CELPIP® Writing Task 1 sample: An Unexpected Dental Assessment Fee
Writing an Email · 27 minutes · 150–200 words · Published
Original practice questions in CELPIP® task formats, created independently by CELPIP Study.
Practice question
You booked your first routine dental cleaning at a clinic in Kamloops after receiving a written estimate of $180. The clinic has now added a $65 new-patient assessment that was not mentioned in the estimate or booking confirmation. You have already paid a $50 deposit, which will be lost if you cancel after Thursday. You can afford the original price but need to decide whether to keep the appointment or postpone dental care.
Write an email to the dental clinic manager, Mr. Bilal Khan.
- Summarize the difference between the estimate and the revised charges.
- Explain how the added cost and deposit deadline affect your decision.
- Request a fair solution before the cancellation deadline.
Model answers
Level 7 sample answer
166 words
Dear Mr. Khan,
I am writing about the price of my first cleaning at your dental clinic in Kamloops. I received written estimate of $180 when I booked. Now there is another $65 charge for a new-patient assessment. This charge was not included in the estimate or the booking confirmation.
I can afford the original price, but the extra cost is difficult for my budget. I have also paid a $50 deposit. If I cancel after Thursday, I will lose that money, so I need to make a decision soon. I do not want to postpone the cleaning, but I must consider the total cost.
Could you please review the estimate and tell me why the assessment fee was missing? I would like you to consider keeping the original price for this visit. If that is not possible, could my deposit be moved to a later appointment instead?
Please reply before Thursday so I can decide what to do. Thank you for your helps.
Sincerely,
Keegan
Why this answer is at level 7
This level 7 answer clearly explains the unexpected fee, the budget problem, and the requested solutions. Its straightforward organization makes it easy to follow, but basic vocabulary and noticeable grammar errors give it less precision and polish than the higher-level answers.
Now there is another $65 charge for a new-patient assessment.
— Content/Coherence: This clearly introduces the change from the written estimate. However, the connection is presented through simple sequencing. The higher-level answers connect the undisclosed charge more directly to the writer’s understanding of what the estimate covered.the extra cost is difficult for my budget.
— Vocabulary: The meaning is understandable, but the wording is broad and slightly awkward. The higher-level answers describe the financial constraint more precisely, explaining that proceeding would exceed what the writer can afford.I received written estimate of $180 when I booked.
— Readability: The missing article before “written estimate” creates a noticeable grammatical error. The meaning remains clear, but the higher-level answers use more consistently accurate sentences, giving the formal complaint a smoother finish.If that is not possible, could my deposit be moved to a later appointment instead?
— Task Fulfillment: This offers a practical alternative if the clinic cannot keep the original price. However, it leaves protection against losing the deposit implicit. The higher-level answers explicitly request a transfer without a penalty or forfeiture.
Level 9 sample answer
182 words
Dear Mr. Khan,
Please review the revised cost of my first routine cleaning at your Kamloops clinic. When I booked, I received a written estimate of $180. A $65 new-patient assessment has now been added, although neither the estimate nor my booking confirmation mentioned this requirement. The revised total therefore comes as a surprise.
I budgeted for the quoted amount and have already paid a $50 deposit. While I would prefer to keep the appointment, the additional fee puts me in a difficult position. Cancelling after Thursday would mean losing the deposit, yet proceeding would require spending more than I can currently afford. I need clear information before that deadline.
Could you explain why the assessment was omitted from the original estimate and provide a complete breakdown of the charges? I would appreciate your considering a fee adjustment that would honour the original $180 estimate. If that cannot be arranged, please allow me to transfer my deposit to a later appointment without a penalty.
Thank you for reviewing this. A response before Thursday would help me make an informed decision.
Sincerely,
Keegan
Why this answer is at level 9
This level 9 answer develops the financial dilemma clearly and makes specific, courteous requests in controlled formal language. Compared with level 7, it is more precise and fluent; compared with level 11, it gives less attention to the deposit’s application and the underlying assumption about the quoted price.
Cancelling after Thursday would mean losing the deposit, yet proceeding would require spending more than I can currently afford.
