C2 Writing Part 2:
Report, Review & Letter

The Cambridge C2 Proficiency Writing paper lasts 90 minutes and contains two tasks. You write by hand in most centres — planning space is limited, so concise outlines beat elaborate mind maps that never fit in the margin. Part 1 is a compulsory essay (240–280 words) synthesising and evaluating ideas from two input texts. Part 2 lets you choose one genre — article, report, review, or letter/email — and write 280–320 words for a specified audience and purpose.

Part 2 is worth equal weight within the Writing mark (20% of your total C2 result) — examiners mark both tasks against the same four subscales, so a brilliant Part 1 cannot fully compensate for a Part 2 that reads like the wrong genre. Yet candidates often arrive with essay technique polished and Part 2 under-rehearsed — then lose marks on register, genre layout, and task fulfilment. In 2026, C2 Proficiency writing part 2 queries spike before exam sessions because genre control is the fastest fixable weakness at advanced level.

This guide breaks down all four Part 2 genres, examiner expectations, timing, and a monthly rotation plan — with free AI feedback on the Writing Lab.

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What Is C2 Proficiency Writing Part 2?

Part 2 presents two or more optional tasks (typically four genres across two question sets). You select one task only.

Each task specifies:

• Text type — article, report, review, letter/email.
• Audience — readers of a magazine, committee members, customers, editors.
• Purpose — inform, evaluate, persuade, recommend, complain, apply.
• Content points — bullet notes you must address.

Cambridge assessors use the same broad criteria as Part 1 — content, communicative achievement, organisation, language — but communicative achievement weighs heavily: does it read like the genre?

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How Is Part 2 Different from the Part 1 Essay?

The Part 1 essay masterclass lives in our dedicated essay guide — link from the page CTA. This article focuses on Part 2 only.

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What Do Examiners Reward in Part 2 Writing?

Content — Every bullet point addressed with developed ideas, not listed mentions.

Communicative achievement — Register fits audience: a report to a board sounds different from a review in a student magazine.

Organisation — Clear paragraphs; reports may use headings; letters need salutation and closing.

Language — Range and precision at C2: hedging (it could be argued), emphasis (what is particularly striking), genre-appropriate collocations.

Band 5 language with Band 3 genre control often scores lower than Band 4 across all criteria — format matters.

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How Should You Write Each Part 2 Genre?

Report

Reports inform or recommend to an institutional audience — committee, manager, survey readers.

Structure template

1. Title line — clear, neutral (Report on…).
2. Introduction — purpose and scope (This report examines…).
3. Section headings — 2–3 themed sections with developed points.
4. Conclusion / recommendations — numbered if appropriate (It is recommended that…).

Register

• Third person or passive where objective (It was observed that…).
• Avoid contractions and slang.
• Present data cautiously (approximately, a significant proportion).

Common failures

• Essay-style argument without headings.
• Personal diary tone (I think it's crazy).
• Missing recommendation when the task asks for one.

Mini sample outline (report task)

Task: Report for a university committee on student use of study spaces.

1. Title: Report on Study Space Usage — Spring Term 2026
2. Intro: purpose + data source (This report summarises survey responses from 412 students…)
3. §1 Findings — peak hours, overcrowding
4. §2 Issues — noise, equipment shortages
5. Recommendations — numbered list (It is recommended that the library extend…)

Outlines take three minutes and prevent genre drift mid-task.

Review

Reviews evaluate for publication — film, book, exhibition, product, service — for a defined readership.

Structure template

1. Hook — evaluative opening that sets tone.
2. Context — what is being reviewed, for whom.
3. Developed evaluation — strengths and weaknesses with examples.
4. Verdict — clear recommendation or rating language.

Language bank

• compelling, uneven, understated, visceral, derivative
• worth seeking out, falls short of expectations, rewards repeat viewing
• Balance praise and criticism — one-sided reviews feel immature at C2.

Common failures

• Plot summary without evaluation (especially films/books).
• Informal chat without publication polish.
• Ignoring the specified reader (specialist vs general).

Write reviews as if pitching to an editor — would they publish your angle, or is it generic praise any blogger could post? One specific scene, statistic, or comparison earns more than three adjectives.

Letter or email

Letters/emails target a named recipient with clear situational purpose — complaint, application, proposal, thanks.

Structure template

1. Salutation — Dear Mr Hopkins, / Dear Sir or Madam,
2. Opening line — purpose immediately (I am writing to…).
3. Body paragraphs — one theme each; bullet points woven in fully.
4. Closing action — what you expect next (I look forward to your reply).
5. Sign-off — Yours sincerely, (named) / Yours faithfully, (unknown)

Register spectrum

• Formal complaint: no contractions, precise dates and facts.
• Semi-formal email to editor: polite but engaged.
• Match the task's stated relationship.

Common failures

• Missing salutation or sign-off.
• Essay structure without direct address.
• Aggressive tone in complaints — firm but professional at C2.

Article

Articles appear in magazines, websites, or newsletters — often engaging, informative, or opinionated for a general or special-interest audience.

Structure template

1. Title — engaging but not clickbait.
2. Lead paragraph — draws reader in; states angle.
3. Body — 2–3 sections with developed ideas and examples.
4. Closing — memorable final thought or call to reflect.

