Featured sample: a formal email at three levels
Start with this Task 1 email to a community centre: 27 minutes, three things to do. All three samples answer one prompt, so only the writing differs. Switch levels to read each sample with its notes.
You paid for an eight-week evening cooking class at your local community centre. After the second class, the centre moved the class to a meeting room with no stove or oven, so the students now only watch the instructor cook. In about 150–200 words, write an email to the centre’s program coordinator. In your email, you should:
- describe the class and what has changed
- explain why the change is a problem for you
- say what you would like the centre to do
Dear Mr. Fraser,
I am writing about the Tuesday evening cooking class at Willowbrook Community Centre, which I registered for in September. I paid for all eight sessions, and the first two were excellent: we worked in pairs in the main kitchen, and each pair cooked a full meal.
Since the third week, however, we have been meeting in Room B, which has no stove or oven. The instructor now cooks on a small portable burner while the rest of us watch and take notes. I signed up because I want to cook healthier meals for my family, and that is a skill I can only build with hands-on practice. Watching someone else cook is not what the course description promised.
I would like the course to return to the main kitchen for the remaining six weeks. If that room is not available on Tuesdays, could you move us to another evening or offer a partial refund for the lessons that have changed? I would appreciate a reply before next week’s class.
Sincerely, Kavya Iyer
- Content/Coherence · one paragraph per point, each with specifics: Room B, the portable burner, the six weeks left.
- Vocabulary · precise words for the situation: “hands-on practice”, “the remaining six weeks”, “a partial refund”.
- Task Fulfillment · a clear request with a fallback and a deadline, in a polite, formal tone.
- To reach 10–11 · quote the course description, and show you understand the centre’s side before you ask.
Each level covers all three points. What changes is support, word choice and flow. At level 7, Kavya says her class moved. At level 9, she names Room B and its portable burner. At level 11, she quotes her course description, then offers two ways forward.
How to use these CELPIP writing samples
CELPIP writing examples teach most when you write first, then read. Work through each prompt in this order.
- 1
Plan your own answer first
Before you open a sample, spend two minutes jotting what you would say per point or reason. That gives you a plan of your own to compare.
- 2
Read level 9 as a target
It is a realistic goal: every point backed by a specific detail, in a tone that suits its reader, inside 150–200 words.
- 3
Then read level 7 and list what is missing
Ideas are often close. Underline each place where level 9 adds something: a time, a place, a reason or a result. That list becomes a practice plan.
- 4
Read level 11 for its language
Level 11 samples are barely longer. They are more exact. Pick two phrases worth borrowing next time.
- 5
Write it again under time
Answer that prompt again on a timer, without looking, then compare it with the notes for your target level.
Borrow shapes, not sentences
Raters score how well an answer fits whatever prompt is on screen. A paragraph memorized from a sample will not fit a new situation; it stands out. Keep its shape plus a few phrases; write everything else yourself.
All CELPIP writing questions and sample answers
Two Task 1 emails, one formal and one friendly, plus two Task 2 survey questions. Topics come from everyday life: a cooking class moved to a room without a stove, a friend’s move, a downtown street and a school donation. Each prompt opens to its three samples, with notes on four things raters score.
Task 1 · Writing an EmailA cooking class moved to a room with no kitchen
Task 1 · Writing an Email · 27 min · 150–200 wordsYou paid for an eight-week evening cooking class at your local community centre. After the second class, the centre moved the class to a meeting room with no stove or oven, so the students now only watch the instructor cook. In about 150–200 words, write an email to the centre’s program coordinator. In your email, you should:
- describe the class and what has changed
- explain why the change is a problem for you
- say what you would like the centre to do
Written to level 9175 wordsDear Mr. Fraser,
I am writing about the Tuesday evening cooking class at Willowbrook Community Centre, which I registered for in September. I paid for all eight sessions, and the first two were excellent: we worked in pairs in the main kitchen, and each pair cooked a full meal.
