C1 writing activities: persuasive essays, proposals and reports
Writers at this level can write well-structured, persuasive texts with a confident, flexible style for different readers.
Formal letters
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A Formal Letter to the City Council About Cycling
Write a formal letter to the city council supporting a new cycle lane while raising concerns about how it is planned.
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Letter to the Editor: Banning Cars From the City Centre
Respond to a newspaper article about banning cars from the city centre with a persuasive, well-argued letter.
Essays
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AI in the Classroom: Help or Hindrance?
Write a discursive essay evaluating two ways AI tools could change education and decide which matters more.
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C1 Advanced Part 1: Essay on Protecting Local Shops
Write a C1 Advanced Part 1 essay discussing two of three ways to support local shops and decide which is more effective.
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Should Museums Be Free to Enter?
Write a discursive essay on whether national museums should be free, weighing funding against access.
Reviews
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Review of an Exhibition or Museum
Review an exhibition or museum for a cultural website, evaluating how well it engages different kinds of visitors.
Articles
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Article: The Case for Travelling Slowly
Write a persuasive feature article for a travel magazine arguing that slower travel leads to richer experiences.
Reports
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Report: How Our Staff Feel About Hybrid Work
Write a report for management summarising survey results about hybrid working and recommending changes.
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C1 Advanced Part 2: Report on a Student Exchange
Write a C1 Advanced Part 2 report evaluating a student exchange programme and recommending improvements.
Proposals
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Proposal: Bringing an Empty Building Back to Life
Write a proposal for the town council on how to use an empty building in the centre, persuading them your idea serves the whole community.
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C1 Advanced Part 2: Proposal for a Student Wellbeing Week
Write a formal proposal suggesting activities for a wellbeing week at your college and explaining their benefits.
Summaries
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Summarise and Respond: Why Teenagers Can't Sleep
Read an article about teenage sleep and school start times, summarise its argument in your own words, then respond with your own view.
IELTS Task 1
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IELTS Task 1 Pie Charts: Electricity Sources
Compare two pie charts showing how a country produced its electricity in 2005 and 2025.
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IELTS Task 1 Table: Museum Visitors
Summarise a table showing visitor numbers at three museums over five years, including a sharp fall and recovery.
IELTS Task 2
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IELTS Task 2 Opinion: Should University Be Free?
Write an opinion essay on whether governments should pay for all university education, with a clear position throughout.
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IELTS Task 2 Discussion: City or Countryside for Children?
Discuss both views on whether children are better off growing up in a city or in the countryside, and give your own opinion.
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IELTS Task 2 Two-Part Question: Living Alone
Answer two direct questions: why more people live alone, and whether this is a positive or negative development.
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IELTS Task 2 Advantages and Disadvantages: Working From Home
Discuss whether the advantages of working from home outweigh the disadvantages, giving a clear judgement.
About writing at C1
At C1, writers control tone and structure with confidence. They evaluate rather than describe, anticipate objections and choose precise words. The difference between B2 and C1 is often subtle: fewer generalisations, more precise claims, and conclusions that genuinely weigh evidence.
Focus at this level: concession and counter-argument, cleft sentences, inversion, precise vocabulary, summarising.
Questions people ask
What is the C1 Advanced writing format?
Two tasks of 220–260 words in 90 minutes: a compulsory essay (choose two of three points) and a choice of letter/email, proposal, report or review.
How do I sound more advanced in writing?
Use precise vocabulary instead of general words, show nuance with concessions, and vary sentence structures naturally.
Is C1 writing always formal?
No. C1 writers move between formal, neutral and informal styles depending on the reader. Control of register is a key skill.