CELPIP Writing Task 1 and 2: Templates and Sample Answers

CELPIP Writing gives you 53 minutes for two tasks: first an email (Task 1, 27 minutes), then a response to survey questions (Task 2, 26 minutes). Each response should be about 150–200 words, and both are scored on the same four criteria. Each task follows a predictable structure, so you can learn a template for each and fill it with your own ideas. This guide gives you those templates, three sample answers with analysis and phrases for every part of a response.

CELPIP Writing format: two tasks in 53 minutes

The details below come from CELPIP's Test Format & Scoring page and the official Writing Pro Target 9 Study Pack 2026:

What to expect during the test:

• The situation is on the left and the instructions are on the right. In the email task, the instructions end with a list of points to cover. The official sample has four, but don't assume every task will.

• A word counter sits below the answer box, with a timer above it. Going a little under 150 or over 200 words is fine, but CELPIP's Writing tips warn that your score may suffer if you are significantly under or over.

• There's an automatic spelling checker. CELPIP notes that when it offers several options, picking the right word can be tricky. It's the only checker CELPIP mentions, so don't count on grammar suggestions.

• You get a pen and paper for notes. As the official CELPIP podcast explains, raters never look at your notes.

Each task has its own timer, so budget your time for the email and the survey separately.

How CELPIP Writing is scored

Raters score each response on four criteria, listed in the Performance Standards table of both Writing Pro 2026 study packs:

Three things follow from this:

1. Ideas count as much as grammar. A text with perfect grammar and nothing to say won't reach a high level. The official podcast puts it plainly: a few grammar or spelling mistakes are fine, and what matters is expressing your ideas clearly and developing them in depth.

2. Paragraphs are part of your score. Readability includes format, so start each new idea in a new paragraph.

3. Tone and length are scored too. Both fall under Task Fulfillment, together with covering every point in the task.

CELPIP levels line up with the CLB scale: from level 3 upwards, your CELPIP level is your CLB level. The full table is on the Test Format & Scoring page. For an overview of the whole test, see our CELPIP study guide.

CELPIP Writing Task 1: Writing an Email

What you're asked: to write to a specific person about a situation described on screen. You might be a tenant whose washing machine has broken, or a teacher who wants to invite a writer to your class. Your email has to cover every point in the list, in the order given.

The purpose varies from task to task: you may have to complain, ask for something, invite someone, say thank you, apologize or give advice. Some of these call for a formal email and others for a friendly one, so practise both.

CELPIP email template: six parts

The official Writing Pro Target 5 Study Pack 2026 sets out the email format in six parts:

1. Greeting: Dear Ms. Lee, or Hi Anna,

2. Purpose statement: one sentence saying why you're writing.

3. Body: specific details for each point in the task, usually a paragraph each.

4. Concluding statement: a summary, or what you'd like the reader to do.

5. Sign-off: Kind regards, or Cheers,

6. Signature: your real name or a made-up one.

Here is the template for a formal email. Replace everything in square brackets with your own details:

Dear [Mr./Ms. Surname],

I am writing to [purpose: complain about / ask about / invite you to…] [topic].

[Paragraph for point 1: what happened, with a specific detail.]

[Paragraph for point 2: why it matters to you, with an example.]

[Paragraph for point 3: your request. Could you please… by [date]?]

[One more paragraph for each extra point in the task.]

Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
[Name]

And for a friendly one:

Hi [Name],

I hope you're doing well! I'm writing to [thank you for / invite you to / ask you about…].

[Paragraph for each point, with details: names, places, days, times.]

Let me know what you think. Talk soon!

Cheers,
[Name]

Leave out addresses and the To, From and Subject lines. The Target 5 Study Pack says you don't need them, and the official CELPIP podcast adds that there's no need to invent an email address or a subject line. Do include a greeting and a sign-off so the email feels complete, but don't agonize over Best regards versus Kind regards. Raters score your ideas, vocabulary and details, not a memorized sign-off.

Formal or friendly tone

Before you start, work out who you're writing to, because that sets the tone:

Contractions such as I'm and don't are perfectly natural in a friendly email. Texting language is another matter: Writing Pro advises against gonna, wanna, u, you guys, okay and emojis in either task.

