FlexiLingoCELPIP Writing Task 1: Sample Emails for Every Scenario
Task 1 asks you to write one email to a situation. Here are full model emails — complaint, request, and informal — plus the structure, phrases, and tone that score well.
1What CELPIP Writing Task 1 actually is
CELPIP Writing has two tasks, and Task 1 is always the same shape: Writing an Email. You read a short situation, then write an email of about 150 to 200 words in roughly 27 minutes. That's it — one situation, one email, on the clock.
The situation gives you a recipient, a reason for writing, and a set of bullet points — specific things your email must address. The recipient and purpose change from test to test: you might complain to a store about a faulty product, request a repair from your landlord, apologise to a colleague, or invite a friend somewhere. Your job is to write a complete, appropriately toned email that does everything the prompt asks.
Because the format never changes, Task 1 is one of the most coachable parts of the whole exam. Once you have a reliable structure, a tone you can switch on demand, and a bank of phrases, you stop inventing the email from scratch every time — you just slot today's situation into a shape you already trust.
Task 1 is not a test of creativity. It is a test of whether you can read a situation, address every bullet point, and write in the right tone — in about 27 minutes and 150 to 200 words.
2The email structure that scores well
Strong Task 1 emails almost always follow the same five-part skeleton. It is easy to remember under pressure, and it guarantees you never forget a greeting, a purpose, or a sign-off.
Map the bullet points to your two body paragraphs before you write a single sentence. If the prompt has four bullets, decide which two go in paragraph one and which two go in paragraph two. That outline takes 60 seconds and saves you from forgetting a point.
3How Task 1 is scored
Your email is judged on four Writing dimensions. They apply to email writing specifically, so it helps to know what each one is really asking of you.
Did you address the situation fully, and does your email flow logically from greeting to request? Each idea should connect to the next, with no gaps and no points left out.
Are your word choices precise, varied, and right for the tone? Strong emails use specific nouns and verbs and the natural collocations of email English, not the same three words on repeat.
Is the email easy to read — clear sentences, correct grammar, sensible paragraphing, and accurate spelling and punctuation? Errors that slow the reader down cost you here.
Did you do everything the prompt asked, in the right tone, at the right length? Missing a bullet point or using the wrong register hits this dimension hardest.
The four dimensions reward different things, so you can't win on one alone. A beautifully written email that ignores a bullet point still loses marks on Task Fulfillment — cover everything, in the right tone, every time.
4Formal vs informal: matching tone to the recipient
Tone is half of Task 1. The same situation written in the wrong register loses marks even when the grammar is perfect. Read the recipient first, then choose your tone before you write a word.
Use a formal tone whenever you write to someone you don't know personally or someone in an official role — a store, a manager, a landlord, a company, a public office, or any stranger. Keep contractions to a minimum, choose complete and careful sentences, and stay polite even when you are complaining.
Use an informal tone for friends, family, and close coworkers you know well. Here, contractions, warmth, exclamation marks, and casual phrasing are not just allowed — they make the email sound natural and human.
When in doubt, lean slightly formal. Being a little too polite with a friend reads as warm; being too casual with a landlord or a manager reads as careless — and it's the careless version that costs you marks.
5Sample email — a complaint
Situation: You bought a blender from an electronics store, and it stopped working after three days. Write to the store to describe the problem, explain what you have already done, and say what you would like them to do. Tone: formal. Here is a model at a strong CLB 9 level (about 180 words).
Dear Customer Service Team, I am writing to report a problem with a blender I purchased from your Bayview Road store on October 18th, and to request a resolution. The blender worked well for the first two days, but on the third day it stopped turning on entirely. I checked the power outlet and tried a different socket, but nothing happened — the appliance shows no sign of life. I still have the original receipt and the undamaged packaging, and the product is clearly still within its one-year warranty. I returned to the store on October 22nd to explain the issue, but the staff member I spoke with said I would need to email this department for an exchange or refund. I would therefore appreciate either a replacement blender of the same model or a full refund to my original payment method. Could you please let me know which option you can offer and what steps I should take next? I look forward to your reply and hope we can resolve this quickly. Sincerely, Maria Delgado
Why this works: the opening line states the purpose immediately, every bullet point (the problem, what was already tried, the desired outcome) is covered, and the tone stays firm but polite throughout. Concrete details — the date, the location, the receipt, the warranty — make the complaint credible and easy to act on.
6Sample email — a request
Situation: The heating in your rented apartment has stopped working as the weather turns cold. Write to your building manager to describe the problem, explain why it's urgent, and ask for a repair. Tone: formal. Here is a model at a strong CLB 9 level (about 180 words).
Dear Mr. Holloway, I am writing to request an urgent repair to the heating system in my apartment, Unit 4B at 215 Maple Street. The heating stopped working two days ago and has not come back on, despite my adjusting the thermostat several times. With overnight temperatures now dropping close to freezing, the apartment has become very cold, and I am concerned for my young daughter, who has been unwell this week. I would be very grateful if you could arrange for a technician to inspect the system as soon as possible. I am available to provide access on any weekday after 4 p.m., or at any time this weekend, and I am happy to be reached by phone if that is easier to coordinate. Given the falling temperatures, I would really appreciate a visit within the next day or two if at all possible. Please let me know what time would suit, and thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this. Kind regards, Daniel Okonkwo
Why this works: the request is specific (unit number, the exact problem, a clear deadline) and the urgency is justified rather than just asserted. Offering availability windows makes it easy for the manager to say yes, and the closing politely reinforces the timeline without sounding demanding.
