cae book review sample

• How to Write a Review for Cambridge C1 Advanced

• Posted on 28/09/2022
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: C1 Advanced , CAE , Cambridge Exams , Writing

Are you planning to take the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam?

If so, you will need to complete two pieces of writing during the Writing paper. Part 1 is always an essay , while part 2 gives you two different questions and you must choose only one of them to complete. One of these may be a review.

As writing the perfect review for part 2 can be quite tricky, we have created this handy guide with everything you need to know to impress your examiner and get top marks in your exam.

Let’s get started!

Before you Begin

Imagine this! It’s exam day, you turn the page and see this question:

Question taken from Cambridge English Language Assessment website . (September 2022)

What is the first thing you need to do after reading your question? Well, you need to consider the following things:

• Who is our reader? This helps you know what style to write in.
• What is the topic? What are you writing a review for?
• What do you need to include? Which questions do you need to address?

We recommend you read the question carefully and underline the key information.

Now that you understand the question, it’s time to plan your review.

Three Steps to Writing the Perfect C1 Advanced Review

Step 1: plan it.

Planning your review is one of the most important steps so you don’t waste time correcting any big mistakes later!

Think of a book or film which focuses on somebody who has made an important contribution to society. When you have one in mind, you can start thinking of the structure of your review. Take a look at the example structure here:

1. An interesting title

2. An introduction

3. A summary of the plot

4. What did I learn about the person’s life from the book/film?

5. How did the book/film help me understand why this person made their important contribution?

At this stage, it is important to also think about the vocabulary you want to use. Remember to use advanced C1 vocabulary in your review (try to avoid ‘very’ and ‘really’).

Here is some advanced vocabulary that you can use to describe films and books:

Step 2: Write it

Now that you have your plan, it’s time to start writing!

Firstly, think of a title. You can keep it simple if you cannot think of anything too creative. For example, it could just be the name of the book or film that you’re reviewing.

Next is the introduction. A nice feature to use here is a rhetorical question . This is a question you ask your audience to grab their attention, for example:

Have you ever watched a film that has had a long-lasting impression on you?

Or you could include a general statement about the book or film:

The film Super Size Me received glowing reviews from critics. Spurlock’s story is eye-opening and gives the viewers some food for thought .

You could also give some background information about the film or book:

The plot of the film Super Size Me centres around Morgan Spurlock, a director who conducts a social experiment to highlight the effects of consuming McDonald’s fast food for an entire month.

Now you need to move onto the main paragraph. Here you should summarise the plot of the film or book. For example:

At the beginning of the film, Spurlock undergoes a medical examination to ensure he doesn’t cause long-lasting irreversible damage to his health. Throughout the month, he only consumes McDonald’s meals…

After briefly describing the plot (remember, no spoilers!), you can address the two questions.

For the conclusion, you need to sum up your thoughts on the book/film. You can do this by using some of the phrases below:

– Taking everything into consideration,…

– All things considered,…

Step 3: Check it

Checking your writing is probably the most important step. You don’t want to avoid losing out on points over tiny mistakes, right?

Here are some points to think about while checking your review:

• Have I answered all the questions?
• Have I stayed within the word limit?
• Have I used the appropriate writing style?
• Is my spelling correct?
• Have I used punctuation correctly?
• Have I used advanced vocabulary and a good range of grammar?
• Is everything connected and coherent ?

Useful Grammar

Make sure you are using a range of grammatical structures in your exam. Your grammatical accuracy as well as your grammatical range are both taken into consideration by the examiner.

Take a look at some of these grammar points that you will most likely come across in the C1 Advanced exam:

Conditionals

Cleft sentences

Modal verbs

Remember that you will also need to know these for the reading and use of English section of the exam, so it’s a good idea to brush up on your grammar!

Top CAE Writing Part 2 Exam Tips

Here are some important exam tips to help you feel more prepared when writing your review:

• You have 90 minutes in total for the whole exam
• Divide your time equally between part 1 and part 2 of the writing exam
• For part 2, use 10 minutes to plan , 25 minutes to write , and 10 minutes to check
• You have a word count of 220 and 260
• The review could be for a film , book , hotel , magazine , restaurant or a product

Remember to get plenty of sleep before your exam so you feel well rested for the big day. Good luck!  

Looking for Help with your CAE Exam Preparation?

If you’re looking for guidance and feedback to help you pass your Cambridge C1 Advanced exam with confidence, then take a look at our exam preparation courses . Classes are dynamic and practical and our friendly professional teachers will help you get the score you need.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Gripping (adj): something that holds your interest (usually a story).

Cliffhanger (n): a story which is exciting and suspenseful because you don’t know what will happen next.

Fast-paced (adj): lots of exciting action happening quickly.

Letdown (n): a disappointment.

Second-rate (adj): not impressive, mediocre.

Eye-opening (adj): some information that is new and surprising.

Food for thought (exp): something worth seriously thinking about.

Undergo (v): to experience something, usually something unpleasant or a change.

Irreversible (adj): cannot be reversed.

Coherent (adj): a piece of text that is clear and is connected well.

Brush up on (pv): to improve your knowledge of something that you may have forgotten a little.

adj = adjective

exp = expression

pv = phrasal verb

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Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE): How to Write a Review

Introduction

A review may be about a book, magazine, film, play or concert; it may also be about a product or a service. A review in the C1 Advanced Writing paper does not merely ask for a general description of the thing reviewed, but requires an evaluation of its suitability for a particular purpose or audience. The target reader is specified in the task, and candidates should be encouraged to use this information when choosing appropriate ideas and language to include in their response.from: Cambridge English First Handbook for Teachers

Get Your Free C1 Advanced Writing Cheat Sheet Now!

Reviews are fun.

Reviews are fun because reading reviews is fun. Who doesn’t enjoy a few opinions from other people before making the decision on which restaurant to go to, which film to watch or which book to buy? Also, in our day and age, we are constantly looking at social proof for a wide range of topics so reviews are much more natural to us than they were only a few years ago when the internet wasn’t everywhere so you might even have written about a few of your own experiences online.

What a typical review task looks like

Speaking from my experience as a teacher and preparing numerous students for the exam, I can say that most review tasks look pretty much the same. The structure is very very similar and once you know what to look for, you can use it to your advantage by saving a lot of time and going into the test ready and calm.

You might ask yourself why it is so important to know who you are writing for, but this tells you exactly if you should use formal, neutral or informal language. Imagine you had to write to your boss or the director of your school. You would choose a more formal style than if you were writing to your friends. In our example, we should choose something that is more of a neutral style. After all, we don’t the people on the website, but we want to keep it light and as interesting as possible.

How to organise your review

Now that we know what the task’s topic is, what exactly we need to include and the tone we should write in, it is time to look at the structure of a review. Luckily, this can be repeated from review to review and you simply have to change the content depending on the topic and main points.

Always plan your review

I say this in every article I write here on teacherphill.com and I’m going to say it again in this post because it is such an important piece of advice. Unfortunately, many candidates simply ignore or forget about it and find themselves in the official C1 Advanced exam nervous and unprepared so I want you to include this in your practice.

The different parts of a review

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – a review Have you ever been so passionate about something that you would sacrifice your very best years for it? Would you even put it ahead of your family and friends? In the film Mandela: Lond Walk to Freedom we get not only a glimpse of Nelson Mandela’s life, but rather dive deep into who he was and how he changed a whole country.

While the whole film captivated me throughout, there was one aspect that truly stood out to me. Nelson Mandela and his second wife Winnie had a one-of-a-kind relationship driving each other to continue and grow the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa even after Mr Mandela was captured and imprisoned . It is a testament to their dedication and partnership and something that a lot of us can learn from. Despite having a strong and driven partner in his wife, I still used to be astonished by the fact that someone would simply sacrifice themselves and give up a big part of their life to help others, but this biopic made me reconsider. Witnessing a segregated society and all the racial abuse the black community had to endure during apartheid, there was no other option for Nelson Mandela than to stand up and fight for equality .

