B2 First Writing: Paired Band 3 vs Band 5 Models Inside the Word Limit

Problem: many B2 First candidates write plenty of English yet their Writing score stays still — they cannot tell why one answer passes and another reaches the top band, and their own answers drift over the word limit without them noticing. Answer in brief: read two answers to the same task side by side, name exactly what the stronger one does differently under Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, then write your own answer inside 140–190 words and check it against the same four headings. This guide teaches that paired-answer method using Achieve Success in B2 First Writing (Jobin Thomas), the one book in this series built around Band 3 versus Band 5 pairs for the same task, with six complete new suggested models whose exact word counts are stated and verified.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this article you will be able to: describe what each of the four marking criteria rewards in plain language; compare a pass-level and a top-band answer to the same task and name the differences; plan a Part 1 essay that covers both printed notes plus your own third idea; shape a Part 2 article or email to its reader and purpose; and hold every answer inside 140–190 words while checking it honestly against the criteria.

• Judge your own writing with an examiner’s headings instead of a vague feeling.
• Turn a compared pair into one concrete improvement in your next answer.
• Cover all three content points in every Part 1 essay you write.
• Choose article or email language that fits the stated reader.
• Finish inside the word band and use the last minutes for a real check.

What the exam asks — and what this book contains

The Writing paper gives you 1 hour 20 minutes for two tasks of equal value, so about 40 minutes each including planning and checking. Part 1 is always a compulsory essay: a short classroom context, a question asking for your opinion, two printed notes you must cover, and a third idea you add yourself. Part 2 offers a choice of tasks — articles, letters and emails, reviews and sometimes reports or stories depending on the session — and you answer one. Every answer must be 140–190 words, and every task is judged under the same four headings: Content (all points covered and developed), Communicative Achievement (the right style and purpose for the reader), Organisation (clear paragraphs and smooth links) and Language (a suitable range of vocabulary and grammar, accurately enough controlled).

This book trains the whole paper in two halves. The Part 1 half explains the four criteria one by one with Band 5 and Band 3 illustrations, sets out the exact essay requirements and a three-step timed method (plan 8–10 minutes, draft 20–25, edit 5–7), teaches essay language chapter by chapter — linking words, hedging, cause and effect, contrast, stance phrases, B2 grammar choices and topic vocabulary — then works through six essay tasks, each with two complete sample answers at different levels plus a written comparison. A guided section then scaffolds ten further essay tasks with brainstorming, planning and self-check support, followed by a mistake clinic and a three-task mini mock with a simplified marking sheet. The Part 2 half teaches task choice, audience and tone, and planning, then works through the article in depth — a full magazine task with a top-band and a mid-level answer on the same brief — and the email and letter with purposes, readers and register guidance. The sections of the book read for this article were the criteria chapters, the method and language chapters, all six essay pairs with their analyses, all ten guided tasks, the mistake clinic, the mini mock, and the Part 2 choice, article and email chapters.

One correction before you practise

This book states the 140–190 word rule correctly, and you should follow it exactly. But its own six top-band essay models do not follow it: counted directly, they run to 237, 253, 278, 340, 337 and 355 words — every one of them over length, some by nearly double. An over-length answer in the exam tends to lose marks: extra paragraphs usually add repetition or drift off the task, which weakens Content and Organisation rather than strengthening them. So treat the book’s long models as banks of ideas and useful phrases, not as length patterns to copy. Every model answer in this article is newly written for its stated task, counted word by word, and inside the band — the counts are printed beside each one so you can verify the discipline rather than take it on trust.

The paired-answer method

The book’s most useful teaching move is printing two answers to one task. Use them actively with this five-step routine, which takes about 25 minutes per pair.

