The Ultimate PET Writing Guide for B1 Cambridge

Writing for B1
KSE Academy®

Emails Articles Stories

FAQ pages Sample Tests 300+ phrases

Luis Porras Wadley

Writing B1
The Ultimate PET Writing Guide for B1 Cambridge

C2
C1
B2
B1
A2
A1

KSE Academy®

Luis Porras Wadley

Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy.
Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy.

2
KSE Academy®
Granada, Spain

First published in January 2023

ISBN: 9788409475056

Manufactured on demand by Kindle Direct Publishing.

This publication is copyright. No reproduction, whether physical or digital, may take

place without the written permission of the author, except for pages clearly marked as
“photocopiable”.

For further information and resources, please visit: [Link]

Disclaimer
Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of
Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy or the author of this work.

Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy.

3
Table of Contents
Introduction 6

B1 Writing Level Description by the CEFRL 7

B1 Preliminary: Writing 8

Candidates’ FAQ 10

Writing Part 1: Emails 14

How to Write an Email for B1 Preliminary 16

Sample Email 1 20

Sample Email 2 22

Sample Email 3 24

Sample Email 4 26

Sample Email 5 28

Useful Phrases for Emails 30

Writing Part 2: Articles 32

How to Write an Article for B1 Preliminary 34

Sample Article 1 36

Sample Article 2 38

Sample Article 3 40

Sample Article 4 42

Sample Article 5 44

Useful Phrases for Articles 46

Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy.

4
Table of Contents
Writing Part 2: Stories 48

How to Write a Story for B1 Preliminary 50

Sample Story 1 52

Sample Story 2 54

Sample Story 3 56

Sample Story 4 58

Sample Story 5 60

Useful Phrases for Stories 62

Essential Connectors for B1 Writing 64

Writing Assessment 68

Writing Mark Sheet 70

Writing Tasks Overview 71

Sample Writing Tests

Sample Test 1 72

Sample Test 2 76

Sample Test 3 80

Sample Test 4 84

Sample Test 5 88

More Cambridge Resources by the Author 92

Extras & Freebies 93

Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy.

5
Introduction
Welcome to Writing B1: The Ultimate PET Writing Guide for B1 Cambridge.

This guide covers the main writing tasks that appear in the Cambridge Assessment
English examination B1 Preliminary, previously known as the Preliminary English Test
(PET). These tasks are emails, articles and stories.

This book provides six sample tasks and answers for each type of writing, plus a whole
set of useful expressions for each type of task that candidates can use in their writing.
Ideally, students should use these samples as models for their own writing tasks,
making use of the helpful phrases provided at the end of each section.

Besides the sample tasks and useful expressions, this guide also contains a description
of Writing Part 1 and Writing Part 2, a full description of every task type, answers to
candidates’ frequently asked questions (FAQ), guidance on developing an appropriate
writing strategy, a description of how writing is assessed and a sample mark sheet which
can be used to assess students’ performance or as a self-assessment tool.

This writing guide is aimed at students of English as a foreign language who are
interested in improving their writing skills with a view to obtaining their B1 Preliminary
certificate, and at teachers who want support writing material to use with their own
students.

About the author

Luis Porras Wadley is the owner and director of KSE Academy, an online English
academy and official Cambridge Exam Preparation Centre based in Granada. As an
English teacher, Luis has been preparing Cambridge candidates successfully for more
than ten years. He is the author of other successful test preparation books, including The
Ultimate B2 First Writing Guide, The Ultimate CAE Writing Guide for C1 Cambridge,
Speaking First, Speaking CAE and Speaking CPE, among others.

Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy.

6
B1 Writing: Level Description by the CEFRL
The B1 Preliminary certifies a B1 level of proficiency as described by the Common
European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), which corresponds to a
lower-intermediate level of English.

