Writing skill and its tasks

The CELPIP Writing section takes 53 minutes and contains two tasks. You type your responses directly into the test interface — no handwriting. Automated scoring evaluates content relevance, organization, vocabulary, and grammatical accuracy.

Task 1: Writing an Email (27 minutes)

You are given a situation and a set of 3 bullet points that your email must address. You write an email of 150–200 words to a specific person (a neighbour, a manager, a friend, etc.). The tone and register of your email should match the recipient.

• Length — 150–200 words
• Format — Standard email with subject line, greeting, body paragraphs, and closing
• Key requirement — All 3 bullet points must be addressed clearly in your response
• Tone considerations — Formal tone for managers, landlords, or organizations; semi-formal for neighbours or acquaintances; informal for friends or family
• Scoring criteria — Task fulfillment (did you address all 3 points?), coherence (does the email flow logically?), vocabulary (do you use a range of accurate words?), grammatical accuracy

Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions (26 minutes)

You read a survey with two open-ended questions on a topic (community issues, workplace policies, local programs, etc.) and write a total response of 150–200 words. Both questions must be answered, and your response should read as one coherent text — not two separate answers.

• Length — 150–200 words total across both answers
• Format — Continuous prose — paragraphs, not bullet points or lists
• Key requirement — Both questions must be answered; responses should connect and flow together
• Scoring criteria — Relevance, organization, vocabulary range and precision, grammatical accuracy and complexity

Writing strategies that raise your score

1. 1

   Plan before you type

   Spend 2–3 minutes outlining your response. A clear plan prevents you from going off-topic and helps you hit the word count comfortably.

2. 2

   Address every point explicitly

   For Task 1, re-read each bullet point after drafting. If you haven't addressed one, add a sentence before submitting.

3. 3

   Vary your sentence structures

   Mix simple, compound, and complex sentences. Scoring rewards grammatical range, not just accuracy.

4. 4

   Check word count

   The interface shows your word count. Aim for 165–190 words — enough to show depth without risking going over 200.

5. 5

   Use precise vocabulary

   Replace generic words with more specific ones: instead of "good," try "efficient," "beneficial," or "constructive," depending on context.

6. 6

   Leave 3 minutes to proofread

   Quickly scan for subject-verb agreement errors, missing articles, and misused prepositions — the three most common errors that lower Writing scores.