FlexiLingoCELPIP Writing Task 2: Survey Sample Answers by Band
See the same survey response written at CLB 7, 9, and 11 — one scenario, one option, three bands — so you can see exactly what separates a passing answer from a strong one.
1What CELPIP Writing Task 2 actually is
CELPIP Writing Task 2 is called Responding to Survey Questions. You are shown a short survey or issue that presents two options, you choose ONE of them, and you write a response explaining and justifying your choice. It is the second of the two writing tasks, and it tests whether you can take a position and argue for it in clear, organised English.
Your response should be about 150 to 200 words, and you have roughly 26 minutes to plan, write, and check it. That is not long, so you cannot afford to stare at the prompt deciding which option you "really" believe in. The skill being measured is not the quality of your opinion — it is the quality of your writing and reasoning.
Throughout this guide, every sample answer responds to the same survey so you can compare bands fairly. Here is the scenario we will use:
The shared scenario: Your city has money in its budget and is surveying residents. Should it (A) build a new public library, or (B) upgrade the city's public parks? Choose one and explain why. All three sample answers below choose Option A — the library — so the only thing that changes between them is the level of the writing.
2The structure that scores well
Survey responses do not reward creativity in format. They reward a clear, predictable shape that a rater can follow on a first read. Use the same skeleton every time and spend your energy on the content, not on inventing a structure under time pressure.
Plan for about 60 seconds before you type: jot your choice, two reasons, and one support detail for each. Those five fragments are your whole essay — everything after is just turning them into sentences.
3How Task 2 is scored
CELPIP Writing is rated on four dimensions, and all four apply to Task 2. Understanding them tells you where the points actually come from — and why a fluent-sounding answer can still score low if it ignores the prompt.
A response can be grammatically tidy and still score in the middle if it never commits to one option or never supports its reasons. Task Fulfillment and Content reward doing the job the survey asks — that is where most of the band difference lives.
4Choosing your option strategically
Here is the move most test-takers get wrong: they pick the option they personally prefer, then struggle to find reasons for it. The smarter approach is to pick the side you can argue most easily in English in the next 25 minutes — regardless of your private opinion.
The rater never learns whether you actually believe in a new library. They only see how well you justified the choice on the page. If you can think of two clear, supportable reasons for the library faster than for the parks, choose the library — even if you would personally rather have nicer parks.
So before you start writing, glance at both options and ask one question: which side gives me two reasons and a concrete example almost immediately? That side is your answer.
Decide within the first 30 seconds and commit. Switching options halfway through wastes minutes you do not have and usually leaves you with a half-argued, off-balance response.
5Sample answer at CLB 7
This is a solid, passing-level response. It clearly chooses the library, gives two reasons, and stays on topic — but the language is simple, the support is thin, and the sentence patterns repeat. Read it first, then read why it sits at CLB 7.
I think the city should build a new public library. This is my choice for two reasons. The first reason is that a library is good for students and children. Many students need a quiet place to study and do their homework. At home it is sometimes noisy, so a library helps them. The second reason is that a library has many books and computers. People who cannot buy books can borrow them for free. This is good for families who do not have a lot of money. Parks are also nice, but we already have some parks in our city. People can walk and relax there now. A library is more useful because it helps people learn and grow. For these reasons, I believe building a new public library is the best choice for our city. It will help many people every day.
Why CLB 7: The response does the job — it picks one option, gives two reasons, addresses the parks, and concludes. But the vocabulary is basic and repetitive ("good," "nice," "useful," "helps" appear again and again), the sentences are mostly short and similar in shape, and the support stays general ("good for students") rather than specific. It is clear and correct, which is why it passes — but it does not stretch beyond simple, safe English.
Word count: about 170 words — comfortably inside the 150–200 range.
6Sample answer at CLB 9
Same scenario, same option — but notice how much more this response does with it. The reasons are developed instead of stated, the counter-argument is handled with real nuance, and the vocabulary is noticeably wider. This is the level many test-takers are aiming for.
If our city has money in its budget, I would strongly encourage it to build a new public library rather than upgrade the parks. My first reason is access to learning. A modern library is far more than a room full of books — it offers free internet, study spaces, language classes, and programs for children. For families who cannot afford these things at home, a library quietly levels the playing field. My second reason is that a library serves residents in every season. Our winters are long and cold, and during those months a park sits empty while a warm, welcoming library stays full of students, job seekers, and newcomers. I understand the appeal of nicer parks, and they certainly improve a city's appearance. However, parks mainly benefit people during good weather, whereas a library provides value all year round and reaches those who need support most. For these reasons, I believe a new public library would be a wiser and more lasting investment for our community.
Why CLB 9: The reasons are genuinely developed — "access to learning" is supported with a concrete list and a clear consequence ("levels the playing field"), and the second reason ties in a local detail (long winters) that makes it specific. The counter-argument is no longer a throwaway line; it concedes a real point ("improve a city's appearance") before answering it with "whereas." Vocabulary is varied and precise ("levels the playing field," "job seekers," "lasting investment"), and the sentences vary in length and structure. It is fluent, controlled, and persuasive without straining.
Word count: about 180 words — well within range, with the extra length spent on support, not padding.
7Sample answer at CLB 11
Same scenario, same option once more — but this response reads like it was written by someone who barely notices the language barrier. The argument is layered, the concession is sophisticated, and the word choice is precise rather than merely varied. This is what the top of the scale looks like.
