractions ( I’m , don’t , etc.), no colloquial expressions ( Hey, what’s up? , I liked it heaps ., etc.), and no slang or phrasal verbs that convey informality ( I’m bursting vs. I have had enough to eat; carry on vs. continue).

How to organise your essay

OK, we know now what we have to do and what kind of language we have to use so it’s time to look at the organisation and structure of a good essay.

When organising a piece of writing you should always think about what it is that you have to include in your text. In a C1 Advanced essay there are basically four things:

• First topic point
• Second topic point

From that, we can make four paragraphs and this applies to every single essay you are going to write to practise or in the official exam.

Let’s have another look at our example from earlier. The three options are museums, sports centres and public gardens. Museums and sports centres are both buildings and probably similar to talk about so I’m going to choose sports centres and public parks, just because we can contrast them better in my opinion.

Adding our two topic points to the list from before, this specific essay structure looks like this:

• Sports centres
• Public parks

So there you go. I think that the process up this point is fairly simple and from there most students jump right into the deep end and start to write their essay – but not so fast!

Plan before you start writing

One of the most crucial yet most undervalued tools for excellent writing is a good plan. Unfortunately, I see too many students skip this step and they often end up revising their texts over and over until they run out of time and the result is still not satisfactory.

Please don’t make the same mistake. It takes around five minutes to make a plan which helps you organise your thoughts and ideas in a way that makes sense. You will be able to focus on your language and arguments instead of worrying about possibly forgetting to include content while saving you time. It works and you should do it as well.

To make your plan just take the list we created above and add a couple of thoughts to each point so you know what you want to write about.

• Introduction (panel discussion, local authorities, sports centres & public gardens –> Which one is more important?)
• Sports centres (public health, wide variety of activities, social aspect)
• Public parks (green lung of the city, place to relax from city life, social outdoor activities)
• Conclusion (sports centres better choice –> more variety, more social, greater health benefits)

It took me 4 minutes to create this plan. I used the idea from the task for sports centres (“Sports centrs mean healthier people.”), but I paraphrased it (public health) while the idea for public parks seems too vague for me so I left it out. Remember that it is optional to include these thoughts in your essay. if you feel that you have better ones, go for it.

The different parts of an essay

So far, we’ve looked at a typical essay task and we put everything in order. The next step, of course, is to put our pen to paper and turn our ideas into a great essay. Please be aware that these are simply my recommendations and if you feel that they are helpful, you’re welcome, and if not, modify them or change whatever you think makes more sense for you.

The introduction to your essay serves several different purposes. It presents the topic/question to the reader and puts it in context, introduces the topic points you are going to discuss and creates interest and anticipation in the reader.

All of this sounds like an awful lot of stuff to include, but with a little bit of practice you’ll find out that it is a fairly repeatable process. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll produce one great introduction after another without having to think about it too much.

With all that being said, let’s look at a possible introduction for our example task.

In recent years, public funding for local facilities has become more problematic for many towns, which has become more obvious to me after listening to a panel on the financial needs of several different local facilities like sports centres and public parks. As these places battle for funds, the main question is which ones deserve the money more.

Let’s have a closer look at this intro. At the beginning the whole issue is put into the context of the financial problems many local authorities have experienced. Sports centres and public parks as our two topic points are included as well and, last but not least, a question is asked to create a little more interest in the reader.

With all our boxes being ticked we can now move on to the next part of the essay.

After you finish your introduction, you can turn your attention towards the main topic paragraphs. These are called ‘the body’ of you essay. I always compare it to a hamburger where the introduction and the conclusion are the bread bun while the patty, lettuce, tomatoes and sauce are the body. You want to make your essay tasty so make sure that the body is just as great as your intro.

Your topic paragraphs should be longer than the introduction and conclusion, but at the same time balanced and about the same length between the two of them. Remember, however, to stay within the limit of 220-260 words total.

A couple of characteristics that are useful and important for every topic paragraph are the following:

• Start with a topic sentence that makes it clear what the paragraph is about.
• Always support your arguments with reasons and/or examples .
• Avoid being too personal unless you give your own opinion at the end of the paragraph.

This is not rocket science, but let me show you what I mean in a couple of examples.

It is widely known that sports centres provide many different benefits to the local community. Someone on the panel mentioned that, from a public-health standpoint, it is crucial to offer opportunities to exercise in order to keep everyone healthy physically as well as mentally due to the social character of sports. In addition to that, exercise comes in many different shapes and forms, from team sports to individual activities like swimming, so there is something for everyone to enjoy in a dedicated group of people. While green spaces in a town or city have their own benefits, it can be difficult to maintain such large areas in order to keep parks pleasant and inviting to everyone. Nevertheless, considered by many as the green lung of a city their use as a refuge from hectic city life cannot be debated, and groups of people as well as individuals can be seen following their favourite pastime or socialising with others, which makes the discussion about allocating funds even more difficult.

At the beginning of each paragraph it immediately becomes clear what to expect as I mention sports centres and public parks (green spaces, parks). I managed to include all the points from our plan and I supported my arguments with some examples . Also, you can see that, for example, I didn’t use the word ‘I’ in these paragraphs at all even though my opinion on each point is pretty clear. Instead, I used more general statements (“It is widely known that…”, “considered by many as…”, “…can be seen”) which help convey your opinion without simply stating it .

Last but not least, both parts are balanced in terms of their length, but I don’t want you to think that they have to be perfectly equal. If there is good reason to give one part a little bit more attention over the other, that’s fine. For example, you can say in your essay that one of the ideas is more complex than the other, which tells the examiner that you actually thought about this instead of just having messed up your text. Be clear about it and think it through before you even start writing.

Finally, the conclusion of your essay is there to summarise and to give your opinion on the topic as well as to answer the question in the task (Which facilities should receive money from local authorities?). Your opinion can be nuanced and doesn’t have to be simply black or white as long as you can justify what you say.

In our example, a conclusion might look something like this:

Taking into account all the positions from above I come to the conclusion that funding should be allocated to both facilities as they provide essential resources to the local community. However, due to their more social character and possibly greater public health benefits I would give more funds to sports centres.

There you have it. The conclusion summarises the findings from the body of the essay and I answered the question giving my opinion. That’s really all you have to do in order to finish off your text well.

Time to start practising

With all the information provided in this article I hope you feel ready to start your journey to become an excellent essay writer. As you can see, the structure is clear and the tasks are always similar. Practise regularly in order to improve until essay writing becomes second nature for you.

