The Ultimate B2 First Writing Workbook Route: Timed Models and Practice

Problem: you own a thick B2 First Writing workbook with dozens of practice papers but no plan — so you write answers at random, repeat the same task type, and never find out why marks disappear. Answer in brief: treat the workbook as a timed route, not a pile of papers. Start with one diagnostic paper, then work in 80-minute pairs: a compulsory Part 1 essay covering both printed notes plus one idea of your own, and one Part 2 answer (review, article or email) shaped for its reader — every answer 140–190 words, checked against Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language. This guide teaches that route with two fully annotated models and six further tasks with complete model answers, grounded in The Ultimate Cambridge B2 First Writing Workbook (Jobin Thomas).

Learning outcomes

By the end of this article you will be able to: plan a Part 1 essay that covers both printed notes plus your own third idea; choose the Part 2 task that suits you and shape it for its reader; hold every answer inside 140–190 words inside a 1-hour-20-minute paper; organise paragraphs with a small set of reliable linking devices; and check your work against the four marking criteria before you stop writing.

• Answer a compulsory essay prompt completely: both notes, your own third idea, and a clear opinion with reasons.
• Select from review, article and email in Part 2 and apply the right tone, greeting and layout for each.
• Run a timed 80-minute paper: roughly 10 minutes planning, 25 minutes per answer, and time to check.
• Correct the six most expensive errors in the clinic below, including tense choice for finished past events.

What the exam asks — and what this book trains

The official B2 First format gives Writing 1 hour 20 minutes and two equally weighted parts: a compulsory essay in Part 1 and a choice of task in Part 2, each answer 140–190 words. Each script is assessed against four subscales — Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language. The broader exam also includes Reading and Use of English (1 hour 15 minutes, seven parts, 52 questions), Listening and Speaking, but this article and this book concern Writing only.

The source book for this article is The Ultimate Cambridge B2 First Writing Workbook by Jobin Thomas (file 3 B2 First writing.epub). Its introduction explains the paper in the same terms — two tasks, 140–190 words each, equal marks, four criteria — and then provides 51 numbered practice sets, SET 1 to SET 51. Every set follows the same pattern: Question 1 is a compulsory essay with two printed notes plus your own idea, Question 2 is a review, Question 3 is an article and Question 4 is an email, each with the book’s own sample answer. Report and letter formats appear only in the introduction; no numbered set asks for them. That consistent shape is what makes the book suitable for the timed route taught below: once you can handle one set under time, you can handle any of them.

Two transparent corrections before you start. First, the book’s cover promises “Band 9” model answers; Cambridge B2 First does not use bands — scripts receive marks against the four criteria above, which convert to the Cambridge English Scale — so this article calls the book’s answers sample answers and labels all new models here as newly written, not examiner-approved. Second, the SET 2 question paper is printed twice in the book, word for word; it is one paper, not two, and the study sequence below counts it once.

The workbook route: how to use 51 papers

Fifty-one papers look generous until you try to “do them all” and stall at SET 4. Use this route instead.

• Diagnose (SET 1, untimed). Write the Part 1 essay and one Part 2 answer without a clock. Check both against the self-check list in the independent task. Your weakest criterion decides what you study first.
• Learn the two frames. Practise the Part 1 essay frame in the Part 1 method and the Part 2 chooser in the Part 2 method on single tasks before you time anything.
• Run timed pairs. From SET 2 onward, always answer two tasks in one 80-minute sitting: the compulsory essay plus one Part 2 task. Allow about 10 minutes of planning, about 25 minutes of writing per answer, and keep the remaining time for checking against all four criteria.
• Rotate the Part 2 choice. Attempt review, article and email in turn rather than always picking your favourite. The exam lets you choose on the day; you want all three ready.
• Review before the next pair. After each sitting, correct your scripts with the error clinic, rewrite one weak paragraph, and only then open the next set.

At two pairs a week, the book’s 51 sets give roughly six months of material with revision weeks built in — see the study sequence.

Part 1 method: the compulsory essay

Every Question 1 in the book has the same shape: a statement, an instruction to use all the notes, and two printed notes plus a blank third note for your own idea. Marks go to essays that discuss all three — the two printed points and one relevant idea of yours — and give a clear opinion with reasons.

Use this four-paragraph frame:

• Introduction (2–3 sentences). Restate the statement in your own words and give your opinion plainly.
• Paragraph 2: first printed note. Make the point, explain it with one reason, and add one short example or consequence.
• Paragraph 3: second printed note plus your own idea. Cover the second note the same way, then add your own idea as a shorter third point introduced with Finally or Another important factor is.
• Conclusion (2 sentences). Restate your opinion and add one forward-looking or balancing sentence.

