CELPIP Writing Format: Tasks, Timing, Word Count and Scoring

The CELPIP Writing format at a glance

Writing is one of the four skills in CELPIP-General, next to Listening, Reading and Speaking. The whole test is taken on a computer, and you type both writing responses.

What you see on the screen

Each task has its own screen. The background to the situation is on the left, and the specific instructions, with the bullet points or the two options, are on the right. You type into a response box under the instructions.

A countdown at the top shows the time left for the current task. Under the response box, a word counter updates as you type.

There are basic editing tools and a spellcheck. The spellcheck helps with misspelled words, but it doesn't check grammar, so it won't catch a missing article, a wrong preposition or a verb in the wrong tense.

You don't need to type fast, but you should be comfortable with a standard keyboard layout before test day.

Task 1 format: Writing an Email

Task 1 describes a situation, names who you are writing to and lists three things your email must do. The reader might be a manager, a landlord, a company, a neighbour or a friend, and your tone should match. A complete email has these parts:

• A greeting that fits the reader.
• A purpose statement in the first sentence or two.
• A paragraph for each bullet point, in order.
• A closing statement: what you want to happen next, or a short summary.
• A sign-off and a name, real or invented.

Task 2 format: Responding to Survey Questions

Task 2 describes a decision that a city, an employer or another organization has to make, and gives two options. You choose one and explain why. A complete answer has these parts:

• A sentence that states your choice clearly.
• Two or three reasons, each in its own paragraph, with specific details.
• A comparison with the other option.
• A concluding sentence.

How the CELPIP Writing test is scored

Certified raters read your responses and judge them on four dimensions. The result is one Writing level from 0 to 12, shown on the score report with the description of that level. Levels 0, 1 and 2 are reported as M. No weights are published for the dimensions.

Word count: what is known and what isn't

Both tasks ask for about 150-200 words. Word count is listed as one of the Task Fulfillment factors, and the official advice is to write an appropriate amount and use your words well. No fixed penalty for going over 200 or under 150 is published.

What this suggests: a response well under 150 words usually loses more through thin content and missing details than through the number itself. Going a little over 200 is not known to cost a level, but extra sentences take time away from checking and add chances for errors.

A sensible target is 160-200 words: enough to develop every point, with a few minutes left to reread.

How Writing levels map to CLB

CELPIP levels 4 to 12 match CLB levels 4 to 12 one to one, so a Writing level of 9 is CLB 9 in writing. For Express Entry, IRCC counts any CELPIP level of 10 or higher as CLB 10. The CELPIP score chart page has the full table, with the CRS language points.

Using your 53 minutes

A split that works for most people, based on planning first and checking last: