Updated
Writing guides: B1 to B2 and B2 to C1
These guides cover 19 B2 writing skills, 21 C1 writing skills and the 20 mistakes learners make most. Each guide has a model text, useful language and a task to try.
They are for writers moving from B1 to B2 or from B2 to C1, in the order the skills are met.
B1 to B2: 19 skills
B2 writing skills: the 19 things an examiner looks for
Stage 1: Sentence
one sentence, 8-40 words
Stage 2: Linked sentences
2-3 sentences, 20-70 words
Stage 3: Short paragraph
one short paragraph, 60-110 words
Stage 4: Full paragraph
one full paragraph, 110-170 words
Stage 5: Short essay
a short essay (4 paragraphs), 140-220 words
B2 to C1: 21 skills
C1 writing skills: the 21 things an examiner looks for
Stage 1: Sentence
one sentence, 8-50 words
Stage 2: Linked sentences
2-3 sentences, 25-90 words
Stage 3: Short paragraph
one short paragraph, 80-130 words
Stage 4: Full paragraph
one full paragraph, 150-220 words
Stage 5: Short essay
a short essay (4-5 paragraphs), 220-280 words
Common mistakes: 20 guides
20 mistakes B2 writers make, and how to fix them
- Discuss about: why it is a mistake and what to write
- Missing articles: when to use a, an and the
- Subject-verb agreement mistakes and how to fix them
- Overusing “I think”: better ways to give an opinion
- Repeated sentence openings: how to vary the start
- Wrong prepositions: depend of, interested on, discuss about
- Verb tense mistakes: past, present perfect and present
- Comma splice: what it is and how to fix it
- Word order mistakes in English sentences and questions
- Collocation mistakes: using the wrong word partner
- Word form mistakes: economic or economical?
- Uncountable nouns: informations, advices and other mistakes
- Gerund or infinitive: enjoy to swim or enjoy swimming?
- Relative clause mistakes: who, which, that, whose, where
- Unclear pronouns: it, this and they
- Missing subjects: “Is possible that ...” and how to fix it
- If-sentence mistakes: conditional forms
- Passive voice mistakes: is made, was built
- Informal words in formal writing: register slips
- Spelling mistakes in common English words