CPE essay writing
An essay is the first part of the writing and it is obligatory. The question always has a discursive
focus. Discursive writing is a style used in academic writing and it requires the high level of
language competence.
You are required to base your essay on input material which will take the form of two texts,
each approximately 100 words long. The texts will be based on a variety of authentic,
contemporary sources
How many words?
You need to answer the question with between 240-280 words.
Introduction
Make a plain reference to the topic of the two texts.
1 st body paragraph
Topic sentence + Paraphrase point 1 + Paraphrase point 2
2 nd body paragraph
Topic sentence + Paraphrase point 3 + Paraphrase point 4
3 rd body paragraph
Your opinion
Conclusion
Closing remark – No new ideas.
C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay: Structure
C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay: Writing Guide
Here is a straightforward way to write a perfect essay.
We will use the example extracts below in our writing guide advice. The texts are either
contradictory or complementary.
Step 1: Read the topic and find two key points of each extract.
Examinations are not fair.
Making judgments about the ability of students based on examinations that take place just
once or perhaps twice a year is simply not fair. So many students fail to show their true ability
due to anxiety, stress and a number of other factors. Many students who do well in exams do
so simply by cramming facts into their heads the week before the exam, to be forgotten by the
following weekend. Surely assessment of the work done in class and at home throughout the
school year would be a fairer system?
Classroom assessment is idealistic.
It’s all very well to talk about teachers judging their students work in the classroom, and
students working alone at home on their projects, but everyone knows that continuous
assessment doesn’t work like that. Teachers are only human, and tend to be softer on their
students than an examiner would be (or, in a worse scenario, harder on a student they don’t
like). Parents or older siblings help students with the projects they have to do at home, even if
it’s just coming up with ideas for them. Exams may not be fun, but at least we get to see what
each individual student is capable of.
Extract 1. Key points:
1) Unfair to judge a year’s performance just once or twice a year.
2) This unfair system forces students to temporary parrot-fashion learning
Extract 2. Key points:
3) Continuous assessment depends too much on the teacher who may be too lenient or too
strict.
4) Parents and siblings may give an unfair advantage to students over others who don’t have
help at home.
Step 2: Introduction: Make a plain reference to the topic of the two texts.
The introduction should inform the reader about the subject of the essay.
Introduction: The methodology for assessing students’ knowledge is crucial and is reflected in
their performance and future in education. Such an issue is analyzed in the two contrasting
passages that this essay touches upon.
Remember that this is not the best time to express your opinion, it should be at the very end
in the conclusion.
Step 3: Body paragraphs (1 & 2) = Main Body
Here we have to prove to the examiners that we have fully understood the text. In
the second and third paragraphs, we paraphrase 4 key points and comment briefly on them.
Body paragraph (1) = Topic sentence + Point 1 + Point 2
Paragraph 1: [Topic sentence] The first author considers the annual assessment of students’
performance as inadequate. [Paraphrase the first (1) point] Knowing that your only chance to
prove your competence relies on a couple of questions that need to be answered within a
suffocating time limit cannot but fill you with anxiety. [Paraphrase the second (2) point] To
make matters worse, even when the students manage to cope with the stress it is doubtful
whether they gain any academic benefit. All they do is switch off their critical thinking and
employ their parrot fashion learning. When the exams are over they ‘delete’ all this array of
incongruent information.
Body paragraph (2) = Topic sentence + Point 3 + Point4
Paragraph 2: [Topic sentence] Conversely, the second text sees the exams as the only reliable
means of school assessment. [Paraphrase the third (3) point:] If the students were continually
evaluated throughout the year they would be at the mercy of the bias of their teachers. If the
professors are positively predisposed they will inflate the marks and if they have any sort of
conflict with their pupils they could use the marks as a form of punishment. [Paraphrase the
fourth (4) point] Moreover, the project work that has often been hailed as the creative
alternative of barren exams may prove to be a hoax. More often than not it is other family
members that do the work and the students undeservingly reap the rewards.
Step 4: Body paragraph (3) = Your opinion
Opinion: [Topic sentence] While I agree that the exams entail counterproductive stress that
may spoil the true meaning of education, I cannot overlook the fact that they are an objective
and trustworthy method of evaluation. If the written tests accounted for a proportion of the
pupils’ overall mark and the rest was completed with projects and class participation we could
successfully combine the profits of these too seemingly contrasting methods.
Step 5: Conclusion: Closing remark – No new ideas.
In summary, what you really want is to show the examiners that you understand the text and
the key points, so it should be a balanced analysis of the text you have just read. Do not give
any new information, tell them what you have already told.
Conclusion: All things considered, the examinations can contribute to an objective assessment
of school performance as long as they are combined with elements of continuous assessment.
A final checklist…
the 4 key points are addressed
all abovementioned points are paraphrased and evaluated
your own ideas are expressed
a variety of language is present
the length is appropriate (i.e. word count)
no errors or slips
FINAL ESSAY:
The methodology for assessing students’ knowledge is crucial and is reflected in their
performance and future in education. Such an issue is analyzed in the two contrasting passages
that this essay touches upon.
The first author considers the annual assessment of students’ performance as inadequate.
Knowing that your only chance to prove your competence relies on a couple of questions that
need to be answered within a suffocating time limit cannot but fill you with anxiety. To make
matters worse, even when the students manage to cope with the stress it is doubtful whether
they gain any academic benefit. All they do is switch off their critical thinking and employ their
parrot fashion learning. When the exams are over they ‘delete’ all this array of incongruent
information.
Conversely, the second text sees the exams as the only reliable means of school assessment. If
the students were continually evaluated throughout the year they would be at the mercy of
the bias of their teachers. If the professors are positively predisposed they will inflate the
marks and if they have any sort of conflict with their pupils they could use the marks as a form
of punishment. Moreover, the project work that has often been hailed as the creative
alternative of barren exams may prove to be a hoax. More often than not it is other family
members that do the work and the students undeservingly reap the rewards.
While I agree that the exams entail counterproductive stress that may spoil the true meaning
of education, I cannot overlook the fact that they are an objective and trustworthy method of
evaluation. If the written tests accounted for a proportion of the pupils’ overall mark and the
rest was completed with projects and class participation we could successfully combine the
profits of these too seemingly contrasting methods.
All things considered, the examinations can contribute to an objective assessment of school
performance as long as they are combined with elements of continuous assessment.
