CELPIP writing practice test: free official practice and a timed set of ours
Paragon's format page gives CELPIP writing as 53 minutes (its IRCC page says 53-60 minutes) and two typed tasks. Paragon, which runs the test, offers a free sample test and a free practice test with a CELPIP Account. Writing has no answer key, so below you get our own six-question quiz with an answer key, a timed two-task set and a mark sheet built on Paragon's four marking dimensions.
A good writing practice test does two jobs: it copies the conditions of the real section, and it tells you what to fix. This page explains what Paragon gives you for free, then supplies a set of our own that you can mark yourself. It is not a real test, and it does not predict a level. It is not immigration advice.
What the writing section is
Two tasks, 53 minutes, typed on a computer.
Paragon, the company that runs CELPIP, describes the writing component briefly. Its test format page says it lasts 53 minutes and has two tasks, and its IRCC page says 53-60 minutes. Our reading: the IRCC page is the weaker source, because it also carries placeholder text, but plan for the longer figure to be safe. The tools on the screen are a timer, a word counter and a spell-checker, and you type on a standard English keyboard.
| Fact | What Paragon says |
|---|---|
| Time and tasks | Time allotted: 53 minutes Task 1: Writing an Email Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions |
| Tools on screen | Done in just one sitting and includes features such as a personal timer, word counter, and spell-check |
| Keyboard | Your workstation will have a standard QWERTY English keyboard. |
A good practice test copies those conditions: two tasks, one block of time, typed, with a counter in view. The rest of this page shows where Paragon's free practice is, then gives you a set of our own.
Practice from the test owner, free and paid
Start with Paragon's own material.
Paragon says it offers a free sample test, and a free practice test when you create a CELPIP Account. For the practice tests it asks you to fill in a short form, and the form includes a marketing consent line, so read it before you tick anything.
"With over 10 hours of free webinars, a free sample test, a free practice test when you create a CELPIP Account, and our additional tools, we have a wide range of study materials to help you prepare for your test."
"Complete this short form to unlock free CELPIP practice tests."
"I agree to receive marketing emails from Prometric, including updates, offers, and related content."
Be clear about what the free sample test does and does not do for writing. Paragon describes it as a way to learn the format and timing and to see the types of questions. It says you can see the correct answers for Listening and Reading. Writing is rated against criteria, not an answer key. Paragon's results page says raters mark it, and the FAQ section of its Contact CELPIP page says an AI-human hybrid system with a human rating panel scores it, so for writing you need a reader and a set of criteria.
"Familiarize yourself with the test format and timing Experience the types of questions that you will encounter on test day See the correct answers for the Listening and Reading components"
Paragon also sells practice tests, and we do not review the products here. This is what its store page said when we read it, with the prices it showed. The two descriptions differ in one way that matters to writers: the bundles mention sample Writing responses, and the single set describes Speaking responses only.
| Product | What the store says | Price shown |
|---|---|---|
| Practice Tests, one set | This set contains two complete practice tests to help you get ready for the CELPIP-General Test, plus Speaking responses at three CELPIP levels for one test. 6-month subscription. | CAD 35.00 |
| Practice Test Bundle, 12 tests | This bundle contains 12 online practice tests, instant Listening and Reading Test scores, and sample Writing and Speaking responses at three performance level ranges. 6-month subscription. | CAD 155.00 |
"Please note that there are no refunds or exchanges on Study Materials purchased."
Prices on a store page can change, and the store lists other sets and a larger bundle. Our page on how to prepare for CELPIP sets the paid options out in full. Do the free material first, and buy only if you still want more practice.
For examples with a rater's analysis, see Paragon's Scoring Levels page, which shows sample responses and a response analysis for the top levels only. Our CELPIP writing samples page explains how to read it.
Our mini practice set: tone and structure
Six questions, then an answer key with a one-line reason each.
This set is ours. It is not from Paragon, it does not copy any test question, and a high score on it says nothing about a CELPIP level. It checks the habits that decide most writing answers: tone, covering the task, connecting ideas and plain accuracy. Answer all six before you read the key.
- Opening line. You are writing to a landlord about a heater that stopped working on Monday. Which opening is best?
A. Hey, fix my heater right now.
B. I am writing to report that the heater in my apartment stopped working on Monday.
C. I hope this email finds you in the best of health and spirits, and I wanted to write about many things.
D. Dear landlord, I am very angry about everything. - A polite request. You bought something online and it arrived damaged. Which sentence is the best request for a refund?
A. Give me my money back.
B. Would it be possible to receive a refund for the order that arrived damaged?
C. You must refund me today.
D. I want a refund because your shop is bad. - Covering the task. The prompt asks you to describe a problem, explain what you have already tried, and suggest a fix. Your draft covers the problem and the fix only. What is the best next step?
A. Add a short paragraph on what you have already tried.
B. Make the fix longer.
C. Remove the description of the problem.
D. Do nothing, because two out of three is enough. - Closing a survey answer. You have chosen Option B. Which final sentence is best?
