CELPIP writing Task 1 samples with answers: 3 full emails

An email can have correct grammar and still leave its reader wondering what you want. In CELPIP writing Task 1, your reader needs to understand the situation, the details the question asks for, and what should happen next.

These CELPIP writing Task 1 samples with answers show that process in three situations: a complaint, a workplace request, and an apology to a friend. Each includes a complete email and an explanation of how it answers the prompt.

Task 1 gives you 27 minutes to write an email of about 150–200 words. Follow the situation and cover the points in the question. The official CELPIP overview study pack provides the timing and word guidance. Requirements checked September 28, 2026.

The prompts and responses here are original teaching examples by CELPIP Practice. They are not recalled exam questions or officially scored responses. Word counts include the greeting and sign-off and use whitespace-separated words; the test editor may count differently.

Sample 1: a formal complaint about a changed course

Practice prompt

You registered for an evening photography course at a community centre. After you paid, the centre moved the course to weekday afternoons, when you work.

Write an email to the programme coordinator. In about 150–200 words:

• Explain why you chose the original course.
• Describe how the change affects you.
• Request a suitable solution.

Before reading the answer, choose your requested solution. A refund and a transfer can both be reasonable, but explain which you would prefer.

Sample answer: 174 words

Dear Programme Coordinator,

I am writing about the beginner photography course that I registered for last Friday. I chose the Tuesday evening class because I work until five and could reach the community centre comfortably before the original six o'clock start.

Yesterday, I received an email saying that the course would now run on Wednesday afternoons. Unfortunately, this change means I cannot attend any of the sessions. My employer requires me to be at the reception desk throughout the afternoon, so leaving early each week is not possible.

I would prefer to transfer my registration to another evening course at the same level, without paying an additional fee. If no suitable class is available this term, please arrange a refund of the course payment instead. I have attached my registration confirmation so you can locate the booking.

Could you let me know which option is available before the first lesson next week? I am still interested in studying photography at the centre and hope we can find a workable arrangement.

Kind regards,
Sam Taylor

How the answer covers all three points

The first paragraph connects the original schedule to the writer's working hours. The second explains a specific obstacle: covering reception. The third offers a preferred solution and a fallback. The final question gives the coordinator a clear next action.

Notice the difference between “the new time is inconvenient” and “I cannot attend any of the sessions.” The latter explains the extent of the problem. The reception detail supports it without turning the email into a story about the writer's entire job.

The tone is firm and courteous. There is no need to accuse the coordinator of dishonesty or threaten legal action. A useful complaint makes the problem and requested remedy easy to identify.

Sample 2: a request to your manager

Practice prompt

Your team is introducing new scheduling software. You have found a training workshop that takes place during working hours.

Write an email to your manager. In about 150–200 words:

• Explain why you want to attend.
• Describe how the training would benefit the team.
• Suggest how your work could be covered while you are away.

Sample answer: 177 words

Dear Ms. Chen,

Could I attend the scheduling software workshop next Thursday morning? Since I will be preparing our weekly staff schedules from next month, I would like to learn the system properly before taking over that responsibility.

The workshop covers shift changes, leave requests and reports. These are the features our team will use most often, and understanding them should help me avoid mistakes when several colleagues request changes at once. Afterwards, I could prepare a short guide and demonstrate the main steps at our team meeting, so everyone would benefit from the training.

The session runs from nine until noon. I can finish the weekly attendance report on Wednesday and prepare the morning handover in advance. For urgent enquiries, I suggest asking Daniel whether he could monitor the shared inbox during those three hours. I would check any outstanding messages as soon as I returned.

Please let me know whether you approve this arrangement. If so, I will confirm Daniel's availability before booking a place and send you the workshop details.

Best regards,
Alex Morgan

Why the coverage proposal matters

The manager needs more than a claim that training is useful. This email identifies relevant features, explains how the team could benefit, and addresses the absence from work.

It also distinguishes a proposal from an agreed arrangement. Daniel has not yet promised to cover the inbox. “I suggest asking Daniel whether…” and “I will confirm Daniel's availability…” keep that detail consistent. A response can lose clarity when it invents an agreement in one paragraph and asks permission for it in another.

The opening is a direct, polite question. You do not have to begin every formal email with the same memorized sentence. Choose an opening that makes your purpose clear to this reader.

Sample 3: an informal apology to a friend

Practice prompt

You promised to help a friend move on Saturday morning, but you now have a compulsory work commitment at that time.

Write an email to your friend. In about 150–200 words:

• Apologize and explain the problem.
• Offer another way you can help.
• Suggest a time to discuss the revised plan.

Sample answer: 180 words

Hi Maya,

I'm really sorry, but I won't be able to help with your move on Saturday morning as we planned. My manager has scheduled a compulsory training session, and I found out today that everyone on my team has to attend. I know you were counting on me, especially for carrying the heavier boxes.