Lots of love,

Teacher Phill 🙂

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C1 Advanced: Writing Part 1 Formal Essay

This is yet another designed to help students prepare for part one of the C1 Cambridge Advanced (CAE) writing exam. Some of the content has been rehashed from old posts but the approach is slightly different. Download the student handout below:

Give out the handout and draw students’ attention to the task on page one and the first version at the bottom of the page. Have them read the task, then the model answer, then answer questions 1-3 with their partner:

• Which of the three areas (convenience, cost & enjoyment) does the writer focus on? cost and convenience
• Which one do they decide has the biggest impact on where people choose to shop? cost
• Content (have they answered the question?) 4.5 – 5 – yes, question is fully answered
• Range of language 2.5 – reads more like a B2 First essay
• Appropriate style (formal/informal) 1.5 – too informal, not the right style: contractions, words like “stuff”, too personal (too much “I” and “we”), “first let’s look at”

Now have students look at question 4. If you’re pressed for time, you could skip this part. Have students brainstorm more formal and advanced ways of expressing the parts in bold in pairs or groups. Perhaps you could assign one paragraph to each group and have them report back in open class. Board their ideas.

Now have students flip the paper over. Version 2 essential expresses the same ideas but with more advanced language and a more appropriate register. Direct students to find the “fancy” equivalents of the underlined phrases from version 1 in version 2.

Set students the homework task by first encouraging them to discuss the topic:

Factors when deciding where to go on holiday:

• Cultural activities

Encourage them to use the language from version 2 and the language on pages 2 and 3 in their compositions.

Read version 1 and answer the questions:

• Which of the three areas (convenience, cost & enjoyment) does the writer focus on?
• Which one do they decide has the biggest impact on where people choose to shop?
• Content (have they answered the question?)
• Range of language
• Appropriate style (formal/informal)
• Look at the sections in bold, how could you express the same ideas in a more impressive/formal way?

We’re always hearing in the news about how more and more people are buying things on the internet . It’s a big problem that fewer people are going shopping in physical shops nowadays . But, what makes people decide where to shop?

First, let’s look at convenience. It’s true that shopping online is much easier than shopping in physical shops. You can buy stuff on your computer and you can sit on your sofa , you don’t need to leave your house . Also , the stuff gets sent to your house . When you go to the physical shop you have to take it home yourself.

Now I’ll talk about cost. Some people think that cost is the most important thing people think about when they decide where to shop. For example, when the sales are on people buy things in shops they don’t normally go to. But some people don’t care about the price. It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive or not.

In conclusion, looking at the facts, I think that cost is the most important thing for most people because if you don’t have enough money , you can’t buy it.

Find and underline the ways that the same ideas are expressed in this version.

Hardly a week goes by without another news report about the recent dramatic increase in online shopping. The decline of the high street shop is undoubtedly a major issue in this day and age. However, which aspect of shopping has the biggest influence on where people shop?

The first area to take into account is convenience. It is undoubtedly the case that shopping online is much more convenient than shopping on the high street. Not only can you make a purchase with the click of a button, but also you can do it from the comfort of your sofa without setting foot outside your door.  In addition, the goods are delivered directly to your door whereas when you shop in physical shops you have to carry it home yourself.

Another aspect to consider is cost. There are those who argue that cost has the biggest impact on where people decide to shop. This is illustrated by the fact that during the sales many people buy things in shops they would not normally enter. Nevertheless, for some people the cost is not an issue, they buy what they want to buy no matter the price.

In light of the above, weighing up all the evidence, it is probably true to say that cost does indeed have the biggest influence on where people decide to shop due to the fact that most of the time, if you cannot afford something then you will not be able to buy it.

(247 words)

Homework Task

Your class has had a class debate on the most important factors when it comes to deciding on a holiday destination.

Some opinions expressed in the debate:

• “If it’s not a sunny place, then I’m not going. Why would I visit a cold, rainy city?”
• “I want my money to go further. For the price of a weekend in Paris, I could spend 2 weeks in Morocco.”
• “I can’t stand just lying on a beach, I need to get out and learn something about the places I’m visiting.”

Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the factors in your notes. You should explain which factor is the most important for most people , giving reasons to support your argument.

You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the debate but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.

Language for introductions

• In this day and age…
• … is a hotly-debated topic that often divides opinion.
• … is a growing issue in today’s society
• We live in an age when many of us are…
• More and more families are choosing to have only one child.
• The trend nowadays is towards having smaller families.
• Over the past ten years or so the media have frequently carried reports of ……………
• Recent research indicates that the number of teenagers who smoke is increasing.
• Hardly a week goes by without another report of …………….. appearing in the media.
• Although most people would generally agree that …………… few would deny that ……..

Language for topic sentences

Second Paragraph

• …. clearly/undoubtedly has an impact on…
• It is common knowledge that… plays a crucial role in…
• It is undoubtedly the case that…
• There is little doubt that…
• … is widely believed to contribute to…
• It is generally considered that…
• Recent research suggests that…
• Studies have shown that… has an impact/influence on…
• Few people would contest/dispute the fact that…

Third Paragraph

• Another factor to consider is…
• On the other hand/In contrast…
• It is often claimed that…
• All the evidence suggests that…

Language for supporting ideas

Language for introducing supporting ideas:

• For example,
• For instance,
• An obvious example of this is…
• A clear example of this is…
• This is illustrated by…
• As a case in point…

Paragraph Skeleton

It goes without saying that …………………………………………………………………… A clear example of this is ………………………………………………………. In addition, ……………………………………………………………………. Nevertheless, …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Overall/in summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Language for conclusions:

• In light of the above, / Taking all this into consideration/account,…
• As far as I am concerned, / in my opinion, / as I see it, etc.
• … is the most effective way to… due to the fact that…
• Despite the fact that… undoubtedly plays a role in… I firmly believe that… is more effective due to the fact that…

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Author: Tim Warre

Barcelona based English Teacher, blogger and sometime actor and director. View All Posts

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> Tim Warre posted: ” Image credit: Cambridge Assessment English This is yet > another designed to help students prepare for part one of the C1 Cambridge > Advanced (CAE) writing exam. Some of the content has been rehashed from old > posts but the approach is slightly different.” >

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Cambridge english advanced: cae writing part 1.

Write an essay discussing TWO of the subjects mentioned above. You should explain why you think these subjects should continue to be taught at secondary schools, giving reasons to support your answer.

You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed by other readers, but you should use your own words as far as possible.

CAE Writing tests

• Writing part 1 (essay)
• Writing part 2 (email)
• Writing part 2 (brochure)
• Writing part 2 (letter of application)
• Writing part 2 (review)
• Writing part 2 (letter to a newspaper)

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Writing C1 Advanced (CAE): Guía Completa con Ejemplos

Luis @ kse academy.

• julio 10, 2019

El Writing C1 Advanced (CAE) es el primer examen de Writing considerado como nivel avanzado, y se encuentra en el examen C1 Advanced de Cambridge, también conocido por su nombre antiguo CAE (Certificate in Advanced English).

Al igual que en otros exámenes (B2 First y C2 Proficiency), el Writing del C1 Advanced es solo una parte de las 5 que componen el C1 Advanced. Y como ya he dicho anteriormente, basándome en mi experiencia como profesor de inglés, el C1 Writing es una parte difícil, pero de las más fáciles de mejorar a base de estudiar.

Por este motivo, en este artículo te voy a explicar exactamente  cómo es el Writing del C1 Advanced (CAE) y te voy a mostrar un  ejemplo de cada Writing del CAE . ¡Allá vamos!

