B2 First (FCE) Review: Structure

Title
Use the name of the film, book or restaurant.

Introduction
Identify what you are reviewing (actors, director etc..).
Try to catch the reader´s attention (ask a narrative question).

1st body paragraph

Describe the book, film, restaurant

2nd body paragraph

Comment on the questions you have been asked

Conclusion
Summarize your review with a recommendation

B2 First (FCE) Review: Writing Guide

We will use the example FCE review topic below:

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You see this announcement in your college English-language magazine.

Book reviews wanted

Have you read a book in which the main character behaved in a surprising way?

Write us a review of the book, explaining what the main character did and why it was surprising. Tell us whether or not you
would recommend this book to other people.

The best reviews will be published in the magazine.

Step 1: Briefly analyse the given topic…

The first thing you need to do is to underline a description part -in other words, just find what needs to be described.

Secondly, find a discussion part – in other words, try to find the specific points you need to comment on in your text.

Finally, find the target reader so you know exactly who you are writing for and who is going to read your review.

You see this announcement in your college English-language magazine.(our readers)

Book reviews wanted

Have you read a book in which the main character behaved in a surprising way?(to describe)

Write us a review of the book, explaining what the main character did and why it was surprising. (to comment)

The best reviews will be published in the magazine.

Now we have all three elements we need to write a great review:

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You need to describe:
Book in which the main character behaved in a surprising way

You need to answer/discuss:

1. What did the main character do?

2. Why it was surprising?

Who is the target reader: college English-language magazine.

We know now that the target readers are students, teachers and probably parents so the writing style should be neutral or
informal.

We don’t need to be too formal because after all some of the readers are students, but we also don’t want to be too
informal as some of the readers are teachers and parents.

Step 2: Title
The review should start with the title, and there are few simple ways to write it:

 imagine you’re reviewing a book you can write: [Title] by [Author]

 if you were reviewing a restaurant you could write: [name of the restaurant] – a review

Title (book): Dark Souls by Stephen King (by)

Title (restaurant): Taco Bell in London – a review (a review)

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We will use this title in our guide:
TITLE: Time Machine by Adam Smith

Tip: Nothing prevents you from writing something more unique but it has to point to what you are going to review.

Step 3: Introduction
Use the introduction to identify the thing you are going to be reviewing and provide details like the genre (i.e. a science
fiction novel, a horror movie) or location (if it’s a restaurant).

The other function of your introduction is to engage the reader. You can do it by asking a question.

Make your introduction at least 2 sentences long.

INTRODUCTION: What would you do if you could travel back in time? Most people would probably meet their great-
great-grandparents or watch how the amazing pyramids in Giza were built, but Tom Lee, the main character of the
novel Time Machine by Adam Smith finds himself in a completely unexpected situation and he has to make a very difficult
decision that will change history as we know it.

– question

– details about the book and main character

Step 4: The body paragraphs (main content)

The body paragraphs are the main parts of your review so they should be the longest and carry most of the
information. Also, here you describe the points you’ve found in (Step 1)

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You need to answer/discuss:

1. What did the main character do?

2. Why it was surprising?

You can use idioms, and phrasal verbs – neutral/informal language is appropriate for your target reader – students and
teachers.

See the example below, in which we dedicated one paragraph to one point.

[Who is the main character and what did he do? – describe]

Tom, a teacher in a little town in Rotherham, finds a mysterious time portal in the back of a ragged diner which takes him
back to the year 1935. He soon realises that every time he goes through the portal he gets to the exact same point in the past.
Eventually, he makes the unexpected decision to stop Michael James Newton from brutally killing President John F.
Kennedy on 22.11.1963.

[Why it was surprising? – comment]

It seems to me that Tom could choose many other and more personal things to do, but he decides to try and change history
to a degree that he cannot predict. In my opinion, that came definitely unexpected and if I were in his position I probably
wouldn’t even consider a task this far-reaching.
– own opinion

– descriptive/interesting vocabulary

– relevant details about the main character and book

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 TIP: What if you don’t read books?

Don’t waste your time looking for a real book to match your review. Invent one, it doesn’t have
to be real!

And yes that may sound difficult: you have to invent a book and then write a review about your
invented book!

So instead take a tv series you like, take a film you like and transform them into books. That’s
simple!

Step 5: Conclusion / Recommendations

Finally, we need to make a recommendation because after all, that’s the only reason why anyone would read a review they
want to know what the reviewer thinks about the book, film or restaurant.

A good final paragraph of a review does exactly two things

 it includes a recommendation
 and a final sentence to round off the review

CONCLUSION: I definitely recommend “Time Machine” to everyone who has already read some of Adam Smith’s
novels as well as to those who like stories with twists and turns around every corner plus you get some modern history on
top of that. For me, it was absolutely worth reading and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

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B2 First (FCE) Review: Tips

 PLAN your review.

 Make sure you have at least 4 paragraphs.
 Choose an appropriate title.
 The introduction will talk about what’s being reviewed.
 Use a relaxed, friendly, chatty style.
 You can use contractions such as I’m, I’ve etc..
 Use a new paragraph for each point you want to make.
 In the concluding paragraph give your opinion.

