FCE Report Writing

Many of my students ask me, “Rory, how can I write a really good FCE report?” Do you often ask the same question?

Well, luckily for you, this page will really help you to improve your FCE writing test score.

But before we get started with that, I need to know that you’re concentrating. So, I’d like you to stand up and jump up and down 10 times. While jumping, I’d like you to imagine yourself jumping towards a better future. Just like the woman in the picture below, that is exactly what you’ll be doing by learning the information on this page. Passing the FCE exam opens many doors for students around the world.

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How To Pass FCE Reports

Okay, let’s carry on (continue) with ‘how to write an FCE report’.

Make sure you have a pen or pencil and a piece of paper because you will need to use these to complete the practice exercises in the video below.

You’ll need to register for Gold FCE membership to watch the video below, so if you haven’t done so yet, register/upgrade here >>

 

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Writing An FCE Report

 

The next video will take you through all the information and exercises you will find below.

If you want to skip to specific parts of the video below, click any of these times:

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FCE Report Advice – Summary

1. The target reader is normally a superior or a peer group.
2. Candidates normally need to present facts to the reader.
3. You should learn language for making suggestions and recommendations (you’ll find some useful vocabulary for FCE reports below).
4. You can use headings.

If you have any other questions about the FCE exam, check out my Cambridge B2 First frequently asked questions page.

 

FCE Report Question 1

If you are a member of this site, hopefully you watched the video at the top of this page. If so, you will have seen the FCE report question below, with an example answer and examiners critique of this answer. Let’s remind ourselves of the question. It is from the Cambridge English Handbook for Teachers.

 

FCE Writing Part 2 – Reports – Plan Template

You should always plan your answer.

A couple of pages ago, I told you how long to spend planning your FCE essay answer. I recommend planning all of your FCE writings for the same period of time, either:

a). 2 minutes

or

b). 5 minutes

If think 2 minutes, I say, NO NO NO…..

via GIPHY

HAHAHA, I don’t think that is long enough.

I recommend planning your part 1 and part 2 FCE writings for 5 minutes each.

That is 10 minutes total planning time in the writing exam. 5 minutes for your part 1 essay and 5 minutes for your part 2 writing.

 

Write A B2 First Report Plan

Luckily for you, I made a plan template that you can use when practising for the exam. You don’t have to follow my approach to planning, but it has been successful with other students, so why not take a look:

My plan template – online form
My plan template – word document
Complete my plan template in no more than 5 minutes using the question above.

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My B2 Report Plan

Type of Writing: Report.

Target Reader: Group leader/teacher.

Content: How technology is used for general subjects.
Teachers should watch how technology is used in language classes and sports classes.

Language: Formal. Persuasive. Conditionals. Linking words.
I would also write down some words to use in this report:

Vocabulary: computers. smart screens. tablets. videos. games. google translate. pronunciation. apps. internet. instant material.

Format:

Introduction (40 words) – Technology is used in a variety of ways in our country.

First paragraph (60 words) – Technology is used to help in most classes with interactive whiteboards.
Newer technology is coming – I Pads, phone applications.

Second paragraph (60 words) – Lessons to watch
Watch a general lesson, e.g. History to see normal technology being used.
Watch a language lesson to see how new technology is being used and can be used more in the future.

Conclusion (30 words) –

Technology is used in most classes. Some classes use newer tech and this will become more mainstream.

 

Sample FCE Report Answer 1

One of my students wrote the report below.

I recommend downloading the answer and correcting any mistakes you find.

FCE Report – Download This Sample Answer

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FCE Examiner Assessment Scale Template

Did you correct the student’s report above?

If so, you can now complete this assessment scale. Write a mark and comment for each of the 4 marking criteria.

If you need more advice on this, read my FCE writing marking criteria page again.

Download the template below, print and complete it or complete this scale and receive a copy via email.