¡Nueva guía de Writing C1!

• 3 Ejemplos de cada tipo de Writing
• Essay, Review, Formal and Informal Email and Letter, Report y Proposal
• 500+ expresiones útiles listas para utilizar
• 95 páginas de contenido exclusivo
• Descripción completa del examen de Writing del CAE
• Descripción detallada de cada parte
• Criterios de corrección y preguntas frecuentes (FAQ)

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Writing C1 Advanced: Formal Email or Letter

Ejemplo de writing c1 formal email, writing c1: qué es el nivel c1.

Tal y como empezó a hacer Cambridge en el año 2015, el nombre del examen C1 Advanced especifica claramente el nivel del que se trata, es decir, un nivel C1 según el Marco Común Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas (CMCERL) . El nivel C1 es la primera franja de competencia lingüística que define un nivel avanzado. Tal y como especifica el MCE, una persona con un nivel C1 en competencia escrita:

Puede producir textos claros, bien estructurados y detallados sobre temas de cierta complejidad, mostrando un uso correcto de los mecanismos de organización, articulación y cohesión del texto. Marco Común Europeo, p. 26

A nivel general ya apreciamos un cambio con respecto a niveles inferiores, y es el uso de las palabras «temas de cierta complejidad», ya que en nivel B2 se especificaba únicamente «temas diversos» y «temas generales».

Si analizamos más la sección de expresión escrita del MCE , un candidato que tiene un nivel C1 escrito:

• Escribe textos claros y bien estructurados sobre temas complejos resaltando las ideas principales, ampliando con cierta extensión y defendiendo sus puntos de vista con ideas complementarias, motivos y ejemplos adecuados, y terminando con una conclusión apropiada.
• Escribe descripciones y textos imaginarios de forma clara, detallada y bien estructurada, con un estilo convincente, personal y natural, apropiado para los lectores a los que van dirigidos.
• Escribe exposiciones claras y bien estructuradas sobre temas complejos resaltando las ideas principales.
• Amplía con cierta extensión y defiende puntos de vista con ideas complementarias, motivos y ejemplos adecuados.

Como puedes apreciar, un  Writing de nivel C1  ya se trata de un nivel complejo, con unas expectativas del lector que también apuntan bastante alto.

Y ahora que conocemos cómo de avanzado es el nivel del Writing C1, vamos a ver cómo es el Writing del CAE , viendo ejemplos de ejercicios de Writing del C1 y de las instrucciones.

Cómo es el Writing C1 Advanced

El Writing del CAE sigue la línea de otros exámenes de Cambridge desde 2015, por eso, los candidatos tienen que escribir dos textos de 220 – 260 palabras en 1 hora y 30 minutos . Estos dos textos son de tipos diferentes, como veremos en la siguiente sección, y el objetivo es que demuestres una serie de mecanismos lingüísticos escritos de un Writing de nivel C1 .

Ahora pasaremos a ver los diferentes tipos de Writing del C1 Advanced (CAE) y ejemplos de cada una de ella.

Tipos de Writing C1

Estos son los diferentes tipos de tarea que puedes encontrarte en el CAE Writing actual:

• Email (informal or formal) or letter (informal or formal)

Estos tipos de Writing ya se vienen dando desde el B2 First, excepto el proposal , que es un tipo de tarea nueva de Writing que se introduce en el CAE (nivel C1), y que sustituye al article , que desaparece a este nivel.

Writing C1 Advanced: Part 1 – Essay

Al igual que en otros exámenes de main suite de Cambridge, la primera parte de este examen de Writing consiste en escribir un essay , es decir, un ensayo. A diferencia de la segunda parte, en esta únicamente tienes una opción, por lo que tienes que escribir un essay obligatoriamente.

Como ya sabrás, un ensayo ( essay ) es un tipo de Writing de C1 muy común a nivel académico, siendo este uno de los objetivos principales de este examen de inglés. Obviamente, en este caso no podemos escribir demasiadas palabras (alrededor de 260 como máximo), sino que se trata de demostrar que eres capaz de desenvolverte cómodamente al escribir sobre temas de ámbito académico. Además, para facilitar las cosas, esta tarea siempre presenta las instrucciones de la misma forma y con el mismo número de puntos.

A continuación tienes una captura para que veas cómo son las instrucciones de un essay en el CAE :

Como puedes leer en la imagen superior, la idea es que ha habido un seminario en el que tu clase ha participado y cuya temática es la efectividad del sistema educativo para ayudar a los jóvenes a encontrar trabajo. Se trata de un tema complejo y de nivel académico . A continuación tienes una serie de anotaciones : primero tienes los puntos que ha tratado el seminario y después una serie de citas sobre opiniones expresadas durante el seminario. Si te fijas bien, cada opinión corresponde a uno de los puntos tratados.

A continuación, debes escribir un essay de nivel C1 hablando sobre 2 de esos puntos y decidiendo cuál es el más apropiado. Y todo ello en 220 – 260 palabras. Haz click aquí para ver exactamente cómo escribir un Essay para el C1 Advanced (CAE) .

Pasemos ahora a la segunda parte.

Writing C1 Advanced: Part 2

En esta parte debes escribir otro writing de 220 – 260 palabras, pero a diferencia de la parte 1, en esta sí que puede elegir entre 3 tareas diferentes. Pero no te confundas, porque aunque únicamente haya 3 tareas, pueden aparecer hasta 7 tipos de Writing de C1 , como hemos viso antes: review , formal letter/email , informal letter/email , report o proposal .

Veamos un  ejemplo de cada tipo de Writing del C1 Advanced , esto es, del enunciado.

Writing C1 Advanced: Review

Uno de los tipos de tarea de Writing que pueden aparecer en el C1 Advanced es la review o reseña. Esta tarea suele ser bastante complicada, desde mi punto de vista, ya que se trata de un tipo de Writing muy concreto. Y el problema es que pueden pedirte que escribas una review sobre una película, un libro, una serie, un objeto, una página web, un programa de televisión, etc. En este caso vamos a ver un ejemplo de instrucciones de una review de una película .

Writing C1 Advanced: Report

El report es uno de los Writing de C1 más sencillos, en mi opinión. ¿Por qué? Porque desde mi punto de vista es de los que menos creatividad necesitan y, por lo general, esto lo suele hacer más fácil y nos da más lugar a centrarnos en nuestro inglés escrito.

Un report no es más que un informe, es decir, un escrito en el que analizamos algo que ya ha ocurrido o que ya existe. Por ejemplo, pueden pedirte que escribas un report sobre una visita, un programa de intercambio, una empresa, la situación de algo en tu país, etc.

Haz clic aquí para saber cómo escribir un C1 report .

En el caso que tenemos a continuación se trata de escribir un report sobre la influencia que tienen los programas de televisión en inglés sobre tu país. Lee la tarea con detenimiento:

Como ves, se trata de una tarea de Writing que requiere un tono muy formal, ya que va dirigido a una compañía internacional y se trata de un análisis a fondo de la situación. Más tarde veremos un  ejemplo de respuesta de report .

