CELPIP writing Task 2 samples with answers: 3 worked models

You've chosen an option in a CELPIP survey question, but your first reason is just “it would be better for everyone.” These CELPIP writing Task 2 samples with answers show how to turn that vague preference into a complete response. Two answers defend opposite choices in the same survey, so you can see how the reasons change with the position.

In CELPIP-General Writing Task 2, you respond to survey questions by choosing an option and explaining your preference in about 150–200 words, with 26 minutes for the task. The official CELPIP overview study pack gives the task timing and word guidance.

All prompts and answers below are original teaching examples by CELPIP Practice. They are not official questions, actual candidate scripts or examiner-rated responses. The explanations describe choices you can learn from; they do not assign a CELPIP level. Format and scoring sources checked September 17, 2026.

How to use these Task 2 sample answers

Read a prompt, choose an option and write two reasons before opening the corresponding answer. Ask who benefits, what changes for that person and why the other option is less suitable in this situation.

For example, “longer library hours are convenient” names a benefit. “Residents who finish work at six could borrow books after their shifts” explains it. That connection gives you something to develop in a paragraph.

Each sample below stays within the suggested word range. Word counts use whitespace-separated words, with contractions counted as one word; a test editor may count punctuation differently. For Task 1 alongside Task 2, use the email and survey writing samples.

Sample 1: library hours survey, choose weekday evenings

Original practice prompt

Your local library has funding for six additional opening hours per week. It is asking residents how to use those hours.

Option A: Open three hours later on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Option B: Open for six hours on Sundays, when the library is currently closed.

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

Sample answer: Option A, 176 words

I would prefer the library to extend its opening hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Evening access would help residents who cannot visit during the working day and would give students a reliable place to study after school.

Many people in our neighbourhood finish work around six, just as the library closes. Keeping it open later would allow them to collect reserved books or use a computer without taking time off. For someone applying for jobs, having two evenings available each week could make a practical difference.

Students would also benefit from a quiet workspace on school nights. They could research an assignment when it is given, rather than waiting until the weekend. Library staff could help them find suitable sources before a deadline becomes urgent.

Sunday opening would certainly be useful for families. However, a single weekly session would offer less flexibility to people whose weekends are already committed to work or childcare. Two evening sessions would spread access across the week. I therefore support Option A, provided that the library clearly advertises the new hours.

What to learn from this answer

The choice appears immediately. Each body paragraph then develops a different use: access for working adults and study space for students. The examples explain why evening hours matter instead of repeating “more convenient” in different words.

The comparison with Sunday opening is brief and fair. It acknowledges a real benefit before explaining why the writer still prefers weekday evenings. It does not claim that Sunday opening is useless.

Notice the controlled hypothetical language: would allow, could help, would offer. These describe expected benefits of a proposal. The answer does not need an invented survey statistic to make the argument sound credible.

Sample 2: the same survey, choose Sunday opening

Use the library prompt above, but choose Option B. Try making your own case before reading this response. This is useful when you struggle to generate ideas for an option you would not personally choose.

Sample answer: Option B, 177 words

I favour opening the library on Sundays. A six-hour session would give residents enough time to use its facilities properly, especially families who find weekday visits difficult to arrange.

On school nights, parents often have to fit library trips around dinner, homework and bedtime. Even with later closing times, those visits can feel rushed. Sunday access would let a family choose books together and spend time reading without another appointment immediately afterwards. It could make the library a regular part of their weekend.

A longer session would also suit adults who need a computer for a substantial task, such as completing a course application. They could gather their documents and work through the form in one visit. Dividing the extra hours between two evenings would not provide the same uninterrupted block of time.

I recognise that evening hours would help some workers. Nevertheless, adding a day when the building is currently closed would serve residents whose schedules already exclude weekday visits. For that reason, I would choose Sunday opening and review attendance after the first few months.

Why this answer can defend the opposite choice

The answer changes the criteria. Sample 1 values access on more than one day; Sample 2 values a longer visit on a day when the library is currently unavailable. Both arguments respond to the same facts.

A survey question gives you a position to justify. Choose the option for which you can develop relevant reasons within the time available. You do not need to guess a hidden preferred policy.

The proposed attendance review is a modest final detail. It does not introduce a third option or abandon Sunday opening. Be careful with conclusions that suddenly recommend combining both proposals when the prompt asks you to choose one.

Sample 3: workplace training survey

Original practice prompt

Your employer is introducing new scheduling software. Employees will receive the same total training time, during paid working hours. The manager asks you to choose a format.

Option A: One full training day before the software launches.