B2 First (FCE) Review: Grammar & Vocabulary

The grammar and vocabulary that you need unfortunately depend heavily on the type of question you get.

One thing you can do though is to make sure your grammar and vocabulary are related to the tasks. So for example, if
you are writing a review about a film make sure your vocabulary is related to films.

So include words like “scripts, director, cast, plot, setting, special effects, and stunts”

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FILM/BOOK

If you want to mention who directed the film or who played the part of a certain character then make sure you use the
passive “The film was directed by Y”. “The
the protagonist was played by X”.

EXPERIENCE

If you are talking about an experience and you need to describe the experience then make sure you use narrative
tenses because obviously this experience
happened in the past.

This means you need to use the past simple, the past continuous and the past
perfect. For example “I checked into the hotel at 10 am. I had been travelling all night and was feeling exhausted. The
hotel staff were very welcoming and made me feel at home”.

B2 First (FCE) Review: Useful Phrases & Expressions

We will finish it with some useful vocabulary mostly used to organize information. Although it is taking a shortcut, if you
learn several expressions for each paragraph in each type of text that could be on your exam, you will certainly be able to
create a very consistent and well-organized text.

Giving background
This show stars…
The play is directed by…
The film is about…

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It‟s set in……….
The story is based on (a book…)
It‟s about…..
There are many memorable characters including ….
The main theme of the film is…..

Expressions that introduce a contrast

On the plus side,…
On the down side,…
On the one hand,…
On the other hand,…

Recommending
Overall, I‟d recommend…
All in all, the film was…
I wouldn‟t hesitate to recommend…
I wouldn‟t encourage anyone to …
I would recommend this film to anyone.
Although I enjoyed it, I would not recommend it for….
It‟s one of the best (shows) I’ve ever seen.
Although I am not normally keen on (musicals),I am glad that I decided to go.
The (film) lifts you out of your everyday life

Example

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Time Machine by Adam Smith

What would you do if you could travel back in time? Most people would probably meet their great-great-grandparents or
watch how the amazing pyramids in Giza were built, but Tom Lee, the main character of the novel Time Machine by Adam
Smith finds himself in a completely unexpected situation and he has to make a very difficult decision that will change
history as we know it.

Tom, a teacher in a little town in Rotherham, finds a mysterious time portal in the back of a ragged diner which takes him
back to the year 1935. He soon realises that every time he goes through the portal he gets to the exact same point in the past.
Eventually, he makes the unexpected decision to stop Michael James Newton from brutally killing President John F.
Kennedy on 22.11.1963.

It seems to me that Tom could choose many other and more personal things to do, but he decides to try and change history
to a degree that he cannot predict. In my opinion, that came definitely unexpected and if I were in his position I probably
wouldn’t even consider a task this far-reaching.

I definitely recommend “Time Machine” to everyone who has already read some of Adam Smith’s novels as well as to
those who like stories with twists and turns around every corner plus you get some modern history on top of that. For me, it
was absolutely worth reading and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

How to write an article? | B2 First (FCE)

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n the B2 First Writing Paper you could be asked to write an article about a variety of topics. However, it’s often something
you’ve recently learned to do or know a lot about. For example, the question might be about a concert you’ve been to
recently, you favourite hobby or your hometown.

The idea is to write in a way that grabs the reader’s attention and keeps them interested until the very end.

Differences between articles and essays

 In an article, you need to constantly be telling the reader what you think.
 The article is informal, the essay is formal and neutral.
 The essay has a clear organisation, whereas the article might not.

B2 First (FCE) Article: Structure

Title
Think of an interesting title which will make people want to read your article

Introduction
Start your article in an interesting way. You could ask the reader a question or make a strong statement.

1st body paragraph

The first paragraph should involve the reader in some way.

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 2nd body paragraph
Build on the interest you have raised in the first paragraph by telling the next part of the story

Conclusion
Finish the article in an interesting way. This could be humorous or thought-provoking

B2 First (FCE) Article: Writing Guide

Title
Articles usually have a title. The title should be informative (give the reader an idea of the subject) and attractive (make the
reader want to read the article).


Keep it short (2-5 words) and clear

 No need for a complete sentence

Title A: The Internet: A Great Invention

Title B: Keep It Healthy!

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Introduction
The start of the article should be linked to the title, introduce the topic and engage the reader. Often, an article starts with a
question that introduces the topic which will be discussed in the article.

 General statement about the topic.

 Start with a question, problem or quotation.

Introduction A: The Internet has changed the way we live. It started as something that we could access only through a
computer, but nowadays it is everywhere, and I love it!

Introduction B: Are you a busy college student? Do you struggle to keep fit and eat healthily? Don’t worry! I am going to
tell you exactly what you should do. Keep on reading, you will thank me later!

Paragraphs 1-2
Each should be clearly defined, not too long and clearly linked.

 Describe issues in detail and use one paragraph per issue.

 Use linkers, sequencing and sophisticated vocabulary.

