FCE Writing Guide

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FCE Writing exam (First Certificate in English) is part of the B2 First exam, a Cambridge English qualification. The writing component is designed to test your ability to produce different types of written text and consists of two parts. Here are the details:

1. Duration

• The FCE Writing exam lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes.

2. Format

It consists of two parts:

Part 1: Compulsory Task

• Type: Essay
• Word Count: You must write 140-190 words.
• Details: You are given a prompt with a specific situation and topic, and you must write an essay responding to a question based on the provided material. You will need to include points provided in the question and possibly provide your own ideas to support your argument.
• Focus: This part tests your ability to express and support your opinion, develop an argument, and organize your ideas clearly.

Part 2: Optional Task

• Type: You can choose one of the following four tasks.
  • Article
  • Email/Letter
  • Report
  • Review
• Word Count: You must write 140-190 words.
• Details: Each option is a different type of writing task, such as responding to a prompt with an article for a magazine, writing a formal letter or email, creating a review of a book or movie, or drafting a report for a business or school. You can select the one you feel most comfortable with.
• Focus: This part tests different types of writing skills, such as describing, recommending, narrating, or giving opinions.

3. Scoring

The writing is scored based on four criteria:

• Content: How well the task has been fulfilled and if all points are addressed.
• Communicative Achievement: Appropriateness of the register and tone (formal or informal).
• Organization: Coherence, structure, and flow of the writing.
• Language: Range of vocabulary and grammatical structures, and accuracy of the language used.

The total writing score contributes to your overall FCE result. A balanced performance in both parts is important to achieve a high mark.