FET Writing Practice and Advice

FET Writing Exam Practice

How to Ask for a Writing Topic - Open ChatGpt

To get an email topic: Say or Write, “Give me an email topic for Cambridge PET B1 writing.”
Then write your answer and ask, “Check my answer and give me feedback and a score out of 10.”

To get an article topic: Say or Write, “Give me an article topic for Cambridge PET B1 writing. Just give a topic and prompts.”
Then write your answer and ask, “Check my answer and give me feedback and a score out of 10.”

FET Email Tasks (Writing Part 1 Format)

Instructions: This is part of an email you receive from your English-speaking friend.
Read the email and the notes you have made. Then write an email using all your notes.
Write your email in about 50 words.

1. Birthday party – can't go

Hi! I’m having a birthday party this Saturday at my house. I hope you can come! Everyone will be there, and we’re going to have games and pizza!
Let me know if you can come!

• Say you can’t come
• Give a reason
• Suggest another time to meet

2. Weekend trip – ask for advice

I’m thinking about going away for the weekend. I know you love travelling! Do you know a good place I can visit near here?
What should I take with me?

• Recommend a place
• Say why it’s a good idea
• Give packing advice

3. New school – give advice

I’ve just started at a new school and I don’t know anyone yet. It feels a bit scary. Do you have any advice for making new friends?

• Share your experience
• Give one tip
• Offer support

10 Common Mistakes in Email Writing (FET Writing Part 1) and How to Avoid Them

Mistake	How to Avoid
Ignoring one of the three prompts	Always read the notes carefully. Check off each point as you include it.
Writing too formally	Use an informal tone (e.g. “Hi”, “See you soon”, contractions like “I’m”, “you’ll”).
No greeting or ending	Start with “Hi [Name]” and end with something friendly like “Best wishes”.
Writing too much or too little	Aim for 50–60 words. Don’t write a full essay or only a couple of lines.
Using memorized phrases	Write naturally and make sure every sentence answers part of the question.
Not using contractions	Use forms like I’m, don’t, can’t — they’re expected in informal emails.
Poor punctuation and capitalisation	Start sentences with capital letters and end with full stops.
Going off-topic	Stick to the prompt. Don’t introduce unrelated information.
Repeating vocabulary	Use a variety of words — instead of “nice” every time, try “fun”, “great”, etc.
No paragraphing	Organize the email into 2–3 short paragraphs (greeting, body, ending).

FET Article Tasks (Writing Part 2 Format)

Instructions: Choose one of the following questions.
Write your article in about 100 words.

• The best way to spend a weekend — Say what you like doing and give advice for other students.
• Why learning English is useful — Explain why and give real-life examples.
• A hobby I enjoy — Describe your hobby and why you enjoy it.
• My favourite place to relax — Say what it is, what you do there, and why you like it.
• What makes a good friend? — Give qualities and examples from your life.
• The advantages of team sports — Give reasons and examples.
• A holiday I will never forget — Describe what made it special.
• How to stay healthy as a teenager — Include food, exercise, and routines.
• Learning something new — Say what, how, and why it was interesting.
• A famous person I admire — Explain who they are and what you’ve learned from them.

10 Common Mistakes in Article Writing (FET Writing Part 2) and How to Avoid Them

Mistake	How to Avoid
Writing like a story	Use a clear title, introduction, and conclusion. Articles are informative.
No title	Always include a catchy, relevant title at the top.
Too formal	Use a friendly tone. Articles are semi-formal or informal.
No structure	Use paragraphs for each idea — intro, body, conclusion.
Off-topic	Answer every part of the question.
Using “I” too much	Include personal experience but focus on the reader too.
Not engaging the reader	Use questions and direct address (e.g., “Have you ever…?”)
No clear opinion	End with a strong conclusion or recommendation.
No sentence variety	Use different lengths and linking words (e.g., because, also, however).
Spelling and grammar mistakes	Check your work before submitting. Spend 2 minutes reviewing.

FET Writing Advice

For a complete guide to writing a email or an article in B1 Preliminary (PET), visit these helpful resources.