According to the CEFRL, someone at the B1 level, in general:

"Can produce simple connected texts on topics which are familiar or of personal
interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly
give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans." (CEFRL, p. 24)

If we dig deeper into the B1 level, we see that an English learner at the B1 level in writing:

In overall written production:

“Can write straightforward connected texts on a range of familiar subjects within

his/her field of interest, by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear
sequence.” (CEFRL, p. 61)

In creative writing:

“Can write straightforward, detailed descriptions on a range of familiar subjects within

his/her field of interest. Can write accounts of experiences, describing feelings and
reactions in simple connected text. Can write a description of an event, a recent trip –
real or imagined. Can narrate a story.” (CEFRL, p. 62)

In reports and essays:

“Can write short, simple essays on topics of interest. Can summarise, report and give
his/her opinion about accumulated factual information on familiar routine and non-
routine matters within his/her field with some confidence. Can write very brief reports to
a standard conventionalised format, which pass on routine factual information and
state reasons for actions.” (CEFRL, p. 62)

As you can see, everything a B1 candidate produces in writing is expected to be about

familiar topics, topics of personal interest, their own opinion, familiar subjects, etc. And
some keywords stand out in these level descriptions. For example, straightforward,
simple, brief, short, etc. This means that these texts are not expected to be very complex,
as we might expect at higher levels like B2 or, certainly, at C1 and C2 levels.

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7
B1 Preliminary: Writing
In the B1 Preliminary Writing paper, candidates have to prove that they can write
different types of texts in English using linguistic resources which show that they have a
B1 level of written English. There are two parts in the Writing component, and they
have 45 minutes to complete both parts.

B1 Preliminary: Writing Part 1

What's in Writing Part 1?

Candidates are provided with an email they have received. The email is annotated with
a set of prompts presented as notes. All of this gives candidates the context, who they
are writing to and why, and four key content points. Candidates have to read and
interpret the email and respond to it accordingly. In their answer, they must include the
four content points in a response of around 100 words.

The goal of this email in Part 1 is to allow candidates to demonstrate the skill to use
functional language, which might include agreeing and disagreeing, giving their
opinion, offering to do something and explaining something to the target reader.

Candidates' emails should be well organised, containing all the necessary structural
elements expected in emails, and they should cover the four key points highlighted in
the instructions. They ought to read every part of the task carefully and not omit any
required development of the topic.

What do candidates need to practise?

Using language functions, such as agreeing, disagreeing, giving an opinion, offering,

explaining, reacting to information, etc.

How many tasks are there?

There is only one compulsory task in Part 1, which is always an email.

How many words do candidates have to write?

About 100 words

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8
B1 Preliminary: Writing Part 2
What's in part 2?

Candidates have to write a text from a choice of two text types: article or story. These
different types of tasks are designed to provide situations and contexts in which
candidates can put together and develop their ideas on a subject, with a specific
purpose for writing, target reader and context in mind. As guidance, candidates are
given some information about the context, the topic, the purpose, and the target reader.

For the article, candidates are provided with a snippet from a magazine or website,
usually an announcement, and they must write about it responding to the information
provided. For the story, candidates are provided with the first sentence of the story, so
they need to develop the rest of the story based on the first sentence.

For an appropriate response, candidates must pay attention to every aspect of the
question, and they must use language that is appropriate for the task. For example, in
the story task, it is important to pay attention to the pronouns used in the first sentence,
as it will determine the approach of the rest of the task.

What do students need to practise?

Writing different types of text that could come up in the exam, focusing on the style and
structure of the different task types as well as different language functions.

How many tasks are there?

There are two tasks in Part 2, but candidates must do only one.

How many words do candidates have to write?

About 100 words

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9
Emails

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EMAILS

Writing Part 1: Emails

Purpose of an email
Given that an email is written in response to a situation outlined in the task, its purpose
will depend on each specific task. In general, at this level, the purpose of the email task
is usually to react to good or bad news, to agree or disagree with some idea, to explain
why you agree or disagree, to respond to questions, to ask for information, to suggest
some ideas, etc.

Register
Every email has a particular target reader in mind. At B1 Preliminary, this reader will
typically be a friend or a relative. Therefore, standard or informal language is expected.
Given that we are dealing with a lower-intermediate level of English, all the situations
are familiar, so no formal language is required or expected.

Structure
Every email should have a similar, conventional structure. You need an opening
salutation and closing formula; an introductory and closing paragraph; and the main
body, which usually consists of as many paragraphs as key points are highlighted in the
task email.

Common topics
Many emails to friends and relatives include giving advice on a certain subject like
visiting your town, keeping fit, making plans, arranging a trip or a meet-up, etc.

