CELPIP® Writing Task 1 sample: Struggling with a French Reading Log
Writing an Email · 27 minutes · 150–200 words · Published
Original practice questions in CELPIP® task formats, created independently by CELPIP Study.
Practice question
You are the parent of Cody, a Grade 6 French immersion student at Cartwright Public School in Sault Ste. Marie. His teacher, Ms. Sato, now asks students to read in French for 30 minutes every night and record the minutes in an online log that counts toward their term mark. Cody has hockey practice three evenings a week until 8 p.m., and because you do not speak French, you cannot tell whether he understands what he reads. Last week he logged only 70 of the 210 minutes and told you the books are too hard.
Write an email to Cody's teacher, Ms. Naoko Sato.
- Describe what you have noticed about Cody's reading at home.
- Explain why the nightly requirement is hard for your family to meet.
- Ask for specific changes or resources that could help Cody.
Model answers
Level 7 sample answer
169 words
Dear Ms. Sato,
I am writing about my son, Cody, and the French reading log. I want him to do well, but we are having some problems at home.
Cody tries to read every night, but last week he only did 70 minutes, not 210. He told me the books are too hard. Sometimes he reads one page many times and then he gets upset and stop. I think he doesn't understand a lot of the words.
Also, it is hard for us to find time. Cody has hockey practice three evenings a week until 8 p.m., and after that he is very tiring. I don't speak French, so I can't help him or check if he understands the story.
Could you give him some easier books, maybe with pictures? Also, it would help if he could read for one hour on weekends to make up for hockey nights. If you know some French audiobooks or websites, please tell me.
Thank you for your help.
Best regards,
Oksana Kovalenko
Why this answer is at level 7
This level 7 sample clearly explains Cody's reading difficulties, the family's constraints, and possible support. Its straightforward organization makes the message easy to follow, but grammatical errors and less developed connections between problems and solutions hold it below the stronger samples.
Sometimes he reads one page many times
— Content/Coherence: This gives an observable example of Cody struggling at home. The higher-level samples connect similar behaviour more clearly to frustration or declining confidence, explaining why the reading difficulty matters beyond the logged minutes.then he gets upset and stop.
— Readability: The meaning remains clear, but 'stop' does not agree with 'he.' The higher-level samples maintain grammatical control while describing Cody's reactions in more varied sentences.after that he is very tiring.
— Vocabulary: The writer means that Cody feels tired, but 'tiring' describes something that causes tiredness. The higher-level samples express his exhaustion accurately and connect it naturally to the evening routine.Also, it would help if he could read for one hour on weekends to make up for hockey nights.
— Task Fulfillment: This politely requests a practical schedule change. However, it leaves unclear whether the weekend hour would replace all missed reading. The higher-level samples frame the request more flexibly around making up missed minutes.
Level 9 sample answer
191 words
Dear Ms. Sato,
I'm writing about Cody's nightly French reading log. He enjoys your class, and I fully support the goal behind the assignment, but I'm concerned that it's turning into a source of stress rather than learning.
Over the past week, Cody managed only 70 of the 210 minutes. When I watch him read, he often stays on the same page for several minutes, and he recently told me the chapter books feel "way too hard." Last Thursday he closed the book after ten minutes, visibly frustrated, which isn't like him at all.
Part of the problem is our schedule. Cody has hockey practice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until 8 p.m., so by the time he's eaten and showered, he's running on empty. On top of that, I don't speak French, so I can't tell whether he's understanding the story or just sounding out words.
Would it be possible to give him books at a slightly easier level, or to let him make up missed minutes on weekends? I'd also welcome any French audiobooks or reading apps you could recommend.
Thank you for your time.
Kind regards,
Oksana Kovalenko
Why this answer is at level 9
This level 9 sample develops the situation through concrete observations, fluent language, and a cooperative tone. Compared with level 7, it explains the barriers more convincingly; the level 11 sample goes further by linking resources to Cody's specific learning needs and using more economical phrasing.
Last Thursday he closed the book after ten minutes, visibly frustrated, which isn't like him at all.
— Content/Coherence: This specific incident supports the concern that reading has become stressful, developing the simpler description in level 7. The level 11 sample connects the reading behaviour more explicitly to Cody's confidence.he's running on empty.
— Vocabulary: This natural idiom communicates exhaustion accurately and suits a parent writing to a familiar teacher. Compared with level 7's incorrect 'tiring,' it shows stronger word choice; further improvement depends on precision across the message, not additional idioms.On top of that, I don't speak French, so I can't tell whether he's understanding the story or just sounding out words.
— Readability: The connector adds another barrier logically, and the contrast between understanding and sounding out words makes the concern clear. The level 11 sample expresses the same limitation more compactly and varies the sentence structure.I'd also welcome any French audiobooks or reading apps you could recommend.
— Task Fulfillment: The resource request is polite and relevant, alongside requests for easier books and weekend flexibility. It remains broad, however: the level 11 sample explains how an audiobook could work with the printed text to support Cody.
Level 11 sample answer
192 words
Dear Ms. Sato,
Cody has been talking about your class with real enthusiasm this term, so I hesitated before writing. However, the nightly reading log seems to be having the opposite effect from what you intended, and I would value your advice.
Last week, Cody logged just 70 of the required 210 minutes. More telling than the number is what I see when he sits down to read: he lingers on a single page and admits that the chapter book he chose is "basically impossible." Whatever confidence he had in French seems to be slipping away.
Our evenings are also stretched thin. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, hockey runs until 8 p.m., leaving him twenty exhausted minutes before bed. Were I able to speak French, I could check his comprehension, but as things stand, I have no way of knowing how much he actually understands.
Would you consider recommending titles closer to his current level, and allowing him to bank extra minutes on weekends to offset practice nights? If there are French audiobooks he could follow alongside the text, that might bridge the gap.
I appreciate your help.
With thanks,
Oksana Kovalenko
Why this answer is at level 11
This level 11 sample combines focused evidence, precise vocabulary, and varied sentence structures while maintaining a respectful, collaborative tone. Its strongest feature is the close fit between Cody's difficulties and the requested support, particularly using audio alongside text.
More telling than the number is what I see when he sits down to read:
— Content/Coherence: This transition moves purposefully from logged minutes to the behaviour behind them. It guides the teacher toward the learning problem rather than leaving the shortfall as an isolated statistic.allowing him to bank extra minutes on weekends to offset practice nights?
— Vocabulary: The verbs 'bank' and 'offset' express the proposed scheduling arrangement precisely. They make the request concise while remaining understandable and appropriate for this parent-teacher email.Were I able to speak French, I could check his comprehension
— Readability: The controlled conditional structure varies the sentence pattern and clearly connects the parent's language limitation to difficulty checking understanding. Its strength comes from expressing that relationship accurately, rather than complexity alone.If there are French audiobooks he could follow alongside the text, that might bridge the gap.
— Task Fulfillment: This specifies how the resource could be used, making the request more actionable than simply asking for audiobook recommendations. Alongside suitable titles and flexible minutes, it addresses both reading difficulty and the family's schedule.
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