CELPIP Writing: How the Test Works and How to Reach Your Level
Renovation noise from the apartment upstairs
The tenant in the apartment above yours started a renovation three weeks ago. The work begins at 7 a.m., including on weekends, and you work evening shifts. Write an email to the building manager.
In about 150–200 words, write an email to the building manager. Your email should do the following things:
- Describe the problem and when it happens
- Explain how it is affecting you
- Suggest what the manager could do about it
Draft saved in this browser.
Free: 2 full reports per day per device, no sign-up. Your text is scored by an AI model on the four official categories; the level is an estimate.
- Checking the task and the word count
- Rating the four categories
- Finding and explaining errors
- Writing a model answer
The CELPIP writing test in one page: what the two tasks ask, how two raters rate four categories, what each CELPIP level (and CLB level) looks like, and a free scorer that estimates your level in under a minute. From here, go deeper on the part you need: the sample answers, the two task guides, the practice prompts.
- Score your writing: paste your answer and get an estimated CELPIP level, ratings on all four categories, every error explained, and a level-10 model answer. Free, no sign-up, 2 reports a day.
- Understand the scale: the official level table, what raters reward, and the usual immigration thresholds are all below.
- Go deeper: sample answers with level breakdowns, the email task guide, the survey task guide and practice prompts.
How the CELPIP writing test works
The Writing component of the CELPIP-General test takes 53 minutes and has two tasks. You type both answers on the computer; a word counter is shown on screen and the recommended length for each task is 150–200 words. The whole test is about three hours and covers Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking; Writing comes third.
| Task | What you write | Time | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task 1 · Writing an Email | Write an email of about 150–200 words to the person named in the situation, covering every bullet point in a tone that fits the reader. | 27 minutes | 150–200 words |
| Task 2 · Responding to Survey Questions | Choose one of the two options in the survey and explain your choice with reasons and examples, in about 150–200 words. | 26 minutes | 150–200 words |
The first task is a situation with three bullet points (for example: describe a problem, explain how it affects you, suggest a solution) and a named reader: a manager, a landlord, a company, a neighbour or a friend. Your tone has to match that reader. The second is a survey question with two options; you pick one and defend it with reasons and examples, in connected paragraphs rather than a list. The email task guide and the survey task guide have the structures, phrases and timing for each.
What the raters look for: the four categories
Two trained raters rate each task on four categories, and each task is worth 50 percent of your writing score. The official performance standards name these factors for each category:
| Category | Factors (official) |
|---|---|
| Content / Coherence | number of ideas, quality of ideas, organization of ideas, examples and supporting details (how well are the ideas organized and developed?) |
| Vocabulary | word choice, suitable use of words and phrases, range of words and phrases, precision and accuracy (what is the range of the vocabulary and is it used naturally?) |
| Readability | format and paragraphing, connectors and transitions, grammar and sentence structure, spelling and punctuation (how easy is it to read and understand the response?) |
| Task Fulfillment | relevance, completeness, tone, word count (how well did the test taker follow the instructions, and is the tone appropriate?) |
In practice this means that a complete, polite email with frequent article and tense errors is held down by Readability, while a flawless email that misses a bullet point is held down by Task Fulfillment. The scoring guide describes each level in each category and how the scorer on this page follows the same logic.
CELPIP writing levels and CLB
Writing is reported as a CELPIP level. CELPIP levels equal CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) levels, which is what immigration programs quote. The official descriptors:
| CELPIP level | CLB | CEFR | Descriptor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 12 | C2 | Expert proficiency in high-stakes social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 11 | 11 | C1 | Advanced proficiency in high-stakes social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 10 | 10 | C1 | Highly effective proficiency in some high-stakes social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 9 | 9 | B2 | Effective proficiency in some high-stakes social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 8 | 8 | B2 | Good proficiency in more demanding social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 7 | 7 | B2 | Adequate proficiency in somewhat demanding social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 6 | 6 | B1 | Developing proficiency in everyday social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 5 | 5 | B1 | Acquiring proficiency in everyday social, educational, or workplace contexts |
| 4 | 4 | A2 | Adequate proficiency for daily life activities |
| 3 | 3 | A2 | Some proficiency in limited contexts |
Below level 3 the report shows M (minimal). CLB 7 is the usual minimum for Express Entry's Canadian Experience Class and Federal Skilled Worker streams; CLB 9 in every ability unlocks the higher skill-transferability points; CLB 10 gives the maximum first-language points. Check the requirement for your own program, as they change.
Go deeper: the guides behind this page
This page is the overview. Each part of the writing test has its own page with the detail that does not fit here:
- Sample answers with level breakdowns
10 prompts, each with a high-level and a mid-level answer rated on the four categories, with corrections and evidence.
- The email task (Task 1)
Format, a paragraph plan for the three bullet points, tone rules, phrases and the costliest errors.
- The survey task (Task 2)
A four-paragraph structure, how to turn a reason into an argument, phrases and errors.
- Practice prompts
16 original prompts in the official format with the test timer and free scoring.
- Scoring and levels
How the raters work, every level in every category, immigration thresholds, calibration.
- Tips for level 9 and above
Twelve tips by category with before-and-after examples and a time plan.
Also: common writing topics · the email format line by line · the scorer on its own page · FAQ
How to prepare in two weeks
- Learn the two formats cold. Read the email task guide and the survey task guide once, then write one answer of each without a timer and score it. Your first report shows which category is your weakest.
- Fix the Readability errors first. Articles, verb tenses, subject–verb agreement, "fewer/less" and prepositions of time account for most of the errors in level 5–7 answers. Each report explains the rule for every error it finds.
- Add one specific detail per paragraph. Content/Coherence rises when a reason comes with an example, a number or a consequence. The sample pairs show how little text that takes.
- Practise under the test timer. Use the timer in the scorer (27 and 26 minutes). Write a plan in 2 minutes, draft in 18, and keep 5 for checking the bullet points and the word count.
- Read the tips for level 9 and above once your answers are consistently at 7–8.
Frequently asked questions
What is on the CELPIP writing test?
Two tasks in 53 minutes. Task 1, Writing an Email (27 minutes): an email of about 150–200 words that covers three bullet points. Task 2, Responding to Survey Questions (26 minutes): choose one of two options and explain your choice in about 150–200 words. Both are typed on a computer with a word counter.
How is CELPIP writing scored?
Two trained raters rate each task on four categories: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment. Each task is worth half of the writing score, which is reported as a CELPIP level from M (minimal) and 3 to 12. CELPIP levels equal CLB levels.
What CELPIP writing level do I need?
It depends on the program. CLB 7 in each ability is the common minimum for the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Worker Program; CLB 9 in all four abilities unlocks the higher skill-transferability points in Express Entry; CLB 10 gives the maximum first-language points. Always check the current IRCC requirement for your program.
How accurate is the free AI scorer?
It is an estimate, not an official result. The scorer rates the same four categories as the official raters, verifies every error it reports against your text, and only gives level 10 or above when it finds verified evidence in the text, so it is conservative at the top. On 28 original answers at known levels, 25 estimates (89%) were within one level of ours, with an average bias of −0.07 levels; the three misses were level 10–11 answers estimated at 8–9.
Does it matter if I write more than 200 words?
Slightly over is not penalised, but long answers cost time and add errors. Under 150 words loses Task Fulfillment marks and gives the raters less to reward. Aim for 170–190 words and spend the saved minutes checking articles, verb tenses and the bullet points.
Official sources (checked 20 October 2026): CELPIP Test Format & Scoring; CELPIP Writing Performance Standards (Prometric). This site is independent and not affiliated with the test owner.