About the CELPIP Writing Section
The CELPIP General Writing test has two tasks that mirror real-world written communication in Canada. You have about 53 minutes in total. Each response should be 150–200 words; writing fewer than 150 words, or far more than 200, can lower your score. Responses are rated on a 1–12 scale across criteria such as content, organization, vocabulary, and language use.
The two tasks
- Task 1 — Writing an Email: Respond to a scenario (a complaint, request, or explanation) in a clear, appropriate tone.
- Task 2 — Responding to a Survey: Give your opinion or recommendation on a question and support it with reasons.
Writing tips for a higher CELPIP score
- Spend the first few minutes planning: state your purpose, then support it with two or three concrete points.
- Use paragraph breaks so the reader can follow your ideas — one idea per paragraph.
- Vary your sentence structure and vocabulary instead of repeating the same phrases.
- Leave two or three minutes to proofread for spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
- Address every bullet in the prompt — missing a required point costs marks even with good English.
Write your responses in the free practice tool above and review them against the task requirements. Regular timed practice is the fastest way to reach the CLB level your immigration pathway needs.