How to write a CAE report (with examples)
A CAE report is one of the Writing Part 2 options: a clearly organised, 220–260-word text for a manager, a committee or a group of peers that describes a situation, evaluates it and makes recommendations. It is partly factual and uses headings where they help the reader.
- Part
- 2, optional
- Words
- 220–260
- Reader
- Manager or peers
- Marks
- 20
What a CAE report task asks for
In Part 2 of the Writing paper you choose one task from three. The options are drawn from four genres: an email or letter, a proposal, a review and a report. Whichever you choose, you write 220–260 words, and it is marked out of 20, the same as the compulsory essay.
Who reads a report, and why
A report is written for a superior, such as a manager, a college principal or a committee, or for a group of peers, such as the members of a club or your classmates. It is partly factual: you describe and report what has happened or what exists. But at C1 it also has to evaluate: say what works, what does not, and why. It usually ends by suggesting alternatives or recommending action. Reports are normally organised under clear headings.
A typical CAE report task gives you a context (your company introduced a new policy; your college ran a series of events), tells you who the report is for, and lists two or three things the report must do, for example: describe how the facilities have been used, evaluate how successful they have been, and recommend improvements. Every one of those points must be covered.
How a CAE report is marked
- Content: all the points in the task are covered, so the reader is fully informed.
- Communicative Achievement: it reads like a report: a clear purpose from the first line, a consistent formal or neutral register, an impersonal tone when reporting findings, and recommendations that follow from the evaluation.
- Organisation: headings, paragraphs and a logical order (purpose, findings, evaluation, recommendations), with good linking within each section.
- Language: a range of structures typical of reports, such as passives, reporting verbs, hedged evaluation and recommendation forms, used accurately.
Report or proposal?
The two genres look similar because both use headings and both make recommendations. The difference is direction. A report mainly looks at the present or the past and evaluates it: how has something worked? A proposal mainly looks forward and persuades: what should we do, and why? If the task asks you to assess something that already exists, it is a report.
CAE report example: task and model answer
An original exam-style task, followed by a model C1 report of about 245 words, including the title and headings. Open the answer to see why it would score well.
Part 2 · Report · 220–260 words
Six months ago, the company you work for began allowing staff to work from home two days a week. Your manager has asked you to write a report on the arrangement. In your report, you should describe how staff have made use of the arrangement, evaluate its effect on communication within teams, and recommend whether it should continue and with what changes.
Write your report.
Model answer
Hybrid working: six months on
Introduction
The aim of this report is to assess how the two-day home-working arrangement introduced in March has worked in practice, and to recommend whether it should be retained. It draws on a staff survey completed by 64 employees and on conversations with team leaders.
How staff have used the arrangement
Take-up has been high: around four in five employees now work from home at least once a week. Most use these days for tasks that require concentration, such as writing reports or analysing data, and many reported feeling noticeably more productive as a result. A minority, mainly newer staff, have chosen to remain in the office full-time.
Effect on communication
Here the picture is more mixed. Routine communication has, if anything, improved, since online meetings tend to be shorter and better prepared. However, several team leaders commented that informal exchanges, which often resolve problems before they escalate, have become less frequent. New employees in particular said they felt cut off from colleagues and found it harder to ask for help.
Recommendations
On balance, the arrangement has been a success and should continue. That said, I would recommend two changes. Firstly, each team should agree on a shared office day, so that everyone is present at least once a week. Secondly, new staff should spend their first month in the office, working alongside an experienced colleague. These measures would retain the benefits of home working while addressing its main drawback.
Show the answer and explanation
Why this CAE report example would score well
- Content. All three points in the task are covered, and each has its own section: how staff use the arrangement, its effect on communication, and a recommendation that says both whether to continue (should continue) and with what changes (two specific measures). The manager would know exactly what to do next.
- Communicative Achievement. The purpose is clear from the first sentence. Findings are reported impersonally and with evidence (a staff survey completed by 64 employees, several team leaders commented). Evaluation is measured rather than emotional (the picture is more mixed, if anything). The first person appears only in the recommendations, where it is appropriate. The register is formal but not stiff, which suits a report to a manager.
- Organisation. A title, then four headed sections that follow the order of the task. The headings are informative, not just Paragraph 2. Within sections, linking is precise: Here, However, in particular, On balance, That said, Firstly, Secondly, These measures.
- Language. Report-style vocabulary (take-up, draws on, retained, escalate, drawback), reporting structures (many reported feeling, several team leaders commented that), a non-defining relative clause, a purpose clause (so that everyone is present) and a balanced closing sentence (retain the benefits … while addressing …).
- Length. About 245 words including the title and headings, inside the 220–260 range.
What would lower the mark: no recommendation, or one that does not follow from the findings; a chatty, email-like tone; headings with no real content under them; or a report written entirely in bullet points, which gives the examiner too little language to assess.
How to write a CAE report, step by step
- 01
Underline the reader and every point the task asks for. The points usually become your headings. If a task has three points, you need three sections plus an introduction.