I’ve highlighted some of the more important language features for you. At the beginning of each paragraph, I play with contrasting statements (while, despite) as this keeps the reader guessing. I also tried to use some vocabulary that is specific to Mandela’s life (anti-apartheid movement, sacrifice themselves, segregated society, racial abuse…had to endure, stand up and fight for equality) and some words and expressions to make the review more interesting for the reader (one-of-a-kind, captured and imprisoned, it is a testament to…, astonished).

Conclusion/Recommendation

All in all, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom gives some incredible insight into the life of one of the world’s most famous and influential personalities of the 20th century. It would be a shame not to watch it so I highly recommend that you check your favourite streaming service or buy the film as soon as you can and I promise you won’t regret it.

How your review is marked

Now it is up to you, similar posts, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): reading and use of english part 1, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): how to write a proposal, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): how your writing is marked, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): reading and use of english part 7, cambridge c1 advanced (cae): everything you need to know, how to stay calm on your cambridge exam day.

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Home » C1 Advanced » CAE Course » CAE Writing Course » CAE Review | C1 Advanced | 14 Key Steps To Success

CAE Review | C1 Advanced | 14 Key Steps To Success

Table of Contents

Almost every day students ask me "Rory, how can I answer the C1 Advanced: CAE Review question in the exam?" However, before answering this question. Let's first answer another question, "what is a CAE Review?"

A CAE Review is a writing task from part 2 of the C1 Advanced (CAE) writing exam. However, reviews do not always appear in the exam. This is because in part 2 you only write one answer from three different questions which are based on 5 different writing tasks.

What are the chances of the CAE Review appearing in the exam?

Sorry, this section is available for CAE members only. Register/upgrade here >>

Where to begin?

Often students don't know where to begin with review writing, but luckily, you found me.

This page will lay out how to prepare for and write a review to get the examiners jumping up and down with joy.

Answering this question well , might affect whether you pass or fail the C1 Advanced exam. So make sure you follow the information on this page to ensure you get the highest marks possible!

CAE Tip: Register/upgrade to 'Gold' access this tip now >>

Right, enough prittle prattle (informal way of saying 'idle talk').

Examiners’ Marking Criteria

If you understand how the examiners mark your review, you will know how to get high marks for each criterion. This is imperative if you want to pass the CAE review.

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How to pass C1 Advanced CAE Writing Part 2 Review

Write down important notes from the video below in the relevant fields of this worksheet . You should keep this worksheet open in a separate internet tab and keep adding information to it from the rest of this page.

CAE Review Video Summary and Transcript

I hope you enjoyed the video above. Some students prefer to learn by reading rather than watching videos and so I thought it would be useful to outline the most important parts of the video for you. These are the steps you should follow if you want to pass the C1 Review writing:

Before the Exam:

• Watch and understand how examiners mark the CAE writing paper ( see this video ).
• Learn and remember what the examiners want from a CAE review (see ' review advice ' below).
• Do lots of practice examples. Use sample exam papers to help with this. If you are doing a computer based exam, make sure you write your practice answers on computer. If you are doing a paper based exam, make sure you write with a pen or pencil on a sheet of paper. When you have finished your practice answer, count how many words it is. If it is within the word limit, remember how much space it has used on the page. If you do this a few times, you will know approximately how long your writing needs to be in the exam and you do not need to waste time counting how many words you've written.

During the exam:

• Spend the first 2 minutes reading the question and underlining the important information and who the target reader is (see ' review question ' below).
• Spend 5 minutes planning your answer. Think about the type of language you will use and how you will link your key ideas together (see ' CAE review plan ' below).
• Take 30-35 minutes to write your answer. While writing, think about the type of language you will use (see ' CAE review vocabulary ' below). Examiners like to see you use complex grammatical structures and vocabulary, even if they are not executed perfectly. Make sure you answer all the required parts of the question. When you make a point, try to back it up with further information and focus on how you can link your points together nicely.
• Save 3-8 minutes to read over your work at the end. Try to read your work from an outside perspective. Make sure that the points you want to make are clear and obvious. Sometimes they are obvious to the person who wrote them, but not to a person who is reading the work for the first time. Have a look at this page for some common errors which students make at C1 Advanced .

CAE Review Advice

I would advise adding the most important bits of information from this section to your worksheet here .

This is from a Handbook which Cambridge instruct teachers to use when preparing their students. You can learn this yourself and be in exactly the same place as a teacher. I truly believe that you can train yourself to pass the exam if you know the right resources to use and you can access this document here .

What this shows us is that you need to use descriptive language but you also need to tailor your writing to the target reader. Think about this when deciding what type of language to use (see 'review vocabulary' below) and whether or not your ideas are appropriate. Try to practise with review questions which target different readers. Write and Improve is a good website with a variety of questions.

This is also good advice. When you are reading different types of reviews, try to check how the language differs from one review to another depending on the target reader. Check to see if you can find any reviews written by published or well known authors. If you find any of these reviews, check whether they give recommendations and try to copy the style of these and the language they use in your own writing.

When practising before the exam, focus on the descriptive and explanatory language you use.

CAE Review Example 1

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/167804-cambridge-english-advanced-handbook.pdf

These are the words I would underline from this question.

So, from the words I've underlined, see if you can answer these questions on a separate piece of paper:

• Who is the target reader?
• What are you reviewing.
• What are they key points you need to address?
• The target reader is a website.
• You are reviewing a book or film about a person who has made an important contribution to society.
• There are 2 key points you need to address: 1. Did you learn anything new about this person's life? 2. Did the book or film give you a better understanding as to why this person did what they did?

CAE Review Task - Plan

So with those points in mind, I'd like you to write down a plan for this review here .

It is really important that you do this because when you've done that, you can compare it with my review plan below.

In the exam I would recommend trying to write a review of something real as this will be a lot easier to write about.

My CAE Review Plan

Here is a plan I made for this question. Don't worry if yours is very different, this is just how I would write my plan to help me in the exam.

Sorry, this section is available for members only. Register here >> or log in >>

C1 Advanced Review Answer

Write down the mistakes you found in the answer above on this page >>

Examiners' Assessment Scale Template

Complete the assessment scale below based on the answer above. Print it off here , or complete an online version of this assessment scale here >>

Student's Answer With My Corrections

Did you know that a simple book can change the way you perceive (remove the word ‘the’ here because you are speaking about life in general) life? No sooner had (you should write ‘had’ here because you started reading before you ‘realised’ which was in the past) I started to read 5 a.m Club than (you need to write ‘than’ here) I realized that something in my life needed/had to (I think this should also be in the past, you read in the past then you realised your life had to change) change. I would like to introduce you few line about this (you should remove the words 'few line about this' and replace it with 'to this, ') such a wonderful book and how  it  (you should repeat the subject 'it' here) increased my productivity on a daily basis (we normally say 'a daily basis' rather than 'my daily basis') .

On the one hand, I have learnt how I can manage my time practising  ( you should say 'practising' with an 's' rather than a 'c' here because we are using the verb form of 'practice' not the noun form. This is a very common mistake which students and even native English speakers make)  the morning person routine. This routine consist s of waking up at 5 am every day ('consists of' is an example of a collocation. We use lots of collocations in English. If you don't know what a collocation is, watch this old video I made. I give lots more examples of typical C1 Advanced collocations on my website) . Honestly, I (remove 'was') struggled the first time  (remove 'which') I read about that because I never thought that I would be capable of doing it (you should always say capable of + verbing) . As it is said: ‘If you want, you can’ and it’s what I did. I was able to wake up at 5am, breaking my daily routine, and setting a new habit which took me 21 days to adopt ( you could also say 'which took 21 days until I adopted it'. Make sure you know the difference between 'adopt' and 'adapt' ) .

On the other hand, I learnt that if I would like to take advantage of my time, I should follow some productivity techniques which help (be careful not to jump between present and past verb tenses) me to complete all my daily goals. (It might be worth revising 'would like to have + past participle and 'should have + past participle). Sounds easy, but it is not. I started creating a calendar where I put blocks of 1 hours during my working hours. Then, I selected blocks where my concentration was higher, and I assigned the most critical tasks to these hours . For the rest of the blocks, I assigned the remaining tasks which were less important. It is wonderful the way I can complete tasks now!

