B2 First Report Guide
Cambridge B2 First — Writing Part 2 · 140–190 Words
Master the B2 First report format — a title, clear section headings, formal language, and specific recommendations, all in 140–190 words for a defined reader.
- Task requirements — how to decode a B2 First report prompt
- Structure — title, introduction, 2–3 headed sections, conclusion
- Three-part content — description, evaluation, recommendations
- Formal register — no contractions, objective vocabulary, passive voice
- Specific recommendations — the section most students underwrite
- Word count management — hitting 140–190 precisely
Time management
Planning: 5 min · Writing: 30–35 min · Checking: 5 min · Total: ~40 minutes
Use ← → arrow keys or the buttons below to navigate
Understanding the Task
B2 First Writing Part 2 report tasks ask you to write a formal document for a named reader — typically a school director, local council, or organisation. You must address all stated points.
Student Report Wanted — Technology in Everyday Life
We are carrying out research into how students use technology in their daily lives. Write a report for your school director in which you describe how you and your classmates use technology at home and at school, explain the benefits and drawbacks of this, and suggest how your school could make better use of technology in lessons.
Write your report.
- Describe — how students use technology at home and at school
- Evaluate — benefits and drawbacks of this use
- Recommend — how the school could make better use of technology in lessons
B2 First reports are longer (140–190 vs 120–160), have a more sophisticated audience (school director rather than a teacher), and expect a higher level of formal vocabulary, grammatical range, and the ability to balance description with analysis and evaluation.
Report Structure at B2 First
A B2 First report follows the same principle as the IGCSE report — title, sections with headings, recommendations — but with more developed content and a wider vocabulary range.
Title
"Report on [topic]" — specific and clear; not counted in total
Introduction
~20–25 words · state purpose and scope
Section 1
~40–50 words · describe (point 1)
Section 2
~40–50 words · evaluate (point 2) — benefits and drawbacks
Recommendations
~30–40 words · specific, actionable suggestions (point 3)
Total: 140–190 words (title not counted) · aim for 160–175
Introduction: ~20–25 · Sections 1 + 2: ~80–100 · Recommendations: ~30–40
The B2 First evaluation section (benefits AND drawbacks) requires you to present a balanced analysis, not just list positives. This is what most students underdo — one sentence of drawbacks versus four of benefits will not score well.
Title & Introduction
Your title signals professionalism immediately. Your introduction states purpose, scope, and audience in two or three concise sentences.
Report on Student Use of Technology
Report on Technology in School and at Home
Report on Technology Use Among Students
Not just: "Technology Report" — too vague
State purpose: "This report aims to examine…"
Reference the request: "As requested, this report presents findings on…"
Outline scope: "This report describes current usage, evaluates its impact, and makes recommendations for improvement."
Example 1 (22 words): "This report aims to examine how students currently use technology, assess its impact on learning, and suggest improvements to classroom practice."
Example 2 (24 words): "As requested, this report presents findings on student technology use at home and at school, evaluates the key benefits and drawbacks, and offers recommendations."
Example 3 (20 words): "This report outlines current patterns of technology use among students, considers the advantages and limitations involved, and proposes practical improvements."
States the purpose clearly · uses formal language (no contractions) · gives the reader a sense of the report's scope · 20–25 words
Section 1: Describe
The first body section describes how students use technology. Present information objectively and specifically — not just "students use phones" but what, where, and how.
Current Usage · Technology at Home and at School · How Students Use Technology · Patterns of Use
Current Usage
Most students use technology extensively both at home and at school. At home, smartphones and laptops are used primarily for communication, entertainment, and research. In school, technology use is more limited — largely restricted to computer labs and occasional classroom presentations, with personal devices rarely integrated into lessons.
Practice: Write section 1 — describe (40–50 words)
Clear, relevant heading · specific detail (not vague generalisations) · covers both home and school · formal language throughout · 40–50 words
Section 2: Evaluate — Benefits & Drawbacks
The evaluation section is the most demanding. You must present both benefits and drawbacks with balanced analysis — not just a list, but cause-and-effect reasoning.
Benefits and Drawbacks · Impact on Learning · Advantages and Limitations · Evaluation
Benefits and Drawbacks
Technology offers considerable advantages: students can access a vast range of resources instantly, collaborate across distances, and develop digital skills essential for modern employment. However, unrestricted use presents significant challenges. Excessive screen time is linked to reduced concentration, and the ease of accessing entertainment frequently distracts students from academic work.
Practice: Write section 2 — evaluate (40–50 words)
Language for balanced evaluation
Benefits: Technology offers considerable advantages… / A key benefit is… / Students are able to…
Contrast: However, · On the other hand, · Nevertheless, · Despite this,
Drawbacks: A significant concern is… / Excessive use can lead to… / It should be noted that…
Recommendations: Specific & Realistic
The recommendations section is where many students lose marks by being vague. At B2 First, every suggestion must be specific, actionable, and realistic for a school context.