Linking devices you can reuse safely: Firstly, Secondly, However, Although, As a result, For example, In addition, In conclusion. Eight is enough; examiners reward correct use, not variety for its own sake.

Mini-demonstration

Take the book’s SET 1 essay (exact short excerpt, framing condensed): “Some people say that modern lifestyles are damaging our health. Do you agree?” Notes: 1. Food and eating habits. 2. Lack of physical activity. 3. Your own idea. A complete plan covers food, activity, and one idea of yours — the book’s sample uses stress and screen time. The full annotated model appears in the worked models.

Part 2 method: choosing review, article or email

In every set of this book, Part 2 offers the same three options: Question 2 review, Question 3 article, Question 4 email. Choose in the exam room with this 60-second test: which reader do I see most clearly, and which content points can I list fastest? If you cannot list three content points in a minute, take a different option.

Review (Question 2)

Reader: classmates or website visitors deciding whether to watch, read or visit something. Shape: name the item and give a first impression, describe two or three features (plot, characters, atmosphere for a film), say what surprised you, and close with a clear recommendation and reason. Semi-formal tone; present tenses for description, past tenses for telling what happened.

Article (Question 3)

Reader: magazine or website readers who want an engaging personal answer to the announcement. Shape: lively opening that answers the topic directly, two or three middle paragraphs that answer each question in the announcement in order, personal closing thought. Direct address (you) and one or two rhetorical questions suit the genre; keep contractions natural.

Email (Question 4)

Reader: the friend who wrote to you. Shape: friendly opening reacting to their news, one paragraph per question they asked — answer every question — and a warm sign-off. Use the greeting and sign-off the book’s samples use (Hi Lisa, … Best wishes, [Your Name]). Informal but organised: this is still an exam answer, not a real message.

Worked models: one essay and one email, fully annotated

Both models below are newly written for exact prompts from the book’s SET 1. They are suggested models, not official answers: other complete answers are possible. Each states its exact word count; both sit inside the required 140–190 range.

Model A — Part 1 essay on modern lifestyles (newly written, 165 words)

Prompt (exact short excerpt, framing condensed) — SET 1, Question 1: “Some people say that modern lifestyles are damaging our health. Do you agree?” Notes: 1. Food and eating habits. 2. Lack of physical activity. 3. Your own idea.

Why this works. Content: all three inputs are covered — food, activity, and a clearly added third idea (screen time). Communicative Achievement: the register stays formal-essay throughout and the opinion is stated twice. Organisation: four paragraphs with Firstly, Secondly, Finally, In conclusion guiding the reader. Language: a mix of complex sentences (Because people work long hours, they often choose…) and accurate range (have become far more common, previous generations). Compare it with the book’s own sample essay, which makes the same three points in the same order — the method transfers to any set.

Model B — Part 2 email to Lisa about the charity event (newly written, 151 words)

Prompt (exact short excerpt, framing condensed) — SET 1, Question 4: Lisa, an English-speaking friend, writes that she has been asked to help organise a charity event at her school. She asks for suggestions for fun fundraising activities, and how to get more students interested and involved.

Why this works. Content: both of Lisa’s questions get full answers — activities plus publicity. Communicative Achievement: warm informal tone with an opening reaction and a closing promise, exactly what a friend expects. Organisation: one paragraph per question, so nothing is missed. Language: suggestions are framed politely (I suggest, You could, People join faster when…) with conditionals used correctly. Note the contrast with Model A: contractions, exclamation and direct address belong here, never in the essay.

Practice bank: six tasks with complete model answers

Attempt each task in full before opening its model. Every model is newly written and states its exact count; short teaching notes follow each one. Prompts are labelled exact short excerpt with framing condensed, adapted or new.

Task 1 — Essay: social media (exact short excerpt, framing condensed, SET 2 Question 1; model 146 words)

Prompt (exact short excerpt, framing condensed): “Social media has changed the way we communicate, but is it mostly for the better?” Notes: 1. Staying in touch with friends. 2. Online bullying and privacy issues. 3. Your own idea. Write 140–190 words.

Newly written model answer and notes

Social media has completely changed how we communicate, although whether this change is mostly positive remains uncertain.

On the positive side, it helps people stay in touch with friends and family wherever they live. Old classmates can share news instantly, and relatives abroad can follow everyday moments through photos and messages. For many busy people, these tools keep relationships alive that distance would otherwise weaken.

