CELPIP Writing Practice Questions: 10 Email and Survey Prompts
CELPIP-style Writing practice questions, five emails and five survey responses, written in the real task format. Each has the time limit, word count and a plan for how to answer.
The Celpip Plus team
Written and reviewed against the official CELPIP scoring criteria
These are CELPIP-style practice questions, written by Celpip Plus in the real task format. They aren't real CELPIP test questions, but each one follows the shape, the time limit and the kind of situation you'll get on test day. There are five for each of the two Writing tasks.
Try each question before you open its plan. Set a timer for the real time limit and write your full answer, then count your words. Afterwards, open Show answer plan to check what a strong response covers. The full model answers are on each task's template, linked at the end of every section.
Task 1: Writing an Email
You write an email about a situation and cover all three points in the prompt, in the right tone for the reader.
Timing: 27 minutes, 150–200 words.
Question 1
You started a new job three months ago. Your employer will pay for one training course a year for each employee. Write an email to your manager, Ms. Okafor. In your email:
- describe the course you would like to take
- explain how it will help you in your job
- suggest how you will keep up with your work while you study
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- Open with 'Dear Ms. Okafor,' and state your purpose in the first sentence: asking her to approve a course.
- Write one paragraph per bullet, with real details: the course name, the length, one task at work it will improve, and how you will cover your work.
- Close with a specific request, such as a short meeting this week, and sign off formally to match the greeting.
Question 2
Your city has cancelled the bus route you take to work, and your trip now takes 40 minutes longer. Write an email to the city's transit department. In your email:
- explain how you used the route
- describe how the change has affected you
- suggest a solution
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- State in the first line that you are writing about the cancelled route, and name it.
- Cover each bullet in its own paragraph, using concrete facts: times, stops, and one effect on your work or family.
- Make your solution realistic (more buses at rush hour, or a shuttle to the nearest station) and end by asking for a reply.
Question 3
Last weekend you attended a free tax-filing clinic for newcomers, run by volunteers at your local community centre. Write an email to the volunteer coordinator. In your email:
- say what you found helpful
- describe one problem you noticed at the event
- offer to help at next year's clinic
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- Thank the coordinator in your opening line and say which clinic you attended.
- Give each bullet its own paragraph: one specific thing a volunteer did, then the problem stated politely (for example, a long wait with nowhere to sit).
- Make a clear offer with details, such as the languages you speak, and close in a warm but polite register.
Question 4
Your family doctor's office has cancelled your appointment twice at short notice. Write an email to the office manager. In your email:
- describe what happened
- explain why this appointment is important to you
- say what you would like the clinic to do
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- Open formally and state your purpose: to raise a concern about two cancelled appointments.
- Cover each bullet in order, with dates and one real consequence, such as a prescription running out or time off work you lost.
- End with one firm, polite request (a confirmed appointment this week) and a formal sign-off.
Question 5
A friend who lives abroad is moving to your city for work and has asked you for advice about renting an apartment. Write an email to your friend. In your email:
- recommend a neighbourhood to live in
- explain what renting usually costs
- offer to help when your friend arrives
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- Use a friendly greeting and say straight away that you are happy to help with the move.
- Write one paragraph per bullet with specifics: the neighbourhood's name and why, a realistic rent range, and costs like hydro or a damage deposit.
- Make a concrete offer (picking them up or viewing places together) and sign off casually to match the greeting.
Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions
You choose Option A or Option B and explain your choice with reasons and examples.
Timing: 26 minutes, 150–200 words.
Question 1
Your local school board has received a large donation and is asking parents and residents how to use it. Choose the option you prefer and explain why.
Option A: Buy a laptop for every student in Grades 7 to 12.
Option B: Hire two more school counsellors for the next five years.
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- State your choice in the first sentence, without sitting on the fence.
- Give two reasons from different angles, such as learning and student well-being, each with a specific example.
- Acknowledge the strongest point for the other option and explain why yours still matters more.
Question 2
Your employer is changing the work schedule and has asked staff to vote. Choose the option you prefer and explain why.
Option A: Four 10-hour days a week, with Fridays off.
Option B: Five 8-hour days a week, with flexible start times.
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- Open by naming the option you support and a short reason.
- Develop two different reasons, such as childcare and commuting, with a concrete example from your own week.
- Admit one advantage of the other schedule, answer it, and close without repeating your opening sentence.
Question 3
Your condo board has money for one improvement to the building and is surveying residents. Choose the option you prefer and explain why.
Option A: Install electric-vehicle chargers in the parking garage.
Option B: Build a secure indoor bike room with repair tools.
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- Commit to one option in your first sentence.
- Give two separate reasons, one about cost or property value and one about how residents get around, each with a specific detail.
- Recognize who would prefer the other option, explain why your choice serves more residents, and finish.
Question 4
Your province is asking residents how to spend new health care funding. Choose the option you prefer and explain why.
Option A: Open more walk-in clinics with evening and weekend hours.
Option B: Hire more nurses for hospital emergency departments.
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- Make your choice clear in the first line.
- Support it with two reasons from different angles, such as access for working families and pressure on emergency rooms, each with an example.
- Concede what the other option would fix, then explain why yours would make a bigger difference.
Question 5
Your public library can extend its hours and is asking the community which change it prefers. Choose the option you prefer and explain why.
Option A: Open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Option B: Stay open until 9 p.m. on weekdays.
Write 150–200 words.
Show answer plan
- State your preferred option in your opening sentence.
- Give two reasons about who would use the extra hours, such as students studying after school or families on weekends, with one specific example each.
- Acknowledge the other option's benefit, answer it, and close with a fresh summary of your view.
Frequently asked questions
No. Celpip Plus wrote every question on this page in the same format as the real test, so you practise the right task with the right time limit and word count. CELPIP doesn't publish the questions it uses on test day, and no practice site has them. If you want the test maker's own samples, use the free practice tests on the CELPIP website.
Two tasks. Task 1 is an email that covers three points, with 27 minutes to write it. Task 2 is a survey response where you choose between two options, with 26 minutes. Both ask for 150 to 200 words.
Each question on this page has a short answer plan you can open after you try it. For full model answers, each task has a template page with a complete response, a paragraph-by-paragraph walkthrough and the structure behind it.
Set a timer for the real time limit, 27 minutes for an email or 26 for a survey response, and type your answer in a plain text editor. Count your words, then open the answer plan and check that you covered every part of the prompt.
You aren't cut off, but a long answer leaves less time to check your work and often repeats itself, which can cost you marks for Vocabulary and Readability. Aim for 150 to 200 words that answer every part of the prompt.
Yes. Both Writing tasks have a free practice page on Celpip Plus with the real timer, and AI scoring on the four CELPIP criteria. The link is at the end of each task section on this page.