Recommendations · Suggestions for Improvement · Proposed Changes · Conclusion and Recommendations
Recommendations
It is recommended that the school introduce dedicated tablet sets for classroom use, provide training for teachers in integrating digital tools into lessons, and establish a clear policy governing personal device use during school hours.
Vague — avoid ✗
"The school should use more technology. Teachers should be better. Students need to improve."
No specifics · not actionable · not useful to a directorSpecific — use ✓
"It is recommended that the school introduce tablet sets for classroom use and provide staff training in integrating digital tools into existing lesson plans."
Named action · named target group · realistic · formalPractice: Write your recommendations (30–40 words)
Complete Model Report
Write a report for your school director describing how students use technology at home and at school, explaining the benefits and drawbacks, and suggesting how your school could make better use of technology in lessons.
Report on Student Use of Technology
Introduction (22 words)This report aims to examine how students currently use technology, assess its impact on learning, and suggest improvements to classroom practice.
Current Usage (45 words)Current Usage
Most students use technology extensively both at home and at school. At home, smartphones and laptops are used primarily for communication, entertainment, and research. In school, technology use is more limited — largely restricted to computer labs and occasional classroom presentations, with personal devices rarely integrated into lessons.
Benefits and Drawbacks (48 words)Benefits and Drawbacks
Technology offers considerable advantages: students can access a vast range of resources instantly, collaborate across distances, and develop essential digital skills. However, unrestricted use presents challenges. Excessive screen time is linked to reduced concentration, and the ease of accessing entertainment frequently distracts students from academic work.
Recommendations (35 words)Recommendations
It is recommended that the school introduce dedicated tablet sets for classroom use, provide training for teachers in integrating digital tools into lessons, and establish a clear policy governing personal device use during school hours.
Specific title · clear three-section structure with headed sections · balanced evaluation (benefits AND drawbacks with cause-and-effect reasoning) · three specific, realistic recommendations · formal register throughout, no contractions · 163 words ✓
Formal Language at B2 Level
B2 First reports must demonstrate a noticeably higher level of formal vocabulary and grammatical range than IGCSE. The reader is a professional — write accordingly.
IGCSE level — not enough ✗
"Students use phones a lot. This is good because they can look things up. But it can be bad."
Basic vocabulary · short sentences · no rangeB2 First level — aim for ✓
"Technology offers considerable advantages: students can access a vast range of resources instantly and develop digital skills essential for modern employment."
Formal vocabulary · complex sentence · passive/impersonalVocabulary upgrades for B2 reports
Instead of "use": utilise, make use of, rely on, employ, integrate
Instead of "good/bad": beneficial, advantageous, detrimental, problematic, significant
Instead of "show": indicate, demonstrate, reveal, suggest, highlight
Instead of "many students": the majority of students, a significant proportion, most respondents
Useful impersonal and passive structures
"It is recommended that… / It has been found that… / It should be noted that… / It is widely recognised that…"
"Students are reported to… / Technology is increasingly used to… / Evidence suggests that…"
No contractions anywhere · no first person overuse (use "it is recommended" not "I think") · no exclamation marks · no informal connectors ("so", "also" → "therefore", "furthermore")
Using Headings Effectively
Every main section must have a heading. Headings organise the report and make it easy for a busy reader to navigate.
Choosing appropriate headings by section type
Description section: Current Usage · Present Situation · How Students Use Technology · Overview
Evaluation section: Benefits and Drawbacks · Advantages and Limitations · Impact on Learning · Evaluation
Recommendations section: Recommendations · Proposed Changes · Suggestions for Improvement · Conclusion and Recommendations
Capitalise main words: "Benefits and Drawbacks" not "benefits and drawbacks"
Keep it brief: 2–4 words — headings are signposts, not sentences
Make it specific: the heading should accurately describe what follows
Be consistent: all headings in the same style throughout
Headings contribute to Organisation marks. A report without section headings — even if well-written — shows weak control of the text type. Add headings before you write each section, not after.
Practice Questions
Choose one and write a complete report (140–190 words, ~40 minutes)
Q1 — Technology: Write a report for your school director describing how students use technology at home and at school, explaining the benefits and drawbacks, and suggesting how your school could make better use of technology in lessons.
Q2 — School facilities: Your local council has asked for a report on sports facilities for young people in your area. Describe what facilities are currently available, explain what works well and what could be improved, and make recommendations.
Q3 — Environment: Your school is preparing an environmental report. Describe what students currently do to protect the environment, evaluate how effective these actions are, and suggest what the school could do to encourage more sustainable behaviour.