1. Attempt first. Read the task, list its three content points, and write at least a paragraph plan — ideally a full answer — before looking at either sample. A comparison only teaches you if you have tried the thinking yourself.
2. Read the mid-level answer as a checklist. Tick off the three points. Note where each paragraph starts and what each linker does. Underline every sentence you could have written yourself.
3. Read the top-band answer with one question: what does this paragraph do that the other answer’s paragraph did not? Write the difference in plain words, for example “gives a concrete example after the claim” or “answers the actual question instead of sitting on the fence”.
4. Sort each difference under one of the four criteria. Extra examples and a clear opinion belong to Content; tone and reader awareness to Communicative Achievement; paragraphing and linking to Organisation; sentence variety and precise words to Language. If a difference fits nowhere, it is probably decoration — ignore it.
5. Rewrite one paragraph of your own attempt using exactly one difference you found. One deliberate transfer per session beats a page of admiration.

A short demonstration: for the book’s first essay task (university versus starting work, with your own idea on money), the mid-level answer concludes that both paths are fine and it depends on the person, while the top-band answer states a position — that work first suits many — and defends it. That single contrast is a Content lesson: an opinion essay must give an opinion. Everything else in the two answers is secondary to that point.

Worked essay: who should protect the environment

The exact book task (Model Task 2)

Exact task from the book: your class has discussed how to protect the natural environment, and your teacher asks for an essay giving your opinion on who should be mainly responsible for protecting it. Cover what ordinary people can do, what governments can do, and your own idea — for example the role of businesses. Write 140–190 words in an appropriate style.

The book’s own top-band answer opens with this exact sentence: “Every person on this planet wants to live in a clean and healthy environment, but who bears the greatest responsibility for making that happen?” It is a strong hook, and the answer develops all three points — but at 253 words it is too long to copy as a length pattern. The new suggested model below keeps the same three points and a clear position, inside the band.

New suggested model — 166 words (verified count)

Who should be mainly responsible for protecting the environment? In my opinion, everyone has a part to play, but governments and businesses must take the lead because only they can make changes on a large scale.

Ordinary people can certainly help through small daily actions. They can recycle waste, use public transport instead of driving, and reduce energy use at home. When millions of people change their habits, the combined effect is significant.

However, governments have far greater power. They can pass strict laws that limit pollution, fine factories that break the rules, and invest in renewable energy. Without such laws, individual efforts will never be enough.

Businesses must also accept responsibility. Large companies produce most industrial waste, so they should be required to use cleaner technology and reduce emissions. Firms that pollute should pay for the damage they cause.

In conclusion, although individuals should act responsibly, real progress depends on strong laws and cleaner industry. Shared effort, led from the top, offers the best hope.

Why this model works

• Content: all three points appear in their own paragraphs — individuals, governments, businesses — each with at least one supporting detail (recycling and transport; fines and renewable investment; cleaner technology). The question “who should be mainly responsible” gets a direct answer in the first and last paragraphs.
• Communicative Achievement: the tone stays neutral and formal throughout, with impersonal subjects (“ordinary people”, “governments”, “firms”) rather than chatty second-person nudges, which suits an essay for a teacher.
• Organisation: five short paragraphs with one job each, linked by a small set of correctly used markers — “however”, “in addition”-style flow, “in conclusion” — instead of a memorised chain of connectors that adds nothing.
• Language: modal verbs for proposals (“should be required”, “should pay”), a conditional idea (“when millions of people change”), and topic collocations (“reduce emissions”, “renewable energy”, “industrial waste”) carry the range without showy errors.

Notice what the model leaves out: no memorised introduction about the environment in general, no fourth idea, no repeated paragraph. That restraint is what keeps it at 166 words. If your draft runs past 190, delete a sentence that repeats a point before you delete an example that proves one.

Worked article: a lesson learned the hard way

The exact book task (Lessons Learned)

Exact task from the book: your college magazine runs a section called Lessons Learned and invites articles about an experience that taught you a valuable lesson — a challenge, a mistake or an adventure. Describe the experience, explain why it was important for you, and say what others can learn from it. The best articles will be published.

The book’s top-band article for this brief opens with this exact sentence: “I looked around at the towering trees and realized with a knot in my stomach that I had no idea where I was.” The opening drops the reader into the middle of the action, the story answers all three parts of the brief, and the closing speaks directly to the reader. The new suggested model below follows the same shape — hook, story, lesson, message to the reader — inside the band. Names, places and events in it are fictional training material.

