In this guide
Quick answer
Linguaskill Writing has two tasks in 55 minutes, an email of at least 50 words worth 25% of the score and an essay of at least 250 words worth 75%. Cambridge suggests about 15 minutes for the email and about 40 for the essay. You can practise both tasks with feedback for free.
You type your answers on a computer. Cambridge says the Writing module is marked by human examiners and auto-marking technology, which it calls hybrid marking. Below are the two tasks with a model email and a model essay that we wrote.
What does the Linguaskill Writing test ask you to do?
The test has two tasks and a 55-minute limit. The first is an email and the second is an essay. Cambridge gives a recommended minimum length for each one.
| Task | Length Cambridge recommends | Share of the Writing score |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1, email | At least 50 words | 25% |
| Part 2, essay | At least 250 words | 75% |
In Linguaskill Business the first task is the same email. The second task is a report instead of an essay, with the same length and weight. Guides that mention 45 minutes or a single task describe the test before the October 2025 change, so check their date.
The longer task carries three times the weight, so it deserves most of your time. Our page on the Linguaskill exam format puts Writing next to the other three modules.
How should you split the 55 minutes?
Cambridge’s advice for candidates is about 15 minutes on Part 1 and about 40 on Part 2. Those two figures add up to the 55 minutes of the test. The same advice sheet adds several practical points.
- There is no maximum word count for either task, so you can write more than the minimum.
- You can move between the two parts to change or add to an answer.
- There is no spellcheck, so leave a minute at the end to read your text again.
- Find the timer, the word counter and the copy and paste buttons before you start.
- You can ask for pen and paper to plan.
You do not need an email address or a subject line in Part 1. Start with an opening such as ‘Dear’ or ‘Hi’. Cambridge also suggests writing in a style that suits the reader and using paragraphs to link your ideas.
How do you write the Linguaskill email?
Answer every bullet point with a reason or an example, in a tone that suits the person you are writing to. Cambridge’s advice is to cover each point in as much detail as you can and to use a variety of language.
Here is an example task that we wrote.
Your friend Sam is coming to visit your town next month. Write an email to Sam. Say what the weather is usually like then. Suggest something Sam should bring. Say what you would like to do together.
A model answer of about 100 words could read as follows.
Hi Sam,
I’m so happy you’re coming. October is usually mild here, but it can rain a lot, so please bring a waterproof jacket. Comfortable shoes would be useful too, because I’d love to take you walking in the hills behind the town.
Apart from that, I’d like us to try the new food market on Saturday. The street food is excellent. You can taste several dishes for very little money. Let me know when your plane lands and I’ll meet you at the airport.
See you soon, Alex
The model covers all three points in order and keeps a warm, informal tone with contractions. Each point has a reason or a detail. We have not had it marked by Cambridge, so do not read a CEFR level into it.
How do you write the Linguaskill essay?
Plan four short paragraphs before you type. Cambridge’s advice for Part 2 is to cover every aspect of the task, to give examples, reasons and explanations and to give your own opinion. The task may offer some views. You can add other ideas that are relevant.
Here is an example task that we wrote.
Some people think that young people should do volunteer work before they start university or a job. Others disagree. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
A model answer of just over 250 words could read as follows.
Many people believe that young people should spend some time volunteering before they begin university or a job. Others think that this delays their education and their career. In my opinion, volunteering is valuable but should not be compulsory.
There are good reasons to support the idea. Volunteering helps young people to learn practical skills such as teamwork and responsibility. For example, someone who helps in a food bank has to work with strangers and keep to a schedule. It also allows them to meet people from different backgrounds, which makes them more confident. These experiences can help them to decide what to study. A student who has worked with children may realise that teaching suits them better than engineering. A year of this kind can also make a university application stronger.
On the other hand, some families cannot afford to wait. Young people may need to earn money as soon as they finish school. Time is also a factor, because some courses start in September and cannot be postponed. Finally, if volunteering were compulsory, many people would do it only to fill in a form, so the benefits would be small.
In my view, the best solution is to encourage volunteering without forcing it. Schools could offer short projects during the holidays, which would not delay anyone’s studies. Employers and universities could also recognise this experience when they choose candidates. In this way young people would benefit from helping others. They would still be free to follow the path that suits their situation.
The model gives both views before its own opinion and states that opinion twice. Every paragraph has one idea with an example or a reason. Notice also the variety of grammar, with conditionals and linking words such as ‘on the other hand’.
If your task is a report in Linguaskill Business, keep the same habit of planning. Use clear headings or short sections and give your recommendation at the end.
What do the official sample responses add?
Cambridge publishes sample candidate responses with examiner commentaries, for the General and the Business versions of Writing. They show how real answers at different levels differ. They are the best way to see what a stronger answer does.
They cannot comment on your own text. Our guide to the Linguaskill sample test and its answers explains what the sample responses include. The Cambridge advice sheet also names Write & Improve, a free Cambridge tool, for practice online.
Cambridge sample test and responses
- Sample responses with commentaries at different levels
- A sample test with no result and no saved answers
- No comment on the text you write
Linguaskill Academy writing practice
- Email and essay tasks in the order of the real test
- Word counter and a timer set to the suggested time
- Feedback with a score for each criterion
How can you practise Linguaskill Writing with feedback?
Write each task under the time limit, then check your text against the task. Our Writing practice gives you an email or an essay prompt, a word counter and a timer set to the suggested time. It then returns feedback with a score for each criterion.
Our four criteria are content, communicative achievement, organisation and language. We took them from Cambridge’s writing scales for other exams. Cambridge does not say that Linguaskill is marked in exactly this way, so treat the scores as an estimate. The tasks are written for the General version.
A simple weekly routine helps.
- Write one email in 15 minutes and check that you answered every bullet.
- Write one essay in 40 minutes with a plan of four paragraphs.
- Redo the weakest paragraph with different linking words.
To practise both tasks back to back, sit the full practice test.
Practise the Linguaskill email and essay
Exercises part by part, with every answer explained. Free, no account needed.
How many words do you need in Linguaskill Writing?
Cambridge recommends at least 50 words for the email and at least 250 words for the essay. There is no maximum, according to its candidate advice.
How long is the Linguaskill Writing test?
It lasts 55 minutes and has two tasks. Cambridge suggests about 15 minutes for the email and about 40 for the essay.
Is the Linguaskill Writing test marked by a person or a computer?
Cambridge says Writing is assessed by human examiners and auto-marking technology, known as hybrid marking.
Is there a spellcheck in Linguaskill Writing?
No. Cambridge’s candidate advice warns that there is no spellcheck, so reread your text if you have time. The page on Linguaskill results explains how the final score is shown.
Sources
- Cambridge English, Linguaskill, Exam format and task types, https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/information-about-the-exam/exam-formats-and-task-types/, consulted on 25 October 2026.
- Cambridge English, Linguaskill Writing, Writing test advice for the candidate, https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/Images/741675-linguaskill-writing-test-advice-for-the-candidate.pdf, consulted on 25 October 2026.
- Cambridge English, Linguaskill practice materials, https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/linguaskill/information-about-the-exam/practice-materials/, consulted on 25 October 2026.
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