Q4 — School trips: Your headteacher has asked for a report on school trips. Describe recent trips, explain what went well and what could have been better, and recommend improvements for future trips.
Write your complete report here
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Missing a section or point
The task lists three things to address (describe, evaluate, recommend). Missing any one of them drops Content marks significantly. Tick them off during planning before writing a word.
No section headings
A report without headings is just a set of paragraphs. Headings are a defining feature of the report text type and are assessed under Organisation. Add them before you start writing each section.
Unbalanced evaluation
"Technology is great because of X, Y, Z. One problem is distraction." — This is not balanced. Both benefits and drawbacks should be given comparable development. At least two sentences for each side.
Vague recommendations
"The school should use more technology." → "It is recommended that the school introduce a set of classroom tablets and provide teachers with training in integrating them into existing lesson plans." — Name the action, name the target.
Using contractions
"It's clear that…" / "Students don't always…" → Always "It is clear that…" / "Students do not always…" — No exceptions in a formal report.
Under or over the word count
Under 140 — sections are underdeveloped. Over 190 — padding or repetition. Aim for 160–175 as your target zone.
Checking Your Work
1. Count words — 140–190?
2. All three points addressed — describe, evaluate, recommend?
3. All sections have headings?
4. Scan for contractions — replace every one
5. Evaluation is balanced — both benefits AND drawbacks developed?
6. Recommendations are specific — named action, named target?
7. Grammar and spelling — subject-verb agreement, article use
Common grammar errors to fix
✗ "Students can to access resources" → ✓ "Students can access resources"
✗ "It's recommended that the school use" → ✓ "It is recommended that the school use"
✗ "The technology is used for do homework" → ✓ "Technology is used to complete homework"
✗ "A lot of students they use phones" → ✓ "A significant number of students use phones"
How Your Report is Marked
B2 First Writing is marked on four equal criteria, each worth 5 points.
Content
- All three points addressed (describe, evaluate, recommend)
- Evaluation is balanced — both benefits and drawbacks
- Recommendations are specific and realistic
- Sufficient detail in each section
Communicative Achievement
- Consistently formal register throughout
- No contractions anywhere
- Appropriate for a school director audience
- Reads as a professional document
Organisation
- Clear title and section headings
- Logical flow through description → evaluation → recommendations
- Appropriate introduction stating scope
- Coherent from first to last sentence
Language
- Formal vocabulary range (B2–C1)
- Impersonal and passive constructions used
- Varied sentence structures
- Accurate grammar and spelling
Missing a required point (Content) · no section headings (Organisation) · unbalanced evaluation — only benefits covered (Content) · contractions used (Communicative Achievement)
Quick Reference Guide
Title: Report on [specific topic] (not counted)
Introduction (20–25 words): Purpose, scope, and audience
Section 1 + Heading (40–50 words): Describe — current situation
Section 2 + Heading (40–50 words): Evaluate — benefits AND drawbacks
Recommendations + Heading (30–40 words): Specific, actionable suggestions
Total: 140–190 words · aim for 160–175
Essential formal language
Introducing: This report aims to… / As requested, this report… / This report outlines…
Describing: Currently… / At present… / Students primarily use… / The majority of…
Evaluating: Technology offers considerable advantages… / However, … presents challenges… / It should be noted that…
Recommending: It is recommended that… / It is suggested that… / The school should consider…
Must-do checklist
- Specific title ("Report on [topic]")
- Section headings for all body sections
- All three required points addressed
- Evaluation balanced — benefits AND drawbacks
- Recommendations are specific and named
- No contractions anywhere
- 140–190 words — aim for 160–175
Self-Assessment Checklist
Content
- I addressed all three required points (describe, evaluate, recommend)
- My evaluation covers both benefits AND drawbacks
- Each point is developed with specific detail
- My recommendations are specific and realistic
Communicative achievement
- My register is consistently formal throughout
- I used no contractions anywhere
- My language is appropriate for a school director audience
- The report reads as a professional document
Organisation
- I included a specific title
- All body sections have clear headings
- Sections follow the logical order: describe → evaluate → recommend
- My introduction states the purpose and scope
Language
- My word count is between 140–190 (ideally 160–175)
- I used formal vocabulary — not repeated basic words
- I used impersonal and passive constructions
- My spelling and grammar are accurate
Final Tips for Success
Week 1–2: Practice introductions and balanced evaluation paragraphs (10 min daily)
Week 3–4: Write complete reports without a time limit — focus on all three sections
Week 5–6: Timed practice — 40 minutes per report, then self-assess against the four criteria
Week 7–8: Exam conditions — 40 minutes, no dictionary, strict word count
Good luck with your Cambridge B2 First exam.