Writing C1 Advanced: Proposal

Ahora vamos a ver las instrucciones de un proposal para C1 Advanced, un tipo de Writing nuevo que se introduce específicamente en este nivel. El propósito de este tipo de Writing es hacer una propuesta para algún tema sobre el que nos preguntan. Un tema muy típico es ser estudiante o trabajador de una facultad que ha recibido una especie de beca económica, por lo que te piden que hagas una propuesta sobre cómo invertir dicho dinero.

Aunque nada tiene que ver ese tema con el que vamos a ver en las siguientes instrucciones de proposal :

El formato del texto, como veremos más adelante, es muy parecido al del report , pero mientras que un report se centra en algo ya pasado (para hacer propuestas de mejora), un proposal se centra en algo para el futuro.

Writing C1 Advanced: Informal Email or Letter

Un email y una carta, en cuanto a su formato, son lo mismo. Por eso los voy a tratar a ambos por igual en este apartado. Y, en este caso, voy a enseñarte un ejemplo de email informal para C1 Advanced , aunque también podría tratarse de un formal email or letter .

Aquí te dejo un típico ejemplo de tarea de email Writing C1 en la que te piden que le escribas a un amigo.

Y a continuación tienes un ejemplo de tarea para escribir un email formal para el C1 . Como puedes ver, se trata de una carta escrita al autor de un artículo de periódico, conque el tono debe ser formal, al igual que el vocabulario y la gramática utilizada.

Ya que hemos visto ejemplos de cada tipo de tarea, pasemos ahora a ver un  ejemplo de cada tipo de writing C1 , es decir, de respuestas apropiadas para las tareas de writing.

Ejemplos de Writing C1 Advanced (CAE)

En esta sección vamos a ver un  ejemplo de Writing C1  para cada tipo de tarea. El propósito de esto que te familiarices con cada tipo de Writing y que te hagas una idea de lo que se espera de ti en el examen. Además, he intentado simular un nivel C1, ni muy fuerte ni muy flojo, para que sepas a lo que deben parecerse tus tareas de Writing, como mínimo. Empecemos.

Ejemplo de Writing C1 Essay

Un essay, como hemos visto antes, es un Writing formal en el que debes hablar de 2 ideas (de 3 que aparecen en las instrucciones) y entre las que debes elegir una de ellas como la mejor opción , siempre justificando tus opiniones. Para expresar tus ideas, debes demostrar un nivel C1 a través del vocabulario, las estructuras gramaticales, lenguaje apropiado al contexto, fórmulas, etc.

A continuación tienes una respuesta a la tarea planteada anteriormente:

Helping students find suitable jobs Nowadays, there seems to be a serious problem with our education system. A growing number of youngsters are finding themselves stuck in jobs that have little or nothing to do with their degrees. As a consequence, frustration and unemployment are on the rise, as young workers eventually tend to resign. But is there something to be done about this? Experts believe so.  On the one hand, it is believed that when choosing a degree, students are not mature enough. Therefore, they lack the necessary experience to know what they really desire for their future. If they were to have more experience, they would choose more wisely. In turn, there would be fewer college dropouts and more fulfilled young workers. For this reason, experts claim that embarking on a work experience programme would be truly beneficial.  On the other hand, recent research points out that students lack appropriate careers guidance. Not only are teachers not qualified for this task, but also they lack the resources to provide students with guidance. Thus it is of utmost importance to hire professional careers counsellors, who can help students develop more accurate expectations of their careers and professional opportunities. In conclusion, I hold the view that if we were to tackle these two issues, our education system would become more effective in aiding students to become satisfied workers after finishing their university studies. However, implementing work experience programmes would bring about greater benefits for youngsters than seeking profesional counselling. This is so because I believe that our own experience is more valuable than someone else’s professional opinion. 

Este ejemplo, que he escrito yo mismo, es un buen ejemplo de essay para el C1 Advanced (CAE). En este caso, trato 2 de los puntos que me han dado (párrafos 2 y 3) y hago una buena introducción (párrafo 1) y una buena conclusión (párrafo 4). Fíjate además cómo van separados los párrafos y el tipo de conectores, vocabulario y gramática que uso.

Ejemplo de Writing C1 Review

El siguiente ejemplo es de una review de una película que escribí para mis alumnos de C1. Como puedes ver, se trata de una película real ( Room ) y en ella hablo de varias cosas esenciales en cualquier review de película, libro o serie: argumento , personajes/actores , recomendación , temática , por qué me gusta , etc.

Room There are films which represent a turning point in the life of every film buff, whether it be for the plot, the actors or the themes. In my case, this came about when I watched Room, a heartbreaking yet inspiring production directed by Lenny Abrahamson. Set in present-day Canada, the plot of this human drama revolves around the story of a young woman, Ma, who was kidnapped 7 years ago and has been locked up ever since in a minute back-garden shed – referred to as “room” throughout the whole film. After regular forced, sexual encounters with her kidnapper, Ma has given birth to Jack, who is now 6 years old. During this time, room is the only world he knows, thus being completely unaware of what lies beyond those four walls. However, Ma will do everything in her power to break free and put an end to their ordeal.  The characters are wonderfully played by all the actors, who put in an exceptional performance, especially the young, child actor who plays Jack. He really provides the part with a lot of personality and wins the viewers’ sympathy from the outset.  What made me fall in love with this film was that it deals in an extremely realistic way with major themes like violence, motherly love and depression. However, the icing on the cake is how this picture gives us hope to overcome severe difficulties.  If you’re keen movie lover and enjoy thought-provoking stories, I wouldn’t hesitate to log on to Netflix and watch it straightaway. You will always remember it as one of the best films you ever saw. 

Si te has fijado bien, verás que este tipo de Writings es muy demanding (exigente) en cuanto a vocabulario se refiere, ya que son muy descriptivos y hay que hacer mucho uso de adjetivos potentes ( heartbreaking, thought-provoking, exceptional, etc.). Además, el vocabulario ha de ser muy específico, especialmente tratándose de un nivel C1.

Ejemplo de Writing C1 Report

En esta sección tienes un  ejemplo de report para el CAE. Al igual que antes, se trata de la respuesta a la tarea de Writing presentada en la sección anterior sobre el impacto de la televisión de habla inglesa sobre mi país.

