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FCE Writing Exam Structure Guide

This document provides guidance on writing essays, articles, and reviews for the FCE writing exam. It discusses the structure and content required for each type of writing. For essays, it recommends introducing the topic, discussing 2-3 points from the prompt and adding your own idea in separate paragraphs, and concluding with your opinion. For articles, it suggests an engaging title and introduction, developing 2-3 subtopics with reasons and examples in separate paragraphs, and concluding by summarizing main points. For reviews, it advises a brief synopsis, separating positive and negative critiques into paragraphs, or discussing individual aspects like service or food in paragraphs, and making a recommendation.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
90 views7 pages

FCE Writing Exam Structure Guide

This document provides guidance on writing essays, articles, and reviews for the FCE writing exam. It discusses the structure and content required for each type of writing. For essays, it recommends introducing the topic, discussing 2-3 points from the prompt and adding your own idea in separate paragraphs, and concluding with your opinion. For articles, it suggests an engaging title and introduction, developing 2-3 subtopics with reasons and examples in separate paragraphs, and concluding by summarizing main points. For reviews, it advises a brief synopsis, separating positive and negative critiques into paragraphs, or discussing individual aspects like service or food in paragraphs, and making a recommendation.

Uploaded by

lucavrauwdeunthu
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

FCE for

schools
Writing Guide
Essay
• In part 1 of the writing exam you have to write an essay. This question is obligatory.
• There is a question or statement for you to discuss, and also two notes to help to guide your writing.
• You must invent a third idea. This is not your opinion.
• Put a title.
• Organise your ideas into paragraphs.
• Your language must be formal, so avoid words that are too common or generic (E.g.: things, stuff, get, etc.) and
contractions (E.g.: can’t, don’t, won’t, etc.).
• The word limit is 140-190 words, but try to write as near to 190 words as possible.
• Spend 40 minutes on the task:
• 5 minutes to plan
• 30 minutes to write
• 5 minutes to check your work

Look at the exam task and then the model answer. Notice that the “own idea” in paragraph three is not the writer’s
opinion. They put their opinion in the conclusion.
Essay Structure

‣ Introduction: Introduce the topic in a general way and get the attention of the reader. You may use a rhetorical
question to do this.

‣ Paragraph 2: Write about point 1

‣ Paragraph 3: Write about point 2.

‣ Paragraph 4: Write about your own idea. This is NOT your opinion.

‣ Conclusion: express your opinion to conclude and summarise the essay.

Basic Paragraph Structure


Follow this basic paragraph structure to make sure you develop your ideas completely.

1. POINT - A topic sentence to introduce the main point of the paragraph.


2. EXAMPLE - Give (an) example(s) to support your topic sentence.
3. EXPLAIN - Explanation of example.

First of all, it is important that we recycle and reuse whenever possible. For example, schools waste a lot of paper and
many do not have recycling bins. The reason this is important is that if students and teachers recycled more, it would
mean fewer trees have to be cut down.
Article
• In part 2 of the writing exam you have to write an article for a magazine or website.
• The aim of an article is usually to talk about a topic that we like or that we are familiar with, but it must also
entertain the reader.
• An article is usually a very personal piece of writing, so you can speak in the first person as much as you like.
• You can also address the reader directly in the second person (you, your) and can make jokes if you think they are
appropriate.
• Your tone must be relaxed, making use of phrasal verbs and other colloquial expressions.
• Use rhetorical questions and exclamation marks to engage the reader.
• Put a title.
• Organise your ideas into paragraphs.
• The word limit is 140-190 words, but try to write as near to 190 words as possible.
• Spend 40 minutes on the task:
• 5 minutes to plan
• 30 minutes to write
• 5 minutes to check your work

Look at the exam task and then the


model answer.
Article Structure

Attractive title (to capture attention of the reader)

Introduction paragraph
Present the topic in a general way, but like the title, make it interesting. You also need to make it clear
what the article is about.

Paragraph 2 (subtask 1)
Develop your main point with reasons and examples.

Paragraph 3 (subtask 2)
Develop your final key point with reasons and examples. You can include a recommendation here or in the
conclusion.

