Assessing Writing at C2

Assessing Writing Performance – Level C2
Assessment of Writing in the Cambridge English: Proficiency (Certificate of Proficiency in

English – CPE)
Cambridge English writing scripts are marked by trained examiners in a secure online marking
environment. The quality assurance of Writing Examiners (WEs) is managed by Team Leaders (TLs) who
are in turn responsible to a Principal Examiner (PE). All of the examiners (PEs, TLs and WEs) must
prove each year, through a certification process, that they are competent to assess. In addition, they are
regularly monitored during live testing sessions.
The Writing Examiners award marks using a Writing Assessment Scale which was developed with explicit
reference to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It covers all the
levels of the Cambridge English exams and is divided into four subscales:
• Content
o This focuses on how well the candidate has fulfilled the task, in other words, if they have
done what they were asked to do.
• Communicative Achievement
o This focuses on how appropriate the writing is for the task, and whether the candidate has
used the appropriate register.
• Organisation
o This focuses on the way the candidate puts together the piece of writing, in other words, if
it is logical and ordered.
• Language
o This focuses on vocabulary and grammar. It includes the range of language as well as how
accurate it is.
Examiners use the C2 Level Assessment Scales to decide which marks to give candidates taking the
Proficiency Writing test.
How can I use the Assessment Scales?
Using the scales yourself while marking students’ writing will help you to:
• analyse your students’ strengths and weaknesses when they practise C2 writing tasks
• guide your students in how to enhance their performance
• form an impression of how ready your students are to take the writing part of the exam.
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The Assessment Scales
The C2 Assessment Scales are divided into six bands from 0 to 5, with 0 being the lowest and 5 the
highest. Descriptors for each criterion are provided for bands 1, 3 and 5 and indicate what a candidate is
expected to demonstrate at each band. The descriptors for band 3 and above indicate performance of at
least C2 level.
C2 CONTENT COMMUNICATIVE ORGANISATION LANGUAGE

ACHIEVEMENT
5 All content is Demonstrates complete Text is organised Uses a wide range of
relevant to the task. command of the impressively and vocabulary, including less
conventions of the coherently using a wide common lexis, with fluency,
Target reader is communicative task. range of cohesive devices precision, sophistication and
fully informed. and organisational style.
Communicates complex patterns with complete
ideas in an effective and flexibility. Use of grammar is
convincing way, holding sophisticated, fully
the target reader’s controlled and completely
attention with ease, natural.
fulfilling all communicative
purposes. Any inaccuracies occur only
as slips.
4
Performance shares features of Bands 3 and 5.
3 Minor irrelevances Uses the conventions of Text is a well-organised, Uses a range of vocabulary,
and/or omissions the communicative task coherent whole, using a including less common lexis,
may be present. with sufficient flexibility to variety of cohesive effectively and precisely.
communicate complex devices and
Target reader is on ideas in an effective way, organisational patterns Uses a wide range of simple
the whole informed. holding the target reader’s with flexibility. and complex grammatical
attention with ease, forms with full control,
fulfilling all communicative flexibility and sophistication.
purposes.
Errors, if present, are related
to less common words and
structures, or occur as slips.
2
Performance shares features of Bands 1 and 3.
1 Irrelevances and Uses the conventions of Text is well-organised and Uses a range of vocabulary,
misinterpretation of the communicative task coherent, using a variety including less common lexis,
task may be effectively to hold the of cohesive devices and appropriately.
present. target reader’s attention organisational patterns to
and communicate generally good effect. Uses a range of simple and
Target reader is straightforward and complex grammatical forms
minimally informed. complex ideas, as with control and flexibility.
appropriate.
Occasional errors may be
present but do not impede
communication.
0 Content is totally
irrelevant.
Performance below Band 1.
Target reader is not
informed.
2
Remember:
The Assessment Scales descriptors are phrased positively (as ‘can-do’ statements) at each level. This
means that a Band 1 descriptor in the C2 scales will not set out what the text does not do; rather it
describes a performance in terms of what a candidate can do at CEFR C1 level.
For example, under the Language subscale, the descriptor at Band 1 (C1 level) for grammar – Uses a
range of simple and complex grammatical forms with control and flexibility – is couched in similar
language to the Band 3 descriptor (C2 level), but with key differences - Uses a wide range of simple and
complex grammatical forms with full control, flexibility and sophistication. So at C2 level, a wide range of
simple and complex forms is expected, used with full control and flexibility and with sophistication. At
Band 5 (above basic C2 level), a writer’s Use of grammar is sophisticated, fully controlled and completely
natural.
Similarly, under the Organisation subscale, a key difference between the Band 1 (C1 level) and Band 3
(C2 level) descriptors is that whereas at Band 1 Text is well-organised and coherent, using a variety of
cohesive devices and organisational patterns to generally good effect, at Band 3 Text is a well-
organised, coherent whole, using a variety of cohesive devices and organisational patterns with
flexibility. The successful weaving of the devices and organisational patterns into a coherent whole text
is important here, and the use of the devices and patterns must be flexible. At Band 5 (above basic C2
level) Text is organised impressively and coherently using a wide range of cohesive devices and
organisational patterns with complete flexibility.
Don’t worry if a lot of the terms used in the scales are new to you – in Appendix A (and also in the
Handbook for Teachers for Cambridge English Proficiency) you will find a Glossary of Terms for Writing,
where the terminology used in the scales is explained, and examples are given. For instance, under the
Language subscale, there are examples of simple and complex grammatical forms and an explanation
of what is meant by grammatical control and range. Flexibility is explained under the General terms
section. The Language subscale also includes vocabulary, and the idea of less common lexis is
explained, as well as the concept of appropriacy of vocabulary. Under the Organisation subscale, there
are examples of cohesive devices, as well as an explanation of what is meant by organisational
patterns (expected in a candidate’s writing at all bands at this level). The adverb generally is also
explained under the General terms section: it is a qualifier meaning ‘not in every way or instance’. Looking
at how these terms and distinctions are applied to the sample scripts in this guide (and those in the
Handbook for Teachers for Cambridge English Proficiency) will help you to develop a sensitivity to the
language of the Assessment Scales and to encourage your students to improve their writing performance.
It is well worth spending some time looking through the glossary of terms and becoming familiar with the
terms used, as well as referring to them constantly when marking your students’ work, as the Cambridge
English examiners do.
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Assessing Writing Performance – Level C2

Assessment of Writing in the Cambridge English: Proficiency (Certificate of Proficiency in

How can I use the Assessment Scales?

C2 CONTENT COMMUNICATIVE ORGANISATION LANGUAGE

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