Como habrás apreciado inmediatamente a simple vista,  la estructura de un report es muy especial . Y es que, aparte del título,  cada párrafo o idea es en realidad un subapartado  introducido por un subtítulo. Además, el registro debe ser bastante formal, como podrás leer a continuación:

English-language TV Programmes in Spain Introduction The aim of this report is to analyse the introduction of English-language TV programmes to Spanish television. In doing so, this document will focus on the popularity of such programmes, the effect they have on local culture and how they could be improved by making some minor changes.  Popularity  According to the latest research, English-language TV programmes have increased in popularity in Spain during the last decade as a result of new television features like TV on demand. The main issue seems to be that most viewers are watching a dubbed version of these shows. However, as English language fluency increases within the country, more and more viewers tend to choose the original version of these shows with the intention of boosting their fluency even more.  Effects on local culture While the impact on Spanish culture is not as great as on other cultures, due to relatively scarce differences between American or English societies, some changes have been registered. Firstly, national TV productions are struggling to compete with American programmes, which have a more generous budget. Secondly, according to sociologists, language learners are benefiting not only from language input, but also from a broader cultural awareness.  Recommendations In order for English-language shows to have a more positive impact on our society, I would recommend not dubbing them. Consequently, viewers would be somewhat obliged to watch these programmes in English, hence improving their English language skills. Furthermore, as a teacher, I would suggest Spanish TV channels provide viewers with online educational resources and support so that they would be able to make the most of watching shows in the original version. 

Ejemplo de Writing C1 Proposal

La estructura de un proposal , como puedes observar, es (o puede ser) exactamente igual que la de un report . No es obligatorio que sea así, pero sí recomendable.

En el ejercicio de proposal de Writing de C1 que vimos anteriormente, me pedían que propusiera a una persona para homenajear en mi ciudad, que es Granada. Así que aquí tienes el ejemplo de proposal con mi nominación a un supuesto José Pérez :

Granada’s Most Committed Teacher Introduction The aim of this proposal is to suggest honouring a local figure who I believe is worthy of the city’s respect and admiration. The person I have chosen is José Pérez, a renowned educator, who sadly passed away last year, at the age of 73.  Achievements Born and raised in Granada, Mr Pérez is famous in this city for his work as educator. In his early years, he started working in a secondary school in an extremely run-down area, thus dealing with extremely troublesome students and families. However, instead of giving in to difficulties, he managed to increase dramatically the number of high school graduates. Furthermore, seeing how uneducated families in this area were, he set out to found a local charity which teaches youngsters and adults alike. These are the main reasons why I believe Mr Pérez should be honoured by the local council.  Tribute The best way in which Mr Pérez should be honoured is by renaming the school where he used to work after him. I believe he would have been deeply grateful for this. However, I would also like to propose paying him homage by holding a local holiday on 10th March, coinciding with his birthday. On this day, schools would be expected organise especial events in his memory.  Conclusion On the whole, I believe that I am not alone when I say that Mr Pérez’s work has had an impact on the city which no other person has achieved in the last 100 years. For this reason, I truly hope you consider this proposal, as it would make many people happy. 

Ejemplo de Writing C1 Informal Email

Aquí te dejo una carta o un email informal respondiendo a “mi amigo australiano” Mike. Lo esencial, como verás ahora, de cualquier email o carta, aparte de que esté bien escrito y en un registro adecuado, es la estructura. Fíjate cómo divido este email en:

• párrafo de apertura
• párrafos con ideas principales
• párrafo de cierre

En este caso, al tratarse de un ejemplo de email informal de C1 , el lenguaje es muuuuuuy informal. De hecho, lo he exagerado bastante to make a point y que se vea que domino el registro informal. Quizás te recomendaría que, si escribes un email informal, no te pases tanto como lo he hecho yo, jeje.

Hi Mike!  How’s it going, bro? Things are just swell over here: the weather’s great and I’ll be off work soon for a couple of weeks. So it’s absolutely fantastic that you’re doing that course you told me about here in Granada. So here’s a few things to keep you busy in your spare time, which, BTW, you’ve got tons of, haven’t you?  If the weather’s not that great when you’re here – though I doubt it! –, you might wanna make the most of the cafés and tea rooms in Granada. Tea rooms are a great part of social life here and you can find a bunch of them around Elvira Street. They all serve super tasty Muslim-style tea and some even have stand-up performances on weekends. Make sure you check’em out! However, the weather’s most definitely gonna be great at some point during your stay – remember, this is Andalusia! – so walking up and down the city is the best way to get to know the city. Besides, walking will help you get rid of those extra kilos you put on over Xmas, haha! So I recommend that you pick a few spots you’d like to visit, and check them out with your classmates after your lessons. IMO, you can’t miss the Alhambra, the greatest ancient Muslim palace in the world; or St Nicholas Viewpoint. They’re simply two of the best things you’ll come across in Granada. Seriously! Anyways, mate, I’d better get going. I’ve got tons of things to do before my holidays. Let me know if there’s anything else I can give you a hand with.  Take care, bro!  Luis

LOL. Me parto leyendo mi propio email.

A continuación te dejo un ejemplo de email formal para el CAE. Es la respuesta a la tarea planteada en el punto anterior, acerca del artículo de periódico con el cual no estoy de acuerdo. Fíjate en el registro utilizado y verás qué formal suena y cuánto más impone un tono formal que un tono informal.

Dear Sir,  My name is Luis, I am a child psychologist and I am writing with regards to your latest article about the effect of new technologies on our children, which was recently published in our local newspaper. I am afraid that, although I understand why you may hold such views, I disagree with most of the points you put forward.  To begin with, you categorically claim that children’s lives are worse now than they used to be in the past. However, not a single scientific paper published in the last 10 years regarding our infants’ well-being supports this claim, which clearly suggests that it is biased and unfounded. I am a child psychologist, currently conducting relevant research in this field, so I am well-informed and know what I am talking about.  Furthermore, in your article you place all the blame on new technologies and the internet, as if these were directly responsible for children’s lack of a healthy lifestyle. No reference do you make, whatsoever, to parents’ responsibility in the matter, which, from my point of view, makes all the difference. The use our children make of the internet is entirely dependent upon how and for how long their parents allow them to use it. It can be a fantastic tool if used responsibly, or a terribly dangerous one if used carelessly.  As an expert in the matter, I would be more than willing to contribute with my expertise to further articles dealing with children’s psychology and well-being, which you or the newspaper may wish to publish in the future.  Yours faithfully,  Luis

Writing C1 Advanced (CAE): cómo se evalúa

Cualquier tarea de Writing del CAE se evalúa en torno a 4 criterios de evaluación fundamentales, al igual que el B2. Estos son: Content , Communicative Achievement , Organisation y Language . Veamos ahora en qué consiste cada uno para que te hagas una idea de cómo leer tu Writing una vez finalizado:

• Content : Este criterio tiene como objeto evaluar cómo de bien has sabido completar la tarea y responder a todo lo que se pedía . En este sentido es importante que  respondas a cada punto propuesto  en el ejercicio (en este caso te piden 2) y que la información que escribas cubra bien cada punto y la tarea en general, de manera que el lector quede bien informado con respecto al objetivo del enunciado.
• Communicative Achievement : Este apartado de evaluación tiene como objeto determinar  cómo de apropiado es tu Writing  con respecto al ejercicio propuesto. En este sentido, es especialmente importante el  estilo  y el  registro  con el que hayas escrito. Es decir, si a tu amigo australiano Mike le escribes empezando con Dear Sir , perderás puntos. Al igual que si utilizas muchas contracciones en un application letter , cuyo registro se supone formal.
• Organisation : ¿Tu writing tiene una progresión  lógica  y está correctamente  estructurado ? Perfecto. Entonces probablemente obtengas buena nota en este criterio. Por lo general, cualquier Writing de C1 debe estar separado en  párrafos coherentemente interconectados , con oraciones coherentes y bien cohesionadas, ofreciendo una  progresión lógica  y fácil de seguir. Para ello, has de hacer uso de una serie de  conectores avanzados  y estructuras gramaticales cohesivas propias de un nivel C1, es decir, expresiones avanzadas que no suelen aparecer en niveles inferiores.
• Language : En esta sección, obviamente, debes intentar que tu  gramática y vocabulario  se encuentren en un nivel C1 (que no es fácil) y de no cometer errores lingüísticos. A este nivel tan avanzado, se supone que no debes cometer fallos. No vas a suspender si los cometes, pero dependiendo de cómo de chungo sea el error, podrás perder más o menos puntos.

