CELPIP Writing Practice Test
The CELPIP Writing Test has 2 tasks in 53 minutes: an email and a survey response of about 150 to 200 words each. Here is the official format, one free task of each type with a sample answer, and what raters look for.
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Free CELPIP Writing practice questions
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Missing Homework Assignments
Read the following information.
Your child's teacher has informed you that your son or daughter has been missing homework assignments regularly. You want to discuss this issue and find out how you can help your child improve.
Write an email to your child's teacher in about 150-200 words. Your email should do the following things:
- Acknowledge the problem and express your concern
- Ask for specific details about the missing assignments
- Request suggestions on how you can support your child at home
Show the sample answer (CLB 9-10)
Dear Ms. Johnson,
Thank you for reaching out regarding Tommy's recent pattern of incomplete homework submissions. I must admit I'm quite concerned about this development, particularly since it represents a departure from his usual academic diligence. I genuinely appreciate your proactive communication, as it allows us to address this issue before it potentially impacts his overall academic progress.
Would it be possible for you to provide me with a comprehensive overview of the specific assignments he has missed, including the subjects involved and the timeframe over which this pattern has emerged? Additionally, I'm curious whether you've observed any changes in his classroom engagement or participation that might correlate with these missing assignments. Understanding these details will enable me to have a more informed discussion with Tommy about any challenges he may be experiencing.
I would be extremely grateful for your professional insights regarding strategies I can implement at home to reinforce positive study habits. Are there particular organizational tools or structured approaches that have proven effective with other students? Furthermore, I'm wondering whether establishing regular communication between us might help ensure Tommy stays on track moving forward.
I look forward to collaborating with you to support Tommy's academic success.
Warm regards,
Mary Chen
Neighborhood Transit Options
Read the following information.
Neighborhood Transportation Survey
Your local community is planning to improve transportation options. The city council wants to know which option residents prefer for the main street that connects your neighborhood to downtown.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150-200 words.
Option A: Add more bus routes with frequent service every 10 minutes during peak hours.
Option B: Build a dedicated bike lane with bike rental stations every few blocks.
Show the sample answer (CLB 9-10)
I wholeheartedly support Option A, implementing frequent bus service, as it represents the most inclusive and practical transportation solution for our diverse community. This choice addresses multiple transportation challenges simultaneously while serving the broadest possible demographic. Unlike cycling infrastructure, which inherently excludes elderly residents, families with small children, and individuals with physical limitations, accessible public transit creates genuine mobility equity. Furthermore, Canada's harsh winter climate renders bicycle transportation impractical for approximately six months annually, whereas modern heated buses operate reliably regardless of weather conditions. From an environmental perspective, while individual cycling produces zero emissions, the collective impact of efficient public transit far exceeds that of bike lanes - a single bus can replace twenty to thirty individual car trips during peak hours. My experience living in Vancouver demonstrated how transformative frequent, reliable transit can be: when buses arrive every ten minutes, public transportation becomes genuinely competitive with private vehicle use. This infrastructure investment would stimulate local economic development, reduce traffic congestion, and provide sustainable, year-round transportation accessibility for all residents, making it the superior long-term community investment.
The CELPIP Writing test format
The CELPIP Writing Test has 2 tasks. Task 1 gives you 27 minutes and Task 2 gives you 26 minutes, and each asks for about 150 to 200 words.
Raters look at four things: Content/Coherence (your ideas and how they are organized), Vocabulary, Readability (paragraphs, connectors, grammar, spelling and punctuation) and Task Fulfillment (relevance, completeness, tone and word count).
Task 1, Writing an Email (27 minutes, about 150 to 200 words): You read a situation and write an email that covers every point the question lists. Start with a purpose statement, cover the points in order, end with a concluding statement, and use a greeting and sign-off that fit the reader.
Task 2, Responding to Survey Questions (26 minutes, about 150 to 200 words): You read a survey with two options, choose the one you prefer, and explain the reasons for your choice. State your choice at the start, support each reason with a concrete detail, and compare your choice to the other option.
How CELPIP Writing is scored
Trained raters score your writing on the four dimensions above. Word count is part of Task Fulfillment, so aim for the 150 to 200 words each task asks for, and remember that tone counts too: write the way you would to the person who will read it.
CELPIP reports a level for each skill, and each CELPIP level equals the same CLB level for Canadian immigration (CELPIP 10, 11 and 12 all count as CLB 10+). Express Entry's Federal Skilled Worker program needs at least CLB 7 in all four skills. Canadian citizenship (ages 18 to 54) needs CLB 4 in speaking and listening. Express Entry gives the most points for your first official language at CLB 10 or higher in each skill. Results must be less than 2 years old.
How to prepare for CELPIP Writing
For the email, make a quick outline, start with a purpose statement, cover the points in the order the question lists them, support each one with a specific detail, and end with a concluding statement. Avoid copying words and phrases from the question.
For the survey, state your choice at the beginning, give reasons rather than suggestions, support each reason with a concrete detail, and compare your choice to the other option. Do not write an academic essay, and leave 3 to 4 minutes at the end of each task to check your work.
Our question bank has 60 writing tasks, with one free email task and one free survey task. Free accounts get 3 AI scorings to share between writing and speaking, with feedback on the same four dimensions raters use.
CELPIP Writing FAQ
Common questions about the CELPIP Writing test