FCE review example: a weekend music festival
This page gives an original Part 2 review task about a music festival, a top answer (18/20) and a borderline answer (10/20), with examiner-style comments. It is part of our B2 First Writing guide; for structure and phrases, see the FCE review guide.
By Eleanor BennettLast updated:
How to approach this task
The biggest danger with an event review is writing a story ("On the first day we arrived…") instead of an evaluation. Organise by topic, not by time:
- Title with the festival's name and a hint of your verdict.
- Introduction: what, where, what kind of music.
- The music (best moments).
- The organisation (food, facilities, crowds).
- Would you go again? Give a reason and some advice.
Each paragraph should include an opinion, not just facts.
Top answer (18/20)
The task
You see this announcement on a music website.
Festival reviews Have you been to a music festival recently? Write a review describing the event, commenting on the music and the organisation, and saying whether you would go again.
Write your review in 140–190 words.
Top answer176 words · estimated 18/20
Riverside Sounds: great music, shame about the queues
Every July, a quiet stretch of riverbank outside my town turns into a stage for three days of indie and electronic music. This year I finally bought a ticket for Riverside Sounds, and it was mostly worth every penny.
The line-up was the festival's biggest strength. Alongside a couple of well-known headliners, there were dozens of up-and-coming bands on the smaller stages, and some of my best moments came from discovering groups I had never heard of. Saturday's closing set, performed as fireworks lit up the river, was simply unforgettable.
Unfortunately, the organisation did not match the music. Queues for food and toilets were often longer than half an hour, and the only free water point ran dry on the hottest afternoon. For a festival that calls itself eco-friendly, there were also surprisingly few recycling bins.
Would I go again? Probably, yes, because the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. But I would bring my own snacks, a refillable bottle and plenty of patience.
Rating: seven out of ten.
Examiner-style comments
- Content5/5
- The event, the music and the organisation are all described and evaluated, and the writer clearly says they would go again, with practical advice.
- Communicative Achievement5/5
- The title sums up the verdict, and the honest mix of enthusiasm and criticism suits a music website. The advice in the final paragraph is genuinely helpful to readers.
- Organisation4/5
- Organised by topic rather than by time, which is ideal for a review. The 'Would I go again?' paragraph is a little short compared with the others, so Organisation is 4.
- Language4/5
- Good topic vocabulary ('line-up', 'headliners', 'up-and-coming bands', 'ran dry') with accurate grammar. More varied complex structures would push this to 5.
A balanced event review with a clear verdict, practical tips and strong topic vocabulary.
Marks are our estimate using the public B2 First writing criteria, not an official Cambridge mark.
Borderline answer (10/20)
The task
You see this announcement on a music website.
Festival reviews Have you been to a music festival recently? Write a review describing the event, commenting on the music and the organisation, and saying whether you would go again.
Write your review in 140–190 words.
Borderline172 words · estimated 10/20
Last summer I went to a music festival with my friends. It was in the mountains and it was three days. I want to tell you about it.
The first day we arrived in the morning and we put our tent near the lake. There was a lot of people from many countries. In the afternoon we listened some groups but I didn't know them. In the night the main group played and it was fantastic, everybody was singing and dancing. The second day was raining all the day and our tent was full of water so we went to sleep in the car. The third day was sunny again and we listened more concerts.
The food was very expensive, a sandwich was eight euros and a drink five euros. Also the toilets were very dirty.
But in general I had a lot of fun with my friends and I will never forget this experience.
I think if you like music you should go to a festival one time in your life.
Examiner-style comments
- Content3/5
- The music and some aspects of organisation (food prices, toilets) are mentioned, but the writer never names the festival or says whether they would go to it again. The final sentence recommends festivals in general, not this one.
- Communicative Achievement2/5
- This reads as a holiday story rather than a review. The reader learns what happened to the writer but gets little evaluation of the event to help them decide whether to go.
- Organisation2/5
- The second paragraph is organised by time ('The first day… The second day… The third day…'), which suits a story but not a review. There is no title, and the short final paragraphs feel disconnected.
- Language3/5
- Generally clear with some errors: 'it was three days', 'There was a lot of people', 'we listened some groups', 'all the day', 'one time in your life'. Vocabulary is adequate but simple.
An enjoyable story, but not a review: the event is barely evaluated and one question is left unanswered.
Marks are our estimate using the public B2 First writing criteria, not an official Cambridge mark.
What to copy from the top answer
- Organise by topic, not by day. Music, organisation, verdict: each paragraph evaluates one area.
- Name what you are reviewing. The reader needs to know exactly which event you mean.
- Use the verdict question as a paragraph opener. "Would I go again? Probably, yes, because…" answers the task directly.
- Learn topic words. Line-up, headliner, set, stage, crowd and queue make your review sound authentic.
Check your own answer
Write your own review for this prompt before you look at the answers again. Then go through the B2 First writing checklist and paste your draft into the writing checker and word counter to make sure you are between 140 and 190 words. More marked answers are in our FCE writing examples.
Questions about this task
What is the difference between a review and a story?
A story tells what happened in order. A review describes and evaluates something so the reader can decide whether to try it. Organise a review by topic, with opinions in every paragraph.
Should I name the festival in my review?
Yes. A review is about a specific event, product or place. Name it in the title or first paragraph.
Can I invent a festival for my B2 First review?
Yes. The examiner marks your English and how well you complete the task, not whether the event exists.
How do I say I would go again in a natural way?
Try 'I'd definitely go back', 'I'd go again, but next time I'd…' or 'Once was enough for me, because…'.