Consejos para el Writing C1 Advanced (CAE)

Como cada parte del C1 Advanced, para el Writing del Advanced existen muchas estrategias importantes que te ayudarán a cumplir los requisitos que los correctores están buscando. Por lo general, yo siempre recomiendo hacer lo siguiente:

• Planea lo que vas a escribir antes de escribir . Jamás , repito, jamás comiences a escribir sin saber de lo que vas a hablar. Ni siquiera aunque lo hayas pensado. Hacer anotaciones sobre cómo vas a organizar tu Writing es fundamental para hacer que sea coherente y que al lector le resulte fácil de seguir. Además, evitarás pasarte con el número de palabras y que un párrafo sea mucho más largo que otro y tengas un Writing descompensado. Lo ideal es siempre hacer un esquema con las ideas principales, y comenzar a partir de ahí.
• El lector es más importante que tu abuela . A ver, tu abuela es muy importante, pero no creo que ella vaya a corregirte el examen. Así que piensa, ¿quién va a leer mi Writing? . Por ejemplo, si vas a escribir una review para una revista online, el tono que deberás utilizar será estándar o informal, pero si se trata una carta para solicitar un puesto de trabajo, tendrás que resultar más serio y formal. Por ello, siempre fíjate en quién será tu lector y adátate a él/ella/ellos/ellas.
• Escribe un borrador y no dejes de mejorarlo . Escribir todo genial de primeras es muy difícil. Eso solo está al alcande de unos pocos como yo (Ha! ha!). Por este motivo, tu proceso de escritura siempre debe incluir un primer borrador, que luego reescribirás doscientas mil veces ( Dar sera, pulir sera , como diría Miyagi). De este modo, mejorarás distintos aspectos de tu Writing como el vocabulario y la gramática, los conectores, etc. Además, evitarás fallos y errores absurdos y verás si es coherente o no, y un largo etcétera de cosas útiles. Esto es fundamental, te lo digo en serio.
• Define bien los párrafos de cada Writing . Sé que te puede parecer una tontería, pero definir los párrafos de un Writing hace que el texto, aparte de organizado, sea visualmente atractivo. Esto puede jugar a tu favor para causar una buena impresión en el lector (corrector).
• Escribe con conocimiento de causa . A ver, estás en un examen de inglés en el que tienes que demostrar lo que sabes. Es decir, cuando escribas intenta lucirte utilizando ciertas estructuras a propósito. Has estudiado las condicionales, ¿verdad? Pues mete una condicional. ¿Y los comparativos? También, pues mete una oración comparativa. ¿Te acuerdas de ese tema del medioambiente que viste con tu profe de inglés? Genial, pues mete palabras como greenhouse effect, acid rain, etc. ¡Intenta lucirte, copón, que pa eso estamos aquí! xD
• Revisa antes de darlo por terminado . Obviamente, nunca entregues un ejercicio de Writing sin revisar. Tienes que hacer de self-proofreader, buscando posibles erratas, errores ortográficos, faltas de concordancia, etc. Revisando evitarás errores muy tontos y comunes que podrían afectar muy negativamente a tu nota. Recuerda, dar sera, pulir sera .

Pues bien, después de este megapost ya debes tener una idea bastante más clara de cómo es el Writing del C1 Advanced. Pero eh!, si aún así te queda alguna duda, no dudes en dejarme un comentario y preguntarme lo que quieras, que para eso estoy aquí, mi joven padawan .

Que la fuerza te acompañe y don’t forget to keep smiling!

68 comentarios en “Writing C1 Advanced (CAE): Guía Completa con Ejemplos”

Fantastic material

Thanks for your feedback! 🙂

Gracias a ti, Merche. Un saludo!

Thank you very much for the material!

Thank you very much for your comment. Take care! 🙂

¡Buenísima guía! Estoy segura de que me servirá en mi preparación. ^-^ Por cierto, no sé si me lo he pasado mejor aprendiendo nuevas cositas acerca del inglés o deleitándome con la forma de redactar de Luis; ¡he flipado! Ah, y… first time in my life que veo un «xD» en una pedazo de entrada sobre el writing de C1, OMG xD. Me he sentido como en casa —o como en mi propia mente— mientras leía todo esto, tanto que ahora mismo debería seguir con mi writing de C1 en vez de dejar que me siga volando el tiempo mientras bicheo el resto del blog.

Gracias por haber invertido tu tiempo en esto, Luis, seguro que sigues ayudando a muchas personitas más <3. Un saludo, Ale

PD: ¡ojalá viviese en Granada! No me pensaría dos veces el ser alumna de KSE Academy :3. Keep Smiling ~~

Hola Alexandra! Muchísimas gracias por tu comentario. Probablemente el mejor que me han escrito en estos años. 😀 Es una pena que haya tardado más de un mes en responder, pero últimamente estoy un poco desconectado de la web; entre unas cosas y otras, no tengo mucho tiempo, jeje. Take care & keep smiling!

Gracias Luis por este espectacular post. Me examino de C1 en junio de este año y me ha venido muy bien coger ideas de tus escritos. Gracias por dedicar tu tiempo en poner un poco más fácil esta ardua tarea. Take care Inma

Hola Inma. Muchas gracias por tu comentario. Me alegro de haber podido ayudarte un poco, jeje. Que tengas mucha suerte en tu examen!

Pedazo de recomendaciones, Luis. Llevo leído mucho sobre writing de C1 y sin lugar a dudas el mejor con mucha diferencia, con humor, ejemplos y recomendaciones realmente útiles. Gracias por compartirlo con todos. Keep going!

Wow, gracias por tu super guía.

Util, amena y divertida, me parto yo tambien con el mail informal, y ya me he agenciado un par de tesoritos jejeje.. De la misma manera, es verdad lo fulminantemente seria y contundente que suena la respuesta formal al mail!!

Yo aterricé por aquí buscando consejo acerca de las review ya que o me quedo corta o terminan siendo auténticas filípicas.. y que gusto la del ejemplo corta y concisa. A ello que me pongo!