After 21 days, I realized that my daily routine had changed a lot!  (It is better to use past perfect in the last sentence because your routine changed before the realisation).  I discovered that I had (had?) more time to spend with my family plus covering all the my daily tasks successfully. Would you like to learn the daily routine of the author of this book? Do not miss the opportunity, and follow him on his social networks.

This is a good attempt at the writing task. Although you have made some language related errors, you have tried to use a good range of language which you will be rewarded for in the exam.

Examiner's Assessment Scale With My Comments

Unfortunately this section is available for members only. Become a member here >>

C1 Review - Pass or Fail

Let's add up the marks:

Content: 1/5

Communicative achievement: 4/5

Organisation: 4/5

Language: 2/5

Total: 11/20

Remember there is an examiner's assessment criteria video above which you should watch if you have forgotten how examiners mark your writing.

This review is part 2 of the CAE writing paper. If we assume the student got 12/20 for part 1, the essay, then they would have got 22/40 in total.

This would mean the student would just fail this section of the exam by 2 marks. You need 24/40 to pass this exam paper. You can still pass the exam even if you fail one section as long as your average across all the exam papers is high enough. This page gives more detail on CAE exam marks .

CAE Review - Example 2

You see this announcement on a website which is particularly popular with university students and young adults. The website is called ‘Great People’:

Review Wanted

Send us a review about a person who, in your eyes, has had a great influence on the world.

How did this person influence the world? What can we learn from this person’s character?

Write your review in 220-260 words.

Before you read the sample answer below, you should open this sheet and write down any mistakes you find while reading the answer. You should also open this document and write your marks and comments for the sample review.

STEPHEN HAWKING:the life of a genius

World renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76. The British scientist was famed for his work with black holes and relativity, and wrote several popular science books including A Brief History of Time. This scientist has also written several other books including：1.The Large Scale Structure Of Space-Time   2. A Brief History Of Time    3. Black Holes And Baby Universes And Other Essays   4. The Universe In A Nutshell    5. On The Shoulders Of Giants. The Great Works of Physics And Astronomy    6. God created the integers     7. George's secret key to the Universe    8. George's cosmic treasure hunt    9. George and the Big Bang    10. The Grand Design     11. My brief history. He has made many important discovers over the years, and has even been named the most influential person of the century.

Besides all of that, he was also an actor, he appeared in many movies and shows such as: Star Trek The Next Generation and The Simpsons. Sadly, no man is perfect, At the age of 22 Professor Hawking was given only a few years to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease. The illness left him in a wheelchair and largely unable to speak except through a voice synthesizer.

They praised his "courage and persistence" and said his "brilliance and humour" inspired people across the world. “We will miss him forever.”

C1 Review - Mistakes & Corrections

Have a thorough read of the mistakes and corrections, followed by the examiner assessment scale below. This will help you understand how to write a C1 Advanced review.

Sorry, this section is available to 'Gold' members only. Register or upgrade to Gold membership here to access now >>

Sorry, this section is not available to you. If you want to access it now, register or upgrade your membership here >>

C1 Review Sample 2 - Final Marks

Content - 1 Communicative Achievement - 2 Organisation - 2 Language - 2

Total: 7/20

Unfortunately this writing would require the student to get 17/20 in part 1 to achieve the C1 level for the writing exam paper (24/40). This is not an easy task.

Learn more about what marks you need to pass here .

C1 Advanced Review Vocabulary

"Did you know.....?" - It's good to ask a question in the review to make the reader more interested in what you're saying.

"...I really recommend + verbing"

"I highly recommend + verbing"

"must-see" - we use this phrase when we state that somebody must watch a film or television series.

"give it a miss" - this means do not watch or read the book/film/television series.

"It will have you in hysterics" - this means when you cannot stop laughing.

"I advise you..."

"...gives a great account of..." - this means the book/film summarises or describes something very well. You can switch the word 'great' for a different adjective to give the phrase a different meaning.

"...gives a remarkable performance as..." - this is normally used to talk about good acting by a particular person.

"the plot was dull..." - this means the story line was boring.

"the acting..."

"the character..."

"one strength/weakness..."

Read another CAE Review Sample

• Read my CAE Writing Samples e-book . In the book you will find 21 sample writings that my students sent me. I marked the writings based on the examiner assessment scale and gave each writing my feedback and critique. Take a look now >>

Submit a Review

Send a CAE Review to me via my CAE Writing Assessment Service >>

I will mark it for you and give feedback 🙂

Classroom Activities

Check out this page for some online instructions and forms for you and your students to complete on computer.

If you prefer to print out worksheets for the classroom, the instructions below will be better for you:

• Complete this worksheet with the most important information from the video and advice above.
• Read this example review question then write a plan for it here . You should try to do this within 5 minutes.
• Print and read this example review answer. Write down any mistakes you find.
• Compare your mistakes with the ones I found here .
• Complete this assessment scale  for the review.
• How similar is your assessment scale to mine?

Watch the video below and complete the exercises:

You'll need to upgrade to Gold membership to watch the video below. Upgrade here to watch it >>

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Cambridge English: Advanced

Check out students' answers to Flo-Joe's CAE Writing tasks with a teacher's feedback

• Writing Class

Writing Class: Review

Task type: review.

Question You have seen the following announcement in your local arts magazine:

Write your review for the magazine readers. (Between 220-260 words)

Makeover: Uti

Read Uti's answer to this question below. Try correcting the piece of writing yourself first: use the marking codes to think about what might be wrong (or what's good) about the piece of work. Then when you're ready, click the green buttons in the text for our feedback.

• not only ... but also
• Meanwhile/At one point/From then on/In the end

Marking Code

/\ Word(s) missing

- Omit word

C Capitalization

O Organisation

P Punctuation

PE Poorly expressed

R Register/Formality

SS Sentence Structure

T Tip (Not wrong but a suggestion)

WF Wrong form

WO Word order

WT Wrong tense

WW Wrong word

CAE Info and Practice

Cae resources to buy.

• B1 Preliminary (PET)
• B2 First (FCE)
• C1 Advanced (CAE)
• C2 Proficient (CPE)

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Writing - Part 2 - C1 Advanced (CAE) - Practice, Write & Improve

Exam question:, type: review.

Write your review .

Student's Answer:

“Amour: the spirit of Paris- a review

Set right in the heart of Paris, famous Amour restaurant is usually called a \”French spirit\” by local people. Although it doesn’t look like elegant French locations usually suggested by the tour guides , you will undoubtedly fall in love with it at the first sight.

Having been here for the first time, it is the place that I was astonished by. Restaurant is hidden in depth of the streets, the building is old and rather cosy, than fancy; the territory is, without exaggeration, tiny: few tables inside and several of them in the garden, full of wild roses. Both breath-taking aroma of the flowers and calming atmosphere of the city make customers feel like they are in a French romantic movie!

Unfortunately, Amour does not offer a wide range of meals, however, everything we ordered was completely delicious: marvellous desserts, coffee and, of course, traditional croissants. Besides, we were told in secret, that the latter is considered nearly the best in whole Paris!

The only detail I was quite taken aback with, is the uncleanness of the dishes: I wish I was wrong, but it seems to me that tableware is hardly ever washed here, as not only the forks, spoons and plates were dirty, but I also could unmistakably see someone’s lipstick on my cup.

Al in all, I’d rate Amour 4 out of 5; after all, hygiene conditions absolutely didn’t meet my expectations. Yet, if you are looking for a spot to dive into authentic vibe of France, this restaurant is lucky find for you. “

Amour: the spirit of Paris- a review - an appropriate title

Set right in the heart of Paris, (relevant details) famous Amour restaurant is usually called a "French spirit" by local people. (details) Although it doesn't look like the elegant French locations (descriptive writing) usually suggested by the tour guides , (suitable terms) y ou will undoubtedly fall in love (engages the reader) with it at the first sight.

An appropriate introduction focuses on the identification of the reviewed restaurant and engages the reader.

