How to write a C1 Advanced review

Exercises: 1 2 3

Exercise 2

Complete each sentence with the most appropriate word or expression.

1 _____, the novel appears to be a conventional detective story, but it soon becomes far more ambitious.

A. On balance

B. That said

C. In particular

D. At first glance

2 What immediately _____ this app apart from similar products is its ability to adapt to each user.

A. places

B. keeps

C. sets

D. makes

3 Having recently visited the exhibition, I was curious to see whether it _____ its reputation.

A. achieved

B. lived up to

C. reached

D. stood by

4 The interface is simple and the feedback is immediate. _____, however, is the personalised study plan.

A. What makes the app particularly effective

B. One of its main drawbacks

C. At first glance

D. Despite these reservations

5 Not only _____, but it also displays weekly progress in a clear visual format.

A. the interface is easy to navigate

B. is the interface easy to navigate

C. does the interface easy to navigate

D. the easy interface is to navigate

6 The hotel is attractively decorated and well located. _____, there are several aspects that could be improved.

A. For instance

B. As a result

C. In addition

D. That said

7 _____ I enjoyed the film's visual style, I found the storyline unnecessarily complicated.

A. Despite

B. Nevertheless

C. Much as

D. In spite of

8 While this may not be a major concern for casual users, it could _____ frustrating for professionals.

A. prove

B. show

C. lead

D. cause

9 _____, the restaurant has far more strengths than weaknesses.

A. At first glance

B. On balance

C. For instance

D. That said

10 If you are looking for a practical introduction to photography, this course is well _____ considering.

A. worthy

B. worthwhile

C. valued

D. worth

Exercises: 1 2 3

How to write a C1 Advanced review

A review is one of the text types that may appear in Part 2 of the C1 Advanced (CAE) Writing exam. You may be asked to review a book, film, place, event, product or app for a website, magazine or newspaper. You should write 220–260 words and address all the points in the task.

Your aim is to evaluate the subject, keep the target reader interested and help them decide whether it is worth their time or money.

Structure and organisation

A C1 Advanced review can usually be organised into four paragraphs. A short, relevant title can also help attract the reader’s attention.

🔹 Paragraph 1: Introduce what you are reviewing

Give the reader any essential information, indicate your overall impression and try to attract their attention.

🔹 Paragraph 2: Describe and evaluate its strengths

Focus on its most successful or useful features. Support your opinions with specific details or examples.

🔹 Paragraph 3: Discuss weaknesses or possible improvements

Explain what is less effective and how it could be improved. If the task does not ask about weaknesses, use this paragraph to address another point from the question.

🔹 Paragraph 4: Give your final recommendation

Summarise your overall opinion and state clearly whether you recommend it. You can also explain who would particularly enjoy or benefit from it.

Always use the points in the task to decide exactly what each main paragraph should cover.

Useful language

Use these expressions selectively. Choose the ones that suit the target reader and express your opinions naturally.

Introducing the subject

At first glance, … appears to be…, but…
What immediately sets … apart is…
Having recently tried …, I was curious to see whether it lived up to its reputation.
There has been considerable interest in …, but does it justify the attention it has received?

Highlighting strengths

One of its greatest strengths is…
What makes … particularly effective is…
Not only does it…, but it also…
A particularly impressive feature is…

Mentioning weaknesses

That said, there are some aspects that could be improved.
The main drawback is…
Much as I enjoyed …, I found … rather disappointing.
While this may not be a major concern for…, it could prove frustrating for…

Giving a recommendation

On balance, … has far more strengths than weaknesses.
I would strongly recommend … to anyone who…
If you are looking for…, … is well worth considering.
Despite these reservations, … would be an excellent choice for…

Sample task

✍ You see this announcement on an international student website:

Apps that make life easier

Have you used an app that helps you study or work more effectively? Describe its most useful features, explain one way it could be improved and say who you would recommend it to.

Write your review in 220–260 words.

Sample answer

Blue: Organising the review

Yellow: Use C1 grammar

Green: Connectors

FocusFlow: focus without the fuss?

How often do you sit down to study, only to find yourself checking messages five minutes later? FocusFlow is a productivity app designed to prevent precisely that. Having used it for a month, I was curious to see whether it could genuinely improve my concentration.

One of its greatest strengths is its simplicity. Users choose a task, set a focus period and start working; during that time, the app silences notifications and blocks selected websites. Not only is the interface easy to navigate, but it also displays weekly statistics, making it possible to identify when you work most effectively. This feature proved surprisingly motivating, as I could see my concentration gradually improving.

That said, FocusFlow is not flawless. The free version permits only three projects, which may well frustrate anyone managing several subjects or clients. I also found the desktop synchronisation rather inconsistent: on two occasions, completed sessions failed to appear in my weekly report. While this may not be a major concern for casual users, the developers should improve the synchronisation to make an otherwise polished app more reliable.

On balance, FocusFlow offers far more strengths than weaknesses. I would strongly recommend it to students, remote workers and anyone who finds digital distractions difficult to resist. It will not complete your work for you, of course, but if you are looking for a straightforward way to build better habits, it is well worth downloading.