Since the third week, however, we have been meeting in Room B, which has no stove or oven. The instructor now cooks on a small portable burner while the rest of us watch and take notes. I signed up because I want to cook healthier meals for my family, and that is a skill I can only build with hands-on practice. Watching someone else cook is not what the course description promised.
I would like the course to return to the main kitchen for the remaining six weeks. If that room is not available on Tuesdays, could you move us to another evening or offer a partial refund for the lessons that have changed? I would appreciate a reply before next week’s class.
Sincerely, Kavya Iyer
- Content/Coherence · one paragraph per point, each with specifics: Room B, the portable burner, the six weeks left.
- Vocabulary · precise words for the situation: “hands-on practice”, “the remaining six weeks”, “a partial refund”.
- Task Fulfillment · a clear request with a fallback and a deadline, in a polite, formal tone.
- To reach 10–11 · quote the course description, and show you understand the centre’s side before you ask.
Task 1 · Writing an EmailAdvice for a friend moving to your town
Task 1 · Writing an Email · 27 min · 150–200 wordsA close friend who lives in another province has accepted a job in your town and will move there next month. Your friend has asked for your advice about which part of town to live in. In about 150–200 words, write an email to your friend. In your email, you should:
- recommend an area to live in
- explain why it would suit your friend
- offer to help with the move
Written to level 9175 wordsHi Joel,
Congratulations again on the new job. I’m so glad you’ll be just across town from me. You asked where to look for a place, and my answer is easy: Cedarvale.
It’s a quiet area along the river, with mostly older houses that have been divided into apartments, so you can find a one-bedroom with a bit of character for less than you’d pay downtown. There’s also a bakery on every second corner, which I know you’ll appreciate.
Most importantly, it fits your routine. The number 12 bus stops two blocks from your new office, and the ride takes under fifteen minutes. And since you run every morning, the trail by the river is perfect for you. It’s flat, well lit and busy enough to feel safe early in the day.
As for the move, I’m happy to help. I can pick you up at the airport, and my brother has a van we can borrow for your furniture. You’re also welcome to stay with me while you look at apartments.
Take care, Thao
- Content/Coherence · each reason is tied to Joel’s life: the bus to his office, the trail for his morning runs.
- Vocabulary · natural, specific phrases: “a one-bedroom with a bit of character”, “every second corner”.
- Readability · friendly contractions and clear paragraphs, linked by “most importantly” and “as for”.
- To reach 10–11 · admit one downside of the area and offer an alternative, so the advice sounds weighed rather than just enthusiastic.
Task 2 · Responding to Survey QuestionsA car-free main street or a bike lane
Task 2 · Responding to Survey Questions · 26 min · 150–200 wordsYour city plans to redesign the main shopping street downtown. It has asked residents which of two plans they prefer. Choose the option that you prefer. Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
- Option A: Close the street to cars and make it a walking area with benches, trees and space for markets.
- Option B: Keep one lane of traffic in each direction and use the extra space for wider sidewalks and a bike lane.
Written to level 9165 wordsI would choose the second plan: keeping one lane of traffic in each direction while adding wider sidewalks and a bike lane.
My main reason is that it improves the street without shutting anyone out. Many shoppers cannot easily walk or cycle downtown, such as older residents, parents with small children and families who drive in from nearby towns. If cars were banned completely, some of them might simply go to the mall by the highway instead.
My other reason is safety for cyclists. I ride to work three days a week, and right now I share the road with delivery trucks and buses. A separate bike path would make that trip far less stressful, and it would probably encourage more people to leave their cars at home.
A car-free street would certainly be pleasant on a sunny weekend. However, this plan offers most of the same benefits, including more room to walk and sit, while keeping the area open to everyone all year round.
- Content/Coherence · two developed reasons, each with an example: the shoppers who drive in, the ride to work.
- Vocabulary · precise choices: “shutting anyone out”, “far less stressful”, “all year round”.
