CELPIP® Writing Task 2 sample: Apartment Laundry Replacement Survey

Responding to Survey Questions · 26 minutes · 150–200 words · Published 23 October 2026

Original practice questions in CELPIP® task formats, created independently by CELPIP Study.

Practice question

Jamal chairs the tenants' committee at Mistral Court, a rental building in Gatineau whose laundry machines need replacing. The upgrade fund can cover either compact washer-dryer units inside every apartment, replacing one storage closet, or larger machines in the shared laundry room. Both plans would keep laundry free to use, but shared machines would require booked time slots because residents often want them simultaneously. Electrical capacity and the fixed budget mean the building must choose one system.

Which laundry arrangement would you prefer in this building, and how would it affect your daily routine?

Option A: Install compact laundry units in every apartment, offering private access while removing one storage closet from each home.
Option B: Install larger shared laundry machines, preserving apartment storage and handling bigger loads while requiring residents to book time slots.

Model answers

Level 7 sample answer

167 words

I prefer Option A because having a washer and dryer in my apartment would make weekly chores easier. Losing a storage closet would be inconvenient, but I think I would use the laundry equipment more often than that extra storage space.

First, I could wash clothes when it suited my schedule. Sometimes I get home late or have other things to do on the weekend. With machines at home, I would not need to book a time and then plan everything around it.

Also, carrying laundry between my apartment and the shared room takes time. I sometimes forget a towel and have to go back for it. A machine nearby would be more easier, especially when I only need to wash a small load.

The larger machines would be useful for blankets, and some neighbours need their closets. However, I could reduce the things I store or use boxes under my bed. For me, the convenience of doing laundry at home are worth giving up one closet.

Why this answer is at level 7

This illustrates level 7 through a clear preference, relevant everyday examples and an understandable paragraph structure. Compared with the higher-level answers, its reasoning is simpler, and errors in comparison and subject–verb agreement reduce language control.

Sometimes I get home late or have other things to do on the weekend. — Content/Coherence: This gives a relevant reason for wanting private laundry, but the explanation remains broad. The level 11 answer develops a more precise chain: a late meeting could disrupt a reservation and force changes to the evening.
A machine nearby would be more easier, especially when I only need to wash a small load. — Vocabulary: The meaning is clear and relevant to compact machines, but “more easier” is an incorrect comparison, and “easier” describes the benefit broadly. A higher-level answer would use an accurate comparison and explain the particular effort saved.
For me, the convenience of doing laundry at home are worth giving up one closet. — Readability: The conclusion clearly repeats the preference, but the singular subject “convenience” requires “is.” The higher-level answers maintain grammatical control while expressing similarly balanced judgments.
Losing a storage closet would be inconvenient, but I think I would use the laundry equipment more often than that extra storage space. — Task Fulfillment: This directly weighs private access against losing storage, addressing the central choice. However, frequency of use only partly explains the closet's value. A higher-level response would explore the practical consequences of storing belongings elsewhere.

Level 9 sample answer

179 words

I would choose Option B because larger shared machines would handle a wider range of laundry while allowing residents to keep their storage closets. Since both systems would remain free to use, capacity and space matter more to me than location.

My main concern with compact machines is the number of loads they might require. After changing my bedding and washing towels, I can quickly collect a substantial pile. A larger machine could accommodate more at once, leaving me time for other chores instead of repeatedly returning to the washer.

Storage is another practical consideration. In an apartment, even one closet can make a difference. I use mine for a vacuum cleaner, cleaning supplies and seasonal items. Finding new homes for those things would make the rest of the apartment feel more crowded.

Booking a laundry slot would take some planning, especially when demand is high. Still, a reservation would mean knowing when a machine was available instead of taking a chance. While private machines are appealing, I would keep the closet and support equipment that handles larger loads.

Why this answer is at level 9

This illustrates level 9 through developed reasons, precise practical vocabulary and consistently clear sentences. Compared with level 7, its explanations are more specific and controlled; compared with level 11, its capacity, storage and booking arguments feel more separate than connected by a sustained account of daily routine.

Finding new homes for those things would make the rest of the apartment feel more crowded. — Content/Coherence: This develops the storage argument by explaining a consequence of relocating the listed belongings. The level 11 answer connects its practical consequences more consistently to an overarching priority: control over everyday chores.
A larger machine could accommodate more at once, leaving me time for other chores instead of repeatedly returning to the washer. — Vocabulary: “Accommodate” precisely expresses capacity, and the rest of the sentence translates that capacity into saved effort. This is more specific than level 7's “easier.” Further refinement would express the routine with the natural, economical phrasing sustained in level 11.
Still, a reservation would mean knowing when a machine was available instead of taking a chance. — Readability: “Still” clearly signals the turn from booking inconvenience to a potential benefit, and the sentence is easy to follow. A higher-level treatment would also connect this reassurance to the writer's schedule, making the concession more personally developed.
Since both systems would remain free to use, capacity and space matter more to me than location. — Task Fulfillment: This correctly uses the shared cost condition to identify the factors driving the preference. The response also explains effects on chores and storage. Level 11 goes further by showing how particular interruptions and immediate clothing needs would shape daily decisions.

Level 11 sample answer

189 words

Option A would improve my everyday routine enough to justify losing a storage closet. Although larger shared machines offer clear advantages, private laundry would give me greater control over a chore that is often squeezed between work, errands and other commitments.

The key benefit is flexibility. If a meeting ran late, a booked laundry slot could become unusable, forcing me to rearrange the wash or change my plans. An in-apartment machine would let me start a load when I arrived home, without having to coordinate my evening with the building's peak demand.

Smaller loads could also be an advantage. Rather than waiting until I had enough laundry to justify carrying it to the shared room, I could wash the few items I needed for the next day. Removing that extra step would make household tasks feel less like a production.

The trade-off is permanent storage loss, which should not be dismissed in a rental apartment. I would need to reorganize my belongings and accept that bulky items might require another laundry solution. Nevertheless, because both options remain free to use, I would prioritize everyday convenience and choose private machines.

Why this answer is at level 11

This illustrates level 11 through a sustained argument about control over daily chores, supported by specific situations and carefully weighed disadvantages. Precise vocabulary, varied sentence structures and a realistic acknowledgment of storage and capacity limits make the preference convincing.

If a meeting ran late, a booked laundry slot could become unusable, forcing me to rearrange the wash or change my plans. — Content/Coherence: This develops a complete causal explanation: a work delay affects the reservation, which then disrupts other plans. It makes the value of private access concrete and supports the response's central argument about flexibility.
Removing that extra step would make household tasks feel less like a production. — Vocabulary: “Less like a production” naturally conveys the preparation and effort involved in taking laundry downstairs. The expression adds personality while remaining clear, and “that extra step” links it directly to the preceding explanation.
Although larger shared machines offer clear advantages, private laundry would give me greater control over a chore — Readability: The concession and main clause establish the competing benefits clearly within a controlled sentence. The reader can immediately follow both the acknowledgment of shared machines and the writer's stronger preference for personal control.
I would need to reorganize my belongings and accept that bulky items might require another laundry solution. — Task Fulfillment: This acknowledges practical consequences of both losing a closet and choosing compact equipment. The qualified “might” keeps the capacity concern measured, while the willingness to accept these disadvantages makes the final preference more persuasive.

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.

State a clear survey choice and develop reasons with concrete examples. Explain consequences, connect paragraphs and address the competing option where useful without losing your position.

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