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15
EMAILS

How to Write an Email for B1 Preliminary

In this part of the test, you are given an email from an English-speaking friend or relative,
and you are asked to respond to it in about 100 words. This email contains annotations
which help you identify exactly what you need to include in your email.
Here’s an example:

You must answer this question.

Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.

Question 1
Read this email from your English-speaking friend Liam and the notes you have made.

From: Liam

Subject: Next week’s visit!

Me too!
Hi Luis,

I’m really happy about your visit next week!

There are a couple of things we can do on your

first day here. Would you prefer to go to a rock
concert or to stay at home and watch a movie?

Also, we could go on a hiking trip while you’re I prefer…

staying here. Would you like that?
I can’t, If you have any questions, just let me know.
because…
Love, Ask Liam

Liam

Write your email to Liam using all the notes.

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16
EMAILS

How to Write an Email for B1 Preliminary (cont.)

As you can see in the previous sample task, you have received an email from a person
called Liam, who is a friend of yours. In addition, you have made some annotations,
which, are the key content points you need to address in your email:
Me too!
I prefer…
I can’t, because…
Ask Liam

Having these key content points highlighted has two main purposes:
• Clarify what you must write about.
• Determine how many paragraphs the email will have.

Email Structure
Every email consists of the following parts:
• Greeting: Greet the other person (i.e. say Hi or Hello).
• Opening paragraph: React to the other person’s news and ask them how they are
feeling and whatever else you feel is appropriate.
• Main paragraphs: Deal with the key content points, which are highlighted in the
instructions.
• Closing paragraph: Begin to say goodbye by wishing the other person well and
asking them to reply to your email.
• Goodbye: Short phrase to say goodbye.
• Signature: Sign the email with your name.
In general, all emails must follow the same structure, and also, remember that in
Cambridge exams you do not need to write From:, To: or a subject.

Now that we know the different parts of an email, we should see a sample answer.

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17
EMAILS

How to Write an Email for B1 Preliminary (cont.)

Now let’s take a look at the following email, where we can see a sample answer to the
task on page 16:

Greeting Hi Liam,

Opening + key cont. Thanks a lot for writing, my friend. I'm also really
excited about visiting you!

On my first day there, I'd like to relax at home. I’ll

Key content probably be very tired from the trip, so watching a film
will be better for me. Is that okay?

As for hiking, I'm afraid can't. I forgot to tell you, but I

Key content
hurt my knee last week, so I can't do any sport now.

How about visiting some art galleries in your town? If

Key content you know a good museum, we could go one day. You
know I love art! What do you think?

Well, I have to go now, but please let me know what

Closing paragraph
you think.

Farewell Take care,

Signature Luis

In the example above, you can see that the different parts of an email are very well
defined. It is important that your email shows this structure clearly and that your writing
is visually appealing, apart from having good grammar and vocabulary.
Your paragraphs should be well defined, leaving a space in between, and you should
know when to add line breaks. This is especially important after greetings, after opening
and closing paragraphs, and after saying goodbye. This will make your text visually
appealing, as it will make it look like a real email.

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18
EMAILS

How to Write an Email for B1 Preliminary (cont.)

Top 5 Tips for writing an Email for B1 Preliminary

Learn and memorise a set of expressions
Make sure you already know a set of expressions to use in your greetings, opening and
closing paragraphs, and farewells. This will save you a lot of time while doing a task, and
you will avoid making mistakes, as you will already know the expressions by heart.
Write a well-structured and visually-appealing email
One of the things Cambridge English examiners pay attention to is the organisation of
your piece of writing, so make sure not to write a messy email. Also, remember that
punctuation matters, so be sure to separate your sentences with stops and commas and
do not write excessively long sentences.
Brainstorm, write, read and edit
Before starting to write your email, brainstorm a couple of things and write down some
ideas. This can include vocabulary related to the topic. For example, if you have to write
about TV shows, you can write down things like contestants, cookery show, prize, etc.
Then, write out your email. After that, read it and look for possible mistakes or
opportunities for improvement (e.g.: adding descriptive adjectives, rephrasing
sentences, etc.).
Read carefully and identify what you have to do
Do not start writing right away. Make sure you read the task carefully and that you
identify exactly what you are being asked to do. Sometimes, we do not pay attention to
the instructions and we end up writing about something different. This will mean losing
points.
Experiment at home, be conservative in the exam
Homework is the best chance to get creative and experiment with different ways to
express yourself. So make sure you try your hardest to keep improving when you write
at home. However, when you’re doing an exam, don’t risk trying out new words or
expressions you are unsure of, as you may be making a mistake. So be conservative in
your exam and stick to what you already know works.