Pero lo mejor de todo, es que invitas a seguirte, seguro que debe ser un gusto tenerte como teacher. BTW. soy un B2 que he decidido seguir adelante así que no te extrañe encontrarte con algún writing para chequear en el próximo curso. Thanks Y

Hola Mariona. Muchísimas gracias por tu comentario, significa mucho para mí. Me alegro de que el contenido de la web te sea útil. Espero verte por aquí más a menudo! Un saludo!

Muchísimas gracias por la guía. Es fantástica y seguro que me sirve de mucha ayuda en mi preparación.

Muchas gracias por tu comentario, Inés. Que tengas mucha suerte en tu preparación. 🙂

Genial, or fin un contenido de los diferentes estilos explicados de forma clara y amena, gracias por hacer algo tedioso de forma didáctica y amena.

Muchas gracias por tu comentario, Pedro. Me alegro de que te haya sido útil. Un saludo!

Magnífico para repasar!! Mañana tengo mi examen del C1 y me ha servido mucho!! GRACIASSS

Hola Elena. Espero que te haya salido el examen muy bien. Muchas gracias por tu comentario!

Hola! Muchas gracias por la guía, me ha servido mucho. Me examino el 11 de Julio de C1 Tenía una duda: en el essay o en el report ¿hay que dar tu opinión? es que para el B2 me dijeron que solo en el último párrafo y cosas así, y no sé si es igual en este. Y una cosita más: un essay y un report a la hora de escribirlo ¿pueden tener formas parecidas?, es decir, ¿puedo poner «secondly», «another point to consider», «as a conclusion» en ambos? ¿Tienen mucha diferencia entre ellos?. Y mi profesora me dijo que si te pasabas de las 260 palabras (si eran 30 más o así) no pasaba nada, ¿me lo confirmas?

Hola Ana. Muchas gracias por tu comentario. 🙂 Realmente, la forma de hacer los Essays y Reports en B2 o C1 no cambia. En un Essay siempre tienes que dar tu opinión. Yo siempre recomiendo 2 opciones: 1) Dar tu opinión al principio (primer párrafo) y utilizar los siguientes párrafos para justificarla, con conclusión en el último; o 2) Plantear la «incógnita» en el primer párrafo, valorar las consideraciones en los siguientes párrafos y finalmente dar tu opinión. Realmente, mientras esté bien escrito, con sentido, no hay problema. Pero SIEMPRE tienes que dar tu opinión en un Essay porque es lo que te preguntan. 🙂

En cuanto al Report, obviamente, como ves en este post, la estructura es muy diferente. Los conectores pueden ser los mismos, si es lo que te preocupa, pero la estructura de un Report es recomendable que tenga un título y un subtítulo por cada párrafo/apartado. Y tu opinión, no sé si siempre tendrás que darla, porque básicamente depende de lo que te pidan, pero por lo general te indican que des recomendaciones o hagas alguna propuesta de mejora, entonces… en cierto modo, eso es dar tu opinión, jeje.

Con respecto al número de palabras, tu profesora tiene razón. El número de palabras es orientativo, no algo que vayan a coger y penalizarte si te pasas o no llegas. Simplemente se trata de un rango entre el cual deberías ser capaz de hacer un writing completo, respondiendo a todas las ideas correctamente. Si no llegas, por mucho, probablemente no hayas hablado de todo o lo hayas hecho muy por encima. Si te pasas por muchas palabras, probablemente estés metiendo paja (información irrelevante) y yéndote por las ramas. Y ambas cosas (pasarse o quedarse corto al cubrir la temática) son penalizables. Pero no basándose en el número de palabras en sí.

Espero haber resuelto tus dudas. Aprovecho para recomendarte los ebooks para C1 de Use of English Part 4 que hay en la tienda, por si te sirven para practicar de cara a tu examen del 11 de julio. Puedes verlos aquí: http://kseacademy.com/tienda/

¡Un saludo y suerte!

Muchísimas gracias!!!

Hola! Muchas gracias por la guía, me ha servido para entender mejor la estructura del report y del review. Tendrías también una guía, donde nos dieses algunos consejos para el reading and use of english?

¡Un saludo!

Hola Ignacio. De Use of English tengo esto: http://kseacademy.com/cambridge/c1-advanced-cae/use-of-english/

Pero realmente, es más descriptivo que otra cosa. También acabo de publicar un libro en Amazon con ejercicios para el Use of English Part 4, el de transformación de oraciones: https://amzn.to/2D6fcJ3

muy bueno me voy a presentar en meos de una semana y esto me viene super bien. muchas gracias. saludos. miguel

Hola Miguel! Me alegro de que te fuese útil. ¡Espero que te saliera genial! 🙂

Me ha parecido muy bueno Luis, muchísimas gracias. Se lo quiero pasar a mis compañeros de clase que también van por el C1 aquí en Puerto Real, Cádiz.

Te mando un saludo and may the force be with you! Ricardo.

Muchas muchas muchas trank yous!! Ha sido de gran ayuda 🙂

Muchísimas gracias por este material!

Buenísima guía, no sólo está muy bien estructurada sino que aporta ejemplos muy útiles. Wonderful guide, not only does it have a perfect layout but it also provides quite useful examples. ES que tengo el examen esta tarde jajajajaja. Seguro que lo he escrito mal. Bueno, bromas aparte, ha sido un hallazgo. Te agradezco muchísimo el esfuerzo dedicado

No es la primera vez que reviso este magnifico post. Me presento por segunda vez al examen de la EOI y siempre paso muy justo esta parte. Supongo que todos los comentarios son validos para el C1 de la EOI, aunque en un futuro quisiera certificar también el CAE. Muchas gracias. Un saludo.

Si en el writing me quedo a dos palabras de las 220, no pasa nada, no?

Puede que esto no signifique mucho viniendo de alguien que no es un amante de las guías en internet, pero esta es sin duda la mejor que he leído en mi vida. Muchas gracias.

Hola Luis!! Qué gusto leer tu guía y qué fácil haces que parezca, yo este año entré directamente al C1.2 por un test de nivel que consideraron mis profes que debía hacer a pesar de mi opinión, y para mi sorpresa he aprobado los exámenes del C1… ahora tendremos el día 2 y 4 los exámenes de la certificación de la EOI, así que me siento bastante perdida por falta de práctica gramatical y requisitos que se piden para cada caso. Me ayuda muchísimo tu capacidad de sintetizar, y lo claro que lo expones, ahora toca «hit the books» y poner manos a la obra lo aprendido allí, pero no es lo mismo trabajar en casa con tiempo, tranquilidad, sin presión ni nervios que allí dándolo todo y si se te apareció la Virgen bien y si no…pues otra vez será!!jeje Quería también decirte, que no solo se trata de aprender inglés, es que si no sabemos construir la idea que queremos expresar no hay idioma que valga, y leyendo lo que escribes pienso, yo no me expreso así ni en español!!! Na, que muchísimas gracias desde Los Realejos, Tenerife. Yoly. PD: Qué buena tu carta informal!!jejeje

Muchísimas gracias: La semana que viene tengo mi examen y gracias a ti sigo aprendiendo un poco más.