Tone

• May allow lighter voice than reports — but still controlled at C2.
• Rhetorical questions sparingly.
• Anecdote acceptable if task invites it.

Common failures

• Report headings in a magazine article (too dry).
• Letter openings (Dear reader) unless task specifies.
• Under-developed bullets — listing instead of exploring.

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Which Part 2 Genre Should You Choose on Exam Day?

Choose the genre you have practised most, not the one that looks easiest in the moment.

Rotate all four monthly on /writing/c2 so exam-day choice is strategic, not emotional.

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How Should You Manage Time in the Writing Paper?

90 minutes total — typical split:

• 3 min — read both Part 1 and Part 2 tasks; commit to Part 2 genre immediately.
• 40 min — Part 1 essay (plan 5, write 30, proof 5).
• 42 min — Part 2 (plan 4, write 33, proof 5).
• 5 min — final word counts and spelling sweep on both tasks.

Never exceed 45 minutes on Part 1 — Part 2 genre errors are harder to fix in a remark.

Word count discipline:

• Part 1: 240–280
• Part 2: 280–320

Under-length loses content marks; over-length risks unfocused repetition.

Sample timing log (mock)

Five spare minutes absorb handwriting pauses or a difficult Part 2 bullet you initially misread.

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Why Do Candidates Lose Marks on Writing Part 2?

1. Genre mixing — review written as report, letter without salutation.

2. Bullet omission — addressing only two of three content points.

3. Register slips — contractions in formal reports, slang in official letters.

4. Under-planning — strong opening, thin body, abrupt ending.

5. Part 1 exhaustion — cognitive fatigue before Part 2 starts.

6. No proofreading — spelling errors in high-visibility words (definitely, accommodation).

7. Ignoring audience — specialist vocabulary for a general readership without explanation.

8. Flat openings — generic first sentences (Nowadays many people…) that waste the first impression on a human examiner.

Use AI feedback on the Writing Lab to flag register and organisation issues humans miss under time pressure. Human markers read hundreds of scripts — distinctive, task-aligned openings signal competence before they reach paragraph two.

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What Does a 4-Week Part 2 Rotation Look Like?

Each week:

• One timed Part 2 (42 minutes).
• One Part 1 essay (40 minutes) — keep both skills warm.
• AI feedback review within 24 hours.
• Recycle 5 phrases into vocabulary flashcards.

Pair writing with listening input — lectures supply report-style content ideas; interviews supply article angles.

Grammar precision from Use of English reduces sentence errors that cap Language marks.

When feedback flags “register inconsistent”, rewrite only the offending sentences — do not restart. When feedback flags “bullet underdeveloped”, add one concrete example (a survey of 200 students, a local festival last June) rather than new abstract claims. Specificity is the cheapest way to gain Content marks without hunting rare vocabulary.

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How Does Writing Part 2 Affect Your Overall C2 Score?

Writing = 20% of the Cambridge English Scale average. Part 1 and Part 2 contribute to the Writing paper score internally — weak Part 2 drags the whole paper.

Cross-paper tip: Reading Part 5 attitude analysis trains evaluative language for reviews. Speaking discussion parts train discourse markers that transfer to articles.

Use the score calculator after mocks to see whether Writing pulls your average below 180.

Genre-specific frames help under pressure — reports: It is evident from the data that… · reviews: On balance, it merits… · letters: I am writing to express my concern regarding… · articles: What is often overlooked is… Memorise five frames per genre and vary content inside them.

AI feedback is a coach, not a ghostwriter: write unaided, revise weak paragraphs only, log one recurring register error per week. Map every bullet to a developed paragraph with a concrete example before you start drafting.

If you are unsure which genre to specialise in, write one task of each type under identical 42-minute conditions, submit all four for feedback, and compare scores on communicative achievement — not language alone. The genre with the highest achievement score after two attempts deserves two weekly slots in your rotation; the lowest gets one monthly refresh so it never becomes a surprise on exam day.

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Bottom line: C2 Writing Part 2 is a genre exam disguised as a creative choice. Reports need headings; reviews need judgement; letters need formal scaffolding; articles need reader engagement. Practise all four before exam day — then choose confidently, plan in four minutes, and proofread like a sub-editor.

Open the Writing Lab, complete one timed Part 2 this week, and fix register before you fix adjectives. Rotate genres monthly so exam day is a choice of strength, not a gamble on the lesser evil. Strong C2 writers sound appropriate before they sound flashy — format first, flourish second.

Keep both Part 1 and Part 2 plans on one index card: essay skeleton on one side, four genre markers on the other (headings / verdict / salutation / hook). When the 90-minute clock starts, you are executing a rehearsed system, not inventing exam technique from memory.

Examiners read for task achievement first — a beautifully written review that omits half the bullets cannot be rescued by C2 vocabulary. Genre discipline is the highest-return Writing skill after B2.

If your hand tires, practise one full paper weekly with the pen you will use on exam day — muscle fatigue in minute 75 produces spelling slips you would never make at minute 15. Handwriting legibility still matters in many centres — if invigilators cannot read your report heading, you lose nothing on language but everything on communication. Leave margin space; paragraph clearly; do not cram corrections without arrows. That is how Part 2 stops being the task you regret selecting.