Phrases for the email

Opening and purpose:

• I am writing to complain about… (formal)

• I am writing to ask whether… (formal)

• I am writing to let you know that…

• I hope you're doing well. (informal)

• Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while! (informal)

• I'm writing to invite you to… (informal)

Explaining and adding detail:

• To begin with,…

• The main problem is that…

• On top of that,…

• As a result,…

• To make matters worse,…

• This has caused me a lot of inconvenience.

Making a request:

• Could you please…?

• I would appreciate it if you could…

• Would it be possible to…?

• I was wondering if you could…

Closing a formal email:

• Please let me know if you need more information.

• Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

• I look forward to hearing from you.

Closing a friendly email:

• Let me know what you think!

• I can't wait to catch up!

• Thanks again, and talk soon!

Task 1 sample answer: formal email

The task (our own, modelled on the official ones):

You moved into a rental apartment three months ago. The washing machine in your unit has been broken for two weeks, and it still has not been repaired. In about 150–200 words, write an email to the property manager, Ms. Lee. In your email:

• describe the problem;

• explain how it affects you;

• say what you have already done;

• ask for a specific solution.

A model answer (174 words; our own, not rated by CELPIP):

Dear Ms. Lee,

I am writing about the washing machine in my unit, 4B, which stopped working on October 20. When I start a cycle, the drum fills with water but does not spin, so the clothes stay soaking wet.

This has made the past two weeks quite difficult. I have two young children, so we do laundry almost every day. At the moment, I take everything to a laundromat twenty minutes away, which costs me about $30 a week and most of my Saturday.

I reported the problem through the tenant portal on October 21 and have called your office twice since then. A technician was promised for last Thursday, but nobody came, and I have not received any update.

Could you please arrange for the machine to be repaired or replaced by the end of next week? I would also appreciate it if my laundromat costs could be deducted from next month's rent.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Olena Kovalenko

Why this answer works:

• The purpose is in the first sentence, and each task point then gets its own paragraph, in the order the task lists them.

• The details are specific: dates, the unit number, $30 a week, two children. Writing Pro recommends supporting every idea with at least one specific detail and referring to real places and situations.

• The request has a deadline (by the end of next week) instead of a vague "please fix it".

• The tone is polite but firm: no sarcasm or threats, even though the writer is clearly unhappy. Compare the harsh This is unacceptable, and you clearly don't care about your tenants with the firm Could you please arrange for the machine to be repaired or replaced by the end of next week?

• It doesn't copy the task: where the task says broken, the answer says stopped working and does not spin.

Task 1 sample answer: informal email

The task:

Your neighbour Mark looked after your dog while your family was away for the weekend. In about 150–200 words, write an email to Mark. In your email:

• thank him for his help;

• tell him about something that made you happy;

• invite him to your home;

• offer to help him in return.

A model answer (168 words; our own, not rated by CELPIP):

Hi Mark,

Thanks so much for looking after Biscuit while we were away last weekend. When we got home, she was calm and happy, and the house was spotless. I know you had a busy week, so it really means a lot.

The kids loved the photos you sent, and so did I, especially the one of Biscuit sleeping on your laptop. Emma has already printed it and stuck it on her bedroom door!

To say thank you, we'd love to have you over for dinner. How about next Saturday around six? I'm planning to make the Ukrainian dumplings you liked at our New Year's party, and Dan will bake an apple pie for dessert. If Saturday doesn't work, Sunday afternoon is fine too.

Also, if you ever need someone to water your plants or pick up your mail while you're travelling, just let me know. I'd be happy to return the favour.

Let me know which day suits you best. Thanks again, and talk soon!

Cheers,
Olena

Why this answer works:

• The tone is friendly but free of slang: contractions like we'd, I'm and doesn't sound natural, and there's no gonna or emoji.

• Each point gets its own paragraph, in the task's order: thanks, the photos, the invitation, the offer of help.

• The invitation is specific: a day, a time, what's for dinner and a fallback in case Saturday doesn't work.