- Task Fulfillment · the other option gets a fair, short answer, and the choice never wavers.
- To reach 10–11 · take a more nuanced position, and vary the structure beyond “My main reason… My other reason…”.
Task 2 · Responding to Survey QuestionsNew tablets or a school garden
Task 2 · Responding to Survey Questions · 26 min · 150–200 wordsThe elementary school near your home has received a donation from a local business. The parents’ council is asking families and neighbours how the money should be spent. Choose the option that you prefer. Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.
- Option A: Buy new tablets and laptops for the classrooms.
- Option B: Build a vegetable garden and an outdoor classroom in the schoolyard.
Written to level 9165 wordsI would choose the vegetable garden and outdoor classroom.
First, growing vegetables teaches things that are hard to learn from a screen. When children plant seeds in April and pick beans in June, they see where food comes from, and they practise patience, teamwork and responsibility. My daughter’s class grew tomatoes on a windowsill last year, and she still talks about it at dinner.
Second, an outdoor classroom would be used by every grade and in every subject. A teacher could hold a math lesson by measuring how fast the plants grow, or a reading circle in the shade on a warm afternoon. Children spend most of the school day indoors, so any good reason to be outside is valuable.
Of course, tablets and laptops are useful, and the school will need new ones eventually. However, devices become outdated within a few years, while a well-built vegetable bed can serve students for decades. For these reasons, I believe the garden is the better long-term investment.
- Content/Coherence · two developed reasons, each with an example: the windowsill tomatoes, the math lesson.
- Vocabulary · precise phrases such as “outdated within a few years” and “long-term investment”.
- Readability · clear linking with “First”, “Second” and “However”, and no errors that affect meaning.
- To reach 10–11 · use links that carry meaning instead of “First” and “Second”, and answer the obvious question: who looks after the garden in summer?
- Task 1 · formal
Cooking class email
Level 9 names Room B, a portable burner and six weeks left. Level 11 quotes a course description, admits rooms get reassigned, then asks for a reply before next Tuesday.
- Task 1 · friendly
Moving advice email
Level 9 links Cedarvale to Joel’s bus and his morning runs. Level 11 adds a catch, quiet streets after nine, and suggests livelier Hillcrest as a backup.
- Task 2
Main street survey
Level 9 backs a bike lane with older shoppers and a ride to work. Level 11 argues for a car-free street, but only with parking at both ends, drop-off zones and delivery hours.
- Task 2
School donation survey
Level 9 picks a garden, with windowsill tomatoes and a math lesson as proof. Level 11 picks tablets on grounds of fairness, then suggests a smaller volunteer garden rather than dropping that idea.
All prompts are original material written for CELPIP Trainer; each level is a target its sample was written to. Level labels make comparison easy; they are practice estimates, not official scores.
What changes from level 7 to 9 to 11
From 7 to 9, support improves. A level 7 sample states its points. A level 9 sample gives each point a specific detail plus a result, in words that fit its reader.
“My 7:40 bus has been late four times this month, and twice I arrived after my shift had started.”
“My bus is often late and this is a big problem for me.”
“Could you offer a partial refund for lessons that have changed?”
“Please give me back my money.”
From 9 to 11, precision and judgment grow. A level 11 writer picks an exact word, qualifies a position when a situation calls for it and makes almost no errors.
“I would favour a car-free street, provided our city keeps parking at both ends.”
“I prefer a car-free street because it would be safer and better for shops.”
“My new schedule clashes with my daughter’s school pickup.”
“My new schedule is not convenient because I have to pick up my daughter from school.”
Stronger lines are not padded. Every extra word carries information; sometimes a better version is shorter.