Closing paragraph
Summarise your main points and make a recommendation if you haven’t already. Speak directly to
the reader by using a question to keep them thinking about your message.

Useful phrases

Rhetorical questions Introducing new ideas Giving your own opinion

• Have you ever…? • To begin with, … • I think that / In my opinion ...

• Do you ever wonder…? • Let's start with … • It seems to me that ...

• Are you one of those • The coolest thing about… • If you ask me, ...
people who…? is…
• To my mind…
• What would you say if I told • What attracts me
you that…? most about…is…

• Another thing to consider Concluding the article


• Imagine a world in which…
is… • In conclusion,
• Secondly, • On the whole,
• In addition to…, • To sum up,
• Moreover, • To conclude,

• All in all,
Part 2- Review

• In part 2 of the writing exam you may have the choice to write a review.
• A review is usually about a TV show or film, a book, a restaurant or hotel.
• It can be a positive, negative, or balanced review. You have to make a recommendation at the end, which could
be positive or negative.
• A review is semi-informal or neutral in tone. Avoid contractions but do use colourful descriptive language.
• The word limit is 140-190 words.
• Spend 40 minutes on the task:
• 5 minutes to plan
• 30 minutes to write
• 5 minutes to check your work

Look at the exam task and then the model


answer. Pay attention to descriptive language and
the ways they try to maintain the attention of the
reader.

An international arts website is looking for reviews of novels for a new section called ‘A Reader Writes’.
You have decided to write a review of a novel you’ve recently read for this section. Describe the novel
and say what you think about it. Would you recommend this novel to other people?

Write your review in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

Bourne to Thrill

The Bourne Identity starring Matt Damon was an incredible film, but I thought the original novel by Robert
Ludlum was even better. This book is so well-written, I didn’t want to finish it!

The plot is gripping right from the start. When we first meet the lead character, Jason Bourne, he is being
rescued from the sea. His identity is a mystery to everyone, including himself! Over the course of the novel
we gradually find out who Bourne is, and follow him through a series of exciting adventures.

As well as a highly original plot line, the novel includes a number of fascinating characters, especially the
villains! I only have one negative -comment: in my view, the novel is strong on action but weaker on
description. However, this is a small criticism of an otherwise excellent book.

I would highly recommend The Bourne Identity to anyone who enjoys action or crime stories. However, if you
prefer more descriptive or romantic novels, then you should give it a miss. Personally, I can’t wait to start
reading the sequel!
Review Structure and Useful Phrases

‣ Always put a title.


‣ A review should have four or five paragraphs.

Depending on what you have to review, you may change the structure slightly. Look at the two examples below of the
review structure:
‣ On the left all the good and bad aspects have been separated into two paragraphs.
‣ On the right, the paragraphs deal with individual aspects of the hotel, restaurant or shop, so the paragraphs may
contain a mixture of positive and negative comments.

Film/book/TV Review Structure Restaurant/hotel/ shop Review Structure


Title
Title
Introduction
Introduction Introduce the name of the restaurant or hotel. You may want
Introduce the name of the film or book. You may want to say to say where it is, or other information such as the head chef
who the author or director is, and when the film or book was and the cuisine served.
released.
1st paragraph
1st paragraph Service- Very friendly but too slow to take order
A brief synopsis- but no spoilers!
2nd paragraph
2nd paragraph Menu/Food- High quality but little variety
All the things you liked or didn’t like (e.g acting, locations,
plot…)
Conclusion
Conclusion Conclude the review, indicating to the reader if your overall
Conclude the review, indicating to the reader if your overall impression is positive or negative. Make a recommendation,
impression is positive or negative. Make a recommendation, either positive or negative.
either positive or negative.

Introduction Evaluating various features Giving an opinion


• The film is directed by… • The film/series has an all star cast. Positive
• The book was written by… • The acting: • What I really loved about … is
• The film/ book is set in… • is believable/excellent/ • My favourite thing about… is
• The film/book tells the story of….. disappointing/unconvincing. Negative
To explain the plot • The plot is: • The only criticism I would make is
• The plot focuses on • gripping/dramatic/fascinating that …
• The story begins with … • predictable/ dull/unimaginative. • One thing I wasn’t keen on was…
• A slow start • The book/film is brilliantly written/
• Gripping climax directed. Making a recommendation
• Cliff-hanger ending • I strongly advise you (not) to …
• Everyone should see / read …
immediately!

