CELPIP writing: how many words for Task 1 and Task 2?
Both tasks: 150–200 words. Task 1 is an email; Task 2 responds to survey questions. The on-screen counter shows your count as you type.
CELPIP Writing is two tasks in about 53 minutes. Task 1 (email) and Task 2 (responding to survey questions) both target 150–200 words, and the test shows a live word counter so you always know where you are.
There is no hard cutoff that zeroes your score, but the range matters: under about 150 words tends to read as under-developed content (a Level cap), and padding past 200 dilutes quality without adding marks. Raters reward fully-developed, well-organised answers within the range — not the longest response.
The "you get penalised at 148" and "there's a 10% buffer" claims you'll see on blogs are folklore, not published rules. Write comfortably inside 150–200 and spend your last few minutes proofreading — small errors (articles, tense, run-ons) are what actually separate a Level 8 from a 9.
CELPIP official writing materials; format verified July 2026 (zero-drift per our format audit).