New suggested model — 180 words (verified count; story fictional)

A Lesson I Learned the Hard Way

Have you ever arrived somewhere to discover you were completely unprepared? That happened to me last spring, and it taught me a lesson I still use today.

Our class had organised a day hike in the hills. I felt confident, so I set off with my friends but brought no map, little water and a phone I had not charged. Halfway up, the group took a higher path while I followed a lower one on my own. Within twenty minutes I was lost, thirsty and rather frightened.

Luckily, I remembered our teacher saying that downhill paths usually lead to roads. I stayed calm, walked carefully downwards and eventually reached a farm track. A farmer kindly pointed me back to the village, where my worried classmates were waiting.

That day taught me two things. First, preparation matters more than confidence. Second, staying calm helps you think clearly. So before any trip now, I check my route, charge my phone and tell someone my plans. Perhaps my embarrassing afternoon can save you from your own.

Why this model works

• Content: the experience (getting lost), its importance (two stated lessons) and the message for others (checklist plus closing line) each get explicit space — nothing the brief asks for is left implied.
• Communicative Achievement: first person for the story, second person for the reader (“Have you ever…”, “can save you”), a title, and feeling words that suit a magazine — the article sounds like an article, not an essay with “you” added.
• Organisation: time markers (“halfway up”, “within twenty minutes”, “eventually”) carry the story forward, and the final paragraph turns from past narrative to present advice, which is the natural shape of a lessons-learned piece.
• Language: past tenses do the narrative work, including the past perfect where the earlier event needs marking (“a phone I had not charged”, marking the earlier omission) — finished past events take past forms, not the present perfect.

Practice bank: four tasks with full models

Attempt each task in about 40 minutes before opening its model. Check your answer against the teaching note, not just the sample — a different position or different example can still score well if it covers the points, fits the reader and stays inside the band.

Practice 1 — Essay on city pollution (adapted from the book’s Practice Task 3)

Adapted task: your class has discussed ways to reduce pollution in cities. Write an essay answering this question: what is the best way to reduce air pollution in cities? Cover improving public transport, stricter environmental laws and fines, and your own idea — for example promoting green technology. Write 140–190 words.

New suggested model — 165 words (verified count)

What is the best way to reduce air pollution in cities? In my view, improving public transport is the most effective step, although stricter laws and cleaner technology also have important roles.

Better public transport takes cars off the road. When buses and trains are cheap, frequent and reliable, fewer people choose to drive. One full bus can replace dozens of cars, which means far less exhaust in city streets.

In addition, governments should enforce tougher environmental laws. Factories that release illegal levels of smoke should be fined heavily, and older, highly polluting vehicles should be kept out of city centres. Clear penalties push both firms and drivers to change.

My own suggestion is to support green technology. Cities can install charging points for electric cars and offer discounts to buyers, while encouraging solar power on public buildings. These measures cut emissions without asking people to give up travel.

In short, clean transport, firm laws and new technology together can give cities much cleaner air.

Teaching note: each paragraph has one required point plus one support (bus arithmetic, fines, charging points). The opinion appears in sentence one and returns in the close. A frequent weakness in answers to this task is describing pollution at length instead of answering “what is the best way” — notice the model spends no sentence on general background.

Practice 2 — Essay on money and happiness (adapted from the book’s Practice Task 9)

Adapted task: your class debated the saying “Money can’t buy happiness.” Write an essay answering this question: is money the most important factor for happiness? Cover financial security and comfort, relationships and health, and your own idea — for example having purpose in life. Write 140–190 words.

New suggested model — 163 words (verified count)

Is money the most important factor for happiness? Although financial security clearly matters, I do not believe money alone brings happiness. Relationships and a sense of purpose matter far more.

First, money provides comfort and removes worry. People who can pay for housing, food and healthcare live with less stress and enjoy more opportunities, such as education and travel. Without this basic security, happiness is difficult.

However, money cannot buy health or love. A wealthy person with no close friends or with serious illness may still feel miserable. Studies of happiness repeatedly show that strong family ties and good health count more than income once basic needs are met.