CELPIP Writing Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions

What you're asked: to read a short situation and two options, Option A and Option B, then choose one and explain why. The situation might be a city, school or company deciding how to spend money or what to change. Writing Pro is clear that this is a survey response, not an essay, so write with your reader in mind.

CELPIP survey response template

According to the Writing Pro Target 5 Study Pack 2026, a survey response has three parts:

1. Your choice: one sentence at the start saying which option you support.

2. 2–3 reasons: each in its own paragraph, with specific details.

3. Concluding statement: a short summary of your response.

The Target 5 structure has no greeting, so you can leave it out. That said, the official level 9 and 10 samples, both written to a boss, do open with one.

The template:

I would choose Option [A/B] because [main reason in one sentence].

First, [reason 1]. For example, [a detail from your life: a street, a person, a number].

Second, [reason 2]. [Why it matters to you or your community.]

Unlike Option [B/A], [what your choice gives that the other one does not].

For these reasons, I believe [your choice] is the better option.

The Target 9 Study Pack adds two tips: compare your choice with the other option, and give reasons rather than suggestions or descriptions. The city should also put lights along the lanes is a suggestion. Bike lanes would make my ride to work safer, because drivers on Main Street pass very close to cyclists is a reason.

Our advice: don't hunt for the "right" option. The official CELPIP podcast stresses that raters care about how clearly and fully you develop your ideas, so pick whichever option you can back up fastest with two or three strong reasons.

Phrases for the survey response

Stating your choice:

• I would choose Option A because…

• In my opinion, the better choice is…

• I strongly prefer…

Reasons and examples:

• First of all,…

• Another reason is that…

• Most importantly,…

• For example, in my neighbourhood…

• In my experience,…

Comparing with the other option:

• Unlike Option A,…

• While a new library would be nice,…

• Although Option A has its advantages,…

• Although…, I still believe that…

• On the other hand,…

Concluding:

• For these reasons,…

• All things considered,…

• That is why I believe…

• Thank you for the chance to share my opinion.

For more ways to express an opinion, see the Opinions and Points of View collection, which you can import into Polidict and practise.

Task 2 sample answer

The task (also our own, modelled on the official ones):

Your city has money for one new project this year.

• Option A: build a new public library branch in your neighbourhood.

• Option B: add protected bike lanes across the city.

Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.

A model answer (170 words; our own, not rated by CELPIP):

I would choose Option B: more bike lanes across the city. A new library would be nice, but bike lanes would help far more people every day.

First, bike lanes would make cycling much safer. I ride to work along Main Street, where there is no lane at all, and drivers often pass just a few centimetres from my handlebars. Several of my colleagues would like to cycle too, but they say it feels too dangerous. Protected lanes would solve this problem.

Second, more people on bikes would mean less traffic and cleaner air, even for residents who never ride. Our downtown is jammed every morning, and buses get stuck in the same queues as cars.

Finally, a library branch would mainly serve one neighbourhood, while bike lanes would connect the whole city. Besides, residents can already borrow e-books online, so a new building seems less urgent.

For these reasons, I hope the city will invest in bike lanes. They would make our daily commute safer, cleaner and less stressful.

Why this answer works:

• The choice is in the first sentence, and the answer never wavers from it. The official analysis of a level 8 survey response names the opposite as a weakness: that writer never chose an option.

• Three reasons, three paragraphs, each opening with a connector: First, Second, Finally.

• A personal example (Main Street, the colleagues) turns a general claim into a convincing one.

• It compares the two options twice: right at the start (A new library would be nice, but…) and again in the last reason.

Connectors and complex sentences

Part of your Readability score comes from connectors and sentence structure, so keep a few connectors ready for each job:

The easiest way to build a complex sentence is to write the idea as two simple sentences first, then join them with since, although or given that:

• Sarah is an expert in plumbing. I will ask her to fix the pipes. → Since Sarah is an expert in plumbing, I will ask her to fix the pipes.

• I knew about the problems in the apartment. I didn't know they were that serious. → Although I knew about the problems in the apartment, I didn't know they were that serious.

