What changes between a B1 and a B2 writing task?

Begin with what the writer needs to do

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages describes language use through illustrative “can-do” descriptors. Its 2020 Companion volume updates and extends that framework (Council of Europe, 2020).

A level label alone does not explain a writing activity. We also need to say who the learner is writing to and what they want to communicate. A forum reply responds to an existing position; an email reporting a problem has a different reader and purpose.

The “Online conversation and discussion” scale is particularly relevant here. At B1, it includes understandable contributions on familiar topics, with time to prepare and use language tools. At B2, it includes developing and responding to opinions at greater length when the language and response time allow. These descriptors give a broader basis for task design than the difficulty of individual phrases (Council of Europe, 2020, pp. 84–85).

B1: recognize agreement and polite disagreement

The English B1 reply activity asks learners to sort expressions into two groups. “That’s a good point” belongs with agreement. “I see what you mean, but” introduces polite disagreement. The learner then writes their own opening.

Later, they distinguish expressions for reasons from expressions for examples. “One reason is” and “For instance” prepare them for different jobs in the reply. They write two reasons and an example for each.

B2: decide how strongly to respond

The English B2 activity adds a closer look at degree. Learners order agreement expressions from “You may be right” to “I completely agree”. They also order disagreement expressions by directness.

The reason-and-example practice includes “A further reason is that” and “Another example of this is”. These expressions make the addition of a second point explicit. The learner still has to supply a different reason and a relevant example.

These are our design choices

Those differences describe PrepTalk’s activities. They are not a Council of Europe prescription to teach a particular phrase at a particular level. A full account of alignment also needs the relevant descriptor scales and a curriculum-reviewed explanation of how the task addresses them.

Completing one of these activities is not a proficiency certificate. It shows completion of that writing task with the support available. The level-specific criteria still need curriculum and validation review before classroom deployment.