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19
EMAILS

Sample Email 1
Instructions

You must answer this question.

Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.

Question 1

Read this email from your English-speaking friend Katie and the notes you have made.

From: Katie

Subject: Your visit next month!

Me too Hi Sarah,

I'm excited about your visit next month!

I was thinking we could do a few things while

you're here. Would you like to visit the art
museum and go to a new sushi restaurant?
Both!
I also thought it might be fun to go for a bike ride
along the river trail. Would you be up for that?

I don’t If you have any other ideas or preferences, just let

like bikes
me know.
Go for
Looking forward to seeing you, a picnic

Katie

Write your email to Katie using all the notes.

Do you need someone to mark your email for B1?

Check out KSE Academy’s writing assessment service. Scan the QR code on the left with your
phone or visit [Link] for more information. Use the
coupon AMZWB1 for a great discount as a thank you for purchasing this book.

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20
EMAILS

Sample Email 1
Answer

Hi Katie,

I’m really excited too. I can’t wait to visit!

Both the art museum and sushi restaurant sound like great ideas. As you
know, I'm always keen on trying new things, especially food!

Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of bike riding, so I'm afraid I’m not interested in
going cycling along the river.

However, I think a picnic would be a lot of fun! It's a nice way to enjoy the
beautiful weather and spend time together. Do you agree?

I'm looking forward to seeing you too and having a great time together.

Best,

Sarah

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21
EMAILS

Useful Phrases for Emails

Sample 1 Sample 4
• I can’t wait to visit! • … it’s doing to be even better …
• … sound like great ideas. • I definitely agree that …
• … I’m always keen on … • should be on our list
• Unfortunately, … • I also think we should …
• … I’m afraid I’m not interested … • And how about visiting …?
• Do you agree? • Believe me, they’re amazing!
• I’m looking forward to seeing you … • As for a place to stay, …
• Best, • What do you think?
• I’m looking forward to …
Sample 2 • All the best,
• As for the present, …
• bookworm Sample 5
• an awesome place • Dear Mrs Smith,
• Shall I call them … ? • Thank you for your response about …
• Hope to hear from you soon. • I’m available on …
• Best wishes, • Regarding the types of films I enjoy, …
• thrillers
• … I would love to watch …
Sample 3
• Do you think … ?
• I’m doing fine.
• Sincerely,
• Thanks for asking!
• It’s always a good idea to …
• support your fitness goals
• As for motivation, …
• … my advice is to …
• … , which can be very motivating.
• I hope …
• helpful
• Let me know if …
• Regards,

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30
EMAILS

Useful Phrases for Emails

More useful phrases Introducing paragraphs & ideas
Greetings • As for … ,
• Hi John, • As to … ,
• Hello John, • Regarding … ,
• Dear John, • By the way, …
• Hey, did you hear about…?
• One more thing, …
Introductory paragraph
• It’s nice / great / good to hear from you.
• It’s nice / great / good to read your letter. Ending the informal email or letter
• Thanks a lot for writing! • Well, it’s time to say goodbye.
• It was good to receive your letter. • Anyway, I have to go now.
• Thank you very much for your letter. • Well, it’s time to go.
• Hope you are doing well. • Anyway, gotta go.
• How’s it going? • I really hope to hear from you soon.
• How are you (doing)? • I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
• How are things (going)? • I hope you write back soon.
• Make sure you write back soon.

Reacting to good news

• I’m (so) glad to hear … (your news). Closing formulas
• I’m excited about … (your news.) • Best wishes,
• It’s great to hear/read that … • Best,
• That’s fantastic! • Sincerely,
• I’m so happy that … • Take care,
• All my love,
• Love,
Reacting to bad news
• Lots of love,
• I’m (so) sorry to hear that …
• See you soon,
• I’m really sorry to read your news.
• Regards,
• Sorry to read about

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31
Sample
Test 1

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TEST 1

PRELIMINARY ENGLISH TEST

Writing

Time 45 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.

Write your name, centre number and candidate number on your answer sheet if they are
not already there.

Read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.

Answer the Part 1 question and one question from Part 2.

