CAE Writing Part 2 – report vs proposal, which do you find harder to score well on?
I've been prepping for the CAE for about 14 weeks now and writing is my most inconsistent section. My overall score on mock exams is around 172-175, which is comfortably in the C1 range, but my Writing Part 2 marks jump around more than anything else. Some days I write something that feels solid and it comes back with B marks; other days I think I've written something mediocre and it gets an A. I can't predict my own performance.
The two task types I'm choosing between most often are reports and proposals. My instinct is that proposals are easier because the structure is more flexible and the rhetorical goal is clearer – you're recommending something and making a case for it. Reports feel like they penalize you more for weak evidence or thin analysis even if the language is good. But I've also heard that examiners sometimes prefer the argumentative structure of proposals and mark them more generously when the persuasive logic is tight.
I also struggle with word count discipline. I consistently write 260-280 words when the target range is 220-260. I've read conflicting things about whether going over by 20-30 words is actually penalized or whether it's a soft guideline. My preparation tutor says it's not penalized but I want a second opinion from people who've actually sat the exam recently.
Your B/A inconsistency sounds like a register issue rather than a content issue. CAE Part 2 marks drop when the tone shifts mid-task – going from formal to neutral and back within a report looks like a lack of control even if the individual sentences are correct. Try reading your draft aloud to catch register slippage.
That one fix moved me from mostly Bs to consistent As in about three weeks of practice.
Reports reward candidates who know how to use headers and organize evidence efficiently. If you can structure the information clearly and back every recommendation with a specific reason, the language requirements are actually more forgiving than essays. I found reports easier once I stopped treating them like formal academic writing.
The 20-30 word overage is generally fine in practice. The word count guidance exists to stop people writing 400 words and burying the point, not to penalize thorough answers. I went 15-25 words over on both Part 2 tasks in my sitting and scored well. What matters is that every sentence is doing something.
172-175 with three weeks left is a comfortable position. Don't over-rotate on writing at the expense of Use of English – Parts 4 and 5 of the Reading and Use of English paper are where candidates often drop unexpected points. Make sure you're still drilling the word formation and key word transformation tasks regularly.