Subscale	Mark (1-5)	Commentary
Content
Communicative Achievement
Organisation
Language

 

Sample FCE Report 1 My Critique

This report is intended to show how technology is used to provide opportunities for students with disabilities (you weren’t asked to be this specific in the question, so I’m immediately thinking the ‘content’ criterion may not be fulfilled) to study and which projects we run at our college to teach these people.
I want to say that in our college we work in two directions. The priority for us is people who suffer from paralysis and who are blind (okay, your college is specifically designed for people with disabilities, so the ‘content’ criterion is okay at the moment). I will talk about one of the directions (try to think of a different word to use for ‘directions’). Working with people who could not move was the only one of our special project we had when this college was founded. We have a huge experience (‘experience’ is an uncountable noun) in this. We understand how important it is for people with physical disabilities to communicate with other students (‘another’ + singular, ‘other’ + plural is a very common mistake students make at FCE. Check out some other common FCE mistakes). It is good to provide individual online lessons with teachers, but this is not enough (you could remove this entire paragraph or move the final 2 sentences to the introduction).
Firstly, we created practical seminars in which we bring together students in an audience and students who have connected to us on the Internet to discuss theoretical materials that have been studied before.
Secondly, we provide this course with all the support the students need, which means that our students who study on the Internet have the same materials as our students in the classroom, we have an online library. Also, we created an online platform that looks like a home website for our students, where they can check their progress. Homework, administrative documents and notifications are sent to them by our teachers.
All things considered, our project of using Internet technologies for teaching students with disabilities is an excellent opportunity for them to be fully integrated into a process of studying at a college and getting a classical education without leaving home. We invite you to take part in our practical workshop on Russian literature, where students will discuss the work of Alexander Solzhenitsyn so that you can see how we are doing our lessons in reality.

 

Examiner Assessment Scale Template With My Comments

Subscale	Mark (1-5)	Commentary
Content	2	You have written approximately 300 words which is 110 words over the limit. This indicates that some of your content is irrelevant, for example, the second paragraph. The student answers the first of the main points talking about how technology is used, but it could be more obvious which subjects they are used in. The second part of the question is only addressed in the final sentence and this could use some extra information, why is that a good lesson to watch?
Communicative Achievement	2	The report is written in an appropriate style, using formal, neutral language and an objective tone. The main points could be easier to follow and this could be achieved through the use of subheadings.
Organisation	2	The report would benefit from the use of subheadings. This would make the main points easier to distinguish and follow. Writing a good plan beforehand would help and this should include your subheadings.
Language	3	There is a range of everyday vocabulary which has been used appropriately, including some vocabulary specific to the topic ‘online library’, ‘online platform‘. There is also a range of grammatical structures used, including the passive voice, ‘this report is intended‘ and other less common structures ‘working with…was the only…we had...’ A few linking words have also been used and while there are some language related mistakes, these do not impede communication.

 

FCE Report Pass or Fail

This student got:

Content: 2
Communicative Achievement: 2
Organisation: 2
Language: 3

Total = 9/20

In order to pass the B2 First writing test, you need 24/40.

Remember, there are 2 writing tasks, so if the student got 9 in part 2, they would need to get 15/20 for the part 1 essay.

While it may be tricky to get 15/20 in part 1, you do not need to pass each different exam paper (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Use of English, Writing). In order to pass and get the B2 certificate, you only need to average circa 60% or more across all 5 exam papers.

 

FCE Report Vocabulary

Practise using the words and phrases below when writing your example FCE reports.

Making Suggestions/Recommendations

It would be wise to consider…
The following ideas could make a big difference to….
These measures could improve…
One package of measures that could be implemented is…
A combination of …. would drastically improve…
Do you have some more phrases for making suggestions or recommendations? Write them in the comments section at the bottom of this page!

 

Classroom/Homework Activities

If you want to give your students some FCE Report exercises to complete in class or if you want to do some extra work:

1. 1. Join this website as a Gold member to access all the exercises and information. If you have lots of students, email: admin@studentlanguages.com and I will create discounts for them.
   2. Watch this video and complete the relevant parts of this form (a copy of the form will be emailed to them which can they can bring into class)
   3. Read this report question: https://studentlanguages.com/fce-report/#FCE_Report_Question_1 and write a plan for 5 minutes here: https://studentlanguages.com/fcewritingplantemplate/
   4. Compare my plan with their plan
   5. Print, find and correct mistakes on this sample report answer
   6. Fill in the examiner assessment scale template with your thoughts on the sample report answer
   7. Compare your mistakes with my critique
   8. Compare your assessment with my assessment
   9. Update this worksheet during future classes.

If you or your students don’t have a computer…

1. 1. Join this website as a Gold member to access all the exercises and videos. I can create a discount code if you have lots of students, email: admin@studentlanguages.com
   2. Print and complete this form while watching this video
   3. Read this report question then write a plan for it here
   4. Compare your plan with my plan
   5. Print, find and correct mistakes on this sample report answer
   6. Complete the examiner assessment scale template for the sample report answer
   7. Compare steps 5 and 6 with my mistakes and my assessment scale notes
   8. Complete this worksheet

 

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