ScoreFluentThe first task on the C1 Advanced Writing paper is an essay, and everyone has to write it. You get a short situation, three notes and three opinions. You pick two of the notes and write 220 to 260 words saying which of the two matters more, with reasons. It sounds simple. The marks go to whether you answered that exact question, kept it organised, and used language with range and control.
This guide covers the task, the four marking criteria, a planning method, a worked plan, and three practice prompts from the ScoreFluent bank. The other writing task has its own guide: Part 2 letters, proposals, reports and reviews.
What is the Part 1 essay in C1 Advanced Writing?
The Writing paper lasts 90 minutes and has two parts. Part 1 is a compulsory essay of 220 to 260 words, based on two points from the input. You are asked to explain which of the two is more important in a given respect and to give reasons for your opinion (Cambridge exam format).
The handbook adds the detail. The task is set as a follow-up to an academic activity such as a panel discussion or a documentary, and the input is three bullet points plus three short opinions. An essay at this level is usually written for an academic tutor (C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers). There is no choice of task in Part 1.
Checked 15 and 16 October 2026 against the sources linked above. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
How is the Part 1 essay marked?
Cambridge marks each response on four subscales, each from 0 to 5, and combines them for the Writing paper (information for candidates):
- Content: have you done what the task asked? Is all content relevant, and is the reader informed?
- Communicative Achievement: is the register right for the task and reader?
- Organisation: is the text logical and ordered, with a range of cohesive devices?
- Language: vocabulary and grammar, including range as well as accuracy.
The handbook says length is taken into account. Spelling and punctuation are not penalised as such, but mistakes that impede communication or affect the reader can cost marks. Part 1 and Part 2 carry equal marks. For the full descriptors, read the C1 band descriptors in the handbook rather than a summary, since this page does not reproduce them.
How should I plan a 220 to 260 word essay?
Cambridge says the 90 minutes are designed for brief plans and two responses, not for fair copies or counting words. A split of about 45 minutes per task, with a few minutes to plan and to check, is a reasonable starting point. That timing is our suggestion, not a Cambridge figure.
- Read the whole task and underline three things. The topic, the reader (usually a tutor) and the exact comparison: "more important", "more important for a government to fund first".
- Choose two points you can compare. Pick the two you can argue about with reasons, not the two you like most. Leave the third out entirely.
- Plan four or five paragraphs. An opening that names the topic and states which point is more important. One paragraph per point, each with a reason and a consequence or example. A conclusion that restates your judgement and adds one qualification.
- Decide how you will use the opinions. You can agree, disagree or ignore them. If you use one, paraphrase it.
- Write in a formal or neutral register. Link ideas with a range of devices, not only firstly and in conclusion.
- Check against the task, then the language. Did you cover two points? Did you say which is more important and why? Is the length between 220 and 260? Is your spelling one variety throughout?
How do I use the three opinions in the notes?
The handbook says you may use them to help develop your essay but should put them in your own words as far as possible, and that no credit is given for language obviously lifted from the question. Compare:
- Lifted: "For many households the library is the only source of reading material."
- Own words: "Where a family cannot afford books, a library card may be the only way a child gets to read at all."
The second does more than change a few words: it adds a consequence. Cambridge's candidate guide also says you do not necessarily need to use all the input information, and that part of the task is selecting what to use.
What does a worked plan look like?
This plan is for Prompt 1 below. It was written by the ScoreFluent team as an illustration. It is not a Cambridge model answer and not a bank answer.
- Opening: libraries now offer more than books. I will compare free access to information with a quiet place to study, and argue that access matters more.
- Paragraph 2, free access: some households have no other source of reading. Consequence: children and job-seekers lose a route to learning that is free at the point of use.
- Paragraph 3, a quiet place: valuable for people in crowded homes. But a study room is a feature of a building, and other places can supply one. Free information has no equivalent.
- Conclusion: both points serve people with the fewest options. Free access is more important because nothing else replaces it, though quiet space is a close second.
Notice that the plan states a judgement in the opening, gives each point a reason and a limit, and ends on the comparison the task asked for.
What mistakes cost marks in the Part 1 essay?
- Discussing three points. The handbook says to base the essay on two. A third thins the development.
- Describing instead of judging. If you never say which point is more important, Content suffers.
- Copying the opinions. No credit for obviously lifted language.
- Writing it like a Part 2 piece. An essay for a tutor needs no salutation and no headings. Put the effort into paragraphing and argument.