Common questions

Powered by AI

Essay writing for the FCE exam necessitates a formal language style, avoiding contractions and generic words, to establish an academic tone that is appropriate for exams . In contrast, article writing encourages a relaxed tone with phrasal verbs and rhetorical questions, which engage the reader in a conversational manner . These distinctions are crucial as they meet different communicative goals: essays aim for formality and clarity in argumentation, important in an educational context, while articles prioritize reader engagement and entertainment.

Maintaining a word limit in FCE writing tasks ensures succinct communication and effective time management, which are crucial in assessing a candidate’s ability to express ideas clearly and efficiently . Adhering to the limit encourages writers to focus on relevant information, develop concise arguments, and avoid verbosity. This constraint requires strategic planning of content, careful selection of language, and concise articulation of points to meet the assessment criteria efficiently, showcasing the writer’s lingual precision and mastery.

Articles and reviews for the FCE exam both require an engaging and structured approach, with a focus on capturing the reader's attention through an interesting introduction, and concluding with a reflective statement or recommendation. Both use structured paragraphs to develop points and examples. However, articles are informal and personable, often addressing the reader directly and using colloquial expressions, aimed at entertaining . Reviews, while sometimes semi-informal, are more neutral or formal, with a balance of description and evaluation, culminating in a clear recommendation, aligning with their evaluative purpose .

The structure of an FCE for schools essay is formal and organized into specific paragraphs with designated purposes: an introduction, followed by paragraphs addressing given points, an invented idea, and a conclusion with the writer’s opinion. This structure ensures clarity and logical flow, necessary for academic examination settings . Conversely, a magazine article is personal, aiming to entertain and engage with a relaxed tone, using rhetorical questions and direct reader address, which suits its informal and conversational intent . This structure is vital as it aligns with the distinct objectives of formal assessment versus engaging communication.

Examples and explanations enhance the effectiveness of an essay paragraph by providing concrete evidence to support the topic sentence, thereby making the argument more compelling . By placing examples immediately after introducing the main point, the writer strengthens their argument through specificity, while explanations clarify the relevance of these examples, enhancing the reader's understanding and persuasiveness of the essay's thesis.

Rhetorical questions in an FCE article serve to engage the reader’s curiosity and encourage them to reflect on the topic, fostering a more interactive reading experience . They are most effectively employed in the introduction to draw the reader into the article and in the closing paragraph to leave them contemplating the article's message, thereby enhancing the article's persuasive impact and maintaining reader interest throughout.

The requirement to invent a third idea in the FCE for schools essay ensures the writer demonstrates the ability to explore and articulate multiple perspectives without relying on personal bias. This practice encourages critical thinking and objective analysis, skills crucial for academic writing . The distinction between the invented idea and the writer's opinion allows the conclusion to serve as a personal synthesis of the discussed points, providing a clear and reasoned position after exploring various viewpoints.

The structured approach to novel reviews in the FCE exam fosters critical thinking by requiring evaluators to systematically address key elements such as plot, character development, and thematic depth . By organizing reviews with a clear introduction, synopsis, analysis, and conclusion, writers are prompted to critically assess and synthesize information, presenting a comprehensive evaluation. This thorough format encourages depth through organized reflection, ensuring various narrative aspects are considered before forming a holistic recommendation.

Adopting an informal tone in FCE articles enhances reader engagement by creating a relatable and conversational atmosphere . This approach fosters a connection between the writer and the reader, encouraging them to continue reading and participate mentally in the narrative or argument presented. The use of colloquial language and direct address makes the article more accessible and lively, aligning with the article's goal of entertaining and maintaining interest.

The narrative in 'The Bourne Identity' review demonstrates effective evaluative language through balanced critical analysis. The reviewer highlights the novel's gripping plot and character development as positive aspects, using descriptive language like "gripping" and "fascinating" to underscore these strengths . Evaluative language is also used to address negatives succinctly, noting the novel's 'weaker' description without undermining the overall recommendation. This evaluative balance informs potential readers about strengths and weak points, aiding informed reading choices.

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