Having been here (participle clause) for the first time, I can clearly emphasize (lost context) it is the place that I was astonished by. The restaurant is hidden in depth of the streets, (evaluative writing)   the building is old and rather cosy, than fancy; (descriptive ) the territory is, without exaggeration , tiny : few tables inside and several of them in the garden, full of wild roses. Both (conjunctions) the breathtaking aromas of the flowers and calming atmosphere of the city (descriptive writing) make customers feel like they are in a French romantic movie!

Unfortunately, (contrast clauses)  Amour does not offer a wide range of meals, however , everything we ordered was completely delicious: marvellous desserts, coffee and, of course, traditional croissants. (subject-specific vocabulary) Besides, we were told (passive forms) in secret, (narrative writing) that the latte r (referential words) is considered nearly the best in whole Paris!

The only detail I was quite taken aback with, (introductory phrases) is the uncleanness of the dishes: I wish I was (wishes) wrong, but it seems to me that tableware (subject-specific vocabulary) is hardly ever washed here, as not only (inversion) the forks, spoons and plates were dirty, but I also could unmistakably see someone's lipstick on my cup.

All in all , (spelling) I'd rate Amour 4 out of 5; (relevant elements) after all, hygiene conditions absolutely didn't meet my expectations . Yet, if you are looking for a spot to dive into the authentic vibe of France, (relevant vocabulary) this restaurant is lucky find for you.

Very well written rich and interesting review provides the right amount of details and diverse descriptive forms and phrases;

Content: 5/5 have you answered the question?

All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is informed.

• Have you been to a good restaurant recently?- commented
• Your opinions- commented
• Specific elements of the restaurant which caught your attention- the service, the atmosphere or the food- commented

Communicative Achievement: 4-5/5 have you completed the task in the right sort of language?

Evaluative writing - review give relevant details and information which are expected by reader Descriptive writing - review appeals to the reader’s five senses (have colourful adjectives and various descriptions) Narrative writing - review is telling a story insignificantly (a sequence of events that took place)

The organisation: 5/5 have you structured your writing properly?

The review begins with a correct description of the item being reviewed, then there are paragraphs in which the topic is developed and an appropriate ending with recommendations

Language: 5/5 have you used a good range of grammar and vocabulary?

Vocabulary There is a impressive range of vocabulary, including less common lexis.

Grammar There is impressive range of simple and more complex grammatical forms which are used with control and flexibility.

Errors, are minimal and do not impede communication

  Score: 19-20/20 Grade: C1/C2

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C1 advanced preparation, resources for teachers and learners.

Here you can find links to all of our free resources to help prepare for C1 Advanced exams, whether you are a teacher or a learner.

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Free: digital sample tests.

Cambridge English Qualifications Digital

Cambridge English Qualifications Digital have now replaced our old computer-based exams and offer you even more benefits. Watch this video tutorial for help on how to complete an C1 Advanced digital exam. Please also review this document which covers minor differences between the sample tests and the live exam .

Time: approximately 40 minutes

Instructions to candidates

• Answer all the questions.
• You can change your answers at any time during the test. 

Information for candidates

• There are 30 questions in this test.
• Each question carries one mark.
• You will hear each recording twice.
• For each part of the test there will be time for you to look through the questions and time for you to check your answers.

C1 Advanced Digital Listening Sample Test

Reading and Use of English

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

• You can change your answers at any time during the test.
• There are 56 questions in this test.
• Each question in Parts 1, 2, 3 and 8 carries one mark.
• Each question in Part 4 carries up to two marks.
• Each question in Parts 5, 6 and 7 carries two marks.

C1 Advanced Digital Reading and Use of English Sample Test

• Answer the Part 1 question, and one question from Part 2.
• There are two parts to this test.
• Each question carries equal marks.

C1 Advanced Digital Writing Sample Test

Answer keys and tapescript:

C1 Advanced Listening Sample 1 answer key

C1 Advanced Listening Sample 1 tapescript

C1 Advanced Reading & Use of English Test Sample 1 Answer key

Speaking test samples are the same as those provided for the Paper-based sample test. Please find these in the folder in the Paper-based sample test section below.

Free: Paper-based sample test

Sample paper 1 for C1 Advanced

Sample paper 2 for C1 Advanced

How to convert practice test scores

The Cambridge English Scale is used to report results for our qualifications and tests. The scores provide a detailed understanding of the candidate’s level. They are also consistent across the different exams, making it easy to compare results and understand progress from one level to the next.

For guidance on converting practice test scores to Cambridge English Scale scores, download our guide for teachers. 

Converting practice test scores to Cambridge English Scale scores

Digital exam information

Have you thought about taking digital exams? Find out more about the benefits of digital exams .

Watch this short video to see what it’s like to take a digital exam.

Watch the video tutorial  for help on how to complete an C1 Advanced digital exam.

For teachers, we have a teaching tips booklet . If your candidates have questions, you can find the answers in our frequently asked questions (FAQs) .

What to expect on exam day

Watch Sofia on the day of her exam, and learn what it’s like to take a Cambridge English Qualification, from B1 Preliminary for Schools to C2 Proficiency.

Explore useful information about the exam day , including exam day tips and FAQs to help you prepare.

Speaking test video with examiner comments

This video will help your students understand what happens during a C1 Advanced speaking test. You can also download examiner comments.

Read the examiner comments for Marta, Giovanna and Anna’s speaking test

Read the examiner comments for Pedro and Isabela’s speaking test

Read the examiner comments for Teresa and Antonio’s speaking test

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Handbook for teachers

The C1 Advanced handbook gives an overview of the exam and its place within Cambridge English examinations. This is followed by a focus on each paper and includes content, advice on preparation, and example papers.

C1 Advanced Handbook for teachers

C1 Advanced: Handbook for Teachers Listening Audio Files (ZIP, 58MB)

These are the listening files related to the Sample Paper from the Teacher's Handbook.

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C1 Advanced lesson plans

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Developing listening skills for C1 Advanced: A guide for teachers

Developing reading skills for C1 Advanced: A guide for teachers

Assessing writing for C1 Advanced: A guide for teachers

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C1 Advanced Teaching Tips from Cambridge English examiners.

Mock test toolkit

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Mock test toolkit for older learners

Classroom warmers booklet

Classroom warmers activity booklet

This booklet includes seven exercises each for primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary students.

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Free online learning activities

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Exam information for candidates

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C1 Advanced: Information for candidates

Self-study lesson plans

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Reading and Use of English Part 5

Reading and Use of English Part 6

Writing Part 1

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Listening Part 1

Writing checklist

C1 Advanced Writing checklist

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Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) Writing: How to Write the Review

• April 19, 2024
• Cambridge C1 Writing

What you will find in this guide:

Writing a C1 level review is a critical skill for anyone preparing for the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam. The C1 review isn’t just a review; it’s a tool for the examiners to see how proficient you are in writing, and for you to express your personal opinion about something you’ve experienced, be it a film, a holiday, a product, or a website. 

But first, let’s review some key info about writing a review for Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE):

Sure, here’s some information about the task of writing a review in the Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) exam:

• The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something that you have experienced (e.g., a film, a holiday, a product, a website, etc.) and to give the reader a clear impression of what the item discussed is like.
• The structure of a review typically includes a title, an introduction, main content, and a recommendation 1 .
• You need to consider who is the target reader is.

Sample C1 Review

A travel website has asked you to write a review of a holiday resort you have been to, explaining what kinds of people the resort is likely to appeal to, and which aspects of the resort you would most recommend to other visitors. You should also suggest at least one way in which you feel the resort could be improved.

Write your review.

Potential Challenges of Writing a C1 Review

Here are some potentially challenging factors:

1. Understanding the Task

According to the C1 Advanced (CAE) rubric, task achievement is very important to get a C1 level score 1 . And fulfilling what the task wants you to do is impossible without knowing what the task requires you to do. Sometimes, candidates do not read the task carefully and write about a similar topic without realizing that they are doing the wrong task!

2. Time Management

Though other exams (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, iTEP) provide significantly less time to do the writing task, Cambridge C1 Advanced gives you enough time to write your review. However, some still find the allocated time insufficient. If you think the time is not enough for you, you need to work on your time management skills. 

