Module 3 · Reading & The Article · Lesson 10
Writing the Article
Write an article that sounds like a person, not an essay. Hook, voice, recommendation. 4 paragraphs. 140–190 words.
Get talking · Section 1
5 minRead this opener aloud: 'Have you ever wondered why we always queue in the wrong supermarket lane?' Now this one: 'In this article I will discuss queues.' Which one would YOU keep reading?
In pairs, list 3 differences between an article you'd read on a website and a school essay. Voice? Length? Reader address?
Imagine your reader is scrolling on the bus. You have 5 seconds. What's the first sentence?
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minThe 4-paragraph article frame
Upper-band candidates use the SAME 4-paragraph frame every time. ¶1 HOOK — a question, surprising fact or scene. ¶2 SET UP — the topic and why it matters. ¶3 BODY — two examples or two angles. ¶4 RECOMMENDATION — direct address to the reader, with a takeaway.
Examples
→ ¶1 Hook: 'Imagine waking up at 5 a.m. just to watch the sun rise — voluntarily.'
→ ¶2 Set up: 'That is exactly what thousands of teenagers around the world are now doing.'
→ ¶3 Body: 'On one hand, the experience can be magical… On the other, it is exhausting.'
→ ¶4 Recommendation: 'So if you've never seen a sunrise from a hilltop, set that alarm. You won't regret it.'
→ Voice features: rhetorical questions, direct address ('you'), short punchy sentences mixed with longer ones, contractions ('it's', 'won't').
Question 1.How long is the FCE article?
Question 2.Best opener for ¶1 of an article:
Question 3.Which register fits an FCE article?
Question 4.What does ¶4 typically do?
Question 5.Best voice tool to engage the reader:
Quick check 1.Is a TITLE required in the FCE article?
Quick check 2.Best way to fail an article:
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
to grab the reader
to catch attention immediately: 'A good hook GRABS the reader.'
hook
the opening line that pulls the reader in — usually a question, scene or surprising fact.
voice
the writer's personality on the page — sounding like a person, not a textbook.
to address the reader
to speak directly using 'you': 'You probably think…'
rhetorical question
a question with no expected answer, used for effect: 'Who hasn't lost their keys at least once?'
anecdote
a short personal story used as an example: 'Last summer, I tried it myself…'
takeaway
the one idea the reader keeps after reading: 'The takeaway? Start small.'
to recommend
to suggest the reader try something — typical close: 'I'd highly recommend…'
engaging
interesting, keeps the reader reading: 'Examiners reward an ENGAGING tone.'
to spark interest
to make the reader curious: 'A surprising fact SPARKS INTEREST.'
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minReading your own article aloud — the voice check
Say it aloud
- • Read this aloud: 'Have you ever wondered why we queue in the slowest lane?' — natural rising intonation on 'wondered'.
- • Read this aloud: 'In this article I am going to discuss queues.' — flat, robotic. That's the essay voice.
- • Drill: read your hook aloud 3 times. If you stumble or sound bored, rewrite.
- • Contractions test: replace 'do not / it is / will not' with 'don't / it's / won't' — your voice improves immediately.
- • Punchline rhythm: end ¶1 with a short sentence (3–6 words). 'Trust me.' 'You'd be amazed.' 'It works.'
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minWhat examiners actually reward in the FCE article
Read the passageTap to openTap to hide
Of the five Part 2 writing options, the article is the one candidates pick most often and lose marks on most reliably. The reason is not that they cannot write — by B2 they very much can — but that they have spent years being trained to write essays, and an article, examiners insist, is not an essay.
What the examiners reward, under the heading Communicative Achievement, is a piece of writing that 'holds the target reader's attention' and 'communicates straightforward and complex ideas' in a register that fits a magazine, website or school newsletter. In practice, that translates into three habits that the strongest scripts share. First, the opening grabs. A hook is a question, a scene, an anecdote or a surprising fact — anything except 'In this article I am going to discuss…'. Second, the writer is visibly present. There is a voice on the page. The writer uses contractions, direct address, the occasional short punchy sentence and, in the strongest scripts, a touch of humour. Third, the article ends with a recommendation, not a summary. 'So next time you find yourself…' beats 'To conclude, in this article we have seen…' by several marks.
The trap most candidates fall into is treating an article task as a chance to recycle an essay they once wrote. The structure that scored well in Lesson 04 — introduction, two body paragraphs, conclusion — survives, but the voice does not. Examiners are trained to spot it. A script that opens 'In today's modern society there are many people who believe…' will be marked down on Communicative Achievement before the marker has reached the second paragraph, regardless of how good the rest is.
The practical move is to write the hook last. Drafting the body first, then going back and constructing a hook that points to the body, almost always produces a stronger opening than trying to be witty cold. And the final move is even simpler: read the draft aloud. If it sounds like a person, you have an article. If it sounds like an exam answer, rewrite the openings of every paragraph until it does.
Question 1.Which Cambridge marking heading covers 'holding the target reader's attention'?