- Ignoring the length. Far under 220 words is likely to leave the task incomplete, and far over risks irrelevance and repetition (handbook).
- Memorised answers. The handbook says a pre-learned answer is very unlikely to meet the exact requirements of the task.
- Mixing spelling varieties. Choose British or American and keep to it.
Where can I try C1 Advanced essay practice prompts?
Practice items from the ScoreFluent bank (not real exam questions)
The bank stores prompts, notes and opinions but no model essays, so there is no answer key here. Plan each in five minutes, then write it.
Prompt 1
Your class has attended a talk on the future of public libraries in the digital age. You have made the notes below.
Notes:
- free access to books and information
- a quiet place to study or work
- community events and classes
Opinions:
- “For many households the library is the only source of reading material.”
- “Few other places offer peace to those whose homes are crowded or noisy.”
- “A library that runs classes becomes the centre of its neighbourhood.”
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the points in your notes. You should explain which point you think is more important, giving reasons to support your opinion.
Write 220–260 words.
Prompt 2
Your class has attended a talk on how much money governments should spend on elite sport compared with sport for ordinary people. You have made the notes below.
Notes:
- funding for national teams and athletes
- public sports facilities in every neighbourhood
- free sport in schools
Opinions:
- “Medal winners inspire a whole nation to become more active.”
- “A swimming pool nearby does more for public health than any gold medal.”
- “Habits formed in childhood last a lifetime.”
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the points in your notes. You should explain which point you think is more important for a government to fund first, giving reasons to support your opinion.
Write 220–260 words.
Prompt 3
Your class has discussed the idea of rewilding, in which farmland is returned to a natural state and lost species such as wolves and beavers are reintroduced. You have made the notes below.
Notes:
- the recovery of ecosystems
- the livelihoods of farmers
- the safety of people living nearby
Opinions:
- “Nature repairs itself remarkably quickly if left alone.”
- “Rural communities should not bear the cost of other people's idealism.”
- “Wild predators and families do not mix.”
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the points in your notes. You should explain which point you think is more important, giving reasons to support your opinion.
Write 220–260 words.
How does ScoreFluent mark essay practice?
The C1 Advanced Writing sectional mock test and the full mock test include Part 1 essays. ScoreFluent's feedback follows the four published criteria and gives a practice estimate. It is not an official Cambridge mark, and we do not claim it is calibrated to Cambridge examiners. Writing answers get an Examiner report bought with credits. New accounts get 40 free credits, credits never expire and there is no subscription (pricing). Start with 40 free credits →
Where next: the C1 Advanced hub, the Writing guide, the Part 2 guide, how C1 Advanced is scored and the full list of C1 task guides.
Where did these facts come from?
- Cambridge English: C1 Advanced exam format
- C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers
- C1 Advanced: information for candidates
- C1 Advanced preparation page
Checked 15 and 16 October 2026. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. The practice prompts above come from ScoreFluent's own bank and are not real exam questions.
Questions students ask
How many words is the C1 Advanced Writing Part 1 essay?
220 to 260 words. Part 2 has the same range.
Is the Part 1 essay compulsory in C1 Advanced?
Yes. Part 1 has one task and no choice, while Part 2 lets you choose one task from three.
How many of the three points should I write about in the Part 1 essay?
Two. Cambridge's handbook says candidates should select two of the bullet points and not try to discuss a third, because the essay would be less developed.
Do I have to use the opinions given in the notes?
No. You may use them to help develop your essay, but in your own words as far as possible. Cambridge gives no credit for language lifted from the question.
What is the Part 1 essay marked on?
Four criteria: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language. Each is marked from 0 to 5, and the scores are combined for the Writing paper.
Does Part 1 carry the same marks as Part 2?
Yes. Cambridge says both tasks carry equal marks, so plan your time for each rather than spending most of it on one.
What happens if my essay is too short or too long?
Cambridge's handbook says significantly fewer words is likely to mean the task has not been completed, and significantly more is likely to bring irrelevance, repetition or poor organisation. Both can lower the marks on the relevant criteria.
Can I use American spelling in the C1 Advanced essay?
Yes. American and other varieties of English are acceptable, but you should use one variety consistently rather than switching between, say, British and American spelling.
Can I use a dictionary in the C1 Advanced Writing paper?
No. Cambridge's handbook says dictionaries are not allowed in the C1 Advanced examination.
Are the prompts on this page real C1 Advanced questions?
No. They are ScoreFluent practice prompts, and ScoreFluent is not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Practice estimates are not official Cambridge marks.