CELPIP® Writing Task 2 sample: Employee Apartment Rental 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

As an employee who may use furnished apartments at Lumen Fold Design in North Bay, you are being surveyed by housing coordinator Deepa about next year's rental package. The employer can offer twelve-month commitments at $900 per month or four-month commitments at $1,100 per month. Residents would owe rent for their entire chosen term even if they moved out early, and four-month renewals would depend on availability. The housing budget and agreement with the property owner require the employer to choose one package for all apartments.

Which rental package should the employer select, and why would it suit employees using this accommodation?

Option A: Commit to twelve months at $900 per month, gaining lower rent while accepting a longer financial obligation.
Option B: Commit to four months at $1,100 per month, gaining flexibility while paying more and facing uncertain renewal.

Model answers

Level 7 sample answer

164 words

I would choose Option B because a four-month commitment would give me more time to decide where to live. The higher monthly rent is a disadvantage, but a full year is a long promise when my housing needs may change.

First, I might want to find my own apartment after getting used to North Bay. It takes time to learn which neighbourhood is convenient for shopping and work. A shorter commitment would let me make that decision without paying for two homes for many months.

Also, personal plans can change. If I wanted to share a place with a friend, I could wait until the four months finished. With Option A, I would still owe rent even after moving out. This could become an expensive problems.

I know renewal would depend of availability, so this choice would require planning. I would start looking at other rentals before the end of the term. Overall, I prefer paying more each month in exchange for greater flexibility.

Why this answer is at level 7

This answer gives a clear preference and practical reasons for choosing the shorter term. Compared with the higher-level examples, its financial reasoning is less developed, its vocabulary is less precise, and noticeable grammar errors reduce polish.

It takes time to learn which neighbourhood is convenient for shopping and work. — Content/Coherence: This explains why an employee might need temporary accommodation while learning about North Bay. The reasoning is relevant and easy to follow, but a higher-level answer would connect this exploration more sharply to the financial consequences of the two commitments.
a full year is a long promise when my housing needs may change. — Vocabulary: The meaning is clear, but “long promise” is an imprecise description of a binding rental commitment. A higher-level answer would use more exact language about the length of the financial obligation.
This could become an expensive problems. — Readability: The article and plural noun do not agree, which briefly interrupts otherwise straightforward reading. A higher-level answer would maintain grammatical control while explaining the risk of paying rent after moving out.
I would start looking at other rentals before the end of the term. — Task Fulfillment: This practical response to uncertain renewal shows that the recommendation considers a disadvantage of Option B. A higher-level answer would also explain more fully why that uncertainty is acceptable for employees who use the accommodation.

Level 9 sample answer

172 words

Option A would suit me better because the lower monthly rent and longer commitment would provide a stable base in North Bay. If I were using the employer's furnished accommodation, I would want enough time to settle in properly.

The price difference adds up quickly. Paying $900 instead of $1,100 would leave me with an extra $200 each month for groceries, transportation or savings. Over twelve months, that is $2,400. For someone establishing a routine in a new place, that breathing room would be valuable.

The longer term would also remove uncertainty about renewal. Under Option B, I could finish four months only to discover that no apartment was available for another term. Searching for housing while working would take time, and moving again would bring additional expenses.

I appreciate that the shorter package would benefit employees with changing plans. However, I would only choose this accommodation if I expected to stay for the year. On that basis, the lower price and secure term make Option A the stronger choice for me.

Why this answer is at level 9

This answer develops Option A through clear savings calculations, housing stability, and a sensible condition about staying for the year. It is more controlled and developed than the level 7 example, but less probing than the level 11 example about how circumstances change the financial comparison.

Over twelve months, that is $2,400. — Content/Coherence: The calculation turns the monthly price difference into a concrete benefit and supports the savings argument. A higher-level answer would develop the comparison further by showing how an early departure could change the apparent financial advantage.
that breathing room would be valuable. — Vocabulary: “Breathing room” naturally expresses the value of having money available after housing costs. The vocabulary is effective, although a higher-level answer would combine this accessible phrasing with more precise treatment of the competing financial risks.
Searching for housing while working would take time, and moving again would bring additional expenses. — Readability: The balanced sentence clearly presents the practical burdens of an unsuccessful renewal. Compared with the level 7 example, the grammar is consistently controlled; a higher-level answer would use similarly clear structures to communicate more layered reasoning.
However, I would only choose this accommodation if I expected to stay for the year. — Task Fulfillment: This condition directly addresses the longer obligation and makes the recommendation credible for an employee expecting to remain. A higher-level answer would connect that condition more explicitly to the employer's decision to select one package for all apartments.

Level 11 sample answer

181 words

I would favour Option B because a four-month commitment limits the financial consequences of changing circumstances. Although the monthly premium is substantial, it purchases something the twelve-month package cannot offer: an earlier opportunity to leave without continuing to pay for unused accommodation.

Consider an employee who finds a suitable apartment closer to work after three months. Under Option A, that person would still owe nine months of rent, even if they moved immediately. With Option B, only one month would remain. The lower advertised price could therefore become the more expensive choice.

The shorter term would also let me assess whether employer-linked housing suits my routine. A furnished apartment may be convenient initially, yet my preferences could change once I know the city and its rental market. Four months would provide a useful transition without requiring an immediate annual commitment.

Renewal is not guaranteed, so I would begin exploring alternatives well before the term ended. That uncertainty is the clearest weakness of Option B. Even so, I would pay more each month for room to manoeuvre when choosing my next home.

Why this answer is at level 11

This answer builds a persuasive case through a specific departure scenario, precise financial language, and a clear explanation of temporary housing needs. Its strength is the way it weighs flexibility against renewal uncertainty while keeping the argument fluent and focused.

Under Option A, that person would still owe nine months of rent, even if they moved immediately. — Content/Coherence: The departure scenario makes the longer obligation concrete. Paired with the remaining month under Option B, it explains how lower monthly rent can still produce a greater total obligation when an employee moves early.
limits the financial consequences of changing circumstances. — Vocabulary: This precise phrase identifies the central benefit of the shorter commitment. It moves beyond a general preference for flexibility by explaining exactly what that flexibility protects an employee against.
it purchases something the twelve-month package cannot offer: an earlier opportunity to leave — Readability: The colon introduces a clear explanation of what the higher monthly payment buys. The structure makes a nuanced tradeoff easy to understand and gives the opening argument emphasis without making it difficult to read.
Renewal is not guaranteed, so I would begin exploring alternatives well before the term ended. — Task Fulfillment: The answer directly acknowledges the availability risk and gives a practical response. The following conclusion still favours flexibility, showing that the recommendation rests on weighing both sides of Option B.

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