CELPIP writing: both tasks, rated the way raters rate

The four dimensions raters score

• Content & coherence — ideas developed and logically connected, not just present.
• Vocabulary — precise, natural word choice; everyday register done well.
• Readability — paragraphing, flow, and mechanics that make it effortless to read.
• Task fulfillment — every part of the prompt addressed, right format, right tone, sensible length.

Note what's not there: no bonus for academic vocabulary, no reward for length beyond the guide, no template credit. A chatty, complete, well-organised answer is the winning shape.

Task 1: Writing an Email (27 min)

You write an email to a specific person about an everyday situation — a landlord, a manager, a program coordinator — with three or four bullet points you must all address.

• Bullets are the rubric. Each bullet unaddressed is task fulfillment lost. Give every bullet its own small paragraph — one to restate the situation, one per bullet, one to close.
• Match the register to the recipient. Semi-formal for a stranger ("Dear Mr. Okafor"), warmer for a friend. A mismatched tone costs on two dimensions at once (task fulfillment + readability).
• Elaborate one level deeper than feels necessary. "The battery drained quickly" is Level 7; "the battery dropped below thirty percent after fifteen kilometres, so I twice had to pedal the loaded bike home unassisted" is Level 9 material — specific, developed, natural.
• Stay near 150–200 words. Far under leaves content undeveloped; far over usually means rambling that hurts readability.

Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions (26 min)

You're given a scenario with two options (a community deciding something, a workplace choosing a policy) and you write to the surveyors defending one choice.

• Pick fast, defend hard. The choice itself is never graded; hedging between options wrecks coherence. Choose whichever gives you better examples.
• Two developed reasons beat four listed ones. Same shape as every rated-writing test: claim → explanation → concrete example → consequence.
• Acknowledge the other side in one sentence. "While the new park would be quieter, …" reads as mature reasoning and costs six words.
• It's an opinion letter, not an essay. First person is fine; natural connectors ("On top of that", "The bigger issue is") outperform "Furthermore/Moreover" chains on readability.

What caps people at 8

Almost never grammar. The recurring Level-8 profile: all bullets covered but thinly developed, safe-but-vague vocabulary, and paragraphs that sit next to each other rather than flow. All three live on the content and task-fulfillment dimensions — which is why another month of grammar drills doesn't move the score. See the 8→9 wall for the full picture.

Practise it scored

150 CELPIP writing prompts with instant feedback, plus AI examiner scoring rated on the same four dimensions with a level estimate — free, no sign-up. One level short on an official result? Read the re-evaluation math before booking a retake.