- 02
Plan your recommendation first. Decide what you will recommend before you write the findings, so that every section leads towards it. A recommendation that comes out of nowhere weakens the whole report.
- 03
Write a one- or two-sentence introduction stating the purpose of the report and, if you like, where the information comes from (a survey, interviews, your own observation).
- 04
Report, then evaluate, in each section. Give the facts briefly, then say what they mean: what is working, what is not, and how significant it is.
- 05
Finish with specific, justified recommendations. Say what should be done, by whom, and what difference it would make. Then check that your register is consistent and your word count is within 220–260.
Mistakes that cost marks
Description without evaluation. A report that only lists what happened reads like a B2 answer. C1 reports judge what they describe.
Vague recommendations. Things should be improved tells the reader nothing. Say exactly what should change and why.
The wrong register. Contractions, exclamation marks and chatty phrases (to be honest, basically) do not suit a report to a manager or committee.
Headings that do not match the task. If the task asks you to evaluate communication, a section called Communication or Effect on communication helps the examiner find it. Other issues does not.
CAE report structure (with headings)
| Section | Purpose | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Says what the report is about: Report on the new library opening hours | 3–8 |
| Introduction | The aim of the report and, optionally, where the information comes from | 30–45 |
| Section 1 (task point 1) | Findings: what happened or what exists, briefly evaluated | 50–60 |
| Section 2 (task point 2) | The main evaluation: strengths, weaknesses and how significant they are | 50–60 |
| Recommendations / Conclusion | Specific actions that follow from the findings, and the expected benefit | 55–70 |
Use the wording of the task for your headings, adapted into a short phrase. A short bulleted list can work inside the recommendations, but write most of the report in full sentences: the examiner needs sentences to judge your range of language.
Useful phrases for a CAE report
- Stating the purpose: The aim of this report is to… · This report sets out to assess… · It is based on a survey of…
- Reporting findings: According to the survey,… · The majority of respondents felt that… · It was widely felt that… · A significant minority reported… · Several people commented that…
- Evaluating: …has proved highly successful · …has fallen short of expectations · The main drawback is… · On the positive side,… · Here the picture is more mixed.
- Recommending: I would recommend that the scheme (should) be extended. · It would be advisable to… · I strongly recommend introducing… · The most effective solution would be to… · Should the budget allow, it would be worth…
- Concluding: On balance,… · All things considered,… · If these recommendations are implemented, …is likely to…
Note the structure recommend that something (should) be done. I recommend that the scheme be retained is formal and accurate; I recommend the scheme to be retained is a common error.
CAE report tasks to practise
- Your college ran a series of evening talks by local professionals this term. The principal has asked for a report describing which talks were most popular, evaluating what students gained from them, and recommending how the series could be improved next year.
- You are a member of a sports club that recently reduced its fees for students. Write a report for the committee explaining how membership has changed, assessing whether the change has been good for the club, and suggesting what should happen when the trial period ends.
- Your town introduced a bike-sharing scheme a year ago. Write a report for the local council describing who uses it and for what, evaluating its main problems, and recommending changes.
Each of our six CAE Writing tests includes a Part 2 choice like the real exam, and your text gets an expert evaluation on the four Cambridge criteria. We email you when your results are ready to view.
Practise the report in full CAE Writing tests
Five of our six CAE Writing tests include a report among the three Part 2 tasks. Each paper is timed at 90 minutes, and your text gets an expert evaluation on the four Cambridge criteria.
- Test 1: Your college has completed a trial in which three rooms could be used for either individual…
- Test 3: You recently completed the induction programme for new volunteers at a local visitor centre.
- Test 4: A local recreation centre has tested a new system for recording lost property and returning it…
- Test 5: You volunteer for an organisation that runs activities at several local venues.
- Test 6: A local arts organisation has trialled guided visits to studios where artists and craftspeople…
CAE report: questions
Does a CAE report need headings?
Normally, yes. Reports are usually organised under headings, and clear headings that follow the points in the task help both your Organisation and Communicative Achievement marks.
What is the difference between a CAE report and a proposal?
A report mainly evaluates something that exists or has happened and ends with recommendations. A proposal mainly looks to the future and persuades the reader to adopt a plan. Both are formal and both use headings.
How formal should a C1 report be?
Formal or neutral, depending on the reader, and consistent throughout. Avoid contractions and chatty phrases. Using "I" for your recommendations is fine.
How long should a CAE report be?
Between 220 and 260 words, like every task in the C1 Writing paper. A good guide is a short introduction, two sections of findings and evaluation of about 55 words each, and the longest section for recommendations.
Sources
- C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment), pages 28–35
- C1 Advanced exam format (cambridgeenglish.org)
- Assessing writing for C1 Advanced: a guide for teachers
CambridgeMock is independent and not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Facts on this page are checked against the official documents above; the practice items and advice are our own.
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