My own view is that purpose completes the picture. People who do meaningful work, help others or pursue a valued goal feel fulfilled in a way that shopping cannot provide. A teacher who loves her job may feel happier than a bored millionaire.

In conclusion, money helps, but connection and purpose decide lasting happiness.

Teaching note: the concession structure (“although money matters… however…”) lets the writer agree partly without sitting on the fence — the answer is no, stated twice. Compare with the book’s university-versus-work pair: the failing move there was “both are fine, it depends”, and the same move would fail here.

Practice 3 — Email of advice to a friend (newly written; people and situation fictional)

New task: your English-speaking friend Marta has just started a part-time job at a café and writes to ask how to balance evening shifts with studying for her English exams. Write an email to Marta giving her your advice. Write 140–190 words in an informal style.

New suggested model — 149 words (verified count; fictional)

Hi Marta,

Thanks for your email. Congratulations on your new part-time job at the café! You asked how to balance work with your English studies, so here are my thoughts.

First, protect your study time by fixing two or three evenings a week for English only, and tell your manager those evenings are unavailable. Most managers respect a clear, polite request made in advance.

Second, use small gaps in your day. You can review vocabulary on the bus or listen to English podcasts while walking to work. Twenty focused minutes a day adds up quickly.

Finally, do not accept extra shifts before exams. It is better to earn a little less for two weeks than to fail a test you worked hard to prepare for.

Let me know how your first week goes. Perhaps we can practise speaking together on Thursday, if you are free.

Best wishes,
Alex

Teaching note: the email keeps the informal markers the book teaches for friends — contractions, “Hi”, “Thanks for your email”, an invitation at the end — but stays organised with “first, second, finally”. Three concrete suggestions answer the request; general encouragement alone would leave Content thin.

Practice 4 — Essay on endangered animals (adapted from the book’s mini-mock Task 1)

Adapted task: your class discussed protecting endangered animals, and your teacher asks for an essay on whether human beings should do more to protect endangered species. Cover causes of endangerment such as habitat loss and hunting, the importance of biodiversity, and your own idea — for example ethical responsibility. Write 140–190 words.

New suggested model — 157 words (verified count)

Should human beings do more to protect endangered animal species? In my opinion, yes. We caused most of the damage, so we carry a clear duty to repair it.

The main causes of endangerment are well known. Forests are cleared for farming and building, which destroys habitats, while hunting and overfishing remove animals faster than populations can recover. Pollution then poisons the survivors.

Biodiversity matters more than many people realise. Every species plays a role in its ecosystem: bees pollinate crops, forests clean the air, and balanced food chains protect farming itself. When one species disappears, others often follow.

My own concern is ethical. Animals have value beyond their usefulness to us, and future generations deserve to inherit a living planet, not photographs of creatures we allowed to vanish. Protecting wildlife also creates jobs in tourism and conservation.

In conclusion, stronger reserves, stricter hunting laws and public support can still save many species if we act now.

Teaching note: cause paragraphs suit active verbs for natural processes — forests are cleared, populations recover, species disappear — rather than a passive chain in every sentence. The conditional close (“if we act now”) answers the “should we do more” question with direction, not just description.

Two short drills: linkers and finished-past tenses

Drill 1 — Repair the linkers (newly written)

Each sentence misuses a connecting word. Rewrite it correctly, then check.

1. Despite of the cost, many students choose university.
2. Online messages lack warmth. Although, they are convenient.
3. On the other hand, public transport should improve. (First sentence of the paragraph.)
4. He saved money for a year. Moreover, he could pay the fees.
5. Although it was raining. We stayed at home.

Answers with explanations

1. Despite the cost, many students choose university. (“Despite” takes no “of”; “in spite of” would also work.)
2. Online messages lack warmth. However, they are convenient. (“Although” must join a clause, not stand alone between sentences.)
3. Firstly, public transport should improve. (“On the other hand” needs a first hand already stated; an opening point takes an adding marker.)
4. He saved money for a year. As a result, he could pay the fees. (“Moreover” adds a same-direction point; saving leading to paying is a result.)
5. Although it was raining, we stayed at home. (One clause cannot be split into two sentences.)

