FCE Essay Writing: Mastering Communicative Achievement
1 Understanding Communicative Achievement
Today we’re exploring what ‘Communicative Achievement’ really means in Cambridge assessment. This crucial criterion evaluates how effectively you communicate with your target reader while following appropriate conventions for the essay format.
At B2 level, examiners are looking for writing that demonstrates clear control of formal register and maintains consistent tone throughout the response. Your essay should show strong audience awareness by engaging the reader through well-structured arguments and appropriate language choices.
Communicative Achievement differs from other subscales because it focuses specifically on how successfully you achieve your communicative goals while meeting genre expectations. Many students mistakenly think it’s just about using fancy vocabulary – but it’s actually about choosing the right language and style for your target reader.
Remember: an FCE essay requires a formal academic approach. This means avoiding casual expressions, maintaining an objective stance, and using appropriate linking devices to guide your reader through your arguments.
Key Terms
- conventions
- standard ways of organizing and presenting different types of writing
- formal register
- language style appropriate for academic or professional contexts
- tone
- the overall attitude or character of the writing
- audience awareness
- understanding and addressing the needs and expectations of your readers
2 Example of Poor Communicative Achievement
Essay Question: Some people say that teenagers should have part-time jobs while still at school. Others believe this can interfere with their studies. What is your opinion?
Hey! So like I totally think teenagers should get jobs while they’re still studying and stuff. It’s super important!
Firstly, having a job teaches you loads of useful things. You learn how to deal with people and get some experience. Plus you get money which is awesome cos then you don’t have to keep asking your parents all the time!
Secondly working while studying isn’t that hard tbh. You just need to organize yourself better and stop wasting time on social media lol. I mean, I had a job last summer and it was fine.
But some people are like ‘oh no it’s too much pressure’ but that’s just lazy thinking imho. Life is pressure! Deal with it!
So yeah, that’s what I reckon. Getting a job while at school is definitely the way to go. Trust me on this one!
Key Terms
- communicative goals
- the intended purpose and effect of the writing on the reader
- genre expectations
- the typical features and characteristics expected in a particular type of writing
- target reader
- the intended audience for whom the text is written
3 Reflection Questions
Before we look at some expert analysis in our next session, take some time to consider:
– Looking at Maria’s response, what specific problems in register and tone prevent it from achieving Band 5 excellence in Communicative Achievement?
– Which formal essay conventions are missing or inadequate in Maria’s writing?
– How does Maria’s casual language and informal approach undermine her message?
– What changes would help Maria’s response demonstrate the sophisticated communication expected at B2 level?
In our next session, I’ll show you exactly how to transform Maria’s weak Communicative Achievement into a Band 5 model response that achieves top marks in this criterion.
Key Terms
- engagement
- the ability to hold the reader's attention and interest
- purpose fulfillment
- successfully achieving the intended goals of the writing task