I can still come over on Friday evening to help you pack the kitchen and label everything by room. That should make unloading easier the next day. I'll also be free after two on Saturday, so I could meet you at the new apartment and help unpack or put the furniture together. If you need someone for the morning, I can ask my brother, although I'll need to check his plans first.

Are you free for a quick call tonight around seven? We can work out which jobs would be most useful for me to do and adjust the plan before the weekend.

Sorry again for changing things at such short notice. I still want to make the move easier for you.

Take care,
Jordan

What makes the tone informal

The greeting, contractions and closing suit a friend. The writer still uses complete sentences and clear paragraphs. Informal writing does not require text-message abbreviations such as “u,” “plz” or “thx.”

The apology recognizes the effect on Maya: she was relying on help with heavy boxes. The alternatives are concrete and fit around the work commitment. Friday packing and Saturday afternoon unpacking are more useful than “I'll help another time.”

Compare the two Saturday references. The training prevents morning help; the writer is available after two. Those details agree. Checking dates and times is a quick way to catch a contradiction before you finish.

A flexible CELPIP Task 1 email structure

Use this as a planning checklist. Change the order when the prompt calls for it.

Write a few planning words for each required point. For the first prompt, that could be: evening fits work; afternoons impossible; transfer or refund. You now have a route through the task before drafting the opening.

The writing samples overview puts email and survey responses side by side. For the second task, use the Task 2 samples with explained answers. Keep their different purposes in mind: a survey response should not automatically inherit your email greeting and sign-off.

Formal and informal language: change the relationship, keep the meaning

Tone comes from several choices together. A formal greeting cannot fix an aggressive request, and a friendly email can still be precise.

Practise expressing one request in both styles. Then return to the prompt and choose the version that fits the named reader. Avoid stuffing a short email with ceremonial phrases that you would struggle to use naturally.

Revise a weak answer before adding more vocabulary

Consider this original draft excerpt for the course complaint:

I am very unhappy about your course. The time is bad and this creates many problems for me. Please solve this issue as soon as possible because it is very important.

The excerpt communicates frustration but leaves the coordinator with questions. Which change caused the problem? Why can the writer no longer attend? What solution are they requesting?

A more useful revision is:

The new Wednesday afternoon schedule conflicts with my reception shift, so I cannot attend the course. Could you transfer my registration to an evening class at the same level? If none is available this term, I would appreciate a refund.

The improvement comes from information: the conflict, its consequence, a preferred remedy and a fallback. Replacing “unhappy” with “deeply dissatisfied” would leave those gaps untouched.

Try the same edit on your own email. Underline a vague phrase such as many problems, very useful or a good experience. Explain exactly what it means in that situation. Then remove any sentence that repeats the point without developing it. The sentence-level revision guide gives more editing practice.

A 27-minute plan you can test

Try four minutes to plan, eighteen to draft and five to check. This is a suggested study routine, not an official breakdown of the task time.

During planning, identify the reader and map every instruction to a paragraph. While drafting, check the word counter before adding another example. Leave room to finish the final required point and the closing.

In the last five minutes, use two passes:

1. Meaning: Check that every required point is answered, the dates agree, and the request is clear. Read the prompt again, not just your email.
2. Language: Check sentence boundaries, verb forms, articles, spelling and punctuation. Remove repeated ideas and adjust the length if needed.

The official writing dimensions are Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment. CELPIP's score comparison chart contains assessed responses and explanations. Use those to understand score descriptors; the checklist above helps you edit and does not calculate a score.

CELPIP writing Task 1 questions

How many words should I write?

The official sample instructions say about 150–200 words. Practise completing all required points within that range. Follow the instructions and counter on your test screen; avoid relying on an unofficial allowance or a claimed automatic penalty formula.

Do I need a subject line or postal address?

The official sample email answers demonstrate greetings and closings without a full postal-address block. Follow the prompt in front of you. Prioritize the required content and a clear email structure rather than spending time formatting a business letter.

Can I use the same template for every email?

You can reuse a planning process, but the details and tone must change. An apology to a friend, a complaint to a coordinator and a request to a manager require different information. Check whether each paragraph answers this prompt before keeping a memorized phrase.

Are these CELPIP 9 or 12 sample answers?

No official level has been assigned to these examples. They illustrate specific writing decisions and have not been scored by CELPIP examiners. For rated examples, use the official score comparison chart linked above. Copying a sample or its structure cannot guarantee a result.

Where can I find Task 1 samples in PDF form?

The official overview study pack linked at the start is a free PDF with writing samples. For these original examples, you can also use your browser's print or Save as PDF function. Keep the prompt with the answer so you can check what each paragraph was meant to accomplish.

Write the next email yourself

Choose one prompt above and hide its sample answer. Write for 27 minutes, then mark the sentence that answers each requested point. If you cannot find one, revise that part before polishing individual words.

For a fresh attempt, open the CELPIP Task 1 email practice questions. Afterwards, try a full Writing practice test to practise switching from an email to a survey response. If you use AI feedback, treat it as revision guidance and a practice estimate, not an official CELPIP score.