Task 1 and Task 2 samples: how answers differ
Both tasks need 150–200 words, but they are different kinds of writing. Task 1, Writing an Email, allows 27 minutes for an email to a particular reader. Task 2, Responding to Survey Questions, allows 26 minutes to choose one of two options, then explain why, with no email format.
| What differs | Task 1 email | Task 2 survey answer |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 27 minutes | 26 minutes |
| Length | 150–200 words | 150–200 words |
| Reader | A person or organization named in your prompt | Whoever runs that survey |
| Shape | Greeting, opening line, one paragraph per point, closing, sign-off | Your choice, two reasons with examples, one line on the option you did not pick |
| Tone | Set by your reader: formal, semi-formal or friendly | Clear, reasonable, with no greeting or sign-off |
| Typical weak spot | Points listed but not developed | Reasons given without examples |
Raters score both tasks on four shared things: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment. What each task asks for differs, though. In an email, it means doing everything a prompt lists, in a tone that suits its reader. In a survey answer, it means taking one side and supporting it until the last line. Either option can be argued well: in both survey prompts above, levels 9 and 11 pick opposite sides.
Why CELPIP writing answers stay at level 7 or 8
An answer usually stays at 7 or 8 because of one of these habits. Each habit has a direct fix worth practising.
Points mentioned, not developed
One sentence per point covers a prompt but does not support it. Add a detail and a result: what happened, when, and what it means for you.
Reasons with no examples
“It is good for business” is only a claim. Back each reason with something specific: a time, a number, a place or something you have seen yourself.
Plain words, again and again
Words like “good”, “bad”, “problem” and “very” do little work. Swap in exact ones: “inconvenient”, “a partial refund”, “twice this month”.
A tone that does not suit its reader
“Give me my money back” is too blunt for a coordinator; “I regret to inform you” is too stiff for a friend. Write as you would politely speak to that person.
Small errors that add up
Missing articles, wrong plurals or mixed-up tenses rarely hide meaning, but together they weigh on Readability. Save time at the end to check them.
Lines that could start any answer
Openers such as “I am writing this email to bring to your kind attention” use up words without saying anything. Start with this situation instead.
Too short, or far too long
Under 150 words usually means a point needs another detail. Far over 200 eats into checking time, often repeating ideas.
Write your own answer on a timer
Choose one of these four prompts and answer it before you look at its samples again. This editor runs each task’s timer and counts words, so finishing inside 150–200 words becomes a habit. It does not save or send drafts.
You paid for an eight-week evening cooking class at your local community centre. After the second class, the centre moved the class to a meeting room with no stove or oven, so the students now only watch the instructor cook. In about 150–200 words, write an email to the centre’s program coordinator. In your email, you should:
- describe the class and what has changed
- explain why the change is a problem for you
- say what you would like the centre to do
This editor does not submit anything. Copy your draft before you leave the page.
For a level estimate, sign in to write a Task 1 practice email or a Task 2 practice answer. A free account includes 3 AI grades on practice tasks, then 1 a day once those are used up. Each grade shows an estimated level range, comments on all four things raters score and corrections quoted from your answer. It is a practice estimate, not an official score.
How to practise CELPIP writing with these samples
- 1
Plan with a structure
Use our CELPIP writing templates to plan an email or a survey answer in the first few minutes, then write every sentence for that prompt.
- 2
Write under time
Give yourself 27 minutes for an email, 26 for a survey answer, then stop when time is up. Finishing on time is a skill of its own.
- 3
Run instant checks
Paste a draft into our CELPIP writing checker to check word count, paragraphs, repeated words and phrases that sound memorized.
- 4
Study one task in depth
Our Task 1 email guide takes a different prompt through a plan for its 27 minutes, three model answers and common mistakes.
- 5
Rewrite your weakest paragraph
After each AI grade, rewrite the paragraph with the most corrections before you start a new prompt. Fixing one paragraph properly teaches more than skimming the whole report.
- 6
Write both tasks back to back
When single tasks feel comfortable, take our free mock test. It runs writing after listening and reading, as the test does.
If your goal is Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 9, CLB 9 on CELPIP shows what that level means in each skill.