C1 Advanced review example, marked
The same review written twice: first an answer that would get about 10 out of 20 (just below a pass), then the same answer improved to about 18 out of 20. Every problem and every improvement is marked and explained, criterion by criterion.
The task
You see this announcement in an international magazine.
Reviews wanted: a book that changed the way you think
We’re looking for reviews of books that made readers see something differently. Tell us about the book, explain how it changed your thinking and say whether you would recommend it to others.
Write your review. (The book in this example is invented.)
Write your review in 220–260 words.
Answer 1
about 10 / 20My review1
The book I want to review is The Long Way Round by Maya Holt, a journalist from London. It is about a woman who decides to walk from the north of Scotland to the south of England after she loses her job. It has twelve chapters and some photos of the places she visits.
In the first chapter she leaves her house and starts walking. Then she meets a farmer who helps her. After that she gets lost in the mountains and she has to sleep in a cave. Then she arrives in a small town and works in a café for a week.2 Some of the people she meets are very funny.
The book is very interesting and the descriptions of the places are very good. I liked the part in the mountains because it was very exciting. Also I learned a lot about the history of Britain. It changed the way I think because now I like walking more.3
Also the writer is very good and the book is not very long, so it is easy to read. The language is simple, so it is good for people who are learning English. I have read it two times.4
I recommend this book.5
206 words
What goes wrong
- It doesn’t tell the reader which book it is, or catch their interest.
- Almost half the review retells the story. A review should describe briefly and then evaluate.
- The key part of the task is answered in one short sentence, with little explanation.
- “twice” – and it doesn’t add to the evaluation.
- Who to? Why? The recommendation needs to be developed.
The marks
Mostly plot; how the book changed the writer’s thinking is barely explained.
Retells the story instead of evaluating it, so it doesn’t help the reader decide.
Clear paragraphs, but the linking is a simple sequence (Then, After that, Also).
Accurate but basic for C1 (very interesting, very good, very funny).
Answer 2: the same ideas, improved
about 18 / 20The Long Way Round: a walk that changed how I think about success1
When I first picked up Maya Holt’s The Long Way Round, I expected a pleasant travel book.2 What I found instead was a quietly powerful reflection on what it means to live a good life.
The premise is simple: after losing her job, Holt walks the length of Britain, from the north of Scotland to Cornwall. Rather than retelling every step of the journey3, the book focuses on the strangers who help her along the way and the small, unexpected pleasures of slowing down. Along the way, she sleeps in barns, works in cafés and is frequently lost.
What struck me most4 was Holt’s argument that we often measure success by the wrong things. Like many people my age, I had always assumed that a good career was the key to happiness. Reading her account made me question that assumption5, and I now make a conscious effort to value time with friends and family as much as my ambitions.
The writing is not without its flaws; a few chapters in the middle drag somewhat6. Nevertheless, Holt’s honesty and humour more than make up for this.
I would wholeheartedly recommend the book to anyone who feels caught up in the rush of modern life – though perhaps not to readers looking for an adventure story.7
227 words
What makes it better
- A title that names the book and hints at its effect.
- An engaging opening with a personal voice.
- The story is summarised briefly before the evaluation.
- A cleft structure that introduces the key point.
- Explains clearly how the book changed the writer’s thinking.
- A balanced criticism, expressed naturally.
- A developed recommendation that says who the book is for.
The marks
A short summary, a detailed account of how it changed the writer’s thinking and a clear recommendation.
Engaging, personal and balanced – exactly what magazine readers want from a review.
A clear path from expectation, to summary, to impact, to evaluation and recommendation.
A wide range of C1 language (premise, struck me most, not without its flaws, more than make up for).
What made the difference
- Content: The story takes two sentences; the change in the writer’s thinking takes a whole paragraph.
- Communicative achievement: It evaluates the book, strengths and weaknesses, instead of retelling it.
- Organisation: Each paragraph has a purpose: expectation, summary, impact, criticism, recommendation.
- Language: C1 structures such as “What struck me most was…” and “not without its flaws”.
In a review, keep the summary short – two or three sentences – and spend most of your words on your opinion and what the task asks you to explain.
Now write your own
Practise with real exam tasks and model answers, and get AI feedback on your review: an estimated mark for each criterion, your mistakes corrected and tips to improve.
More examples
The marks are Levoop’s estimate using the four criteria Cambridge uses for Writing (0–5 each). Only Cambridge English can give an official mark. The texts were written for Levoop.