Question 2.According to the text, what kills an article in the first sentence?
Question 3.What should the article END with?
Question 4.What does the writer recommend writing LAST?
Question 5.The writer's overall attitude is best described as…
Q1.Examiners mark articles using the same Communicative Achievement criterion as essays.
Q2.A strong article ends with 'To conclude, in this article we have seen…'.
Q3.Contractions are acceptable in the FCE article.
Q4.The writer suggests drafting the hook before the body.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minA Cambridge writing examiner gives feedback on two student articles (≈ 2:00)
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Drag the timeline to jump anywhere.
Show transcript
Examiner (Ms Reilly):I've marked the two articles on 'A day I'll never forget'. Both candidates handled CONTENT well. What separated them was Communicative Achievement.
Student (Aisha):Candidate A scored higher, right? Their opener was 'Picture this: I'm fourteen, the lights go out, and the entire theatre starts singing my name.'
Examiner (Ms Reilly):Exactly. That's a hook — a scene, present tense, the reader is dropped into the moment. Candidate B opened with 'In this article I am going to write about a day I will never forget.'
I knew, within seconds, what band they were in.
Student (Marco):What about voice in the body? Both candidates told the story.
Examiner (Ms Reilly):Candidate A used contractions, the occasional 'I'd', a short sentence in the middle — 'It was terrifying.' Candidate B wrote 'It was an extremely frightening experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.' Same idea — but one sounds like a person, the other like a school report.
Student (Aisha):And the ending?
Examiner (Ms Reilly):Candidate A closed with 'So if you ever get the chance to perform — even if your knees are shaking — say yes.' That's a recommendation, addressed to the reader. Candidate B wrote 'To conclude, this was a day I will never forget.'
Polite, but it doesn't land.
Student (Marco):So: hook scene, voice with contractions, recommendation to the reader.
Examiner (Ms Reilly):Those three habits will move most B2 candidates up a band on Communicative Achievement. Drill them.
Question 1.Why did Candidate A score higher on Communicative Achievement?
Question 2.What problem did Candidate B's opener show?
Question 3.Which feature gave Candidate A a recognisable voice in the body?
Question 4.Best closing move, according to the examiner:
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minWriting — the Article (4-paragraph frame)
🎯 Article
Write 140–190 words. 4 paragraphs. Sound like a person.
- Title — short and intriguing
- ¶1 Hook — question, scene or surprise
- ¶2 Set up — topic + why it matters
- ¶3 Body — two angles or examples
- ¶4 Recommendation — direct to the reader
Plan, draft, read aloud.
Quick Tip
Write the body first, then go back and write the hook — it will be sharper than anything you produce cold.
Exam Hack
Use contractions ('it's', 'don't', 'I'd'). They instantly add voice and cost zero marks.
Common Mistake
Don't open with 'In this article I will discuss…'. Examiners mark you down before the second paragraph.
Your task
Draft a 140–190 word article in 4 paragraphs using the frame: Hook → Set up → Body (two angles/examples) → Recommendation. Add a short title. Read aloud before submitting.
Example
TASK: Write an article for the school website on 'A weekend activity that changed my view of free time.' (140–190 words). HOOK: 'Until last summer, my idea of a great weekend was a sofa, a series and a snack.' SET UP: 'Then a friend dragged me out on a 20km hike — and I came back a different person.' BODY: two paragraphs covering (a) what was hard, (b) what I gained. RECOMMENDATION: 'So if your weekends feel a bit grey, find a friend with a map. Trust me — even one Saturday outside can change everything.'
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.An article opens with a ___ — a question, scene or surprising fact.
Question 2.The FCE article is between ___ words long.
Question 3.'Have you ever wondered…?' is a ___ question.
Question 4.Strong articles use ___ like 'it's' and 'don't' to sound like a person.
Question 5.Close ¶4 with a ___ directed at the reader.
Question 6.Avoid the essay opener: 'In this article I will ___.'
Q1.Opening device that pulls the reader in (one word):
Q2.Closing move addressed to the reader (one word):
Q3.Short form of 'I would' that gives an article voice:
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 140–190 word article for the school magazine: 'A free-time activity teenagers in my country love.' Use the 4-paragraph frame. Add a title.
Show model answer
TITLE: Why we'd rather kick a ball than scroll a feed ¶1 Picture a sunny Saturday in any small town here. Where do you think you'll find the teenagers? Not on the sofa — but on the football pitch. ¶2 Football is, by a long way, the favourite free-time activity of teenagers in my country, and it has been for as long as I can remember. It's cheap, it's social, and you only need a ball. ¶3 On one hand, it keeps us fit without us even noticing. On the other, it's the easiest way to meet new people: turn up at a local pitch and you've got ten new friends by sunset. ¶4 So if you're a teenager visiting my country, don't bother with the tourist guides. Find the nearest pitch, ask if you can join, and trust me — by the end of the match, you'll feel like you've lived here for years.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
Roleplay
Pair drill. A reads their hook aloud. B says, in one sentence, whether it sounds like an ARTICLE or an ESSAY and why. Swap. Then repeat with the recommendation paragraph.