Paragraph A1: One of the cool things about the world wide web is that you can …..
Paragraph A2: However, the greatest thing about the Internet is how you can learn tons of things…

Paragraph 1B: First of all, you must start moving your body. You could go to the gym if …..
Paragraph B2:Secondly, your diet is just as important. I suppose you live on a low budget

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Conclusion
An ending can state an opinion, give the reader something to think about, summarise the article or even end with a
quotation.

Conclusion A: If you follow all these tips, I’m sure you will keep fit easily! And if you already tried that, let me know how
you feel now

Conclusion B: In conclusion, the Internet has a lot of great things. For me, the best are finding information and learning
online. What about you? What are your favourite things about it?

Let’s summarize! – How to write an Article?

1. Give your article a title.

2. Try and engage the reader’s attention and interest. Ask questions at the beginning.
3. There should be a link between the opening sentence and the title.
4. Personalise the article using true stories or anecdotes.
5. If you decide to take a light-hearted approach or a more serious one, maintain the same style throughout the article.
6. Check your work for accuracy, punctuation and spelling.

Article could be light or serious (but should be consistent), depending on who the target reader is. May use some
rhetorical questions e.g. Can you imagine a school where every student enjoys themselves?

B2 First (FCE) Article: Useful Phrases & Expressions

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We will finish it with some useful vocabulary mostly used to organize information. Although it is taking a shortcut, if you
learn several expressions for each paragraph in each type of text that could be on your exam, you will certainly be able to
create a very consistent and well-organized text.

La farmacia viagra online ti dà i migliori prezzi per i farmaci generici. Breve tempo di elaborazione! Oltre mezzo milione di
clienti! Pillole bonus gratuite per tutti gli ordini!

Rhetorical phrases:
Have you ever ……..?
What do you think about ……..?
Are you one of those people who thinks that ……?
Are you one of those people who …….?
What would life be like if ……?
Will the future bring us ….. ?

Introducing your first point:

Firstly
In the first place
First of all
The first thing to consider is
One thing to consider is
To begin with

Introducing more points:

Secondly
Another consideration

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Yet another consideration
Another thing to consider is
Added to that
Apart from that
In addition to this

Introducing your final points:

In conclusion
To conclude
To sum up
So

Introducing your opinion:

I think
In my opinion
Personally, I believe that
In my view
If you ask me
To my mind
My personal opinion is

B2 First (FCE) Article: Writing Checklist

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After writing your text, you can check it yourself using the writing checklist below.

How to do that? Simply check your text/email by answering the questions one by one:

Content

 Have I covered all the key information required by the task?

 Have I written only information which is relevant to the task?
 Have I developed the basic points in the task with my own ideas?

Communicative Achievement

 Have I achieved the main purpose(s) of the text (for example, explaining, persuading, suggesting, apologising,
comparing, etc.)?
 Have I communicated a balance of straightforward and more complex ideas?
 Have I used a suitable style and register (formal or informal) for the task?

Organisation

 Have I used paragraphs appropriately to organise my ideas?

 Have I used other organisational features appropriately for the genre of the text (for example, titles, headings,
openings, closings, etc.)?
 Is the connection between my ideas clear and easy for the reader to follow? (For example, have I used appropriate
linking words, pronouns, etc. to refer to different things within the text?)
 Are the ideas balanced appropriately, with suitable attention and space given to each one?

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Language

 Have I used a wide range of vocabulary?

 Have I avoided repeating the same words and phrases?
 Have I used a range of simple and more complex grammatical structures?
 Have I correctly used any common phrases which are relevant to the specific task or topic?
 Is my use of grammar accurate?
 Is my spelling accurate?

B2 First (FCE) Article: Tips

 ANSWER THE QUESTION

 PLAN your article.
 Give your article a title.
 Ask rhetorical questions to get your readers’ attention. Eg. What would the world be like without oil? What will life
be like in 20 years time?
 Speak directly to your readers. Eg. Let’s just imagine some of the possibilities.
 Give examples where appropriate.
 Use humour where appropriate
 Give a conclusion and summary in the last paragraph.
 Finally, give your opinion where appropriate.
 REVISE your article to correct mistakes

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Example

Subject:
A local magazine has asked readers to write an article about their favourite things about the Internet. Write the article
talking about the things you do with the Internet and recommend a website to other readers.

Write your article.

Student’s FCE Article Answer:

The Internet: A Great Invention

The Internet has changed the way we live. It started as something that we could access only through a computer, but
nowadays it is everywhere, and I love it!

One of the cool things about the world wide web is that you can look up anything you want and nd out the answer straight
away. Isn’t that fantastic? For example, imagine you are arguing with your friends about how to do something. Easy
solution! Go online and find the answer.

However, the greatest thing about the Internet is how you can learn tons of things very cheaply or even for free! In fact, my
favourite website is www.udemy.com,where people register to teach and learn about different things: music, website design,
making apps, history, etc. So I totally recommend it to everyone!

In conclusion, the Internet has a lot of great things. For me, the best are finding information and learning online. What about
you? What are your favourite things about it?

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