CELPIP Writing Task 1

CELPIP Writing Task 1

In today’s blog, I’m going to break down three CELPIP Writing Task 1 responses to show why each one received its specific score. Many students struggle to understand what separates a Band 5 email from a Band 7 or a Band 10, so I’ll walk you through the key differences in tone, structure, vocabulary, and task completion. By the end of this post, you’ll have a much clearer sense of what CELPIP examiners look for—and how you can bring your own writing up to a higher level.

CELPIP Writing Task 1:  Sample Task

You needed some help with your garden a few weeks ago. It had too many weeds and insects, and your flowers were dying. You went to a local Garden Centre for help. The salesperson was very helpful, and now your garden looks much better.

Write an email to the Manager of the Garden Centre in about 150-200 words. Your email should do the following things:

•     Describe the salesperson who helped you.
•     Explain what the salesperson did for you.
•     Describe the positive results from the salesperson’s advice.

BAND 5 – Response

Dear Manager,

My name is Tom. Before three weeks, I went into your store for help. When I came into the store, your employee, John, helped me with my problem. He showed me everything I asked about flowers. We walked in the Garden Centre, and for any of my questions, he had good answers. John sold me the best flowers in the store and told me how to take care of them.

Now, three weeks later, my backyard looks fantastic. Finally, I got what I wanted. My neighbours can’t believe how my garden looks!

I want to tell you, John is a very good man. You are lucky because you have a great person in your company.

Thank you for your time. John deserves a raise!

Tom! 

BAND 5 — Explanation

1. Content coverage (partly complete):
   All three tasks are addressed, but coverage is thin. The salesperson is described minimally (“your employee, John”), the help is described vaguely (“showed me everything,” “told me how to take care”), and the results are mentioned but without clear detail.
2. Organization (basic):
   Ideas are in a logical order, but transitions are simple. Paragraphing is present but undeveloped. The message reads like short, loosely connected statements.
3. Vocabulary/precision (limited):
   Language is basic and repetitive (“helped me,” “flowers,” “store”). Idiomatic range is minimal. Some imprecise expressions (“Before three weeks,” “my backyard looks fantastic” with no detail).
4. Grammar/control (frequent issues):
   Noticeable errors that interfere with naturalness or clarity:

•   “Before three weeks”
•   “For any of my questions, he had good answers”
•   “John is a very good man.”

        These errors reduce fluency and appropriateness.

5. Tone/register (inconsistent):
   Email tone slips into informal or odd phrasing (“Finally, I got what I wanted,” “John deserves a raise!”). This weakens formality expectations for CELPIP Task 1.

Overall: Understandable but basic, with errors, limited lexical range, and underdeveloped detail → Band 5. 

BAND 7-8 – Response

John Bean, the Manager of the Garden Center,

Few weeks ago I have realized that something was going wrong with my garden. Most of the flowers were rapidly dying, weeds were growing all around the place and were also attracting many insects that I have never seen before. I am still new to gardening so I decided to visit your Garden Center in order to ask for advice.

The salesperson, a young woman named Rose, politely suggested her assistance when she saw me helplessly struggling to find the right products on the shelves. She patiently listened to my explanation without interrupting and then asked few additional questions to find out how I was taking care of my plants so far. After that she passed me two bottles of liquids, encouraged to follow the instructions and assured that my garden will look much better after 3 or 4 days. Guess what! She was totally right! I got rid off the weeds and the flowers are growing again.

I am extremely thankful for her help and glad that you train your staff properly. Keep up the good work! 

Faithfully yours,

Lucas

BAND 7–8 — Explanation

1. Content coverage (clear and complete):
   All tasks are addressed fully. The salesperson is described well (“a young woman named Rose… politely suggested her assistance”), actions are clear, and results are explained convincingly.
2. Organization (good):
   Clear paragraphs, logical flow, and appropriate sequencing: problem → store visit → salesperson’s actions → outcome. Transitions are smoother.
3. Vocabulary/precision (moderate range):
   Shows stronger variety (“rapidly dying,” “helplessly struggling,” “assured,” “extremely thankful”). Some imprecision remains (“got rid off”), and some minor awkwardness in collocations.
4. Grammar/control (generally strong but imperfect):
   Mostly accurate, but some persistent errors lower the score:

•   “Few weeks ago I have realized…”
•   “asked few additional questions”
•   “got rid off” (should be “rid of”)

      These keep it below the top band.

5. Tone/register (mostly appropriate):
   Polite and respectful. Ending (“Keep up the good work!”) is informal but acceptable.

Overall: Solid content, clearer structure, and generally successful language use with some grammatical and stylistic weaknesses → Band 7 – 8.  

BAND 10-11 – Response

Dear manager at Home Gardens,

A few weeks ago I came to your downtown branch in need of assistance regarding my private garden. I had a considerable problem with pests and weeds and was having a hard time maintaining the health of my plants. Although I enjoy gardening very much, I confess I was a bit lost on how to approach the situation.

Upon arriving at the store, I was greeted by Daniel, who was delightfully supportive and helpful. He inquired about my specific needs and pointed me to the products that he believed would help me most efficiently. I could tell that there were more expensive options available, but also that he was more concerned about making sure I would be satisfied with the results rather than earning a big commission.

After following Daniel’s recommendations, I am happy to see that my petunias are looking much healthier. In fact, because he went the extra mile and gave me such insightful pointers, I have expanded my gardening skills and have even ventured so far as planting a few cacti! It would be remiss of me not to lend him my strongest endorsement to his superiors.

Regards,

Mary Smith

BAND 10–11 — Explanation

1. Content coverage (excellent, complete, nuanced):
   All task requirements are fully met and expanded. Description is specific, contextual, and persuasive. The salesperson’s qualities, actions, and the results are explained with depth.
2. Organization (high-level):
   Smooth connections, coherent progression, sophisticated paragraph structure. Each paragraph has a clear communicative purpose.
3. Vocabulary/precision (wide range):
   High lexical sophistication:

•   “considerable problem with pests,”
•   “delightfully supportive,”
•   “more concerned about… than earning a big commission,”
•   “went the extra mile,”
•   “my strongest endorsement.”

      Language is precise and natural for a formal email.

4. Grammar/control (very strong):
   Consistent accuracy, complex structures, controlled subordination. No distracting errors. Sentences flow naturally.
5. Tone/register (fully appropriate):
   Polite, professional, polished. Tone matches a high-stakes customer letter. Word choice consistently maintains formality.

Overall: Strong cohesion, advanced vocabulary and grammar, fully developed content, and sophisticated tone → Band 10–11.

At the end of the day, CELPIP writing scores aren’t just about avoiding mistakes—they’re about how clearly and confidently you get your ideas across. Lower-band responses do the job, but higher-band responses really shine with detail, smooth structure, and engaging language. Spotting these differences is a great way to know what to aim for in your own writing.

By: Larry Fedorowick

CELPIP Writing Task 1