3. Language Proficiency

The C1 Advanced exam tests high-level English proficiency including accuracy in language use and the use of a range of simple and complex grammar and vocabulary 2 . Though most candidates possess good knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, maintaining accuracy and relevance at the time you are writing your review may be challenging.

How to Write a Review for the C1 Advanced (CAE) Exam: A Step-by-Step Guide

Let’s break it down into simple, easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: Analyze Your Task

In this step, you need to carefully examine the instructions or requirements of the task you’ve been given. Look for two main components: a description part where you have to describe something like a film or book, and a discussion part where you need to give an opinion and/or make a recommendation. Additionally, identify the target reader, which could be a general audience, a specific demographic, or someone with particular interests.

Step 2: Decide What You Want to Write About After understanding your task, you need to decide on the subject of your review. It could be a book, a movie, a trip, or any other experience that fits the task requirements. Think about the main features of the subject—what stands out about it? This could include plot points, character development, cinematography, writing style, destination highlights, etc.

Step 3: Write an Outline to Organize Your Thoughts Creating an outline helps you organize your ideas and ensures a logical flow in your writing. Start with an introduction to set the stage for your review. Then, include a summary of the material you’re reviewing, your critique where you analyze its strengths and weaknesses, and finally, a conclusion that sums up your thoughts and potentially offers a recommendation.

Step 4: Decide About the Vocabulary and Grammar to Use in Each Paragraph This step involves carefully selecting the vocabulary and grammatical structures for each paragraph. Aim for a balance between complexity and clarity. While it’s essential to demonstrate your proficiency in language, avoid using overly complex language that could make your writing seem artificial or difficult to understand. Tailor your language choices to the target reader identified in step 1.

Step 5: Start Writing With your outline and language decisions in mind, start writing your review. Follow the structure outlined in your outline, and remember to incorporate your chosen vocabulary and grammar appropriately. Be descriptive yet concise in your descriptions and critical yet constructive in your analysis.

Step 6: Revise, Edit, and Proofread Once you’ve completed your review, take the time to review it for any errors or areas where you can improve clarity. Check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. Ensure that your review is easy to read and understand for your target audience. Proofread your work thoroughly before finalizing it.

Let’s Answer the Sample C1 Review Question

Sample outline.

• Target audience = couples, families, solo travelers Serene ambiance amidst lush greenery
• Recommendations = Praise for staff hospitality Highlight of resort facilities and recreational activities
• Recommendation = for on-site restaurant Improvement
• Suggestion = Enhancing Wi-Fi connectivity across the premises

Sample Vocabulary

• Impeccable of values
• Tantalizing

Sample Answer

Review: Tranquil Haven Resort

Nestled amidst the lush greenery of the countryside, Tranquil Haven Resort is a serene retreat that offers a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. My recent stay at this idyllic resort left me rejuvenated and thoroughly impressed. Here’s why:

Tranquil Haven Resort caters to a diverse range of travelers seeking solace in nature’s embrace. It’s ideal for couples looking for a romantic getaway, families yearning for quality time together, and solo travelers seeking peace and tranquility. The resort’s serene ambiance and abundance of recreational activities make it equally appealing to both adventure enthusiasts and those simply wanting to unwind.

One of the highlights of my stay was the impeccable service provided by the staff. From the warm welcome at check-in to the attentive assistance throughout my stay, their hospitality truly enhanced my experience. Additionally, the resort’s well-maintained facilities, including the swimming pool, spa, and hiking trails, offered ample opportunities for relaxation and recreation. Moreover, the on-site restaurant served delectable dishes crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, tantalizing the taste buds with every bite.

While my stay at Tranquil Haven Resort was near-perfect, I believe enhancing the Wi-Fi connectivity across the entire premises would further elevate the guest experience. While disconnecting from technology is often part of the allure of a countryside retreat, reliable internet access is essential for guests who may need to stay connected for work or communication purposes.

In conclusion, Tranquil Haven Resort exceeded my expectations in every aspect, from its serene ambiance to its exceptional service. Whether you’re seeking relaxation, adventure, or simply a break from the ordinary, this resort is sure to provide an unforgettable experience. With a few enhancements to the Wi-Fi connectivity, it would undoubtedly be a flawless haven for travelers seeking solace in nature’s embrace.

Understanding the CAE Writing Rubric

The Cambridge C1 Advanced Writing paper is scored based on four key criteria 1 :

• Content : This assesses how well you have fulfilled the task, if all the content is relevant to the task, and if the target reader is fully informed.
• Communicative Achievement : This checks if the writing is appropriate for the task, if it uses the right register and tone, and if all the points are communicated effectively.
• Organisation : This looks at the way the text is organised, if it uses the right conventions of the communicative task, and if the text is coherent and cohesive.
• Language : This assesses the range of vocabulary and grammatical structures, the level of accuracy in their use, and the appropriateness of the language to the task.

The Writing paper of the Cambridge C1 Advanced exam consists of two parts: One Essay and one task where you can choose your task from given options.

You are required to choose one type of writing in the second task. Your options are: Writing a letter, an email, a proposal, a report, and a review.

The Writing paper is assessed based on your control of a range of language, correct use of grammar structures, specificity of words or structures to express your ideas, and the effective use of functional language to persuade, agree, or compare

• Omid Kalantar

Omid Kalantar is an English Language Teaching (ELT) professor and researcher at Universidad Nacional de Educación (UNAE) in Ecuador. He has extensive experience coaching exam candidates prepare for TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge C1 Advanced, iTEP, PTE, and Duolingo for more than a decade. He is also a former Cambridge Examiner. His expertise and research interests include various issues in applied linguistics, advanced level language proficiency, fluency, accuracy, and complexity in language production, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), materials development and curriculum design, and psycholinguistics. A complete list of his scholarly articles can be accessed on Google Scholar linked below.

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CAE Review – Phrase Sheet

Follow me on twitter  @ RobbioDobbio

This is essentially the same as my CPE sheet but with the title and word limit changed. Download it here:

