CELPIP® Writing Task 2 sample: Adult French Assessment Survey

Level 7 sample answer

167 words

I would choose Option B because three assignments and a short conversation would give students several chances to show their French. One final test would put too much importance on a single day.

First, adults have other responsibilities, and they may not feel their best on test day. I once finished a busy work week and then struggled to remember things I had studied. With several assignments, one difficult day would not affect the whole result.

Also, doing work at home gives students time to check words and understand their mistakes. This is useful for learning a language. The conversation would still show whether students can use French without spending long time looking for an answer.

The extra homework could be difficult for some people, but it would be easier for me to plan small periods of study across the course. Students can works on an assignment when they have time.

Overall, I prefer this option because it would make assessment feel fairer and encourage regular practice.

Why this answer is at level 7

This answer clearly supports Option B with relevant reasons about adult responsibilities, fairness, and regular practice. Compared with the higher-level answers, its explanations are simpler, its vocabulary is more general, and grammatical slips reduce fluency.

• With several assignments, one difficult day would not affect the whole result. — Content/Coherence: This clearly connects assessment spread across the course with reduced dependence on test-day performance. A higher-level answer would develop the distinction between showing sustained language learning and performing well on a particular day.
• This is useful for learning a language. — Vocabulary: The meaning is clear, but “useful” and “learning a language” describe the benefit broadly. A higher-level answer would explain more precisely how checking words and revising mistakes improve understanding.
• Students can works on an assignment when they have time. — Readability: The scheduling point is understandable, but “can works” interrupts otherwise straightforward reading. A higher-level answer would use “can work” and maintain grammatical control throughout the discussion.
• three assignments and a short conversation would give students several chances to show their French. — Task Fulfillment: This directly identifies the preferred assessment and explains its suitability. A higher-level answer would distinguish more fully what the assignments demonstrate and what the conversation contributes, beyond providing several opportunities.

Level 9 sample answer

176 words

I would select Option A because a single final test would fit my schedule better and give me a clearer picture of what I can do independently in French.

As an evening student, I already have to protect study time around work and household tasks. Three assessed assignments could turn several weekends into deadline management. A test would still require preparation, but I could review in short sessions and reserve one final appointment for the assessment itself.

The written and speaking sections would also reveal different strengths. For instance, I sometimes recognize a word immediately when reading but struggle to retrieve it in conversation. Having both skills assessed would help me identify what needs further practice.

I recognize that a single sitting can be stressful, particularly for students who perform better at home. However, the certificate is the same under either option, so I would rather finish the assessment within a defined period than carry several projects alongside my regular responsibilities.

For me, the final test offers a practical finish line and an honest learning check.

Why this answer is at level 9

This answer develops a clear personal preference through realistic scheduling concerns, precise vocabulary, and controlled sentences. Compared with level 11, it explains the distinctive value of its chosen assessment less fully, particularly why convenience outweighs the acknowledged risk of a single sitting.

• The written and speaking sections would also reveal different strengths. — Content/Coherence: The following example about recognizing and retrieving words develops this point effectively. However, identifying different strengths does not fully distinguish the final test from assignments plus conversation. A higher-level answer would explain more directly why assessment in a single sitting suits this learner.
• struggle to retrieve it in conversation. — Vocabulary: “Retrieve” precisely describes difficulty accessing a known word while speaking, making the example more specific than the simpler language in level 7. A higher-level answer would extend that precision to explaining the limitations as well as the benefits of timed assessment.
• A test would still require preparation, but I could review in short sessions and reserve one final appointment for the assessment itself. — Readability: The sentence smoothly separates preparation from assessment time and handles the contrast clearly. A higher-level answer would sustain this control while expressing a more nuanced relationship between scheduling benefits and the pressure of demonstrating ability on demand.
• the certificate is the same under either option — Task Fulfillment: This correctly uses the shared certificate outcome to support a preference based on personal suitability. A higher-level answer would connect that fact more explicitly to why the scheduling advantage outweighs the stress already acknowledged.

Level 11 sample answer

185 words

I would choose Option B because assessment spread across the course would capture sustained learning more convincingly than one final performance. The three assignments and brief conversation would provide complementary evidence of progress.

For adults returning to education, a single 90-minute test can measure familiarity with timed assessment as much as language ability. In my own learning, I often need to revise a sentence before I understand why the original version failed. Assignments would allow that process to become part of the learning, rather than something squeezed in after a final result.

The conversation would provide a useful counterbalance. Written work completed at home cannot, by itself, demonstrate that a learner can respond naturally to another person. Ten minutes with the instructor would add that missing dimension while keeping the overall assessment varied.

Admittedly, three assignments create demands beyond class time. I would manage that by setting aside two short study periods each week instead of leaving everything until the deadline. Given that either route leads to the same certificate, I favour the approach that rewards consistent effort, permits reflection, and still includes direct conversation.

Why this answer is at level 11

This answer presents assessment as evidence of learning and explains how assignments and conversation serve complementary purposes. Its precise language, varied sentence structure, and practical response to extra homework create a developed, coherent case for Option B.

• Ten minutes with the instructor would add that missing dimension while keeping the overall assessment varied. — Content/Coherence: “That missing dimension” connects directly to the preceding limitation of work completed at home. The argument explains how conversation strengthens the assessment by adding evidence of spontaneous interaction, developing the relationship between the components more fully than level 7.
• The three assignments and brief conversation would provide complementary evidence of progress. — Vocabulary: “Complementary evidence” precisely expresses why the components belong together: they reveal different aspects of learning. This establishes a more developed argument than simply describing several chances to demonstrate French.
• Written work completed at home cannot, by itself, demonstrate that a learner can respond naturally to another person. — Readability: The sentence combines a clear main claim with a carefully placed qualification. “By itself” limits the criticism precisely, allowing the answer to acknowledge a weakness in its preferred option without disrupting the argument.
• I would manage that by setting aside two short study periods each week instead of leaving everything until the deadline. — Task Fulfillment: This directly addresses Option B's extra homework with a concrete personal plan. It strengthens the explanation of suitability by showing how the writer would handle the practical cost of the preferred method.