However, serious problems come with these benefits. Online bullying causes real suffering, particularly among teenagers, and private information spreads faster than most users realise. Once images or details appear online, controlling them becomes almost impossible.

Finally, my own worry is the spread of false stories. Fake news travels quickly and confuses readers, which damages trust in genuine information.

In conclusion, social media connects us powerfully, but its dangers are equally real. Used carefully, it improves communication; used carelessly, it harms it.

Notes. All three inputs appear: staying in touch, bullying and privacy, plus misinformation as the writer’s own idea — matching the book’s sample, which uses the same third point. The balanced opinion (“connects powerfully, but dangers are real”) answers “mostly for the better?” directly instead of sitting on the fence.

Task 2 — Review: a TV series (exact short excerpt, framing condensed, SET 2 Question 2; model 163 words)

Prompt (exact short excerpt, framing condensed): An entertainment website asks for TV series reviews: describe a series that kept you interested from start to finish — its plot, its characters and what made it engaging — and say whether or not you would recommend it. Write 140–190 words.

Newly written model answer and notes

The Harbour Lights (a fictional series) kept me interested from the first episode to the last.

The story takes place in a small fishing town where the lighthouse suddenly stops working every night at midnight. A young journalist returns home to investigate and discovers old letters that suggest the blackouts began decades earlier. Although the mystery drives the plot, the true strength of the series lies in its characters: the stubborn harbour master, the journalist’s cautious mother, and a retired keeper who clearly hides something.

What made it engaging was the pacing. Each episode ended with a genuine surprise, yet every surprise had been carefully prepared, so the final explanation felt satisfying rather than forced. The grey coastal photography added a calm, slightly sad atmosphere that suited the story perfectly.

I would strongly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys slow mysteries with believable characters. By 2020, the town had been transformed from a quiet backdrop into a place viewers genuinely cared about.

Notes. Plot, characters, engagement and recommendation are all present, in that order — the exact four points the announcement requests. The series is invented and labelled fictional, so no real-world claims need checking. Past-tense narration is used for finished story events (“had been transformed”), not present perfect.

Task 3 — Article: the most difficult challenge (exact short excerpt, framing condensed, SET 2 Question 3; model 152 words)

Prompt (exact short excerpt, framing condensed): A school newsletter invites articles titled “The most difficult challenge I’ve faced”: what was the challenge, how did you deal with it, and what did you learn? Write 140–190 words.

Newly written model answer and notes

The most difficult challenge I have ever faced was learning to swim at the age of sixteen.

When my class organised a sailing trip, I realised I was the only student who could not swim. I felt embarrassed, so I avoided the water for the first two days and watched everyone else enjoy themselves. Have you ever felt left out of something everyone else found easy? That was exactly my situation.

In the end, I asked the sailing instructor for private lessons. We started in the shallow pool with basic floating, and within a week I could cross it alone. The instructor never rushed me, which gave me the confidence to keep practising every morning before breakfast.

This experience taught me that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. Since then, I face difficult tasks earlier instead of hiding from them — a lesson far more valuable than swimming itself.

Notes. The three announcement questions are answered in order, with the middle paragraphs carrying the story and the final paragraph drawing the lesson. Direct address (“Have you ever…?”) and contractions give the article voice without sliding into slang.

Task 4 — Email: Tom visits your country (exact short excerpt, framing condensed, SET 2 Question 4; model 155 words)

Prompt (exact short excerpt, framing condensed): Tom, an English-speaking friend, plans to visit your country for two weeks in summer and experience the local culture. He asks which fun traditional activities he should try, and what food he should taste. Write 140–190 words.

Newly written model answer and notes

Hi Tom,

I was delighted to hear you are visiting this summer! Two weeks is perfect for exploring properly.

For traditional activities, start with the midsummer folk festival in the old town square, where local groups perform dances you can join even as a beginner. I also recommend a guided walk through the historic quarter, which ends at the riverside craft market. The market sellers demonstrate pottery and weaving, and you can try both yourself.

As for food, taste the national mushroom soup first — every family makes it slightly differently. Then try the honey cake sold at every bakery; it is sweet but not heavy. If you enjoy cooking, join the Saturday market workshop where visitors prepare dumplings alongside local chefs. Avoid the tourist restaurants near the station, where prices are high and quality is ordinary.

Write back with your arrival date and I will meet you at the airport!

Best wishes,

[Your Name]

Notes. Both questions answered: activities in one paragraph, food in the next, plus a practical warning and a closing arrangement. Suggestions stay concrete (festival, walk, market, two dishes) rather than vague (“try our culture”), which is what lifts Content marks.