Watch the punctuation. When however or moreover joins two complete sentences, it needs a period or a semicolon before it, not a comma: Rents have gone up; however, salaries have not.

Our advice: don't chase rare words. Some unofficial templates online suggest phrases like I opine that… or apropos, but they sound unnatural in an email to a neighbour or a survey response. Vocabulary is scored on how suitable and precise your words are, so a plain word in the right place beats a fancy one in the wrong place.

CELPIP Writing tips: how to split the 53 minutes

Writing Pro 2026 recommends 4–5 minutes of planning and about 3 minutes of checking for each response. Fit that into the two CELPIP timers and you get this schedule:

Your plan isn't a draft, just a few lines in English, one per paragraph. For our email to Ms. Lee, it could look like this:

Purpose: washer in 4B broken since Oct 20, doesn't spin
1: 2 kids, laundry daily → laundromat, $30/week
2: portal Oct 21, called twice, technician never came
3: repair or replace by end of next week + deduct costs

Here's a checkpoint of our own: halfway through your writing time (around minute 14 of Task 1), you should have 80–100 words, about half the total. If you're well behind, keep the remaining paragraphs short and stop polishing each sentence.

A rough word budget helps too. This one is also our own, not an official rule. In the email, give the purpose about 20–25 words and the closing 15–20. The rest depends on how many points the task lists: 45–50 words for each of three points, or 32–38 for each of four. In the survey response, give your choice about 25–30 words and the conclusion 15–20, then spend 55–65 words on each of two reasons or 37–45 on each of three. Either way, you'll land at about 150–200 words.

When you check, read your response three times, looking for one thing each time:

1. The task: is every point covered (or, in Task 2, is your choice stated), and is there a concluding statement?

2. Tone and repetition: does the tone suit the reader, and have you put the task's wording into your own words?

3. Grammar: articles, verb tenses, -s endings, spelling.

Watch the word counter as you go. If you're well short of 150, add a detail to your weakest paragraph. If you're well over 200, cut whatever repeats.

Common CELPIP Writing mistakes

Some mistakes carry over from your first language. They're common, so check for these first:

A few more turned up in our own practice responses:

Other mistakes have nothing to do with your first language. The official analyses and the Writing Pro 2026 tips point to these:

• A missed task point. Write at least one sentence for every point, and usually more.

• No clear purpose or choice. The official analysis of a level 8 survey response lists a missing purpose statement under Content/Coherence and a missing choice under Task Fulfillment.

• Words copied from the task. Reusing the task's wording costs Vocabulary points, so rephrase it.

• A list instead of paragraphs. For Task 2, Writing Pro advises against point form and bullet points. Write in paragraphs.

• Going off topic. One weakness the Target 9 Study Pack lists for a level 10 response is a first reason that drifts away from the choice and into vacations in general.

• A harsh tone. Even a complaint should be polite: no sarcasm, rudeness or slang.

How to practise CELPIP Writing phrases in Polidict

You can recognize a phrase in someone else's text and still get it wrong when you write it yourself with 19 minutes on the clock. Producing it takes its own practice:

1. Create a group called "CELPIP Writing" and add 20–30 phrases from this guide, a few for each part of the email and the survey response.

2. Save the core of each phrase, without the "…". A phrase in Polidict can be up to 50 characters long, so I would appreciate it if you could fits, but most full sentences don't. Add the full sentence as an example instead; examples can be up to 200 characters.

3. Add a translation into your language, or a short definition. In Writing training, Polidict shows the translation or definition and you produce the English phrase. At first you assemble it from the words provided, or from letters for a short phrase. Once you know it well, you type the whole phrase from memory, which is exactly what the test asks: recall the phrase and spell it correctly.

4. Review on schedule. Polidict schedules each phrase with spaced repetition: the ones you find easy come up less often, and the ones you get wrong come up more often.

If your phrases are already in a spreadsheet, you can import them from a CSV file. The free Basic plan lets you save up to 100 words and phrases and create up to 3 groups (in total across all your languages), which is enough for your CELPIP Writing phrases.

