How CELPIP Writing Task 1 is scored — and how to win it
The four rubric dimensions explained in plain English, with a sample email graded line by line so you can see exactly where the marks come from.
⚡ The short version
- Task 1 is marked on Content, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfilment.
- State your purpose in sentence one and match the tone to the reader.
- Your lowest skill usually decides eligibility — push that up first.
CELPIP Writing Task 1 asks you to write an email — usually a request, a complaint, or an offer of help — in 150–200 words, in about 27 minutes. It feels simple, but the score hinges on four things examiners look for every single time. Once you can see the rubric the way they do, the task stops being a guessing game.
What Task 1 actually asks
You're given a short situation and three or four bullet points to cover. The bullets are not suggestions — they're the checklist your response is measured against. Miss one and you've capped your Task Fulfilment score before you've written a word of feedback.
The four scoring dimensions
Every response is marked on Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability, and Task Fulfilment. Here's what each one really means:
- Content/Coherence — are your ideas relevant, developed, and logically ordered?
- Vocabulary — precise word choice, not just long words.
- Readability — grammar, spelling and sentence variety that don't slow the reader down.
- Task Fulfilment — did you do everything the prompt asked, in the right tone?
How levels map to your goal
CELPIP reports a level from 1 to 12 per skill. Where you need to land depends entirely on the program you're applying to:
| Level | Rough meaning | Common use |
|---|---|---|
| 9–12 | Advanced / fluent | CLB 9+ programs, extra points |
| 7–8 | Good | The most common PR target |
| 5–6 | Adequate | Some work permits & citizenship |
The skill that decides most immigration programs is your lowest of the four — that's the one worth pushing up first.
Three fixes that lift most emails
- Open with your purpose in the first sentence — don't bury it under pleasantries.
- Use a
greeting → reason → request → closeskeleton so nothing goes missing. - Match the tone to the reader — a building manager is not your best friend.
Want feedback on a real attempt? Write one Task 1 email and get an estimated level in minutes.
A worked example
Compare these two openings to the same prompt — a complaint about a delayed delivery:
Before: "Hello, I am writing this email because I want to talk about something that happened recently with my order which I was not very happy about…"
After: "Dear Customer Care, I'm writing to report that order #4821, due on June 2, still hasn't arrived — and to ask how you'll resolve it."
The second version states the purpose, anchors a concrete detail, and signals the action it wants. That's higher Content and higher Task Fulfilment in one sentence.
Coach's tip: Examiners read fast. If your first line makes them work to find your point, you've already spent goodwill you can't get back. Lead with the ask.
What examiners quietly reward
Beyond the rubric, three habits consistently nudge scores up: varied sentence openings, one or two precise idiomatic phrases used correctly, and a closing line that matches the email's purpose. None of these take extra time — they're choices, not effort.
Lock the skeleton, cover every bullet, match the tone, and you've removed the three most common reasons Task 1 emails stall a level below where they should be.