Task 5 — Essay: school uniforms (adapted prompt, SET 3 Question 1; model 151 words)

Prompt (adapted from the book’s SET 3 essay): Some people believe students should wear uniforms at school, while others disagree. Do you think school uniforms are a good idea? Notes: 1. Expressing individuality. 2. Reducing peer pressure. 3. Your own idea. Write 140–190 words.

Newly written model answer and notes

Whether students should wear school uniforms has been debated for years, and I believe uniforms are the better choice.

Critics argue that uniforms prevent young people from expressing their individuality. Clothes certainly say something about personality, and teenagers especially value that freedom. However, self-expression hardly depends on school outfits alone: hairstyles, hobbies, music and opinions all show who someone is.

The stronger argument favours uniforms, because they reduce peer pressure. When everyone dresses alike, nobody is judged for cheap or unfashionable clothes, and poorer families face less financial strain. Classrooms become calmer when appearance stops competing with learning.

Finally, uniforms strengthen discipline and belonging. Pupils who dress as one team tend to behave as one, which teachers in my former school noticed every September. Clear uniform rules also save families time and arguments every morning.

In conclusion, although uniforms limit clothing choices, their benefits for equality and focus matter far more.

Notes. Both sides are handled before the writer’s own idea (discipline and belonging) enters with Finally — the order that keeps Organisation clear. Concessions (“Critics argue… However…”) show range without losing the stated opinion.

Task 6 — Email: starting a photography club (newly written task, fictional; model 149 words)

Prompt (new): Your English-speaking friend Daniel writes: “Our town council is offering small grants for new youth clubs. I want to start a weekend photography club for teenagers. What activities could the club run? How can we convince the council our club deserves the grant?” Answer both questions in 140–190 words.

Newly written model answer and notes

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for your message — a photography club is a wonderful idea, and I am happy to help!

For activities, organise a monthly photo walk with a different theme each time, such as markets, rivers or night lights. You could follow each walk with an editing evening where members improve their pictures together and choose the best ones for a small exhibition in the library. A friendly competition with a small prize would keep everyone motivated.

To convince the council, stress what teenagers gain: creative skills, outdoor exercise and new friendships. Prepare a one-page budget showing exactly what the grant buys, and invite a councillor to your first exhibition so they see the results directly. An experienced member could also run short talks on light and composition before each outing.

Good luck with the application — tell me how the first walk goes!

Best wishes,

[Your Name]

Notes. This task mirrors the book’s email shape exactly — a friend, two questions, 140–190 words — with new fictional content. One paragraph per question keeps Content complete; the closing line maintains the relationship, which is part of Communicative Achievement in emails.

Common errors and corrections

Six errors that cost workbook users the most marks, with corrected versions.

• 1. Dropping the third essay point. Many candidates discuss the two printed notes and forget their own idea. Failing version: an essay on modern lifestyles covering food and activity only. Fix: always add a short third paragraph — even three sentences on screen time or sleep — introduced with Finally or Another important factor is.
• 2. Finished past events in the present perfect. A historical comparison such as “By 2020, the town has been transformed” is wrong: the reference date is finished, so the past perfect or past simple is required. Fix: “By 2020, the town had been transformed.” Reserve present perfect for links to the present (“The town has changed a great deal in recent years”).
• 3. Inventing figures the prompt never gave. Candidates add statistics, dates or official projections to sound convincing — “a 2023 survey shows 78%…” — but examiners mark Content against the task, not research. Fix: develop ideas with reasons and everyday examples, and never present an invented figure as fact.
• 4. One register for every task. Essay formality leaks into emails (“I am writing to inform you of my suggestions”) and chatty style leaks into essays (“gonna”, “stuff”). Fix: essays stay formal and impersonal; emails to friends use contractions, exclamation and direct address, as Models A and B show.
• 5. Answering only half of Part 2. Lisa asks two things (activities and publicity); Tom asks two things (activities and food). Answering one halves Content. Fix: underline each question in the prompt and give each its own paragraph.
• 6. Stopping at 120 words — or running to 230. Both directions lose marks: short answers cannot cover the content, and long answers accumulate language errors. Fix: count your words during practice until 160–180 words feels automatic; every model in this article sits in that zone.

Independent timed task and self-check

Do this task under exam conditions: 40 minutes for one essay, 140–190 words, no dictionary. It adapts the book’s SET 6 essay theme (technology in schools) with a new wording, so the thinking is yours.

Task (adapted): “Many schools now use tablets, apps and online platforms for teaching. Does technology improve learning?” Notes: 1. Access to information. 2. Distraction in class. 3. Your own idea. Give reasons for your point of view.

