B1 writing activities: stories, reviews, emails and opinions
Writers at this level can write connected text on familiar topics: stories, emails, short opinions and reviews.
Emails
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B1 Preliminary Part 1: Email About a Weekend Visit
Reply to a friend's email using all four notes, exactly as in B1 Preliminary Writing Part 1 (about 100 words).
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Advice for a Friend Who Is Moving School
Answer an email from a worried friend who is starting at a new school. Give advice and encourage them.
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My Order Arrived Broken: A Complaint Email
Write a polite but firm email to an online shop about a damaged order. Explain the problem and say what you want them to do.
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An Apology Email to a Friend
Apologise to a friend for missing an important event, explain what happened and suggest a way to make up for it.
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Volunteers Wanted: Write an Application
Read an advert for summer volunteers at an animal shelter, answer questions, then write an email applying for a place.
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School Life: A Welcome Email to a New Student
A student from another country is joining your class next week. Write an email to welcome them and tell them what to expect at your school.
Formal letters
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House and Neighbourhood: A Polite Complaint to a Neighbour
Your neighbours' late-night noise is keeping you awake before your exams. Write a polite note to ask them to change something.
Descriptions
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Personal Life: Describe Someone You Know
Describe the appearance and personality of someone important to you, with examples that show what they are like.
Stories
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The Wrong Bus: A Story
Continue a story that begins with a given sentence. Use past tenses, a clear problem and a satisfying ending.
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B1 Preliminary Part 2: Story Beginning With a Mystery Box
Write a story of about 100 words that begins with a given sentence, as in B1 Preliminary Writing Part 2.
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Lost and Found
Write a story that starts with finding something unusual. Include a choice the main character has to make.
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Family Life: A Family Celebration
Write about a family celebration you remember: what happened, who was there and why it was special.
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A Story From the Market
Use the picture of a busy street market to write a short story. Choose one person in the picture and tell what happened to them that morning.
Opinion paragraphs
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Should Phones Be Banned at School?
Write an opinion paragraph about banning mobile phones in schools. State your view, give reasons with examples and consider the other side.
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Should Students Wear School Uniforms?
Write an opinion paragraph about school uniforms with two reasons, an example and a conclusion.
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Classroom Life: Rules We Agree On
Suggest four classroom rules for a better learning environment, explain why each matters and say how the class can make sure everyone follows them.
Essays
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City or Countryside? Where Would You Rather Live?
Write a short opinion essay comparing life in a city and in the countryside, and say where you would rather live and why.
Reviews
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Restaurant Review for a Student Magazine
Review a café or restaurant you know for a student magazine: the place, the food, the service, the price and your recommendation.
Articles
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B1 Preliminary Part 2: Article About Your Free Time
Write an article for an English-language magazine answering the questions in the notice, as in B1 Preliminary Part 2.
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Article: A Place I Always Go Back To
Write a magazine article about a place you love: what it's like, what you do there and why it matters to you.
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Article: A Festival in My Country
Write a magazine article describing a festival or celebration in your country for international readers.
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The World and Nature: A Natural Wonder Worth Seeing
Write an article for a travel magazine about a natural place you think everyone should see, and how visitors can protect it.
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The Universe and the Future: Life in 2050
Make predictions about how life will be different in 2050, at home, at school and in space, and say how you feel about these changes.
Reading responses
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A Four-Day School Week? Read and Respond
Read a short news article about a school that changed to a four-day week, answer questions, then write an email to the editor with your opinion.
IELTS GT letters
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IELTS General Training Letter: Recommending a Course to a Friend
Write an informal letter recommending a course you took to a friend, with reasons and practical advice.
TOEFL Build a Sentence
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TOEFL Build a Sentence: Campus Conversations (Set 1)
Ten word-order items in the 2026 TOEFL format: put the words in order to complete a reply in a short campus conversation.
TOEFL Academic Discussion
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TOEFL Academic Discussion: Study Alone or in Groups?
Join an online class discussion about whether students learn more alone or in study groups, giving a reason and an example.
About writing at B1
B1 is where writing becomes truly useful. Learners can write a connected story, give advice, complain politely and express an opinion with reasons. The main challenge is organisation: paragraphs, linking and a clear beginning and end.
Focus at this level: narrative tenses, advice structures, comparatives, first and second conditionals, formal vs informal register.
Questions people ask
What writing tasks are in B1 Preliminary?
An email of about 100 words (Part 1) and either an article or a story of about 100 words (Part 2).
How do I write a good B1 story?
Plan the ending first, use past simple and past continuous, include a problem and a turning point, and add one line of dialogue.
How many paragraphs should a B1 email have?
Usually three to five short paragraphs: an opening, one paragraph for each main point and a closing line.