CELPIP Writing Task 2 Sample: School Uniform Survey Response

The prompt

School uniforms at the local elementary school

The parent council of your local elementary school is asking families whether the school should introduce a uniform next year.

Which option do you support?

Option A: Introduce a simple uniform for all students

Option B: Keep the current policy: students wear their own clothes

Choose the option that you prefer and explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words.

Time on the test: 26 minutes. Recommended length: 150–200 words. This is an original practice prompt in the official format, not a test question.

Sample answer at level 9

CELPIP level 9 · CLB 9

193 words

I support Option A, a simple uniform for all students, mainly because of what it does for the children who have the least. At my son's school, the first thing many kids notice in September is who has the new sneakers and who is wearing a sibling's hand-me-downs. A plain uniform removes that daily comparison. It does not make families equal, but it means that a child from a family that is struggling this year walks into class looking like everyone else, and that matters a great deal at nine years old. A uniform also saves parents time and money in a way that is easy to underestimate. Two sets of the same polo shirt and trousers cost less than a season of fashionable clothes, and mornings are shorter when there is nothing to choose. Teachers I have spoken to add that field trips and assemblies are easier to supervise when the group is recognisable. I understand the argument that children should express themselves through their clothes. In my view, they still can, through hairstyles, accessories and, above all, what they say and do. On balance, a simple uniform is the fairer choice.

Category ratings

Category	Level	Why
Content / Coherence	9	Thesis stated up front, a vivid first-day example, a practical second reason with two supporting points, and a concession answered before the conclusion.
Vocabulary	9	Precise everyday vocabulary: "hand-me-downs", "daily comparison", "easy to underestimate", "recognisable", "above all".
Readability	9	Varied sentence length, well-placed cohesive devices ("It does not… but it means that", "In my view", "On balance"); no errors.
Task Fulfillment	9	Clear choice and reasons, the other side acknowledged, appropriate tone; 193 words.

What shows level 9 and above

Specific example who has the new sneakers and who is wearing a sibling's hand-me-downs
Nuance It does not make families equal, but it means that
Precise wording in a way that is easy to underestimate
Complex structure Teachers I have spoken to add that field trips and assemblies are easier to supervise
Nuance I understand the argument that children should express themselves through their clothes

The answer convinces because its first reason is shown, not stated: a nine-year-old on the first day of school. That single image carries the Content/Coherence rating, and the rest of the response is organised and accurate enough to hold level 9 throughout.

Sample answer at level 6

CELPIP level 6 · CLB 6

167 words

I agree with the option A because the uniform has many advantages for the students and for the parents. The first advantage is that all the students look the same. Some families are rich and some are poor, and when the children wear their own clothes, the rich children have expensive clothes and the poor children feel bad. With uniform, nobody can see the difference and the children don't make bullying about the clothes. The second advantage is for the parents. Every morning the children lose time to choose the clothes and sometimes they fight with the parents about it. With the uniform the morning is more easy. Also the parents don't need to buy many different clothes, they buy only two or three uniforms for the year, so they save money. Some people say that the children must be free to choose their clothes to show their personality. But I think the school is a place for study, not for fashion. So I support the uniform.

Category ratings

Category	Level	Why
Content / Coherence	6	Clear structure with two advantages and a counter-argument; the reasons are the obvious ones and are stated in general terms without an example.
Vocabulary	6	Limited range ("many advantages", "good", "clothes" repeated), with wrong collocations ("make bullying", "lose time to choose", "more easy").
Readability	6	Readable, simple sentences joined with "and", "but", "so"; article errors ("the option A", "With uniform"), a comma splice, and "more easy".
Task Fulfillment	7	Choice, reasons and a counter-argument; 167 words.

Corrections

~~I agree with the option A~~ → I support Option A
No article before "Option A"; "support" is the natural verb for a survey choice.
~~the children don't make bullying about the clothes~~ → children are not bullied because of their clothes
"Bully" is a verb; the passive "be bullied" expresses the idea.
~~the children lose time to choose the clothes~~ → children waste time choosing their clothes
"Waste time doing" is the collocation; "lose time to" is not English.
~~the morning is more easy~~ → the morning is easier
Short adjectives take -er in the comparative.
~~Also the parents don't need to buy many different clothes, they buy only two or three uniforms~~ → Parents also do not need to buy many different clothes; they buy only two or three uniforms
Two full clauses cannot be joined with a comma alone.

Level 6: the structure is right and the reader understands every sentence, but the support is generic and the same handful of errors (articles, comparatives, collocations with "make" and "lose") appears throughout.

What separates level 6 from level 9

Show the first reason with a scene (a nine-year-old on the first day) before you explain it.
"It does not… but it means that…" is a compact way to be precise and nuanced at the same time.
Comparatives: "easier", "fairer", "cheaper"; "more" only with long adjectives.
Answer the counter-argument, do not just mention it ("they still can, through hairstyles, accessories…").

Try this prompt yourself

Write your own survey response on the prompt above and get an estimated CELPIP level with corrections and a model answer. Free, no sign-up, two reports a day.

Score my survey response Task 2 guide

More Task 2 samples

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Working from home or a four-day week
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A playground or a community garden
Levels 11 and 5
Free transit for students or a cheaper pass for everyone
Levels 10 and 7
Renovation noise from the apartment upstairs
Task 1 · levels 10 and 6
A community-centre course that changed halfway
Task 1 · levels 9 and 7

See all CELPIP writing samples, the scoring and CLB levels guide, and the official CELPIP test format and scoring page.