Use: all your colourful vocabulary:	for films/books/restaurants use the name/title or if think up an imaginative title using an idiom/expression.
1.        Read task, underline content points. 2.        Divide content points into paragraphs: Intro, décor, ambiance, service, food, recommendation. 3.        WHAT do you want to say? Add your notes to each paragraph in simple form. 4.        HOW are you going to say that? Brainstorm advanced grammar and vocabulary for each note. 5.        Forms and conventions: Title paragraph titles, fixed introduction. 6.        Write! Remember	Personal anecdote to grab attention. Introduce name of book/film, restaurant + location, course, TV show etc. find the time to…, however when I do take time out of my hectic schedule, I like nothing more than… bit of a , the news that … had opened a new restaurant/released a new film/book had me . So last week I with a friend before I approached … with a sense of trepidation, not knowing what to expect. Soon however, all my fears were allayed.
a page-turner / a white-knuckle ride / a tearjerker / a laugh a minute / I couldn’t put it down. a slow start / a gentle introduction /gripping climax / nail-biting conclusion / cliff-hanger ending/ a shocking twist in the tail The book is set in _______(place/time) The action takes place in ______ (place/time) the present day (now) an alternate reality where vampires / wizards walk the earth a sleepy village in the USA the bustling city of New York The plot centres around / focuses on (the adventures / lives of _________) The plot follows the adventures of _________(character name) Villain / hero / heroine / anti-hero / main character / protagonist The characters are believable / well-crafted / a bit 2 dimensional.	An all-star cast heavily influenced by the films of.. glowing reviews startling originality suspense builds up a polished performance a bold experiment an accomplished actor an unmitigated disaster (bad film) a dazzling display of his/her talents made a lasting impression on me. Brought a tear to my eye Like watching paint dry (boring) I was on the edge of my seat (exciting) A blockbuster (big commercial film eg Superman) … sets off an amazing chain of events Gripping film (exciting) The director/author evoked a magical atmosphere … awakened my interest in… Hold my attention Capture the audience’s imagination. Spectacular set-pieces (main action scenes) … is cast in the role of… … is miscast in the role of… …gives a(n) (un)convincing performance as… The film is let down by a clichéd script.
Hearty mealWholesome food Piping-hot Succulent/juicy (meat) Creamy With a kick (spicy) Crunchy/crispy Well-seasoned Packed with flavour A steaming plate of.. Hungry/starving/ravenous/famished Bustling eatery(restaurant) Lively atmosphere Service with a smile A plate piled high with..Mouth-watering To die for Heavenly To lick your lips in anticipation Roast Pan-fried Grilled Steamed Freshly-baked To feast/gorge on (eat a lot of) To eat/drink to your heart’s content Devour/gobble up Aromas wafting from the kitchen Cheap – economical/reasonably-priced Expensive – pricey/costs an arm and a leg €20 a head (per person) Killer Lines: Were I to sum up … in one word, it would be… … left a lot to be desired (wasn’t good enough) …more than lives up to the hype (is as good as everyone says it is) … is by far and away the best … you’re likely to … this year … really raises the bar (sets a higher standard) … sets the benchmark for other (others will be judges against how good it is) … ticks all the right boxes … holds up well in comparison with … …comes off badly in comparison with … Grammar check list Have you included? ·         An inversion (not only/no sooner/seldom) ·         An inverted conditional (Were we to…) ·         A participle clause (Being…/Having gone…) ·         A double comparative (The more we… the more) ·         A cleft sentence (What is most crucial is…) ·         Idioms Share this: Author: Tim Warre Barcelona based English Teacher, blogger and sometime actor and director. View All Posts 2 thoughts on “ CAE Review – Phrase Sheet ” Pingback: Vocabulary on films and restaurants | AVANZADO 2 Cristina's Blog Incredibly useful, cheers Tim! Leave a Reply Cancel reply Discover more from tim's free english lesson plans. Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive. Type your email… Continue reading Home / CAE / CAE Writing CAE Writing Writing will be the second part of your Certificate in Advanced English exam. CAE Writing is 90 minutes long and it consists of two separate tasks: In CAE Writing Part 1 you have to read three points on a topic and then write an essay based on two of them. In your answer you have to point out which of the two points are more important. Your essay has to be 220-260 words long. For CAE Writing Part 2 you get three different assignments to choose from. There are four possible types of assignments: a proposal, a review, a report and a letter. Again, it must be 220-260 words long. CAE Writing Assessment Criteria Writing Part 1 Writing Part 2 — Review — Report — Letter — Proposal You might want to read advice on  basics of essay composition before moving to the exam tasks. CAE Writing Assessment Criteria Your Writing score depends on four different aspects: Content.  How well you is your writing at achieving the task. Have you developed all the points required by the task? Communicative Achievement.  How appropriate is your writing in terms of style. Have you used the right register ( formal or informal )? Does your writing fill the style requirements of your text type (report, review, essay, letter)? Do you understand the purpose of the text you’re writing? Organisation. How logically you structure your text (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion). How well you connect your ideas in the text ( cohesion ). Language. Your grammar and vocabulary. How diverse is your choice of grammar structure?  Is the vocabulary you use fairly varied? Do you make any mistakes in both and how much do they affect understanding the idea you convey? Writing Part 1 We will use an example task as an illustration: You have watched a TV programme about scholarship and who should get in in your country. You have made the following notes: Who should receive scholarship? People with exceptional academic performance Foreign exchange students Members of low-income families Some of the opinions expressed in the programme: “Students have to earn their right for free education.” “Children of parents with low income are usually more diligent learners.” “Students from abroad should feel welcomed in our country.” You should write an essay for your tutor discussing two groups of people that should get scholarship. You are free to use any of the opinions from the programme if you like, but you should use your own words whenever possible. Your introductory paragraph should state the topic of your essay and its purpose. It is recommended to make it clear which two points (out of three) you will be writing about. Alternatively you may choose to state that in the first sentence of each body paragraph. It is possible to use both approaches together — then you will have to make sure to paraphrase these statements. Avoid making your introduction too long — 3-5 sentences is an optimal length for your opening paragraph. Body paragraphs are the tools which you use to deliver the key message of your essay. As you will be writing about two different points it is natural to dedicate one paragraph to each point. You are advised to keep body paragraphs approximately the same size — both points should be developed equally well. Some of the tasks require you to choose which of the two aspects is more important, and to state the reason for it being more important. In that case it is acceptable to make one of the paragraphs slightly bigger. This can be done both in the body paragraph and conclusion. Your conclusion is commonly the shortest of all paragraphs. Most students tend to write a slightly paraphrased version of ideas already mentioned in introduction or body paragraphs. This is a valid technique and there is nothing wrong about it. It is especially useful when you have exhausted the topic and therefore you have nothing else to contribute to the text. Another possible approach is to introduce extra ideas as shown in the example essay below. CAE Writing Part 1 Sample Essay Tuition fees have never been low — on the contrary, only the chosen few can comfortably afford paying their studying costs. To participate in a scholarship programme has always been every student’s aspiration. Not only does the scholarship spare serious expenses, it also looks good on one’s CV. In the paragraphs below I will explain my opinion on why members of poor families and students with outstanding marks should be getting preferences for scholarship programme participation. Young people from families with insufficient means are generally unable to to pay for their education. Conversely, children of financially-sound households are more likely to get into scholarship, as they usually have much better secondary education — not to mention their parents being well able to cover tuition fees. These facts eventually lead to further widening of the wealth gap between the rich and the poor, entailing a number of social and economic issues. Such opportunity inequality could be mitigated by lowering the scholarship requirements for the less wealthy. Prospective students with impressive academic records should not be discouraged from continuing their education by charging for it. Considering their mental aptitude and zeal, these young people are very likely to become highly-qualified professionals, potentially making an appreciable contribution to society. Therefore they ought to be eligible for scholarship participation even if they do not meet other, non-academic requirements. Provision of scholarship grants is not an easy task. The decision-making system should be fair and impartial, ensuring that only the most worthy and needy have their academic expenses taken care of by the government. It is only then we can ensure that the programme serves its initial purpose. (272 words) Writing Part 2 The second part of CAE Writing gives you a choice of three different tasks to choose from. It is recommended to practice at least two out of four possible tasks (Review, Report, Letter and Proposal). Your paper should be between 220-260 words long. Going over the limit is not penalized, but potentially leads to more mistakes. However if your text is under 220 you will have points deducted from your overall score. CAE Review is about providing details on the task subject, giving your opinion and recommending (or not recommending) to see/watch/read it. Your review can be on a variety of things such as books, movies, plays, events and much more. Your writing can be either formal or informal . It is clear from the task which register you are supposed to use. Whichever you use, you should be consistent and stick to one register throughout the whole essay. Suggested CAE Review Structure Use the introductory paragraph to name what you are going to be reviewing, state its genre (i.e. a