B2 First Writing | Essays, Articles, Reviews, Reports & Emails

B2 First Writing can feel difficult at first because you need to organise your ideas clearly, use the right style and answer the task fully. In this section, you will find useful B2 First Writing lessons, examples and tips to help you prepare for the writing paper step by step.

The B2 First Writing paper has two parts. In Part 1, you must write an essay. In Part 2, you choose one task from several options, such as an article, review, email, letter or story.

To do well, you need more than good grammar. You also need to understand the task, plan your answer, organise your paragraphs and use suitable language for the reader.

What do you need to practise for B2 First Writing?

In B2 First Writing, you should practise:

planning before you write
answering all parts of the task
using clear paragraphs
linking ideas naturally
using formal or informal language correctly
giving reasons and examples
using a good range of grammar and vocabulary
checking your work for common mistakes

The aim is not to write something complicated. The aim is to write something clear, organised and appropriate.

B2 First Essay

The essay is compulsory in B2 First Writing Part 1. You are given a topic and two ideas. You must also add one idea of your own.

A good B2 First essay should have:

an introduction
two or three main paragraphs
clear reasons and examples
a short conclusion
formal or neutral language

Useful lessons:

B2 First Article

An article is usually written for a magazine, website or school publication. It should be interesting, lively and easy to read.

A good B2 First article should:

have an engaging title
catch the reader’s attention
use a friendly and natural style
include examples or personal experience
finish with a strong final sentence

Useful lessons:

B2 First Article Writing
How to Write an Interesting Article
Useful Phrases for Articles
Article Writing Mistakes to Avoid

B2 First Review

In a review, you usually write about a film, book, restaurant, app, product, place or event. You need to describe it and give your opinion.

A good B2 First review should:

describe the subject clearly
explain what you liked or disliked
give reasons for your opinion
use descriptive vocabulary
make a recommendation

Useful lessons:

B2 First Email and Letter

Emails and letters can be formal or informal. The most important thing is to choose the right tone.

For an informal email, you can use:

friendly phrases
contractions
direct questions
personal comments

For a formal email or letter, you should use:

polite language
clear paragraphs
complete sentences
formal expressions

Useful lessons:

B2 First Story

A story needs a clear beginning, middle and ending. It should also be interesting for the reader.

A good B2 First story should include:

a clear situation
interesting events
past tenses
linking words for time and sequence
some descriptive language
a satisfying ending

Useful lessons:

B2 First Story Writing
How to Start a Story
Narrative Tenses in English
Useful Phrases for Telling a Story
Time Conjunctions in English

B2 First Report

A report is one of the possible tasks in B2 First Writing Part 2. Reports are usually written for a teacher, manager, club organiser or school magazine. They should be clear, organised and practical.

A good B2 First report should:

use a clear title
include short headings
describe a situation or problem
give useful information
make suggestions or recommendations
use formal or semi-formal language

Useful lessons:

Useful Language for B2 First Writing

To improve your writing, learn useful phrases that help you organise ideas and express opinions clearly.

Useful language includes:

linking words
phrases for giving opinions
phrases for adding examples
phrases for comparing ideas
phrases for making recommendations
phrases for conclusions

Useful lessons:

Common B2 First Writing Mistakes

Many learners lose marks because of small but repeated mistakes. These mistakes often appear in grammar, spelling, punctuation, paragraphing and task response.

Common problems include:

not answering all parts of the task
writing too much or too little
using informal language in a formal task
forgetting paragraphs
repeating the same vocabulary
using linking words incorrectly
making basic tense mistakes
not checking the final answer

Useful lessons:

Common B2 First Writing Mistakes
How to Improve Organisation in Writing
How to Use Linking Words Correctly
How to Check Your Writing Before You Finish
How to improve your B2 First Writing

The best way to improve your writing is to practise regularly and get feedback.

Try this simple study routine:

Choose one writing task.
Spend five minutes planning.
Write your answer in the correct number of words.
Check your grammar, vocabulary and paragraphing.
Underline useful phrases you used well.
Write down three mistakes to avoid next time.

You do not need to write every day, but regular practice helps a lot. One or two writing tasks a week can make a real difference if you also review your mistakes.

Private B2 First Writing Lessons

If you would like personal help with B2 First Writing, I offer private English lessons online.

In writing lessons, we can work on:

essays
articles
reviews
emails and letters
stories
grammar and vocabulary for writing
organisation and paragraphing
feedback on your written work

Each lesson lasts 55 minutes and costs €24.

If you would like help with your writing, visit the Contact page and send me a message.

Final thoughts

B2 First Writing becomes much easier when you understand the task types and practise them one by one. Start with essays because they are compulsory, then move on to articles, reviews, emails and stories.

Use these B2 First Writing lessons to build confidence, improve your organisation and write clearer, more accurate answers for the exam.

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