CELPIP Writing Task 1: How to Write an Email That Scores Band 7+

CELPIP Writing Task 1 asks you to write an email of 150–200 words. The topic changes — a complaint, a request, an apology, a recommendation — but the scoring criteria stay the same. Understanding those three criteria is more useful than memorising templates.

What CELPIP Writing Task 1 is actually testing

The three criteria are Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, and Readability. Content means: did you address every bullet point in the prompt? Coherence means: does your email follow a logical order? Vocabulary is the range and precision of your word choices. Readability is grammar accuracy and sentence structure. Each criterion is scored 0–12, and the scores are averaged.

The two mistakes that hold most candidates at Band 5 or 6

• Missing a bullet point. If the prompt has three bullets and your email addresses two, your Content/Coherence score drops significantly regardless of how well you write the other two.
• Wrong register. CELPIP emails have different tones: formal (to a manager or government body), semi-formal (to a neighbour or colleague you do not know well), and informal (to a friend). Using formal language in an informal email, or casual language in a formal one, costs marks in Vocabulary.

A structure that reliably covers the three criteria

Subject line: Always include one. Examiners read it. Keep it factual and clear. Opening sentence: State the purpose of the email in the first sentence. Do not introduce yourself extensively — get to the point. Body: One short paragraph per bullet point. This ensures you cover all required content and the email stays coherent. Closing: A clear call to action or a polite sign-off appropriate to the register. Do not write generic phrases like 'I hope this email finds you well' in a complaint email about a damaged product.

Band 7 vocabulary — what the range actually looks like

Band 7 Vocabulary does not require sophisticated or rare words. It requires variety and appropriateness. If you use the word 'good' five times in 160 words, that signals limited range. Replace one instance with 'satisfactory', another with 'adequate', and a third with 'reasonable', and the variety score improves. Precision matters too: writing 'the item was broken' is weaker than 'the product arrived with a cracked screen', which tells the reader exactly what happened.

Grammar errors that affect the Readability score

• Modal verb errors: 'I would appreciate if you could' should be 'I would appreciate it if you could'.
• Article errors: 'I am writing about a issue' should be 'I am writing about an issue'.
• Subject-verb agreement in formal openings: 'The management are...' (British English) vs 'The management is...' (North American English preferred in Canada).
• Sentence length: Very short sentences can lower Readability. Vary between short and medium-length sentences.

How to use a writing coach before your exam

Practising CELPIP Task 1 emails without feedback is inefficient. You repeat the same patterns without knowing whether they cost or earn marks. A specialist who marks CELPIP regularly can identify specific errors in your vocabulary register, flag missing content points, and rewrite a sentence to show exactly how it should read at Band 7 or 8.