Drill 2 — Finished past references (newly written)

A finished past moment takes past forms, never the present perfect. Fix each sentence, then check. The first one is the classic failure: a historical comparison written as “has been transformed” when the reference year is over and done.

1. By 2020, the town has been transformed by the new railway.
2. Shakespeare has written his greatest plays more than 400 years ago.
3. The river rose every spring until the dam has controlled it.
4. Last year, the club membership has doubled after the fees were cut.

Answers with explanations

1. By 2020, the town had been transformed by the new railway. (2020 is a finished reference point, so the change before it takes the past perfect; “was transformed” is also acceptable for the finished event itself.)
2. Shakespeare wrote his greatest plays more than 400 years ago. (A finished time phrase takes the past simple.)
3. The river rose every spring until the dam controlled it. (Both events are finished history; no present perfect either side.)
4. Last year, the club membership doubled after the fees were cut. (“Last year” is finished; “has doubled” would only suit a period reaching the present.)

Error clinic: six faults and their fixes

1. A strong answer at the wrong length

Fault: a 240-word essay that covers everything. Why it fails: length beyond 190 usually means repetition or extra ideas the task never asked for, which costs Organisation and sometimes Content. The book’s own long models are the warning example. Fix: cut a repeated sentence first, then a general background sentence, then re-count. Practise finishing at 160–180 words so the exam version has margin.

2. Present perfect for a finished past

Fault: “By 2020, the town has been transformed.” Why it fails: the present perfect reaches into the present, but 2020 is over. Fix: “By 2020, the town had been transformed” or “the town was transformed”. Reserve “has been” for changes whose story includes now, such as “The town has changed a great deal in recent years.”

3. Passive voice in every sentence

Fault: “Habitats were destroyed, animals were hunted, and pollution was caused by factories.” Why it fails: natural processes often need active intransitive verbs, and a full chain of passives reads flat. Fix: mix the voices — “Forests were cleared for farming, while hunting removed animals faster than populations could recover.” Let recover, disappear, grow and spread do their own work.

4. Two points covered, the third missing

Fault: an essay on city pollution that discusses transport and laws but never mentions the writer’s own idea. Why it fails: Content explicitly requires both notes plus the added idea. Fix: write the three points as three headings in your plan and tick each as you draft. Give the third idea its own short paragraph so it cannot dissolve into a closing sentence.

5. Essay voice inside an article or email

Fault: “One must consider whether hiking is beneficial. In conclusion, I believe…” in a magazine article. Why it fails: the reader is a peer with a magazine, not a teacher with a mark scheme — impersonal essay phrasing breaks Communicative Achievement. Fix: keep stance phrases for essays and use article moves for articles: a title, a direct question to the reader, first-person story, and a closing line that speaks to “you”.

6. Invented statistics and unasked extras

Fault: “Seventy per cent of young people prefer city life” or a prediction presented as an official forecast. Why it fails: invented figures add nothing the criteria reward and can read as padding; a prediction you made up is not evidence. Fix: argue from reasons and examples, not numbers — “many cities”, “a growing number of schools” — and never add dates, figures or new agents the task did not supply. If a figure is given in the input, check any arithmetic against all of it before you comment.

Independent timed task and self-check

New task for solo practice (adapted from the book’s mini-mock Task 3): your class discussed the role of public libraries, and your teacher asks for an essay on whether public libraries still have a significant role in society today. Cover access to information for everyone, competition from digital technology such as e-books, and your own idea — for example libraries as community spaces. Write 140–190 words in about 40 minutes, then mark yourself with this checklist adapted from the book’s marking sheet.

Self-check checklist (mark 0–5 per row)

Criterion	Check question
Content	Are all three points covered, developed, and relevant, with a clear opinion?
Communicative Achievement	Is the tone neutral and formal throughout, holding a teacher-reader’s attention?
Organisation	Does each paragraph have one job, with correct linkers and a logical order?
Language	Is there a mix of simple and complex sentences with only minor slips?
Length	Is the answer 140–190 words, counted rather than guessed?