Option B: Four shorter sessions over two weeks, with access to a practice version between sessions.

Choose your preferred option and explain why it would work better. Write about 150–200 words.

Sample answer: Option B, 174 words

I would choose four shorter training sessions over two weeks. Learning the scheduling software in stages would give employees time to practise and bring specific questions to the next session.

A full day of instruction could cover many features, but staff might forget the early steps by the following morning. With shorter sessions, they could first learn how to enter a shift, try it in the practice system, and then return for help with any mistakes. This would make questions more concrete than asking whether everyone understands a demonstration.

Spreading the training would also make it easier to connect the software to different responsibilities. For example, reception staff might discover a problem with appointment changes, while supervisors might need help approving leave. Later sessions could address these practical issues before the launch.

The main drawback is having to arrange several meetings. However, publishing the schedule in advance would allow teams to plan around them. Since both options provide equal paid training time, I would prioritise opportunities to practise between sessions and select Option B.

What this answer avoids

It does not argue that shorter sessions save training hours, because the prompt says both options provide the same total time. It uses the practice version, another supplied detail, to explain the benefit of spacing the sessions.

That is a useful check for your own response: underline facts in the prompt that constrain your argument. If both options have the same cost, “this option is cheaper” needs a different basis. Do not overlook a fixed condition just because a familiar argument comes to mind.

A CELPIP writing Task 2 template you can adapt

Use this as a planning structure. Change the language and examples for the actual survey.

A short opening such as “I would prefer the library to open on Sundays” leaves room for explanation. A long statement about libraries being essential to society uses words without helping the reader choose between the two schedules.

You do not have to use exactly four paragraphs or include a counterargument in every response. This structure is a practice aid. CELPIP's published writing performance standards assess Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment; they do not promise a particular level for a paragraph formula.

Revise a vague reason into a developed argument

Consider this original practice excerpt:

Sunday opening is the best option because it is very convenient. Many people like Sundays, so it would be good for the community. This would benefit everyone.

The paragraph repeats approval without showing a concrete benefit. Here is a revision:

Sunday opening would help parents who cannot fit a library visit between work and their children's bedtime. A longer weekend session would let them choose books together and stay to read. For these families, a visit would be easier to arrange than a short trip on a school night.

The revised version identifies the readers affected, describes the scheduling problem and explains the proposed improvement. It also narrows “everyone” to the group the argument actually supports.

Now check the opposite failure: adding several examples without explaining any of them. A list of parents, students, retirees and job seekers is still a list. Choose a relevant group and explain the consequence for that group before adding another.

For a closer look at word choice and sentence control, use the CELPIP writing revision exercises.

How to finish Task 2 in 26 minutes

Try four minutes to plan, seventeen to write and five to revise. This adds up to 26 minutes, but it is a suggested allocation, not a test rule. Adjust it if your typing speed or revision needs differ.

Before writing, choose an option and note two developed reasons. During drafting, check the word counter before adding another example. A complete answer near the suggested range leaves more time for revision than an unfinished response with an elaborate introduction.

Use the final minutes to check your work against the four writing dimensions:

This checklist is for revision, not self-certification. If a teacher or feedback tool identifies a problem, find the sentence that demonstrates it and revise that sentence. Then try a fresh task to see whether you can avoid the same problem under time pressure.

CELPIP writing Task 2 questions

Is Task 2 an email?

Task 1 is the email task; Task 2 asks you to respond to survey questions. For these survey examples, a direct statement of preference fits the task. Do not add an email greeting and sign-off automatically. The official test format distinguishes the two writing tasks.

Should I explain both options equally?

Your response should clearly support your selected option. A brief comparison can explain why you prefer it, as the library examples show. Spending half your answer defending the other option may leave too little space to develop your own reasons.

Can I memorize a sample answer for CLB 9?

A memorized answer may contradict the prompt or leave its specific conditions unanswered. Learn how the examples develop reasons, then practise applying that method to different surveys. None of these samples has an official CLB or CELPIP score, and using their structure cannot guarantee one.

What should I do after studying the samples?

Write an unseen survey response without consulting an example. Check that its reasons depend on the actual prompt. If the same paragraphs could be pasted unchanged into a library, transport and workplace survey, they probably need more specific development.

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For related practice, read the sentence-level writing revision guide and work through the reading practice questions with explained answers when you need to slow down and check what a prompt actually says.

Try a fresh Task 2 survey question, or take the free full Writing mock on CELPIP Practice. A free account includes one welcome AI feedback credit shared across Speaking and Writing; feedback access is separate from the free mock. AI feedback provides an estimate and revision guidance, not an official score.