ScoreFluentC1 Advanced Writing, two answers in 90 minutes.
A compulsory essay and one task chosen from three, each 220–260 words. Trained examiners mark every answer on four criteria, each from 0 to 5, so each answer carries the same weight.
Checked 15 and 16 October 2026 against Cambridge English. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
What do I have to write in C1 Advanced Writing?
| Part | Task | Words | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Essay (compulsory) | 220–260 | The input is a short text with three bullet points and three short opinions. Choose two of the points, say which is more important and give reasons. |
| Part 2 | One task from three: letter or email, proposal, report or review | 220–260 | Each task gives a context, a purpose and a target reader. You choose the one you can answer best. |
You have 90 minutes for both parts. Cambridge says that time is for brief plans and two responses, not for fair copies or counting words. For the full guides, see the Part 1 essay, the Part 2 choice and every C1 Advanced task.
How is C1 Advanced Writing marked?
Each answer is marked from 0 to 5 on four criteria, which makes 20 marks per answer and 40 for the paper. Whole marks only are awarded. The paper becomes one of your five Cambridge English Scale scores; see how C1 Advanced is scored.
| Criterion | What the examiner looks at |
|---|---|
| Content | How well you did what the task asked. Is everything relevant, and is the target reader fully informed? |
| Communicative Achievement | How appropriate the writing is for the task, including whether the register suits the reader. |
| Organisation | Whether the piece is logical and ordered, with cohesive devices used well. |
| Language | The range and accuracy of your vocabulary and grammar. |
The criterion names are Cambridge’s; the one-line glosses are our paraphrase. Trained examiners mark paper answers, and Cambridge describes digital Writing marking as hybrid, combining technology and human expertise. Read the full descriptors and the example answers with examiner comments in the handbook, linked below.
How long should my answers be?
Aim for 220–260 words in each. Cambridge says writing approximately the right number of words is an integral part of task achievement. Significantly fewer words probably means the task is not complete. Significantly more is likely to bring irrelevance, repetition or poor organisation.
The digital test shows a running word count. On paper there is none, and counting wastes time, so train your eye: write three practice answers by hand, count them once afterwards, and learn how many lines 240 words fill in your handwriting.
Which Part 2 task should I choose?
Look at the reader, the purpose and the language functions each task needs (Cambridge lists describing, evaluating, hypothesising, persuading, expressing opinion, comparing, giving advice, justifying and judging priorities), then pick the one you can do most convincingly. Cambridge describes the four text types like this:
Letter or email
A reply to a situation, written to someone such as an editor, a company director, a principal or a peer. It must stay appropriate for that reader throughout, and may ask you to reassure, correct a misunderstanding or justify an action.
Proposal
Written for peers or a supervisor. You make one or more suggestions, supported by facts and evaluation, to persuade the reader of a course of action. Clear headings suit it.
Report
Written for a superior or a peer group. It draws on the prompt material and your own ideas, and asks for more than description, such as judging how far an aim was met or suggesting an alternative.
Review
Of a book, film, play, concert, product or service. It evaluates how suitable the subject is for a stated purpose or audience, not only what it is like.
Not every text type appears on every paper, so practise all four. Spend your first minutes on the choice: a task you can answer well is worth more than one that sounds impressive.
How do I plan the 90 minutes?
Cambridge gives no time for each part. The plan below is ours, not Cambridge guidance, and it is a plan to test.
| Step | Minutes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: plan | 5 | Pick the two points, decide which matters more and why, and sketch the order of your paragraphs. |
| Part 1: write and check | 35 | Write about 240 words, then read for task, register and slips. |
| Part 2: choose and plan | 5 | Read all three tasks, choose by reader and purpose, and list the points to cover. |
| Part 2: write and check | 35 | Write about 240 words in the right format, then check. |
| Spare | 10 | Use it where a quick read shows a missing point or an unclear sentence. |
After a timed practice, note which step overran. If planning takes under three minutes, you are probably planning too little for the essay to be well organised.
What mistakes lose marks in Writing?
The advice below is from Cambridge’s handbook; how to avoid each slip is ours.