A strong attempt scores 4–5 on every row. A 3 anywhere names your next week’s work: Content 3 means thinner examples, Organisation 3 means paragraphing or linkers, Language 3 means range or accuracy. Do not average the rows into a grade claim — use them as directions.

Study sequence with the book

1. Week 1 — criteria and method. Read the four scales chapters and the three-step method. Write one essay from the ten guided tasks under time, using its brainstorm and plan support.
2. Week 2 — pair comparisons. Work through three of the six essay pairs with the five-step routine above, rewriting one paragraph each time. Attempt the article brief yourself before reading either sample article.
3. Week 3 — guided volume. Complete four more guided tasks, alternating essay topics. Keep every draft inside the band by planning three paragraphs plus introduction and close.
4. Week 4 — mock and Part 2. Take one mini-mock essay and the article or email chapters’ tasks under full timing. Mark with the checklist, then re-read the mistake clinic for any fault you repeated.

FAQs

Do examiners really penalise a 200-word answer?

There is no automatic deduction per extra word, but over-length answers almost always repeat themselves or drift off task, and that is penalised under Content and Organisation. The safer reading is the book’s own rule: stay inside 140–190.

Can I use contractions in the essay?

The book advises against them, and for the essay that advice is sound: a neutral or formal essay reads better with full forms. Save contractions for informal Part 2 emails and articles where the reader is a friend or peer.

Does my third idea have to be original?

No. It must be relevant and clearly yours — one you chose and developed — not a surprising invention. The book’s own suggestions (cost, technology, ethics) are ordinary ideas handled well, which is exactly the standard.

Does my article need a title?

It is not strictly required, but a short relevant title sets the magazine tone immediately and costs few words. Both sample articles in the book carry one.

Can I memorise an introduction and reuse it?

Risky. Memorised openings usually ignore the actual question, which weakens Content and Communicative Achievement at once. Memorise flexible frames instead — “In my opinion… because…” or “Have you ever…?” — and fill them from the task.

How do I choose my Part 2 task?

Follow the book’s test: read every option, check you have ideas for the topic, confirm you know the format’s conventions, and pick the reader you can address most naturally. A familiar format with a plain topic beats an exciting topic in a format you have never practised.

The matching book

Achieve Success in B2 First Writing by Jobin Thomas is a full Writing-paper course: Part 1 essay training (criteria, requirements, timed method, language chapters, six tasks each with two levelled samples and a comparison, ten guided tasks, a mistake clinic and a three-task mock with marking guidance) plus Part 2 training (task choice, audience and tone, article and email/letter chapters with samples). If the paired-answer routine in this article suited you, the book gives you six more pairs and ten scaffolded tasks to apply it to.

Cambridge B2 First Writing — Book 7 (product page)

Continue your practice with Achieve Success in B2 First Writing

Want more practice? This article introduces the key principles, but Achieve Success in B2 First Writing provides additional practice, worked examples and structured preparation. View the book →

Sources and editorial note

• Exam format paraphrased from the official Cambridge B2 First format page: cambridgeenglish.org — B2 First format (Writing: 1 hour 20 minutes, two parts; Part 2 tasks 140–190 words), and the B2 First handbook: B2 First handbook (PDF).
• Source book verified from its actual text (read-only): EPUB metadata title Achieve Success in B2 First Writing, author Jobin Thomas; file “Camebridge b2 first 139.epub” (129 entries, about 52,700 words extracted). Exact title above is the book’s own title, not the file name.
• Teaching correction: the book’s six top-band essay models were counted at 237–355 words, above the 140–190 band the book teaches; this article says so openly and supplies new suggested models inside the band with verified counts (166, 180, 165, 163, 148, 157).
• Labels used honestly: “exact task” and “exact sentence” mark short verbatim excerpts; “adapted” marks tasks reworded from the book with facts and requirements preserved; “newly written” marks fresh tasks and all six full models, which are suggested answers — other valid answers exist.