CELPIP Writing Part 1: Writing an Email
In Task 1, you write an email of 150-200 words in 27 minutes. The prompt describes a situation and tells you who to write to and what to include. You must choose the appropriate tone — formal or informal — based on the recipient.
Practice Writing an Email NowWhat Task 1: Writing an Email looks like on test day
You will see a scenario describing a situation — for example, writing to a manager about a schedule change, emailing a friend about an upcoming visit, or contacting a company about a refund.
The prompt specifies who you are writing to and gives you three bullet points to address. You must cover all three points in your email.
Your email should be 150-200 words. Raters assess content (did you address all points?), coherence (logical flow), vocabulary (range and accuracy), and task fulfillment (appropriate tone and format).
How to score CLB 9+ on Task 1: Writing an Email
- Identify the tone first: writing to a boss, company, or official = formal. Writing to a friend or family member = informal. Mixing tones is a common mistake.
- Formal openings: "Dear Mr./Ms. [Name]," or "Dear Hiring Manager,". Informal: "Hi [Name]," or "Hey [Name]!"
- Address all 3 bullet points from the prompt. Missing one significantly hurts your score. Dedicate roughly one paragraph to each.
- Formal closings: "Sincerely," or "Best regards,". Informal: "Talk soon," or "Take care,".
- Aim for 160-180 words. Under 150 loses marks. Over 200 wastes time you could use for Task 2.
- Use the first paragraph to state your purpose: "I'm writing to ask about..." or "I wanted to let you know..."
Common mistakes on Task 1: Writing an Email
- Wrong tone for the recipient — formal "Dear Mr. Smith" to a friend, or "Hey buddy!" to your boss. Mismatch instantly drops your task fulfillment score.
- Missing one of the three required content points from the prompt. Raters check each point is addressed; skipping one caps your score.
- Email body is one giant paragraph. Break into 2–3 short paragraphs, one per content point, for cleaner coherence marks.
- Forgetting the closing line and signature. An unsigned email scores lower on register and shows you ran out of time.
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Practice Writing an Email questions with instant scoring and detailed explanations.
Start PracticingTask 1: Writing an Email FAQ
How do I know if the email should be formal or informal?+
Check who you're writing to. Boss, company, official, landlord = formal. Friend, family member, close colleague = informal. The prompt usually makes this clear.
What if I write less than 150 words?+
Writing fewer than 150 words will lower your score. The word count requirement is part of task fulfillment. Aim for 160-180 words to be safe.
Do I need to include a subject line?+
No. The CELPIP Writing Task 1 does not require a subject line. Start directly with the greeting. Focus on the email body.
How much time should I spend on Task 1 vs Task 2?+
You have 27 minutes for Task 1 and 26 minutes for Task 2. Spend about 3 minutes planning, 20 minutes writing, and 4 minutes reviewing for each task.
What are the most common mistakes in Task 1?+
Wrong tone (formal when it should be informal or vice versa), missing one of the three bullet points, too short (under 150 words), no clear opening/closing, and poor paragraph structure.