science fiction novel, a horror movie, a vaudeville performance and so on). It is possible to write about author’s other notable works if there are any. To make your introduction more engaging, you may briefly state your general impression on it. Make your introduction at least three sentences long. Your first body paragraph should give a short summary of the reviewed material. Give a brief overview — plot, setting, actors, general idea. Avoid giving your opinion in this paragraph — you will do this in the following passages. Second and third body paragraphs can be used to describe good and bad points respectively. Unlike CAE Writing Part 1 your paragraphs don’t have to be of same length — if you liked the described thing then your paragraph with good points will be naturally bigger than the other one. In the negative points paragraph you can name things that could be changed to improve the quality of the product. Conclusion will contain your general impression and your verdict. Use this paragraph to sum up the good and bad points to make an objective assessment of the reviewed material. You may then recommend or dissuade your readers from seeing/attending it. An example CAE Review task to illustrate these points: CAE Writing Part 2 Review Sample The title I am going to review is a rare example when the movie manages to trump the book it is based on. Today I am reviewing Fight Club by an infamous American novelist Charles Palahniuk — his most widely-known, universally acclaimed work. It is a daunting task to find a person unfamiliar with the movie. The plot engages you from the very start — a young professional finds his apartment destroyed by an explosion of unknown origin. Agitated, he phones his newfound acquaintance Tyler whom he had met on the plane. They see each other at a bar and the story becomes increasingly complex, yet pleasantly effortless to follow. Through its narrative a number of problems are tackled – self-identity, peer pressure, middle-life crises and some other. The characters are likeable and easy to relate to. Both acting and directing are superb. But what makes it better than the book? The only objective fault I could find in the book was the order of events. It goes back and forth, which at times proves to be confusing. The movie manages the sequencing much better. Other than that the book is brilliant — vigorous prose that manages to evoke strong images. The movie however is so good that the book tends to slightly fade in all its glory. People tend to read the book after seeing the adaptation, thus coming with high expectations that can be hard to meet. To sum this up, I would recommend reading the book nonetheless. It may seem inferior in some respects, but it does help to understand the main theme of “Fight Club” better. (266 words) CAE Review tips The task clearly stated that you will be writing to your tutor, which implies use of formal register. As you write review you will inevitably use words meaning “good, bad, very” and so forth. It is important to know as many synonyms to very and other general words . To get more idea of what a review should look like check some user reviews: For movies go to www.imdb.com and click on any movie. Then scroll down to see the user reviews. Click to see the full list of reviews like this one. Please note that these reviews do not follow the required CAE Review format — they are to give you some ideas and vocabulary examples. For book reviews try  www.goodreads.com . Just like the previous site you have to choose a book and read other people’s thoughts on it. The top-rated  reviews are at the top of the main page. CAE Report task is giving your opinion on a subject or assessment of a situation. The difference between CAE Review and Report tasks is that your report should be as objective as possible. Another important difference is that CAE Report should have clear headings for each paragraph. CAE Report has to be written in formal English. Check this page on formal vocabulary to avoid making any mistakes or inconsistencies. Suggested CAE Report structure In your introductory paragraph you state the subject your report will be about. It is usually done by paraphrasing the information you are given in the task (see example report below). You may also state the main points of your report to make it easier for your reader to navigate through it. As it was mentioned before, each of your paragraphs should have a separate heading. For body paragraphs each heading will be an aspect of the thing your report is about. For example, if your report is on a local school, your headings could be: Staff . This paragraph will be about the school’s teachers and other personnel Classrooms . Description of school premises and facilities Curriculum . How the teaching process is organised. The names of your headings don’t have to be that straightforward — you can show some creativity there. Make sure that the meaning of your headings is clear — your reader should understand the content of the paragraph from the heading. Your conclusion sums up the points mentioned above and provides a general assessment. You can voice your recommendations and suggestions if the task says you to do so. To help you structure your report you can write out possible headings. A properly structured text is much easier to write and more pleasant to follow. Use your draft paper to write up an outline plan, but do not spend too much time on it — 2-4 minutes are usually enough to come up with a solid heading structure. CAE Writing Part 2 Report Sample You have completed your internship at a big company. As a part of your job placement programme you should write a report to your employment counsellor. In your report you should describe the company you worked at, the problems you encountered and propose any additional training you feel is necessary. Introduction For the past three months I had been working for Escom Limited, the biggest law firm in our town. I have participated in real working environment, gained new skills and made acquaintances with people from the industry. In this report I will sum up my experience in this company. Escom Structure The company has a well-defined tier system. Being an intern I started at the first tier with everybody except other interns being my superiors. To get used to this strict hierarchy proved to be a serious challenge but eventually I adapted to it. Such system has its merits — as you move up the ranks you get access to more documents, legal tools and get to interact with senior staff. Even though the system has its downsides it is nevertheless very effective and efficient. The Challenges As an intern I had to perform a wide array of tasks. I had to interact with the company’s clients, fill in various forms, go through tomes of legal data and sort the mail. Unfortunately some of them had no relation to my field of study whatsoever — oftentimes I would get asked to bring in some take-away food or fix a malfunctioning computer. Some of the tasks proved to be too daunting for me, but overall I think I did just fine. Improving Myself Having completed my internship I could finally see my professional shortcomings. There are many things to improve on — first and foremost I have to work on my social skills. I found it difficult to talk to clients that I see for the first time and it is a must to make them feel comfortable. I should also study up on the recent law amendments — at times I found myself unaware of the latest developments in legal proceedings. Conclusion I have thoroughly enjoyed my brief stay with the company. Even though the system has its downsides it is nevertheless very effective and efficient. (274 words) CAE Letter/E-mail This type of task presents a certain situation that you have to write a reply to. CAE Letter is one of the more diverse type of tasks, as it can vary greatly in content of the letter as well as the required style and register. For example, a letter to your friend is going to be rather informal and its content will be narrative. Conversely, a letter to a manager of a restaurant should stay stylistically formal as well as factual. Narrative or factual? The terms “narrative” and “factual” can be a bit confusing – after all, when we talk or write about something, we tell a story (we narrate) and we include facts. That is true indeed, and both styles include elements of one another. In fact, they overlap considerably. However, there is a difference. Narrative style (Informal letters/e-mails) Narrative style focuses on the subjective aspect of your writing. It is about making your writing piece more emotionally engaging. It is more appropriate when you want to make the reader interested in what you are writing. You can use a number of devices to engage your reader. The two most used ones in informal types of CAE Writing are exclamation and question marks. The former makes your message stronger and more emphatic. The latter can be used for a rhetoric question (one that requires no answer) or to make the reader more included in the narrative: Hey, how have you been? I heard that your last music album was an immediate success. Really great to hear that! 16 thoughts on “CAE Writing” I appeared on CAE exam last month in part 2 of writing I forget to mention part number in the answer box and I did e-mail part one with full format etc .it will create any problem?? Hello Waqas! I believe you shouldn’t feel too worried about it, unless it is not clear from the context of your answer! There is clearly a mistake on the report section. Instead of the example of the report there are two reviews. Would it be possible to fix it? Thank you very much! Thanks you, fixed that. We seem to have some text missing here, we will have to look into this at some point 🙂 Hello, in the writing part of the exam, I did not finish my review (I only managed to write an introduction and one paragraph, but my essay was complete). Although, I am confident about other parts of the CAE exam. How does this issue affect my overall score. Does it prevent me from getting the certificate? Hello, Jessica. You get a choice of 3 different types of writing in Part 2, you can just choose something else. In fact, you might not get a review in the three offered tasks at all. Usually students struggle with reviews as it requires a more specific set of vocabulary, so many choose to skip it and not spend their time on it. Hello I have realized that both my essay and my letter consist of approximately 310 words each. Could it affect my score drastically? Or is it appropriate to put down more than 260 words (310 in my case) if I would like to cover all the points of the task? Hello, Julia! As per Cambridge CAE Handbook: “Guidelines on length are provided for each task; responses which are too short may not have an adequate range of language and may not provide all the information that is required, while responses which are too long may contain irrelevant content and have a negative effect on the reader. These may affect candidates’ marks on the relevant subscales.” In other words, the examiners might see excessive length as poor ability to organise your writing. I would recommend against going over 280 words. Your ability