— Content/Coherence: The sentence clearly connects the deadline with the competing financial consequences. This develops the dilemma more fully than level 7. Level 11 also explicitly connects the choice to postponing dental care, keeping the practical consequence in view.The revised total therefore comes as a surprise.
— Vocabulary: “Revised total” and “therefore” express the billing change and its consequence accurately. However, “comes as a surprise” describes the reaction broadly. Level 11 explains the more specific understanding that the quoted amount covered the visit.I would appreciate your considering a fee adjustment that would honour the original $180 estimate.
— Readability: This is grammatically controlled and appropriately courteous, showing greater polish than level 7. However, the phrasing is somewhat heavy. Level 11 uses a direct question to make the requested adjustment easier to process while remaining formal.Could you explain why the assessment was omitted from the original estimate and provide a complete breakdown of the charges?
— Task Fulfillment: This requests both an explanation and useful billing details, supporting a decision before the deadline. Level 11 adds a question about how the deposit would be applied, addressing a remaining uncertainty about the amount payable.
Level 11 sample answer
191 words
Dear Mr. Khan,
I would appreciate a review of the charges for my first routine cleaning at your Kamloops clinic. The written estimate was $180, but a $65 new-patient assessment has subsequently been added. As neither the estimate nor the booking confirmation disclosed this charge, I had understood the quoted amount to cover the visit.
That difference matters because my budget accommodates the original price, not the revised total. I have already paid a $50 deposit, which becomes non-refundable if I cancel after Thursday. Consequently, I must choose between exceeding my budget and postponing care, with the deposit deadline adding pressure to a decision that requires clarification.
Could you provide an itemized explanation of the charges and confirm how the deposit would be applied? Given the information supplied when I booked, would the clinic consider adjusting the fees so that the total remains $180? If that is not feasible, I would welcome the option of transferring my deposit to a later appointment without forfeiting it.
A written response before Thursday would allow me to decide without being left out of pocket unnecessarily. Thank you for considering a fair resolution.
Sincerely,
Keegan
Why this answer is at level 11
This level 11 answer combines a clear account of the undisclosed fee with a carefully developed explanation of the budget and cancellation pressures. Precise wording, fluent sentences, and practical requests make the complaint persuasive while maintaining a measured formal tone.
Consequently, I must choose between exceeding my budget and postponing care,
— Content/Coherence: This draws a clear consequence from the preceding financial facts and names both sides of the decision. Explicitly mentioning postponed care gives the complaint a practical human consequence beyond the billing disagreement.As neither the estimate nor the booking confirmation disclosed this charge,
— Vocabulary: “Disclosed” precisely identifies the communication problem. Referring to both written sources strengthens the explanation without accusing the clinic of deliberate misconduct, supporting the measured tone of the request.If that is not feasible, I would welcome the option of transferring my deposit to a later appointment without forfeiting it.
— Readability: The conditional structure makes the fallback solution easy to follow. Despite its length, the sentence clearly identifies the alternative appointment arrangement and the condition that makes it acceptable: preserving the deposit.Could you provide an itemized explanation of the charges and confirm how the deposit would be applied?
— Task Fulfillment: This requests information needed to assess the actual payment obligation. Asking how the deposit applies adds useful precision because the writer has already paid money toward the appointment and needs clarity before deciding.
What moves an answer from 7 to 9 to 11
These are model answers written to show each level. The labels are practice estimates, not examiner scores.
Cover each email bullet with relevant detail, explain its effect on the reader and make a workable request. Keep a consistent register, with an opening, connected paragraphs and an appropriate closing.
- Content/Coherence: Level 7 models communicate the main ideas; level 9 models develop relevant details with clear connections; level 11 models sustain precise, well-integrated development.
- Vocabulary: Compare adequate everyday wording with more varied, accurate choices at level 9 and flexible, precise expression at level 11.
- Readability: Look for increasingly controlled grammar, sentence variety, punctuation and paragraphing. Complexity helps when it keeps the message easy to read.
- Task Fulfillment: Compare how fully the response addresses the request, develops enough relevant detail and maintains an appropriate tone for the audience within the task limits.
Assess the criteria together. A longer answer or rarer words alone do not establish a higher level.
Answer this question and get your level