Covering all three points in the essay
Cambridge says to base the essay on two points and not to discuss more, because the essay will be less developed. Write the two points you chose at the top of your plan and ignore the third.
Copying the input
No credit is given for language obviously lifted from the question. If you use one of the three opinions, put it in your own words.
A pre-learned answer
Cambridge says a memorised piece on a similar topic is very unlikely to meet the exact requirements of the task. Practise structures, not whole paragraphs.
The wrong register for the reader
Communicative Achievement rewards the right tone for the stated reader. Before writing, name the reader in a few words and decide how formal you will be.
Switching spelling variety
American and other varieties of English are accepted, but you are expected to be consistent. Pick one for the whole paper.
Leaving no time to check
Spelling and punctuation are not specifically penalised, but errors can hurt communication. Keep the last few minutes for reading your answers as the examiner would.
What can I practise on ScoreFluent?
ScoreFluent has practice for the Part 1 essay and for Part 2 tasks. Each answer gets an examiner report against the four Cambridge criteria; most examiner reports cost 8 credits and a Writing report costs 10. A Writing mock test (90 minutes, both parts) costs 10 credits at the time of writing, and the full C1 Advanced mock test costs 40.
Scores are practice estimates, not official Cambridge results, and we have not calibrated them against real Cambridge marking. Use the criterion feedback to decide what to fix. See the practice test guide for the official samples.
Straight from Cambridge.
ScoreFluent is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Cambridge University Press & Assessment. The facts here were checked on 15 and 16 October 2026 against:
- C1 Advanced exam format — parts, timing, word limits and task types.
- C1 Advanced Handbook for teachers (PDF) — task descriptions, the four assessment scales, advice and example answers.
- Converting practice test scores (PDF) — the 0–5 marks per criterion and the 40-mark paper.
- Cambridge English Qualifications Digital — how digital Writing is marked.
Exam details change. If a decision hangs on a detail here, check it against the official pages above first; they outrank this page.
Keep going: the C1 Advanced guide, Reading and Use of English, Listening, Speaking and how scoring works.
C1 Advanced Writing questions, answered.
How many words do I write in C1 Advanced Writing?
Both answers should be 220–260 words, the essay in Part 1 and your chosen task in Part 2. Cambridge says writing approximately the right number of words is an integral part of task achievement.
How long is C1 Advanced Writing?
The paper takes 1 hour 30 minutes for two answers. Cambridge says that time covers brief plans and two responses, not fair copies or counting words, and each answer carries equal marks.
Is Part 1 compulsory in C1 Advanced Writing?
Yes. Part 1 is always an essay with no choice of task, based on two points you select from the three in the input. Part 2 is where you choose one task from three.
What can the Part 2 task be?
It is one of a letter or email, a proposal, a report or a review, with three tasks to choose from. Not every text type appears on every paper, so practise all four.
How is C1 Advanced Writing marked?
Each answer is marked 0–5 on Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language, giving 20 marks per answer and 40 for the paper. Trained examiners mark paper answers, and Cambridge describes digital Writing marking as a hybrid of technology and human expertise.
Do spelling and punctuation mistakes lose marks in Writing?
Cambridge says spelling errors and faulty punctuation are not specifically penalised, but they can get in the way of communication or affect the reader. Both British and American spelling are accepted, as long as you use one consistently.
What happens if I write too much or too little?
Cambridge says too few words probably means the task is not complete, and too many are likely to bring irrelevance, repetition or poor organisation. Either can lower your marks on the relevant criteria.
Is my handwriting marked on the paper test?
No. Cambridge says handwriting quality is not assessed, but your answer must be legible so it can be marked. Crossing out and neat corrections do not count against you.
Does ScoreFluent give an official C1 Advanced Writing score?
No. ScoreFluent marks your answer against the four Cambridge criteria and gives a practice estimate, not an official Cambridge result. We have not calibrated it against real Cambridge marking, so use the criterion feedback to choose what to fix.
Start practising C1 Advanced today.
C1 Advanced practice is live on ScoreFluent: the Part 1 essay and Part 2 tasks, free to start.
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