Useful phrases
- • Have you ever wondered…?
- • Picture this: it's…
- • Trust me — you'll be surprised.
- • On one hand… on the other…
- • I'd highly recommend…
- • So next time you…, just try it.
Teacher notes
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Two short writing-focused extensions that work 1:1 online and scale to small groups. Both train the article voice in under 10 minutes. ~18 min total
FCE Exam Practice · Section 11
20–30 minReal FCE tasks
Cambridge B2 First · Writing · Part 2 · Article. Plan, draft and check against the success criteria. Teacher Mode reveals the model and examiner commentary.
Exam task
You see this announcement on an international students' website: ARTICLES WANTED — 'A skill worth learning' Is there one skill — practical, creative, social — that you think every young person should learn before they leave school? Tell us what it is, why it matters and how readers can start. The best articles will be published on our homepage. Write your article in 140–190 words in an appropriate style.
- Name ONE skill — practical, creative or social.
- Explain why it matters.
- Tell readers how they can start.
Planning template
- 1. Pick ONE skill you can write about with conviction (cooking, coding, public speaking, basic first aid…).
- 2. Decide TWO angles: WHY it matters + HOW to start.
- 3. Draft ¶3 BODY first (two short paragraphs or one with two angles).
- 4. Write ¶1 HOOK — scene, question or surprising fact about that skill.
- 5. Write ¶2 SET UP linking hook to topic.
- 6. Write ¶4 RECOMMENDATION using 'you' / 'so next time…' / 'trust me'.
- 7. Add a short, intriguing TITLE.
- 8. Read aloud. Rewrite any essay-voice line.
Success criteria (Cambridge band descriptors)
- Content: Names one skill, explains why it matters, gives readers a way to start. All three points covered.
- Communicative achievement: Holds the reader's attention with hook, voice and a clear recommendation; register fits an international students' website.
- Organisation: Four clear paragraphs (or three plus title) with smooth linking; ideas develop logically.
- Language: Accurate B2 range; uses contractions, rhetorical devices, varied sentence length; minimal repetition; no major errors that impede communication.
0 words · saved automatically
Show upper-band model answer
TITLE: The skill that survives every job Imagine landing your first interview, your first date, or your first day in a new country — and having no idea how to start the conversation. Sounds painful, doesn't it? The one skill I'd insist every young person learns before leaving school isn't on any timetable: it's small talk. Knowing how to begin, hold and end a five-minute conversation with a stranger turns out to be the foundation of almost every adult interaction you'll have. It matters because the world doesn't run on perfect grammar; it runs on people feeling at ease with each other. And the good news is, it's trainable: pick one safe opener ('How was your weekend?'), one follow-up question, and one polite exit line — and practise the set on real humans, not in your head. So the next time you're stuck in a queue, try it. You'll feel awkward for thirty seconds and grateful for the rest of your life.
Examiner commentary
Hits Communicative Achievement firmly: scene-based hook + rhetorical question, visible voice (contractions, direct 'you', the closing punchline), and a reader-directed recommendation. Content covers all three task points (names the skill, gives a reason, tells the reader how to start). Organisation is 4 clean paragraphs. Language is accurate, varied and uses semi-formal register consistently. Likely band: upper.
Homework · Section 12
Take-homeTake it home
Article — full Part 2 task under timing
Write an article in 140–190 words.
Use the 4-paragraph frame — Hook · Set up · Body (two angles or examples) · Recommendation. Add a short title. Read your draft aloud before submitting and rewrite any line that sounds like an essay.
Hook hunt
Find five opening lines from real online articles.
Open any English-language news/magazine site (BBC, Guardian, NYT). Copy the FIRST sentence of five different articles. For each, label the hook TYPE: question / scene / surprising fact / anecdote / direct address.
- question
- scene
- surprising fact
- anecdote
- direct address
Voice rewriter
Rewrite five essay-voice sentences as article-voice sentences.
Use contractions, direct 'you', and at least one rhetorical question across the five. Keep the meaning identical.
- In this article I am going to discuss the benefits of cycling.
- It is an undeniable fact that many young people enjoy travelling.
- To conclude, this experience was very enjoyable for me.
- There are many reasons why people choose to live in the countryside.
- It can be argued that social media has both advantages and disadvantages.
Recap · Section 13
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- FCE article = 140–190 words, semi-formal, written to engage a real reader.
- Use the 4-paragraph frame: Hook · Set up · Body (two angles/examples) · Recommendation.
- Voice = contractions, direct address ('you'), rhetorical questions, the occasional short punchy sentence.
- Write the body first, then craft the hook — it'll be sharper than anything you produce cold.
- Close with a reader-directed recommendation, never 'To conclude, in this article we have seen…'.
- Read every draft aloud. If it sounds like an essay, rewrite the openings.