Writing / written production
What this domain tests
C2 writing requires producing clear, well-structured texts - essays, reports, proposals, formal letters, articles - with a controlled range of vocabulary and complex grammar, appropriate register, and coherent organisation. Assessors reward task achievement, cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and register consistency.
Concepts to master
- Genre conventions: a report uses headings and impersonal tone; a proposal recommends; an essay argues a position; a letter matches formality to audience.
- Paragraphing and topic sentences: each paragraph advances one idea, signposted by a clear opening.
- Cohesion: linking devices (whereas, consequently, moreover, admittedly) used accurately, not mechanically.
- Range: nominalisation, passive and impersonal constructions, complex noun phrases, and precise vocabulary.
- Register: avoid contractions and slang in formal writing; keep tone consistent throughout.
Traps
Common weaknesses are over-long sentences that lose the main verb, mechanical connectors used where the logic does not fit, and register slips (sudden informal asides in a formal report). Another trap is answering the prompt only partly - omitting the recommendation or the counter-argument the task requires.
Rule of thumb
Plan for two minutes: note your position and one counter-argument. Write a clear introduction stating purpose, body paragraphs with topic sentences, and a conclusion that answers the task directly. Leave time to check subject–verb agreement, articles, and connector logic.
Worked example
Prompt: write a proposal recommending a workplace change. Weak opening: "I think it would be nice if we maybe changed things." Strong opening: "This proposal recommends introducing flexible hours, citing evidence from the recent staff survey." The strong version names the purpose, uses impersonal formal lexis, and signals the supporting evidence.