B2 Business Vantage (BEC Vantage)
Writing
45 minutes. Two tasks. 25% of the exam.
Introduction
Nobody likes writing in another language. It takes more time than speaking because you have to think more, it is easy to make mistakes because you often translate more directly from your own language, and when it is written and sent (because most of the time you write emails don’t you?) then it is final, too late to change or to add anything. Thanks to this guide, it won’t take you a long time, you won’t translate and you won’t make mistakes. You can also find some useful resources to help with your writing skills at the bottom of the General Resources page here.
B2 Business Vantage (BEC Vantage)
Writing Part One
The Task
You have to write a memo or email. You are given a context explaining who you are and who you writing to and why. You are given three points to include in your message.
You have to write 40-50 words.
You can download an example of Writing Part One here.
Guide to the Task
This is not a complicated task and is probably similar to emails you have already written in your professional life. You will be able to do this quickly with practice and by following this guide of course. I would recommend that you spend no more than ten minutes on this part.
Common mistakes (which you will avoid making thanks to this guide!)
There are three common mistakes made in Part One.
1) Students write in the wrong style or “register”. This means they use the vocabulary or type of words which are not correct or appropriate for the context. For example, if you write an email to a close colleague, someone you work with regularly either face to face or by email then the style of the email is relaxed, friendly and a little informal. You can start with Hi or Hello, you don’t need to start with Dear Mr/Mrs or Dear John/Jane. If you are writing to someone more senior than you, you generally need to be more professional and polite. So you need to remember who you are writing to.
2) Students do not include all of the three things. It is essential to talk about them all or you cannot complete the task correctly. This is the same in your professional life if your job requires you to do three things and you only do two, then you are not working correctly.
3) Students copy the exact words from the three things which need to be included in the email. Your job is to give the information, to transmit and communicate it, not to copy it. For example, if the task asks you to write to someone…
Apologising for the faulty product
Explaining the origins of the fault.
Saying the new product will be sent.
Here you cannot write.
I apologise for the faulty product, the origins of the fault are… the new product will be sent next week.
This seems obvious, but I have seen numerous students write one or more of the three things in the exam question. This is perhaps because writing is stressful and it is easier to use the words given, but it is a mistake and it means you will lose points in the exam. Below you will find what you need to do.
Procedure
- Read the introduction to the question and highlight or underline what you are writing about and who you are writing to. Highlighting/underlining helps you remember and also makes it easy to find if you need to check. Sometimes this information will be repeated in the To and Subject part of the email you need to write.
- Read the three things you need to say. They always start with a verb (in the ing form) and then details. Common examples of the verbs are, explaining, saying, telling, apologising, describing, asking.
Start the email with an appropriate opening. Use Hello + name for your assistant. Use Dear + Mr/Mrs + first name + surname if it is a superior or the name is not given, for example, you are asked to write to the Marketing Manager.
Then do the three actions requested in the task. Focus on the verbs, the majority require you to write a normal positive sentence. If the verb is asking for example then you need to be sure that you ask a question, if the verb is apologising then you need to say, I am sorry that…or even better if you are writing to a superior, Please accept my apologies….(you have changed the verb into a noun which is impressive for the examiners)
Change the nouns. Try not to repeat the nouns used in the three sentences. Use synonyms or express the same thing in different words. If the sentences use the word “away” say absent or out of the office, if the sentences talk about equipment then give examples.
Use the same grammar. The only thing you can “copy” is the grammar, you usually need to write your sentences in the same grammar. If you need to describe the difficulties you are having, then use the present continuous, e.g. The printer is not working. If you need to explain the reason for the extra meeting you had last week, use the past simple. If you need to talk about when you will be away, use will or if you explain more about your arrangements use the present continuous, e.g. I am flying to Shanghai on Monday 21st March.
Put two of the three things in one longer sentence and connect the sentence with a conjunction, (because, so and but). Often the first two things can naturally be put into a long sentence.
Divide your email into short paragraphs or one long sentence per paragraph. The word limit is 50 words so keep it concise and separate the information so it is easy to read.
Finish your email with a short polite closing. Best regards is very common and correct, so use it!
