ScoreFluentCELPIP Writing, task by task.
Two typed responses in 53 minutes: an email in 27 minutes and a response to survey questions in 26, each of 150 to 200 words. There is no essay.
Two tasks, two clocks.
| Task | Name and guide | What you do | Time | Words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Writing an Email | Write an email to a named reader about an everyday situation, covering the points the prompt lists | 27 min | 150–200 |
| 2 | Responding to Survey Questions | Choose one of two options in an opinion survey and explain why | 26 min | 150–200 |
The timings and the 150-to-200-word range come from CELPIP’s 2026 overview and preparation guidance, checked 16 October 2026. The one-line descriptions are our summary. Each task has its own guide with a structure, a worked example, common mistakes and practice items; all the guides are listed on the CELPIP task types page.
Typed on a computer, in one sitting.
CELPIP-General is delivered on a computer at a test centre, so both responses are typed. Writing has no separate planning clock: your 27 and 26 minutes include any thinking you do.
Practise the way you will sit it. Type, do not handwrite, and run a full response against the clock. A response you can only finish untimed is not yet ready.
Four dimensions, rated by trained raters.
| Dimension | What it looks at |
|---|---|
| Content/Coherence | The number and quality of ideas, how they are organised, and the examples and supporting details |
| Vocabulary | The range of your word choice and how precisely you use it |
| Readability | Format and paragraphing, connectors, grammar and sentence structure, spelling and punctuation |
| Task Fulfillment | Whether you did what the task asked, in an appropriate tone, within the word count |
The dimension names come from CELPIP’s performance standards; the glosses are our paraphrase. CELPIP does not publish how the four ratings combine into a level. The full breakdown is on the CELPIP scoring page.
A plan for each task.
The task facts are CELPIP’s; the technique below is ours.
Email — one paragraph per point
Before you type, name the reader, the purpose and each point the prompt lists. Give every point its own paragraph with one detail. The usual loss is a skipped point, not a grammar slip, so tick the points off before the final read.
Survey — commit in the first sentence
Pick the option for which your reasons come faster, name it in your opening sentence and develop two or three reasons, each with a because and a result. Add one sentence on the other option, then close. Skip the greeting: Task 2 is not an email.
Both tasks — plan inside the clock
Writing has no separate planning time, so planning comes out of your 27 or 26 minutes. Spend about three minutes on a keyword plan, about twenty writing, and the rest on the word count and a check for missing points.
Both tasks — stay inside the range
CELPIP’s preparation guidance puts each response at 150 to 200 words, and word count is part of Task Fulfillment. Find out which way you drift, short or long, and plan your paragraphs to correct it.
Both tasks, against the real clocks.
ScoreFluent has a practice task type for the email and for the survey response, free to start. Results are practice estimates on the four published dimensions, not official CELPIP levels, and our CELPIP scoring has not been calibrated against official results. CELPIP’s own free practice tests are the place to start; our CELPIP practice test guide lists them. Comparing tests for Canada? Our IELTS General Training vs CELPIP guide covers the letter-and-essay format of the other test.
Straight from the test provider.
ScoreFluent is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Paragon Testing Enterprises or CELPIP. The format facts here come from CELPIP’s published documents, checked 16 October 2026:
- CELPIP-General Overview Study Pack 2026 (PDF) — the Writing section length, task clocks and word range.
- Writing Pro study pack 2026 (PDF) — task guidance for both responses.
- Performance standards — the four Writing dimensions.
Exam details change — the test provider revises its documents during the year. If a decision hangs on a detail here, check it against the official pages above first; they outrank this page.
Keep going: the full format guide, how scoring works, Speaking, Reading, Listening, the practice-test guide.
Writing questions, answered.
What are the two tasks in CELPIP Writing?
Task 1 is Writing an Email and Task 2 is Responding to Survey Questions. Together they make up the 53-minute CELPIP-General Writing section.
How long is CELPIP Writing?
CELPIP’s 2026 overview gives the Writing section as 53 minutes: 27 minutes for the email and 26 minutes for the survey response.
How many words do you write in CELPIP Writing?
CELPIP’s preparation guidance puts each of the two responses at 150 to 200 words. Word count is part of the Task Fulfillment dimension.
Does CELPIP have an essay?
No. Writing is an email and a response to survey questions. Prepare for those two tasks rather than for an academic essay.
How is CELPIP Writing rated?
Trained raters rate it on four published dimensions: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment. CELPIP does not publish how the ratings combine into a level.
Is CELPIP Writing typed or handwritten?
It is typed. CELPIP-General is delivered on a computer at a test centre, so practise typing a full response against a timer.
Does ScoreFluent give an official CELPIP Writing level?
No. ScoreFluent gives a practice estimate on the four published Writing dimensions. Our CELPIP scoring has not been calibrated against official CELPIP results, so use it to find what to fix, not as a level you will receive.
Start practising CELPIP Writing today.
CELPIP-General practice is live on ScoreFluent — the email and survey tasks, free to start.
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