Cambridge English Writing: Proficiency

Writing is an opportunity for you to show how much English you know. In the speaking exam, you
do not have a lot of time to think and you may become nervous but with a piece of writing, you
have some time to think and use more complex and difficult grammar. It is also a chance to
demonstrate your ability to give our opinion in an interesting way.

As you progress through the course, try to understand that this is a process. You may receive scores
for your writings that are not as high as you expected. Cambridge wants you to write in a specific
way and it will take time to learn that method. But with a lot of patience and hard work, you can
create very good pieces of writing.

Scores
Cambridge assesses your writings in 4 categories. The maximum score for each category is 5 and as
a result, the maximum score in total is 20 for each writing you do:

Language: Have you used a wide range of vocabulary? Is there a good mixture of appropriate,
simple and complex grammar structures? Are they accurate? Can what is written be easily
understood? Use the Objective Proficiency book. It has everything you need.

Use a wide range of vocabulary and use difficult grammar structures to obtain the higher marks.
The grammar you should try to use are, to name a few: passive, modal verbs, a variety of tenses,
relative clauses, conditionals (especially mixed), double comparatives, wish (or if only), and
especially cleft sentences, participle clauses, compound words and inversions.

At C2 level, it is also essential to use less common vocabulary and not rely only on C1 expressions.

★Take notes of any new words or grammar points you learn in class and
use them in your writing homework and speaking classes .★

Communicative Achievement: Did you write in the appropriate style? (e.g. an essay, a
review?) Did you write in the correct register? (e.g. formal language in a formal writing) Are you
communicating simple/complex ideas clearly? Can you keep the reader’s attention?

In order to get the best marks in communicative achievement, try following these pieces of advice
as much as possible. If you do not follow all of the advice (e.g use phrasal verbs), you may still get
good marks, so do not worry too much.

We write formally in essays, and most reports/proposals. Ideally, a formal writing has:
 ● NO CONTRACTIONS (don’t , he’s, could´ve )
● NO INFORMAL PHRASAL VERBS (put off, count on, hang out, chill out, go back). Formal
Phrasal verbs (bring about, look forward to) are safe to use
● NO INFORMAL WORDS (kid, get, stuff, OK, lots of, cops)
● NO IDIOMS (She came out of the blue, I’ve been up to my eyes with work, I got cold feet)
● NO 1st person (I, me, my, our, we…) until the conclusion
● NO 2nd person (you, your…) even if it means “People in general”. Use the passive or other
relevant nouns such as society/ customers.. .
● NO UNNECESSARY PUNCTUATION (!, …, / ). Be careful with commas (,) and full-stops (.)
● NO REPETITION of words, such as nouns (people), conjunctions (but), linking words, and
some verbs (think)
● NO CONJUNCTIONS at the beginning of the sentence (In the middle is fine). “So” is too
informal. Do not use it. Linkers are better.
o And -> In addition (to), Moreover, What is more…
o Because -> Due to, Owing to, On account of, Since, As …
o So-> Therefore, As a result, Consequently …
o But -> However, (Al)though, Nevertheless, Whereas…

When writing neutrally, it is better to follow some of the instructions and ignore other instructions
sometimes. For example, it is better to avoid contractions, not start sentences with conjunctions
and informal words. You may use some phrasal verbs but, depending on the style, you might need
to make it more impersonal. We can write neutrally in the part 1 essay, articles and reviews.

Content: Did you follow the instructions? Did you mention all the topics in the instructions? Is it
relevant? Is the reader informed?

Organisation: Are your paragraphs clear? Have suitable linking words been used to link the
paragraphs and sentences? Are the paragraphs in a logical order? And is it coherent? Are your
sentences an appropriate length and in the right place? Word count?

Spend time thinking about what you are going to write and in which paragraph you write it.

AFTER YOU FINISH WRITING, READ IT ONE MORE TIME TO FIND ANY ERRORS

On the next few pages you will see the basic structure of different types of writing.
Part 1: Essay/ Neutral
Essays are used to develop an argument based on two texts about a variety of themes and should
be as impersonal as possible. You must identify the key ideas, summarise the two texts while
adding your ideas, again using an impersonal style, and address the underlying abstract issues.
Below is one way to break the essay down but you could choose how many paragraphs there are
as long as it is organised logically and the words are within the limit. For example, you could have
separate paragraphs summarising each text and then addressing the themes or use one paragraph
summarise and another to address the topics.

● Paragraph 1: Introduction

Introduce the topic in general terms and say why it's important or interesting.

(Use the impersonal passive in the first sentence) “It is widely believed that…”/ “It is often
said that…”

● P2: Topic 1 – Summary of both texts

Use linking words as the first word (Firstly,... On one hand, …) then use that first sentence to
introduce the topic of this paragraph.

● P3: Topic 2 – The underlying issue/ Your idea

The first sentence of this paragraph should also introduce the topic of this paragraph.

● P4: Conclusion: Summarise/rephrase the previous paragraphs and then answer any
questions/issues raised directly. You can only write what you have already mentioned in
previous paragraphs.

Be sure to disguise your opinion, if you choose to write it here. E.g, Some say that it may be
necessary...

NO NEW INFORMATION. If you didn't write it in the previous paragraphs, do not write it here.

240-280 words
Part 2: Report / Formal
Reports provide information about a past or present situation and usually a recommendation to
improve the situation. You may need to write about how the information was obtained, e.g.
interviews, online questionnaires, surveys. Reports must use factual, concise language. Avoid using
extreme adjectives (e.g. fantastic/awful) and should be impersonal. Be expected to describe,
compare, analyse and recommend.

Pay attention to who you are writing to, for example a superior such as your boss or another
member of your peers such as a classmate. You may have to write quite formally, depending on
who the report is for.

IN REPORTS EACH PARAGRAPH MUST HAVE A SUBHEADING

Original Title

● P1: Introduction

Why are you writing the report/proposal?

“The purpose/ aim/ objective of this report is to…”

“This information was obtained by interviewing people”…

● P2: Topic 1 Title

The first sentence should introduce the topic of this paragraph.

● P3: Topic 2 Title

The first sentence should introduce the topic of this paragraph.

● P4: Recommendation/ Conclusion

Recommend a future action. Your recommendation MUST be based on problems you have
already described in the previous paragraphs.

280-320 words
Part 2: Review / Neutral or Informal
Describe something that you have experienced, such as a book, a movie, a restaurant, a festival,
and so on, and give your opinion of it. You should also say if you would recommend it. Read the
instructions and know who your readers are. The reviews are usually published in a newspaper,
magazine or website and can be written as a description, a narration or both as well as with an
evaluation.

Create your own original title

● P1: Introduction

Introduce the thing being reviewed in the first sentence and make a general comment.

● P2: General information about the product/ service/ event…

E.g. Restaurant - Where is the restaurant? When was it built? Who is the owner? What type
of food?

Movie – Who are the actors? Who is the director? When was it released? What is the plot?

Event – What is the event for? When did it start? How often does it take place?

● P3: Your experience.

Was it good or bad? Why? Use extreme adjectives and appropriate idioms. Use your
imagination.

● P4: Recommendations/ Summary

Based on your experience, would you recommend this product/ service/ event… to others?
What type of person would enjoy it? Explain why again briefly.

280-320 words
Part 2: Article / Informal or Neutral
You must write an article for a newspaper, magazine or website on a particular theme, which
should determine whether it is more formal and academic or informal. Give information, talk
directly to the reader and give an opinion. The reader should already be interested in the topic but
your job is to encourage the reader to continue reading. In other words, it must be engaging.

The article may contain a description and/or narration. Choose this writing task if you know about
the topic. Once again, below is one way to write an article but there is some flexibility. You could
write about your experience throughout so as to make a bigger point, say.

Create your own original title

● P1: Introduction

Introduce the topic.

Always include a rhetorical question in the first paragraph e.g. “Why is happiness important?”
“Have you ever thought about living somewhere else?”

Perhaps you can use a quote from someone if it is relevant, e.g. “Homer Simpson once said
that beer was the cause and solution to our problems”.

● P2: Information

Give interesting facts, anecdotes or opinions regarding the topic. Use examples and give
reasons e.g. “It is widely believed that happiness is the most important thing in life. Money
and good health, for example, are useless if you are not happy.”

● P3: Experience

Include your personal experience

Use colourful adjectives (e.g. wonderful, thrilling, disgusting)

● P4: Conclusion

Make readers think about what they have read by summarizing the previous paragraphs and
adding a final, thought-provoking idea.

280-320 words
Part 2: Letter/ Formal
You may be given the option to write a letter. The target reader is usually the editor of a newspaper
or magazine and you are responding to an article written in said publication, usually to argue for or
against something. You could also be writing to the director of a company to complain about
something or even the principal of a school or institute of higher education. You do not need to
include an address but, as with all writings, it must be clearly and logically paragraphed with
suitable language. You may need to give information about a topic or write in the form of a
narrative.

FORMAL

- Dear (Full Name)/ Sir or Madame

● P1. Why are you writing? Where did you get the information from? Who are you?

If it is necessary and relevant to the task, you can include information about yourself

“Having read your article on the national funding of the arts, as a museum curator, I feel it my
duty to inform you of some aspects of the issue that were not given as much attention as
they should have”…

● P2: The first topic - the situation

If it is relevant to the question, talk about one of the topics, making sure you state your idea
in the first sentence and then use the rest of the paragraph to justify your opinion.

“Your article claimed that the citizens were the cause of environmental problems, giving
examples such as…”

● P3:The second topic

Respond to other points in the task in the same way you have done with the previous
paragraph.

● P4: Recommend a course of action/ Conclusion

With the information given in the previous paragraph, recommend a course of action for the
editor to do or put forward a suggestion to solve the problem.

“We must take the initiative to ensure that such situations never happen again”

● Yours sincerely/ Yours Faithfully,

- YOUR NAME

280-320 words
Part 2: Set Texts: Review, Article, Report, Essay, Letter/ Neutral or Formal

You should only choose this question if you have a lot of knowledge about the text or the film
version in question. You will be offered two options- 5 a) or 5 b)- both of which are on a specific
topic each. You are expected to have read the book or seen the film or TV show.

You will know what the set texts are by going to the Cambridge website, where it will inform you of
what the texts will be within a certain time period. You do not need to have any skills in literary
analysis. For example, between January 2020 and December 2021 the texts are About A Boy by
Nick Holby and Us by David Nicholls. Go to the following website for more details:
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/proficiency/exam-format/

You may be asked to write an article, essay, formal letter, report or review. Follow the advice
written on previous pages about how to organise paragraphs in these types of written texts. Write
in the appropriate style, according to the instructions. You may have to write a more formal essay,
for instance.

As always, read the instructions carefully, know your audience, highlight any relevant themes and
make references to the book or film as your evidence. It is this reference to these themes that is
essential to be successful in this question, not simply just stating the main events.

280-320 words