Write your answers on the answer sheet.

Write clearly in pen, not pencil. You may make alterations, but make sure your work is easy to
read.

You must complete the answer sheet within the time limit.

At the end of the test, hand in both this question paper and your answer sheet.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Each question in this paper carries equal marks.

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TEST 1

Part 1

You must answer this question.

Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.
_______________________________________________________________________

Question 1
Read this email from your English-speaking friend Ruth and the notes you have made.

From: Ruth

Subject: Day at the park

Hi,
Better at 11,
I'm excited to spend the day at the park with you on because…
I have some Sunday! Can you meet me there at 10 a.m.?
board games
I was thinking we could bring a picnic lunch and play
some games. Do you have any favorite park activities
you'd like to do?
Volleyball
Should we invite anyone else? Let me know in your and cricket
next email.
Maybe Sue?
See you soon,

Ruth

Write your email to Ruth using all the notes.

Do you need someone to mark your writing tasks?

Check out KSE Academy’s writing assessment service. Scan the QR code on the left with your
phone or visit [Link] for more information. Use the
coupon AMZWB1 for a great discount as a thank you for purchasing this book.

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TEST 1

Part 2

Choose one of these questions.

Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.
_______________________________________________________________________

Question 2
You see this notice on an English-language website about your town.

OUR CRAZY WEATHER

What's your favorite type of weather and why?

What activities do you like to do during different types of weather?

Do you have any tips for visitors?

Write an article for our website. We will publish the best ones!

Write your article.

Question 3
Your English teacher has asked you to write a story.
Your story must begin with this sentence:
Samantha heard a noise downstairs.
Write your story.

Do you need someone to mark your writing tasks?

Check out KSE Academy’s writing assessment service. Scan the QR code on the left with your
phone or visit [Link] for more information. Use the
coupon AMZWB1 for a great discount as a thank you for purchasing this book.

Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to The University of Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy.

THIS PAGE IS PHOTOCOPIABLE

More Cambridge resources by the Author

Writing books
Writing for B2 and C1
These guides cover the main writing tasks that
appear in the Cambridge English tests called B2 First
(FCE) and C1 Advanced (CAE). These books provide
several sample tasks for each type of writing, plus
more than 500 useful phrases that candidates can
use in their writings for B2 First and C1 Advanced.

Get your digital copies at [Link].

Use of English books

Use of English for B2 and C1 levels
These books contain ten practice tests for the Use of
English of the C1 Advanced and B2 First tests.
Whether you are a teacher or a student, you can
benefit from the exercises in this book, as they will
help you become familiar with the format and level
of the exam, and the type of questions.

Get your digital copies at [Link].

Speaking Series by Prosperity Education

In this series, Luis Porras Wadley and Prosperity Education join forces to bring you 10 Speaking practice
tests for the different examination levels. Get your digital copies now at [Link].
KSE Academy®

Writing for B1
Welcome to Writing for B1: The Ultimate PET Writing Guide for B1 Cambridge

This Writing Guide for B1 provides teachers and students with a range of practical examples
covering all the writing task types featured in the B1 Preliminary Writing test. With 18 sample
tasks and over 300 useful phrases and expressions, The Ultimate PET Writing Guide for B1
Cambridge is the perfect writing resource for anyone preparing for B1 Preliminary.

Contents of this book

✓ 90+ pages of exclusive and original writing content for B1 Preliminary
✓ Step-by-step writing strategy to produce emails, articles and stories
✓ 6 examples of every task type (Emails, Articles & Stories)
✓ 300+ useful phrases ready to use in your writings
✓ Description of the B1 Writing paper and every type of task
✓ Extras and freebies to maximise your writing practice
✓ Sample mark sheet and assessment criteria for B1 Preliminary Writing

About the author

Luis Porras Wadley is the owner and director of KSE Academy®,
an English academy and official Cambridge Exam Preparation
Centre based in Granada. As an English teacher, Luis has been
preparing Cambridge candidates successfully for over ten years.

Luis is the author of other successful test preparation books, including Speaking First,
Speaking CAE, Speaking CPE and The Ultimate CAE Writing Guide for C1 Cambridge.

Cambridge B1 Preliminary and PET are brands belonging to the University of

Cambridge and are not associated with KSE Academy or the author of this work.

More resources at [Link]