Hola! Primero que nada muchas gracias por toda la información, es de gran ayuda. Eres sin lugar a dudas de los profesores más entretenidos que he visto 🙂

Una pregunta un poco tonta, ¿en una carta informal se pueden usar emojis o ya es pasarse?

De nuevo gracias por todo!

Hola Luis! Muchas gracias por el contenido, es muy difícil encontrar páginas que den información realmente útil. Después de consultar esta web ya no tengo dudas para mi examen. Gracias enserio!

una de las guías más completas que he visto hasta la fecha en internet! muchas gracias por toda la información. La compartiré con mis alumnos!

Muchas gracias a ti. Un saludo! 😉

This guide is just *chef’s kiss* Thank you for taking the time to do this, it’s really helpful!

Aprecio infinitamente el tiempo que dedicaste a preparar y ofrecernos esta explicación sobre la parte escrita del CAE. Definitivamente permanecerá a mi lado hasta el día de mi examinación 🙂 Es un examen que requiere un nivel linguístico alto y publicaciones como la tuya me ayudarán mucho a lo largo de este camino.

Un saludo, María.

Hola Luis! Lo primero enhorabuena por el artículo, es súper completo 🙂

Quería preguntarte por el tema de los consejos de cara al examen, concretamente de los puntos de «planear lo que vamos a escribir» y el «borrador». Resulta que haciendo muchas pruebas, siempre se me echa el tiempo encima haciendo el borrador y acabo quitando tiempo a la revisión final (realmente no llego casi nunca a la revisión). ¿Qué recomendarías en este caso para la gente que somos algo más «lenta» xD para organizarnos?

Por cierto, adquirí tu ebook «50 Key Word Transformation Sentences for Advanced 1» y me fue súper útil!

Muchísimas gracias por estos materiales. Son un tesoro 🙂 Saludos

¡Muchísimas gracias a ti por un comentario tan bonito! 🙂

Buenas tardes, Despues de mucho buscar información me he tropezado con esta página y debo decirte que me ha encantado. Enhorabuena por un trabajado tan bien realizado. En mi próximo examen fijo que me acordaré de ti!! 😉

Mil gracias por tus explicaciones sobre los writing. Ester

Hola, Ester. Muchísimas gracias por tu comentario. Me alegro de que mis materiales te estén siendo de ayuda. Un saludo y buena suerte en tus exámenes! 🙂

Mil gracias por tomarte el tiempo en escribir este blog! Me ha sido de grandísima ayuda y esta todo impolutamente redactado y presentado. Que pedazo de profesor debes de ser!

Muchísimas gracias por tu comentario, Jaime. Me ha alegrado el día. Siento el retraso en contestar. Un abrazo!

Mañana tengo el advanced deseadme suerte

Tengo mañana el Advanced. Gracias por dedicar un tiempo a esto, me ha ayudado mucho. A ve que tal me va!

Muchas gracias a ti. Espero que te haya ido bien el examen!

Estaba un poco desmotivada pero al ver por primera vez esta explicación tan detallada, como que me he animado a seguir intentándolo siguiendo los prácticos consejos y aprendiendo de la excelente manera que usas para ensenar. Gracias Luis, valoro mucho lo que has hecho, nos ayudas a muchos. Deseo seas recompensado cada dia.

Hola, Adriana. Muchísimas gracias por tu comentario. Me ha alegrado el día. Además, se agradece mucho el mensaje, porque a veces me encuentro haters sin motivo que me minan un poco la moral. Un abrazo.

Hola Luis, tengo una duda con respecto al pdf que se puede comprar. El contenido es parecido al del pdf, «The ultimate FCE writing guide» con ejemplos o es lo que esta escrito en este post pero en pdf? Estoy interesada en encontrar una guía de writing como la del FCE, que tengo de tu academia. Pero para CAE. Desde ya muchas gracias!

Hola, Morena. Ya te contesté por email. 🙂

Gracias por compartir esto, es muy bueno, se explica bien, y se entiende bien.

Muchas gracias, Marco. Un saludo!

I paid but I have not received pdf

Sent you an email! 🙂

Fabuloso Luis, las explicaciones y los ejemplos. Gracias. Isabel

Muchísimas gracias, Isabel. Un saludo! 🙂

Increible! Esta información me es muy útil a la hora de mis exámenes de Writing, ya que sale todos los tipos de Writing en la misma Web, encantado con tu página Luís!!

Muchas gracias por tu feedback, David. Greatly appreciated! 🙂

Hola Luis, gracias por tus consejos, pienso ponerlos en práctica, pero tengo una cuestión que me pone muy nerviosa a la hora de hacer los dos writings : El tiempo!!.. entre borrador y pasar a limpio, siempre me quedo justa…Puedes aconsejarme?

Hola, Lidia. Lo que te aconsejo en este caso, si te manejas con ordenadores, es que hagas la versión computer-based. A mí, por ejemplo, me resulta mucho más fácil teclear que escribir a mano. Además, cuando lo haces a ordenador, irás viendo el contador de palabras y no tienes que reescribirlo todo, sino ir haciendo cambios sobre el texto, que es mucho mejor que hacer en sucio y luego pasar a limpio. Un saludo!

Gracias por la info tan buena que has compartido, Luis! Me agobiaba no encontrar una página clara y concisa en cuanto al tema del writing de C1. Gracias, de verdad.

En cuanto a unas dudas que tengo:

En la segunda parte del writing, siempre te dan a elegir entre todos, ¿cierto? Quiero decir, siempre aparece la opción de una proposal, una review, etc.

Cuando hago un proposal incluyo sus headlines y párrafos pero tengo una duda con la estructura. Hace poco hice uno en el que hice lo siguiente:

Titulo -Intro Párrafo -Headline 1 Párrafo -Headline 2 -Párrafo -Headline 3 -Párrafo -Conclusion -Párrafo

Normalmente, he visto que solo incluyen dos main paragraphs y no sé si esta estrctura estaría bien, puesto que vi necesario incluir un tercero para dar respuesta a todo lo que se me pedía en la proposal, que eran bastante cosas.

Espero que me haya explicado bien, un saludo.

Hola, Laura! Gracias por tu comentario y por tus dudas. Te voy respondiendo: – En la segunda parte del Writing SIEMPRE puedes elegir entre varias opciones, pero no son todos los tipos de Writing que hay. Me explico: te dan 3 opciones, pero hay más de 3 tipos de Writing (review, formal letter/email, informal letter/email, report o proposal). Es decir, hay hasta 6 tipos de Writing si contamos modalidad informal y formal y cartas o emails por separado (aunque son básicamente lo mismo).

– La estructura que me comentas del proposal está perfecta. Si crees que es necesario un subapartado más y te cuadra en el número de palabras y la profundidad de la información… ¿por qué no incluirlo? A mí me parece una genial idea si está bien ejecutado. 🙂

Si tienes alguna otra duda, me dices. Un saludo y gracias de nuevo!

Gracias por este material tan maravilloso de forma gratuita. Me lo he pasado muy bien leyendo el informal email.

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