A timed practice plan

Phrases help, but raters score whole responses. This weekly schedule practises both:

For the Monday and Wednesday sessions, you need fresh tasks. Here are a dozen situations of our own to start with:

Task 1 (email):

• ask your manager for two days off for a family event (formal)

• report a broken streetlight on your street to the city (formal)

• ask your gym to pause your membership while you recover from an injury (formal)

• thank a friend who helped you move (friendly)

• invite a former colleague to a picnic for your birthday (friendly)

• apologize to a neighbour for the noise from your party (friendly)

Task 2 (survey):

• a company: a four-day week or flexible hours

• a school: a longer lunch break or a shorter school day

• a city: a dog park or a community garden

• a library: longer weekend hours or more e-books

• an apartment building: a rooftop terrace or a bike storage room

• a workplace: a team trip or a cash bonus

Practise on a computer, not on paper, so you learn how many words you can type in the time. Writing Pro says you don't need to type fast, but being at ease with a keyboard helps. Keep grammar suggestions off: CELPIP mentions only a spelling checker, so don't count on grammar help on test day.

To make the Friday review more than a quick skim, ask one question for each criterion:

• Content/Coherence: does every paragraph have at least one specific detail (a name, a place, a number)?

• Vocabulary: have you avoided the task's wording, and does any word appear three times?

• Readability: does each new idea start a new paragraph with a connector?

• Task Fulfillment: is every point covered, and does the tone suit the reader?

Here's what that review looks like in practice. A weak paragraph:

I think bike lanes are good because they are good for people. Many people use bikes and bike lanes are safe. So the city should build bike lanes.

A stronger version, taken from our Task 2 sample:

First, bike lanes would make cycling much safer. I ride to work along Main Street, where there is no lane at all, and drivers often pass just a few centimetres from my handlebars. Several of my colleagues would like to cycle too, but they say it feels too dangerous.

The stronger version adds specific details (Main Street, the colleagues), which is what Content/Coherence rewards. Dropping the repeated good and leaning less on the task's wording helps Vocabulary. And instead of just repeating the choice (the city should build), the writer explains why, with an example from the writer's own life.

The most useful official resource for judging your own work is the analysis in the Writing Pro Target 9 Study Pack 2026. It covers responses from level 7 to level 12 and lists the strengths and weaknesses of each. Compare your writing with those responses: does it have a clear purpose, specific details, paragraphs and precise words? If you're aiming for level 5, start with the Target 5 Study Pack instead. Both packs come with free CELPIP Writing Pro webinars, and the recordings are on YouTube.

FAQ

What is the word limit for CELPIP Writing Task 1 and Task 2?

About 150–200 words for each task. Going slightly under or over is fine, but a response that is significantly shorter or longer may lower your score, so keep an eye on the word counter under the answer box.

Is CELPIP Writing Task 2 an essay?

No. It's a survey response, and Writing Pro specifically advises against writing an academic essay. Write for the person who will read your answer, in your own voice and with examples from your own life.

Can I use contractions like I'm and don't?

In a friendly email, yes: they sound natural. In a formal email and in the survey response, we recommend the full forms (I am, do not). Writing Pro advises against texting language like gonna, wanna or u in both tasks.

Do I have to use Canadian spelling, like colour instead of color?

No. The official CELPIP podcast says you don't need Canadian spelling. Whichever spelling you use, keep it consistent throughout your response.

Can I memorize a template answer?

Memorize the structure and the phrases, yes. A whole memorized answer, though, won't fit the situation you're given, and raters will notice. Writing Pro also recommends using your own words.

Summary

• CELPIP Writing has two tasks: an email in 27 minutes and a survey response in 26, each about 150–200 words. Both are scored on Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment.

• In the email, state your purpose in the first sentence, give each task point its own paragraph and match your tone to the reader. In the survey response, state your choice up front, give 2–3 reasons with details and compare your choice with the other option.

• Save phrases for both tasks in Polidict, practise them in Writing training, and write each task against the clock once a week.

Start today: set a 27-minute timer, write your own answer to our sample email task and compare it with the model answer. For the other parts of the test, read our guides to CELPIP Listening, CELPIP Reading and CELPIP Speaking, and the full CELPIP study guide.