CELPIP® Writing Task 1 sample: Evening Course Moved to Saturdays
Writing an Email · 27 minutes · 150–200 words · Published
Original practice questions in CELPIP® task formats, created independently by CELPIP Study.
Practice question
You signed up for an evening bookkeeping course at Northlight College in Grande Prairie and paid $640 in fees. After three weeks of Tuesday and Thursday classes, the college has announced that, because of low enrolment, the course will move to Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You work a regular Saturday shift, and the deadline for a full refund is this Friday. You need the certificate for a job you plan to apply for in the spring.
Write an email to the program coordinator, Mr. Emeka Obi.
- Explain why the new Saturday schedule does not work for you.
- Describe what you would lose by withdrawing from the course now.
- Propose an option that would let you finish the course.
Model answers
Level 7 sample answer
185 words
Dear Mr. Obi,
I am writing about the bookkeeping course that I am taking on Tuesday and Thursday evening. I got the email that the class will move to Saturday mornings, and I am worried because this change does not work for me.
I work every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a grocery store, and I cannot change this shift. My manager told me that weekends is the busiest days. So I cannot come to class from 9 to 1.
If I withdraw now, I will get my $640 back, but I will lose three weeks of study. Also, I need the certificate for a job I want to apply for in the spring. If I wait for the next course, I will miss that chance.
Could the college let me finish the course online? Maybe I can watch recordings of the Saturday classes and send my assignments by email. I would be happy to do the same tests like other students.
Thank you for your help. I hope to hear from you before the refund deadline on Friday.
Sincerely,
Carmen Delgado
Why this answer is at level 7
This level 7 model clearly explains the scheduling conflict, the consequences of withdrawing, and a workable alternative. Its straightforward organization makes it easy to follow, but grammatical errors, basic vocabulary, and limited development distinguish it from the stronger answers.
Also, I need the certificate for a job I want to apply for in the spring.
— Content/Coherence: This connects withdrawal to the spring job application, but the relationship remains general. The higher-level answers identify the position and explain that the certificate is a requirement, making the consequence more convincing.I got the email that the class will move to Saturday mornings
— Vocabulary: The meaning is clear, but the wording is basic and slightly conversational for a formal request. The higher-level answers refer more precisely to the college's notice or announcement.My manager told me that weekends is the busiest days.
— Readability: The explanation supports the fixed work commitment, but the subject and verb do not agree. The higher-level answers explain the employer's constraints with more consistent grammatical control.Maybe I can watch recordings of the Saturday classes and send my assignments by email.
— Task Fulfillment: This proposes a practical way to finish despite the Saturday shift. The higher-level answers make the arrangement more concrete by specifying online submission and offering to attend the final exam in person.
Level 9 sample answer
188 words
Dear Mr. Obi,
I recently received the college's notice that the evening bookkeeping course will move to Saturday mornings because of low enrolment. I understand the reasons behind the decision, but unfortunately the new schedule leaves me in a difficult position.
The main problem is that I work a fixed Saturday shift from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., which was the reason I chose an evening class in the first place. I asked my supervisor whether I could switch days, but with two staff members already on leave, that isn't possible this term.
Withdrawing would mean more than losing three weeks of progress. I'm applying for an accounts assistant position in the spring, and this certificate is a key requirement. The next offering doesn't start until September, so a refund would cost me the opportunity altogether.
Would it be possible for me to complete the remaining sessions through recorded lectures, with assignments submitted online? I'd be glad to write the final exam on campus whenever it suits the instructor.
I would appreciate a reply before Friday's refund deadline so I can make the right choice.
Sincerely,
Carmen Delgado
Why this answer is at level 9
This level 9 model develops the work conflict and employment consequences more fully than the level 7 answer, using controlled sentences and a courteous, practical request. Some general phrasing and an imprecise link between the refund and the lost opportunity leave room for the tighter expression of the level 11 model.
The next offering doesn't start until September, so a refund would cost me the opportunity altogether.
— Content/Coherence: The September timing clearly explains why waiting would jeopardize the spring application, improving on level 7. However, the refund itself does not cause that loss; level 11 more clearly contrasts recovering the fees with the wider consequences.unfortunately the new schedule leaves me in a difficult position.
— Vocabulary: This is natural, diplomatic wording that suits a complaint to the coordinator. It remains fairly general; the level 11 answer uses more precise language about enrolment and the employer's inability to accommodate a change.I asked my supervisor whether I could switch days, but with two staff members already on leave, that isn't possible this term.
— Readability: This longer sentence clearly combines an attempted solution with the reason it failed, showing stronger control than level 7. The level 11 answer expresses the employer's constraint more concisely while retaining a clear explanation.Would it be possible for me to complete the remaining sessions through recorded lectures, with assignments submitted online?
— Task Fulfillment: The polite request directly addresses completion, and the following exam offer strengthens its practicality. The level 11 proposal specifies remaining modules and submission through the course portal, giving the coordinator a slightly more defined arrangement to consider.
Level 11 sample answer
192 words
Dear Mr. Obi,
I am writing in response to Monday's announcement that the evening bookkeeping course will be moved to Saturday mornings. While I appreciate that the college could hardly run a section with so few registrants, the change puts me in a genuine bind.
I chose the Tuesday and Thursday sessions precisely because I work a fixed Saturday shift from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Had the course been advertised as a weekend class, I would never have enrolled. My employer cannot accommodate a schedule change mid-season, so attending from nine to one is out of the question.
Accepting the refund before Friday would recover my $640, yet it would cost me far more. I intend to apply for an accounts assistant role this spring, for which this certificate is a stated requirement, and the next intake does not begin until September.
I would therefore propose that I complete the remaining modules remotely, using recordings of the Saturday sessions and submitting assignments through the course portal. I would, of course, sit the final exam in person on whichever date the instructor prefers.
Thank you for considering this request.
Sincerely,
Carmen Delgado
Why this answer is at level 11
This level 11 model combines a persuasive explanation of the original enrolment decision with a clear account of the financial and employment consequences. Precise vocabulary, varied sentence structures, and a concrete completion proposal make the formal request cohesive and convincing.
Accepting the refund before Friday would recover my $640, yet it would cost me far more.
— Content/Coherence: This sentence connects the refund deadline and fee recovery to the larger employment consequence developed immediately afterward. The contrast gives the withdrawal paragraph a clear organizing idea and makes the writer's priorities easy to understand.My employer cannot accommodate a schedule change mid-season
— Vocabulary: The verb 'accommodate' precisely describes the employer's inability to adjust the work arrangement. Together with the timing detail, it explains the constraint economically and suits the formal correspondence.Had the course been advertised as a weekend class, I would never have enrolled.
— Readability: The controlled conditional structure explains why the advertised evening schedule mattered to the enrolment decision. Its placement between the fixed shift and the employer's constraint makes the argument easy to follow despite the grammatical complexity.using recordings of the Saturday sessions and submitting assignments through the course portal.
— Task Fulfillment: This specifies how the writer could continue learning and submitting work around the Saturday shift. The following offer to sit the exam in person completes a practical proposal that the coordinator can assess.
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