to write concisely and convey a message through fewer words is a skill they expect you to have at CEFR C1 level. I hope this answers your question 🙂 Hello I would like to ask you if you think writing an email to a club organiser at your college is supposed to be an informal or a formal email? You know the whole name of the organiser and the note said something like: “You can choose the next 2 movies that we will watch next Tuesday. Tell us your ideas!” I wrote an informal letter but I’m not sure if it’s right. Thank you for any answers! Hey Barbora! Generally, exclamation marks like in “Tell us your ideas!” indicate that it would be informal. Moreover, the general context of the text hint at a more relaxed style, so sticking to informal register is the way to go. Therefore, you have made the right call! Hello. Unfortunately, I have exceeded the word limit of the writing (a lot). I am worried that they will deduct points. Do you perhaps know how many points or what impact it has? please be detailed. Thank you very much. Hello Hosi, I am sorry I missed your message at first. Exceeding your word limit considerably can be punished both directly and indirectly. The former way is to see it as inability to express your ideas in a structured and compact way. Indirectly you might get a penalty for all the possible mistakes that come with those extra sentences. It is a part of the four assessment aspects, so at best it accounts for 1/8th of your mark. So unless your general planning and structuring was absolutely terrible (I hope it’s not!) you should not be too worried about this. Hi, I attended the CAE exam just last week. I made a silly mistake in Writing part 2 when I jotted down the wrong number of the assignment (I chose letter and wrote down the number for proposal). Will this somehow affect my scores? Also, I’d like to ask, I was supposed to write a letter to all of my customers telling them about my company (what does it do, what makes it different, benefits for new customers) etc. is formal letter appropriate in this context? Thanks a lot for your answer! Hey Dionne, hope you’re doing great! To answer the first part of your question – no, it probably won’t affect your mark as it should be evident from the context of your answer which task you chose for the second part. As for using formal register when writing to your customers – yes, you definitely made the right call! Please let me know how it went as soon as you get the results. Hi! I attended CAE writing exam today and in Part 2 I chose to write a review BUT instead used the report structure, using subtitles ☹️. Also, I didn’t have the time to write a conclusion. Will I receive any points for Part 2? Thank you! Hello Monica! Using titles is not punished directly. You should be fine, provided these titles add cohesion rather than confusion to your writing. You will probably get slightly lower mark for failing to include a conclusion on the grounds that the potential reader will not be “fully informed” (Content criteria). It might also affect your Organisation score. I wouldn’t worry too much about getting zero points as it is never the case with Cambridge exams. Please let us know how it goes when you get your score! Leave a comment This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed . 234 IMAGES Ejemplo review CAE (Cambridge Advanced C1): guía 2023 FREE 50+ Book Review Samples in PDF C1 Advanced: CAE Cambridge English Exam: Writing Samples (Cambridge Cae Review CAE Review CAE Book Review: Advanced 2 COMMENTS Review CAE Review Example: Music. CAE Review Example: Contributor. CAE Review Example: Holiday. A review is written traditionally for an English-language magazine, newspaper or website. The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced (e.g. a film , a holiday. a product, a website etc ... How to write a review? C1 Advanced (CAE) Review: Structure. Title + Introduction. Name what you are going to be reviewing. Identify the book, restaurant or film. Main content: Paragraph 1: Describe the first thing mentioned in the task. Paragraph 2: Describe the second thing mentioned in the task. Recommendation. 15 Example Review Topics (PDF) (Writing) Sample papers, online practice tests & tips. Sign up, resolve the tests and see what results you get. Choose the word or phrase which best completes the sentence. 15 Example Review Topics - Download PDF Writing A review is one of the possible text types in the second part of the writing. How to Write a Review for Cambridge C1 Advanced Here are some important exam tips to help you feel more prepared when writing your review: You have 90 minutes in total for the whole exam. Divide your time equally between part 1 and part 2 of the writing exam. For part 2, use 10 minutes to plan, 25 minutes to write, and 10 minutes to check. You have a word count of 220 and 260. An example student 'Review' for the CAE (Cambridge English Advanced The review is written in an appropriate format and in an engaging style that would hold the reader's attention throughout. It's clearly organised. Starting with an introduction to the book, two main body paragraphs and a well-crafted conclusion bringing the review to a close. Good use of cohesive devices to link your ideas and sentences together. Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE): How to Write a Review Just leave your name and email address below. Yes, I want my free PDF! In the C1 Advanced Writing exam there are two parts. Part 1 always requires you to write an essay while in Part 2 you can choose from different text types. Apart from reviews, you can also decide to pick a proposal, a report or an email/letter. Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE): How to Write a Review Let me take you into the depths of writing the best reviews possible for C1 Advanced (CAE). I go through a practical example to show you how to analyse a tas... Cambridge CAE Cambridge CAE - Writing Part 2 (review) 28 January 2022 joannaesl. Do you know of anyone who has changed the world for the better? Someone who has positively impacted society? Using a free CAE writing exam, we will discuss the topic and teach advanced students how to write a successful review. All while following the writing assessment criteria. Writing Example (Type: Review) The review contains the right amount of detail and evaluative language; Descriptive language is sometimes overly trivial simple adjectives and adverbs are used (fresh fish, great atmosphere, superb food) The review correctly presents some kind of story - the sequence of events that took place. The organisation: 2-3/5 CAE Review Read another CAE Review Sample. Read my CAE Writing Samples e-book. In the book you will find 21 sample writings that my students sent me. I marked the writings based on the examiner assessment scale and gave each writing my feedback and critique. Take a look now >> An example student 'Review' for the CAE (Cambridge English Advanced Sample answers to Flo-Joe's CAE Writing tasks with a teacher's feedback ... At one point she and her friend go to a travel agency and book a cruise to New York. Cheerful WF. ... Ideas are communicated clearly and the review is written in an authentic style, in general using a neutral register throughout. ... Writing Example (Type: Review) As always polite waiters, (evaluative writing) who are generous (subordinate clauses) on with sincere smiles, and gorgeous designs inside the restaurant, (descriptive writing) have won my heart. 2. There's no doubt, I'd recommend you this restaurant. (recommendation) And If you're anything like me, you'd choose (mixed conditional) Big House. 2 ". CAE writing a book review Tell students that for home work this week they are going to write a review of a book which had a profound affect on them when they were growing up. It could be a children's book or a book they read when they were a teenager. A review is always in part 2 of the writing paper so the word limit is 220 - 260 words. Their review should include ... Writing Example (Type: Review) Evaluative writing - review give relevant details and information which are expected by reader. Descriptive writing - review appeals to the reader's five senses (have colourful adjectives and various descriptions) Narrative writing - review is telling a story insignificantly (a sequence of events that took place) The organisation: 5/5. C1 Advanced preparation The C1 Advanced handbook gives an overview of the exam and its place within Cambridge English examinations. This is followed by a focus on each paper and includes content, advice on preparation, and example papers. These are the listening files related to the Sample Paper from the Teacher's Handbook. Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) Writing: How to Write the Review Tailor your language choices to the target reader identified in step 1. Step 5: Start Writing. With your outline and language decisions in mind, start writing your review. Follow the structure outlined in your outline, and remember to incorporate your chosen vocabulary and grammar appropriately. Be descriptive yet concise in your descriptions ... Top 10 Books to Study (Download PDF) C1 Advanced (CAE): Book 5 - Compact Advanced Student's Book Compact Advanced is a comprehensive preparation course for the Cambridge English C1 Advanced (CAE) exam. Adapted to the current version after 2015. The textbook provides students with the thorough preparation and practice necessary to do well on the exam. CAE Review Book reviews:Vocab to describe the book in general: a page-turner / a white-knuckle ride / a tearjerker / a laugh a minute / I couldn't put it down. Vocab to describe specific parts: a slow start / a gentle introduction /gripping climax / nail-biting conclusion / cliff-hanger ending/ a shocking twist in the tail. Setting: PDF CAE Writing Review CAE Writing Paper 2 Part 2 - Review A REVIEW may be about a book, magazine, film, play or concert; it may also be about a product or a service. A review in the Cambridge English: description of the thing reviewed, but requires an evaluation of its suitability for a particular purpose or audience. CAE Writing Please note that these reviews do not follow the required CAE Review format — they are to give you some ideas and vocabulary examples. For book reviews try www.goodreads.com. Just like the previous site you have to choose a book and read other people's thoughts on it. The top-rated reviews are at the top of the main page. CAE Report CAE Writing Paper C1 Advanced (CAE) Writing: Format. Format: cae writing paper contains two parts. Timing: 1 hour 30 minutes. Parts: 2. Task: candidates are required to complete two tasks: a compulsory task in Part 1. one task from a choice of three in Part 2. A range from the following: email/letter; essay; report; review; proposal. Free Practice Tests (Online) These texts are approximately 1 minute in length and involve two speaker s. Texts are taken from a wide range of real-life contexts and, therefore, contain a correspondingly wide range of topics, voices and styles of delivery. There are two 3-option multiple-choice questions on each text. Part 2 (Sentence completion) essay homework paper phd project resume review study thesis