Given a one-time surplus in the city's budget, I would urge council to invest in a new public library rather than upgrade our parks, precisely because a library generates value that compounds over time. Parks, for all their charm, are essentially a fixed amenity: once built, they offer roughly the same walk and the same bench year after year. A library, by contrast, is an evolving institution. It adapts — adding digital resources, hosting settlement services for newcomers, running literacy and job-skills programs — so the same building serves shifting community needs decade after decade. There is also a question of equity. A well-maintained park is a pleasure, but it is one most easily enjoyed by those already comfortable. A library deliberately reaches the people a city most risks leaving behind: students without a quiet desk, newcomers learning the language, residents without home internet. I would not dismiss the parks lightly; green space matters to public health and civic pride. On balance, though, a library delivers deeper, more equitable, and more enduring returns, and that is where a rare surplus should go.
Why CLB 11: The argument is conceptual, not just listed — it is organised around two genuine ideas (compounding value over time, and equity) rather than a generic "good for students." The concession is handled with real sophistication ("I would not dismiss the parks lightly") and the rebuttal is reasoned, not dismissive. Vocabulary is precise and topic-appropriate ("a fixed amenity," "an evolving institution," "settlement services," "equitable"), sentence structures are complex but controlled, and the flow is effortless. Nothing feels memorised; it reads like natural, confident English.
Word count: about 190 words — near the top of the range, every sentence earning its place.
8Useful phrases for survey writing
You do not need fancy vocabulary to score well, but you do need reliable phrases for the five moves of a survey response. Learn one or two from each group so you never freeze on "how do I start this part?" The English here is what you study — use it as written.
I would choose to… / Between the two options, I believe the city should… / If I had to decide, I would support… Use one of these in your very first sentence so your position is unmistakable.
My first reason is that… / The main advantage of this option is… / There are two key reasons for my choice. These signal a new reason clearly and help the rater follow your organisation.
For example,… / This is especially true for… / In practical terms, this means… Support is where bands are won — always follow a reason with a concrete detail using one of these.
I understand the appeal of… / While the other option has its merits,… / Although parks are valuable, they mainly benefit… These concede a point before you explain why your choice still wins.
For these reasons, I believe… / On balance, I am convinced that… / Overall, this option would be the wiser choice because… A short, confident close restates your choice and ends cleanly.
9Common Task 2 mistakes
Most lost marks on Task 2 come from a handful of repeated errors, not from grammar you have never seen. Avoid these five and your band will rise on its own.
10How to practise Task 2
Reading sample answers shows you the target; writing your own under time pressure is what moves your band. Here is a simple, repeatable practice loop that mirrors the real test.
Quality of feedback matters more than quantity of essays. Three responses you review carefully against the four scoring dimensions will teach you more than ten you write and never look at again.
11How FlexiLingo helps CELPIP Writing
FlexiLingo is built to turn this practice loop into a habit — so you write on realistic prompts, get feedback, and actually retain the vocabulary that lifts your band.
Practise Task 2 on survey questions modelled on the real test, with the timer and word count that match exam conditions — so test day feels familiar, not surprising.
Get guidance tied to the four scoring dimensions — did you commit to an option, support your reasons, organise clearly, and use varied vocabulary — so you know exactly what to fix next.
Compare your writing against sample responses at CLB 7, 9, and 11 for the same prompt, so you can see concretely what raises a response from passing to strong.
Save the phrases and collocations that strengthen survey writing — concessions, transitions, and topic words — with the full sentence as context, never as a bare list.
The vocabulary and phrases you collect come back for review at the right moment, so the language that lifts your writing is there when you need it under exam pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
No — and you usually shouldn't. The rater never learns your real opinion; they only see how well you justify the option you chose. Pick whichever side you can argue most clearly in English in the time available. If you can think of two solid reasons and a concrete example for the library faster than for the parks, choose the library, even if you'd personally rather have nicer parks. Strategy beats sincerity here.
Aim for about 150 to 200 words. Far under 150 reads as underdeveloped and hurts your Content and Task Fulfillment scores; going well over 200 wastes time you need for checking and tends to invite more errors. All three sample answers in this guide sit comfortably in that window — roughly 170, 180, and 190 words — with the extra length in the higher bands spent on support, not padding.
You have roughly 26 minutes for Task 2. A good split is about one minute to plan (jot your choice, two reasons, and one support detail each), around 22 minutes to write, and the final two to three minutes to check spelling, word count, and that you actually committed to one option. Practising at this exact pace is the only way to make 26 minutes feel like enough on test day.
Yes — briefly. A strong survey response acknowledges the option you rejected and explains in a sentence or two why it matters less than your choice. This shows balanced thinking and strengthens your Content and Coherence. Notice how the CLB 9 and CLB 11 samples both concede a genuine point about the parks ("they improve a city's appearance," "green space matters") before explaining why the library still wins. Don't argue both sides equally, though — your chosen option must clearly come out on top.
Compare the CLB 7 and CLB 9 samples above: same choice, very different writing. Three things make the jump. First, develop your reasons instead of just stating them — add a concrete example or consequence under each. Second, handle the other option with real nuance: concede a genuine point, then answer it with a word like "whereas" or "however." Third, widen your vocabulary so you stop repeating "good," "nice," and "useful" and vary your sentence length. Do those three consistently, under time, and your band rises.
Practise CELPIP Writing Task 2 the smart way
Use FlexiLingo to write on CELPIP-style survey prompts, compare your work against model answers by band, and review the vocabulary that lifts your score — until strong writing becomes a habit.