Articles – examples & model answers | B2 First (FCE)
FCE Example Article: Topic (Learning)
You see this announcement on an English-language website.
Articles wanted The most useful thing I have ever learned. What is the most useful thing you have learned? Who did you learn it from? Why is it useful? Write us an article answering these questions. We will publish the best articles on our website. |
Answer:
The most useful thing I have ever learned
The most useful thing i have learned is surely speaking English. I’ve been studing English for nine years till now. I used to take regular classes in these language which i found very interesting. Also, i learn English in school, my teacher is awesome but strict, so i have to study constantly. But most of all, i learn English, watching movies, TV shows. Allso cartoons when i was younger. When i came across a movie which was subtitled i turned the subtitle off. I enjoy wathing TV and movies on English.
English is the most spoken language across the world. It is studied all over the world. In order to get in a conversation with a stranger from other country, you need to speak English. I’m a swimmer, so i go on competissions in many countries, and in all of those countries i speak English. I want to study abroad when i finish highschool, so i’ll defenetly need English.
All in all, i enjoy speaking it, writing it, and I’m very glad I got to learn it, i find it very useful.
Comments:
Subscale | Grade | Commentary |
Content | 5 | All content is relevant and the target reader is fully informed. The article describes the most useful thing which the writer has learned: speaking English, and explains why it is useful.The second aspect of the task is discussed in detail and various methods of learning are described. |
Communicative Achievement | 3 | The conventions of writing an article are used appropriately to hold the reader’s attention. The tone is friendly and informative and the topic is clearly introduced and developed through the paragraphs. The subject is appropriate for the English website and straightforward ideas are communicated. The conclusion summarises the candidate’s opinions and rounds off the article, re-stating the main points of the question. |
Organisation | 3 | The text is generally well organised and coherent. There is a clear structure to the whole text, an introduction of the topic, paragraphs dealing with different aspects, and a neat conclusion. |
Language | 3 | A range of everyday vocabulary is used appropriately and some attempts are made to use less common lexis. There are some slips with plural/singular pronouns (these language) and some prepositions as well as a few errors with spelling but these do not impede communication |
FCE Example Article: Topic (Music)
You see this announcement on an English-language website:
Articles wanted MUSIC AND ME When do you listen to music? How do you choose what to listen to at different times? Write us an article answering these questions. The best articles will be posted on our website. |
Answer:
I always listen to music, wherever I go I have my headphones on my ears. Listening to what I like satisfy’s me and makes me calm all the time. When the bus is taking me to school I listen to the music so I could wake up.
I love to listen to classical music, jazz, rock, hip-hop, dubstep, pop music. But I can’t listen to Serbian folk, any rap, techno or K-pop music. It just anoy’s me. Of all the songs I can listen, I adore pop and dubstep the most. I’m glad that my parents listened to roc and ninetees serbian songs which I like to listen sometimes.
Everybody has his own taste for music, somebody likes rock, somebody likes rap or something else, and that’s ok. I’m proud of myself that I’m listening to what I’m listening.
Comments:
Subscale | Grade | Commentary |
Content | 4 | All content is relevant. The article discusses music, describes when the writer listens to music, and explains personal musical preferences. However, the second question is not fully addressed. We learn about the music the writer likes but not about how certain music is chosen at different times. This second point is not fully developed but the target reader is on the whole informed about this aspect. |
Communicative Achievement | 3 | The article generally follows the conventions of the task. The subject is personal to the writer and relevant examples are given from personal experience. The article is written in a tone that is appropriate for a general audience and holds the reader’s attention. |
Organisation | 2 | When presenting musical preferences, the information is presented in a list format, rather than comparing or contrasting different styles, with cohesive devices to show the relationship between the writer and the music described. |
Language | 2 | Everyday vocabulary is used appropriately and there is a range of vocabulary connected with musical styles. Simple grammatical forms are used with a good degree of control, but there is a lack of range with the present tense being most frequently used. Errors do not impede communication |
FCE Example Article: Topic (Ambition)
You see this announcement on an English-language website:
Articles wanted Ambition What does ambition mean to you? What ambitions do you have? The best articles will be published in our magazine. |
Answer:
I think you would agree that ambition has a big influance on our lifes. But what really mean to be ambitious? How important is ambition in a daily life?
From my point of view it is very hard to talk about ambition. I have many ambitions. I want to be well-educated and sporty. I believe that these aims are good for me because I have to try to achieve them all the time. They make that I am not a lazy person. Good ambitions do not let us stop working and learning.
But what happen when we are too ambitious? I know many people who think that their ambitions, ideas and aims are the most important think in their life. It is a beautiful idea but we have to know where is the border. We cannot forget about other people when we are intending to achieve our ambition we must remember to stay a human for example, I spend a lot of time learning but I often prefer to go for a trip with my parents even if I will get a bad mark.
To sum up, ambition is very important in my life but I know there are many things which I value more like my family. I want to achieve my ambitions but it would not be a big loss for me do not do it.
Comments:
Subscale | Grade | Commentary |
Content | 3 | The target reader is on the whole informed despite minor irrelevance and omissions. We learn about what ambition means to the writer and, briefly, about the writer’s own ambitions. Details about how the writer intends to achieve their ambitions have been omitted and there is some irrelevance in the paragraph on problems with being too ambitious. |
Communicative Achievement | 4 | The conventions of writing an article are used effectively to communicate ideas using an engaging tone. The use of rhetorical questions and the balance between general statements and personal opinions hold the reader’s attention throughout. |
Organisation | 3 | The text is generally well organised and coherent with a clear introduction and logical development of the topic, making use of paragraphs, a variety of linking words and some cohesive devices, such as referencing and substitution. Some attempt is made at connecting ideas in longer sentences, for example the final sentence of the third paragraph. |
Language | 3 | A range of everyday vocabulary suitable for the task is used appropriately (well-educated; sporty; intending to achieve; it would not be a big loss). There is a range of simple and some more complex grammatical forms used with a good degree of control. Some errors with lexis and sentence structure are present, but they do not impede communication. |
FCE Model Article: Topic (Holidays)
You see this announcement in an international travel magazine.
THE PERFECT HOLIDAY DESTINATION Have you found the perfect holiday destination? if so, write us an article: • describing the place • saying why it is special for you. We will publish the best article next month. |
Answer:
I don’t know If I have found the perfect holiday destination but I’m sum that Watamu is the beet place I have ever visited.
Watamu Is a small village on the coastline of Kenya. It takes three hours to arrive there by car from the capital Nairobi but it’s a trip that is worth to be done.
When I booked the holiday I thought I was going to spend all the time laying on the beach. I was wrong! Once arrived there I discovered a lots of way to have fun. The sea and the white beaches with the palms am stunning but them something mom you can enjoy. The countryside is also Interesting and people are friendly and sell the products of their poor country always smiling.
And you cannot imagine how amazing is to make a safari In the park. Because of the very hot temperature, you have to set out very early in the morning if you want to see all the animals. The landscape of the park is fascinating, everything seems to very dry, them are no trees Just bushes. Driving on yourjeep you discover something real& special: a wild world full of life.
Comments:
Subscale | Grade | Commentary |
Content | 5 | Full realisation of the task, with appropriate expansion. |
Communicative Achievement | 5 | Good article style. The target reader Would be fully informed. |
Organisation | 5 | Effectively organised with a strong, positive ending. |
Language | 5 | Wide range e.g. ‘the white beaches … are stunning’. Relevant vocabulary. Minimal errors. Good control. |