7Sample email — an informal email to a friend
Situation: You had to cancel plans with a close friend at the last minute and feel bad about it. Write to apologise, explain what happened, and suggest a new plan. Tone: informal. Here is a model at a strong CLB 9 level (about 170 words).
Hi Jordan, I'm so sorry I had to bail on dinner last night — I felt terrible the whole evening. My manager called just as I was leaving and asked me to cover an emergency shift, and there was honestly no way I could say no. I know you'd booked the table and probably ended up rearranging your plans, and I really appreciate you being so easygoing about it. The next round is completely on me to make up for it. What do you think about trying again this Saturday? That new ramen place near the park has finally opened, and I've been dying to check it out with you. If Saturday doesn't work, I'm pretty flexible next week too — just tell me what suits you. Let me know and I'll book it this time. Again, I'm really sorry, and I promise I'll make it up to you. Talk soon, Alex
Why this works: the tone is warm and natural — contractions, a genuine apology, and a concrete new plan rather than a vague "let's do it sometime." It still covers every bullet point (apology, explanation, new suggestion), proving that informal doesn't mean unstructured.
8Useful email phrases by function
A small bank of reliable phrases lets you write faster and sound more natural under time pressure. Learn a few for each function below and you'll rarely be stuck for an opening line again.
Formal: "I am writing to report…", "I am writing to request…", "I am writing regarding…". Informal: "I just wanted to let you know…", "I'm writing to ask…", "Quick one for you…".
"I would appreciate it if you could…", "Could you please…", "Would it be possible to…", "I would be grateful if…". Informal: "Do you think you could…", "Any chance you could…".
"Unfortunately, the product did not…", "I was disappointed to find that…", "This has caused some inconvenience because…", "I am sure you will understand my concern…".
Formal: "I sincerely apologise for…", "Please accept my apologies for…". Informal: "I'm so sorry I…", "I feel terrible about…", "I really didn't mean to…".
Formal: "I look forward to your reply.", "Thank you for your time and attention.". Informal: "Let me know what you think!", "Talk soon", "Can't wait to hear back".
Don't memorise long template paragraphs — graders can spot a pre-fabricated email, and a stiff template won't fit every situation. Memorise flexible phrase fragments instead, and assemble them around the specific details of today's prompt.
9Common Task 1 mistakes
Most lost marks on Task 1 come from a handful of avoidable errors. Watch for these five.
10How to practice Task 1
Task 1 rewards repetition more than almost any other part of the test. Here's a simple practice loop that builds real speed and reliability.
Quality of review beats quantity of attempts. Writing five emails and checking none of them teaches you little; writing two and carefully checking tone, coverage, and word count on each will move your score far faster.
11How FlexiLingo helps your CELPIP writing
FlexiLingo turns this practice loop into a daily habit — so you arrive on test day with the structure, tone, and vocabulary already automatic.
Work through email situations that mirror the real Task 1 format — varied recipients, purposes, and bullet points — so nothing on test day feels new.
Get targeted feedback on the four writing dimensions — content, vocabulary, readability, and task fulfillment — so you know exactly what to fix next.
Compare your draft to model answers written at different score levels, so you can see concretely what separates a good email from a top one.
Save useful email phrases and collocations with the full sentence they came from, building the natural, precise vocabulary the Vocabulary dimension rewards.
The phrases and words you save come back for review at the right moment, so your email toolkit is genuinely memorised — not just written down once and forgotten.
Frequently Asked Questions
Aim for about 150 to 200 words. That's enough to cover every bullet point with real detail without rambling. Going well under usually means an underdeveloped point; going well over often means padding that costs you on readability and eats into your time. Don't count obsessively as you write — instead, build the habit through practice so a complete, well-structured email naturally lands in that range.
You get roughly 27 minutes for Task 1. A good split is about 3 to 4 minutes to read the situation and outline your bullet points, around 18 to 20 minutes to write, and the last few minutes to check tone, word count, and that every point is covered. Practising on the real clock is the single best way to make that timing feel comfortable rather than rushed.
It depends entirely on the recipient, and matching tone to recipient is part of your score. Write formally to anyone you don't know personally or who holds an official role — a store, a manager, a landlord, a company, a public office. Write informally to friends, family, and close coworkers. If you genuinely can't tell, lean slightly formal: being a touch too polite reads as professional, while being too casual reads as careless.
Yes. The bullet points in the prompt are the checklist your email is measured against, and missing even one directly lowers your Task Fulfillment score. Before you write, list each bullet and assign it to a body paragraph, then tick each off as you address it. This one habit prevents the most common and most costly Task 1 error.
A CLB 9 email covers every bullet point fully, flows logically from greeting to closing, uses precise and varied vocabulary with natural email collocations, and reads cleanly with very few grammar or spelling errors — all in the right tone for the recipient. You get there by doing all four dimensions consistently, not by excelling at one. Practise timed emails across different scenarios, review each one against the four dimensions, and build a phrase bank you can assemble quickly under pressure.
Practice CELPIP Task 1 until it's automatic
Use FlexiLingo to write timed CELPIP-style emails, get feedback on the four writing dimensions, compare against model answers, and review your phrase bank until it sticks.