C1 Advanced Writing Practice Test 2
C1 advanced writing test 2 covers the whole Writing paper in one place: the compulsory essay in Part 1, then a choice of letter, proposal, report, or review in Part 2. Study a fully annotated model for each task, draft your own against the exact word count, and send it to me for personal feedback on all four Cambridge subscales.
- 2 parts
- 220–260 words each
- About 1 hour 30 minutes
- Personal feedback
- Free, no sign-up
What is in each part
Two parts, roughly ninety minutes, two different kinds of formal writing. Open a part to see what it tests and how to handle it.
Part 1The essay
The compulsory task. You are given three points from a discussion and two short opinions on each, and asked to discuss exactly two of the three points and give a reasoned view on which matters more, in 220–260 words of formal, neutral English.
How to handle it- Discuss exactly two points — never one, never all three; either mistake caps your Content mark.
- State a clear opinion on which point matters more and defend it through the essay, not just in the conclusion.
- Reword the given opinions in your own words; copying them costs Language marks.
- Keep contractions and casual vocabulary out — this register is formal throughout.
Part 2Choose your task
You pick one of four text types — letter, proposal, report, or review — each with its own reader, purpose, and conventions, always 220–260 words.
How to handle it- Identify the reader and purpose before you start; they decide your register more than any other choice.
- Use headings for a proposal or report; a letter and a review do not take them.
- Cover every point the task asks for — a proposal needs two justified recommendations, a report needs the present situation plus recommendations.
- A proposal persuades about the future; a report informs about the present — do not mix the two tones.
How to get the most out of this test
Five habits that separate a strong C1 script from an average one. They cost nothing extra and they matter in the real exam too.
Plan your two points before you write
Deciding which two of the three points you will discuss — and which one you will argue is more important — before you start writing avoids a wandering essay that never commits to an opinion.
Write to the word count, not past it
Both parts want 220–260 words. Running long under time pressure usually means rushed conclusions, and accuracy slips as the pace picks up.
Match register to text type, not habit
A formal essay and a semi-formal letter should not read the same way. Reset your register for each part rather than reusing yesterday's.
Check against all four subscales, not just accuracy
Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation, and Language are marked separately. A grammatically clean answer that ignores half the task still loses marks on Content.
Send both parts for feedback, not just one
Part 1 tests argument and Part 2 tests writing for a specific reader. Feedback on both shows which skill actually needs the work.
Finish the rest of Test 2
Writing is one paper of four. Sit the others while your writing is still fresh — the whole test is free and marked for you.
Written and recorded for English Refresher. If a question feels unfair or an answer looks wrong, tell me — I would rather fix it than leave it.