Answer guidance and self-check

There is no single correct answer; a complete answer discusses access to information, distraction, and one idea of your own (for example, teacher training or unequal internet access), with a clear opinion. Check your script against this list before you finish:

• Content: all three points covered, opinion stated, 140–190 words counted exactly.
• Communicative Achievement: formal essay register throughout, no contractions or chatty phrases.
• Organisation: four paragraphs, each with one clear job; linking words used correctly.
• Language: at least three complex sentences; finished past events in past tenses, not present perfect.

Study sequence with the book

A four-week cycle you can repeat across the 51 sets (counting the duplicated SET 2 paper once):

• Week 1 — Diagnose. Write SET 1 untimed (essay plus one Part 2 task). Mark both with the self-check above and note your weakest criterion.
• Week 2 — Essays. Write the Part 1 essays from SETs 2–4, one every other day, using the four-paragraph frame. Rewrite your weakest introduction.
• Week 3 — Part 2 rotation. Answer one review, one article and one email from SETs 5–7 under 30 minutes each. Compare each with the book’s sample for the same task.
• Week 4 — Timed pairs. Sit two full 80-minute papers (SETs 8–9): essay plus one Part 2 task each. Check timing, word counts and all four criteria, then start the next cycle at SET 10.

Slower is fine: one pair a week still completes the route in about a year with revision. What matters is never writing without a clock after Week 1, and never skipping the review step.

FAQs

How many practice papers does the book contain?

Fifty-one numbered sets, SET 1 to SET 51, each with one essay, one review, one article and one email plus sample answers. Note that the SET 2 question paper is printed twice in the book; it is a single paper.

Does the book cover reports?

Only in the introduction, which describes the report as one of the possible Part 2 types. None of the 51 numbered sets asks for a report, so report practice needs a different book if the exam offers that option on your date.

What happens if my answer is under or over 140–190 words?

Short answers usually miss content and long answers collect errors, so both lose marks in practice. Train inside 160–180 words, as every model in this article does.

Must I really invent a third idea for every essay?

Yes — the instructions ask you to use all the notes, and the blank third note is one of them. Keep it short: two or three sentences are enough if the two printed points are well developed.

Are the book’s sample answers perfect scores?

They are useful practice-level samples, not examiner-approved scripts — Cambridge does not publish perfect answers for these workbook tasks, and “Band 9” is not a Cambridge scale. Use them to study structure and ideas, then compare with the newly written models here.

Which Part 2 task should I choose?

The one whose content points come to you fastest. Rotate all three during practice so the choice is genuine on exam day rather than a habit.

The matching book

This article is grounded in The Ultimate Cambridge B2 First Writing Workbook by Jobin Thomas (file 3 B2 First writing.epub): an exam overview plus 51 practice sets, each with a compulsory essay, a review, an article and an email with sample answers. If you want months of timed-paper material in official format, it is the workbook this route was built for.

View Cambridge B2 First Writing — Book 3 (jobins-book-006) on staging

Keep practising with The Ultimate Cambridge B2 First Writing Workbook

Enjoyed this guide? The Ultimate Cambridge B2 First Writing Workbook takes you further, with deeper explanations, more practice tasks and complete model answers. Continue practising with the full book →

Sources and editorial note

• Exam format paraphrased from the official Cambridge B2 First format page: cambridgeenglish.org — B2 First format, and the official B2 First handbook: B2 First handbook (PDF). Writing: 1 hour 20 minutes, two equally weighted parts, 140–190 words per answer, assessed on Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language.
• Source book read read-only from Source-Books /Cambridge B2 First/Writing/3 B2 First writing.epub (EPUB metadata title The Ultimate Cambridge B2 First Writing Workbook, author Jobin Thomas; main chapter ~363,000 characters / ~58,800 words extracted; file hash recorded in review metadata). The book is preserved unchanged.
• Sections read in full: exam introduction and Writing overview; SET 1 question paper and all four sample answers; SET 2 question paper (printed twice) and all four sample answers; SET 3–6 essay prompts and samples; structural scan of SETs 1–51 confirming every set uses Question 1 Essay, Question 2 Review, Question 3 Article and Question 4 Email.
• Labels: SET 1 and SET 2 prompts are exact short excerpts with framing condensed; the SET 3 uniforms prompt is adapted (same situation, reworded); Task 6 and all eight model answers are newly written. Fictional content (the Task 2 series, Task 6 club) is labelled fictional. No third-party passages are reproduced.
• No score guarantees are made, no keyword metrics are claimed, and no human review is claimed.