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Last verifiedOct 19, 2026

CELPIP Writing: Format, Tips and Practice

Two timed tasks, 150–200 words each. Pick a task, write against the real clock and get sentence-by-sentence AI feedback when you finish.

27:00Ready

0wordsaim for 150–200

Prompt 1 of 13

Locked parcel room

You live in an apartment building. The parcel room has been locked during the evening for the past two weeks, and you have been unable to collect deliveries after work. Write an email to the building manager.

In your email:

Tick each point once your email covers it · 0 of 3

Timing

The real time limit. The clock starts when you press Start or begin typing; at zero your answer locks and is sent for feedback.

Write 150 to 200 words. Pasting is allowed, but pasted words are noted in your review.

Write at least 50 words to get feedback.

Open the Task 1 guideYour draft carries over to the task page.

CELPIP Writing has two tasks in 53 minutes. Task 1 is an email (27 minutes); Task 2 is a survey response in which you choose one of two options (26 minutes). Both ask for 150 to 200 words. Choose a task above, write against the timer and get sentence-by-sentence AI feedback on your draft.

Why is my CELPIP writing score stuck?

Most stuck writing scores come from three things, in this order: part of the task is not answered, the reasons are listed rather than developed, or the same language errors keep returning. Check them in that order on two or three of your own timed drafts — one answer is not enough to see a pattern.

  1. Is every part of the task answered?

    In Task 1, each bullet point needs its own clear answer and the email needs a clear request. In Task 2, choose one option early and keep to it. Spend two minutes listing what you must cover, and tick it off before you submit.

    Practise with the bullet checklist

  2. Are your reasons developed, or just listed?

    “It is convenient and cheap” is a list. Give each main reason a specific situation, a consequence or a detail, and make every paragraph support the same position. Two developed reasons beat four thin ones.

    See reasons developed at levels 7, 9 and 10

  3. Which language errors keep coming back?

    Look for patterns in your own drafts — verb tenses, subject–verb agreement, sentence boundaries, an unclear “it” or “this”. Fixing one or two recurring errors helps more than swapping in rare words.

    Find your repeat errors in the checker

This is a first check, not a diagnosis. If your answers already cover the task and read clearly, the next step is usually range and precision — compare the level 9 and 10 samples. If the tone is off (too casual for a manager, too stiff for a friend), fix that first.

Format and timing

CELPIP-General Writing: the two tasks
TaskWhat you writeTimeWords
Task 1 · Writing an EmailAn email about an everyday situation that answers every point in the prompt27 min150–200
Task 2 · Responding to Survey QuestionsChoose one of two options in a short survey and explain why26 min150–200
CELPIP-General Writing: the two tasks · CELPIP-General Overview Study Pack (2026) (2026-10-18)

Writing is the third part of CELPIP-General, after Listening and Reading and before Speaking. You type both answers on the computer, and each task has its own time limit, so plan, write and check inside each one.

How is CELPIP writing scored?

CELPIP rates writing on four published dimensions. Your Writing level reflects your performance across both tasks — not one sentence, one mistake or one advanced word.

  • Content/Coherence — relevant ideas, developed with detail and organised so each paragraph has a clear job.
  • Vocabulary — words used precisely and naturally, with enough range for the situation.
  • Readability — grammar, sentence structure, punctuation and paragraphing that make the text easy to follow.
  • Task Fulfillment — everything the prompt asks for, in a tone that suits the reader, at an appropriate length.

Our AI feedback uses the same four dimensions and always gives a range (for example 8–9), with the sentences it is based on. It is a practice estimate, not a CELPIP score — see how we estimate levels.

Samples, task guides and the checker

  • CELPIP writing samples: the same prompt answered at target levels 7, 9 and 10, with highlights that show what changes between them.
  • Task guides: writing an email (13 prompts) and responding to a survey (13 prompts) — structure, tone, a model answer and common mistakes.
  • Writing checker: paste something you wrote elsewhere, add the prompt if you have it, and get sentence-by-sentence feedback.

Questions people ask

How long is the CELPIP writing test?
The Writing component takes 53 minutes: 27 minutes for Task 1 (an email) and 26 minutes for Task 2 (a survey response). Each task is timed separately.
What happens if I write more than 200 words?
The prompt asks for 150 to 200 words, so aim to stay inside that range. Much shorter answers usually leave part of the task thin; much longer ones leave less time to check your work. Our word bar marks both limits.
Can I use a template for CELPIP writing?
A structure helps; a memorised template doesn’t. Answers are judged on how well they respond to this prompt, and memorised blocks often miss a point or sound unnatural. Learn the job of each paragraph, not fixed sentences.
Does spelling count in CELPIP writing?
Spelling and punctuation are part of Readability, and the test does not correct them for you. That is why our editor starts with spellcheck off — switch it on while you are learning, then practise without it.
Is CELPIP writing practice free here?
The timed editor, word bar, checklists, prompts and samples are free and need no account. AI feedback uses credits — see pricing for the free allowance and plans.

Next stations

Tom Thomson, Black Spruce and Maple, 1915 · Public domain

Unofficial practice and estimates — not affiliated with Paragon or IRCC, and not legal advice. Read the disclaimer