Part 1 of the B2 First Writing paper is always an essay. You get a question to discuss and two notes, and you must add a third idea of your own. You write it for your teacher, and it ends with your clear opinion.
The register is neutral to formal: clear, objective and polite. Think of it as a short, well-organised argument rather than a chat.
Both notes in the task are compulsory content, and so is the idea you add. Give each one its own paragraph and develop it with a reason, an example or a consequence. Leaving one out costs you Content marks straight away.
Make your own idea clearly different from the notes. If the notes are cost and traffic, the environment works well; money again does not.
The heading is a real question: Should...? Do you think...? Every paragraph should help answer it, and the conclusion must give your opinion plainly. A balanced essay can look at both sides, but it still has to reach a verdict.
You are writing for your teacher: no contractions (do not, it is), no slang and not too many I thinks. Impersonal phrases such as It is often argued that... or Many people believe... sound objective.
Save your strongest personal view for the conclusion, where In my view or I firmly believe fits naturally.
Five paragraphs work well: an introduction, one paragraph per idea and a conclusion. Open each body paragraph with a linker and a topic sentence (Firstly, In addition, On the other hand) so the reader always knows where the argument is going.
Aim for variety: a conditional (If cars were banned, ...), a passive (it is often said), relative clauses and less common linkers such as whereas, despite and as long as. Replace general words like good and bad with beneficial, harmful, affordable.
Four criteria: Content (both notes plus your own idea, all relevant), Communicative Achievement (a formal, persuasive essay for a teacher), Organisation (logical paragraphs and linking) and Language (range and accuracy).
Common traps: an introduction that copies the question word for word, a third idea that repeats a note, no clear opinion, and contractions creeping in.
Your teacher has asked you to write an essay on traffic in cities: "Should private cars be banned from city centres?" Write about: 1. Air quality, 2. Local shops, 3. (Your own idea).
Many cities are now considering closing their centres to private cars. Although this idea is popular with some residents, others believe it would cause more problems than it solves. Firstly, banning cars would clearly improve air quality. Traffic is one of the main causes of pollution in cities, and cleaner air would benefit everyone, especially children and older people with breathing problems. On the other hand, local shops might suffer. Some owners worry that customers who can no longer park nearby will simply drive to out-of-town shopping centres instead. However, cities which have introduced car-free zones have often found that more people walk around and stop to shop. Another important point is safety. Without cars, streets become much safer for pedestrians and cyclists, and space that is currently used for parking could be turned into parks and cafés. In conclusion, I firmly believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. As long as public transport is reliable and affordable, car-free city centres would make our cities healthier and more pleasant places to live.
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