A. Also, one more reason is that Option B is cheaper, and I forgot to say that before.
B. For these reasons, I prefer Option B.
C. Everyone should think like me.
D. That is all I have to say. - Connecting ideas. Which word fits the gap? The bus is cheap. ____, it is often late.
A. Because
B. However
C. Therefore
D. For example. - Plain accuracy. Which sentence is correct?
A. I am writing to complain about the noisy at night.
B. I am writing to complain about the noise at night.
C. I am writing to complain about the noises at night is.
D. I am write to complain about the noise at night.
Answer key
| Question | Answer | Reason in one line |
|---|---|---|
| Opening line | B | It says why you are writing, with a fact, in a polite and plain voice. |
| A polite request | B | A softener such as would it be possible is polite and still clear about the refund. |
| Covering the task | A | Every part the prompt lists needs its own sentences, so add the missing part. |
| Closing a survey answer | B | It repeats your choice and adds no new idea, which is how a closing sentence should work. |
| Connecting ideas | B | However shows contrast, and the two sentences contrast cheap with late. |
| Plain accuracy | B | Noise is the noun the sentence needs, and the rest of the sentence is complete. |
Score yourself: if you missed the first, second or fourth, your tone and structure need work and our CELPIP writing tips page is the place to start. If you missed the fifth or sixth, spend time on connectors and on repeat errors, using our CELPIP vocabulary lists.
Our timed writing set
Two prompts, one block of time.
Now the part that counts. These two prompts are ours. They are not real test questions, and they are not Paragon's. Set a timer, type on a computer, keep a word count in view, and write both answers before you stop.
Our email task
You bought a pair of headphones online. They arrived with a broken left speaker. You contacted the shop two weeks ago and have had no reply. Write an email to the shop's customer service manager. Describe the problem. Explain what you have already done. Say what you want to happen. Write about 150 to 200 words.
Our survey task
Your workplace is choosing a new staff benefit. Option A: an extra paid day off each year for volunteering. Option B: a monthly fitness allowance for gym or sports fees. Choose the option you prefer. Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150 to 200 words.
| Step | Minutes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | 5 | Number the parts of the prompt, choose your points, make a rough outline. |
| Write | 15 | Write the answer in paragraphs, without stopping to polish. |
| Revise | 6 | Check each part of the prompt, then your usual errors, then the closing. |
That is 26 minutes for each task, which is 52 for both. This split is a practice habit of ours.
It is not a Paragon rule. Paragon says the writing component is 53 minutes in all and gives a planning and revising tip, but the pages we read do not set a split between the two tasks.
"Use the first 5 minutes to plan your response to the prompt, and leave 5 to 7 minutes at the end to revise your work and make improvements. The rest of the time should be spent writing the response itself."
Mark your own answers
Four questions, one for each of Paragon's dimensions.
Paragon's raters mark four dimensions, so mark yourself on the same four.
| Rating dimension | What Paragon lists under it |
|---|---|
| Content/Coherence | Number of ideas, Quality of ideas, Organization of ideas, Examples and supporting details |
| Vocabulary | Word choice, Suitable use of words and phrases, Range of words and phrases, Precision and accuracy |
| Readability | Format and paragraphing, Connectors and transitions, Grammar and sentence structure, Spelling and punctuation |
| Task Fulfillment | Relevance, Completeness, Tone, Word count |
The questions below are ours and the scale is ours. A mark of 1 to 5 here is not a CELPIP level, and you should not try to convert it into one.
| Dimension | Ask yourself | Your mark, 1 to 5 (our scale) |
|---|---|---|
| Content/Coherence | Did I cover every part of the prompt, with a detail for each, in an order that makes sense? | ____ |
| Vocabulary | Did I choose words that fit the reader, and avoid repeating the same word again and again? | ____ |
| Readability | Are my paragraphs clear, are my connectors doing work, and are grammar, spelling and punctuation under control? | ____ |
| Task Fulfillment | Is my tone right for this reader, is my length in the range, and did I stay on topic? | ____ |
Repeat the exercise with a reader. Ask them to tell you, in a sentence, what you asked for in each task. If they cannot say, the answer is not doing its job.
Running a full mock test
Make it feel like the real room.
A full mock is both tasks, back to back, in one sitting. Use it every week or two near the test date. Paragon's rules about the room tell you what to copy.
| Test room rule | What Paragon says |
|---|---|
| Paper | You will be provided with a pen and notepaper, which must be returned at the end of the test. |
| Phones and devices | Cellphones and other prohibited materials are not permitted in the test room. |
| Time away | Your test time does not stop for any reason, including washroom breaks. |
- Sit at a desk, on a computer, with a standard keyboard.
- Put your phone in another room.
- Open a plain text editor that shows a word count, and switch spell-check on, because the test has one.
- Use paper and a pen for your outline.
- Start the timer and do not pause it.
- Mark both answers within a day, with a reader if you can.
Common questions
Paragon says it offers a free sample test and a free practice test when you create a CELPIP Account. The free practice page asks you to complete a short form.
Paragon describes the free sample test as a way to learn the format and timing and to experience the types of questions. It says you can see the correct answers for Listening and Reading. Writing has no answer key, because it is rated against criteria (Paragon's results page describes human raters and the FAQ section of its Contact CELPIP page describes an AI-human hybrid system with a human rating panel), so use a reader and the four dimensions.
A full one matches the real section. Paragon says the writing component is 53 minutes with two tasks.
We do not mark writing on this site. Use the four dimensions on this page, ask a fluent reader to tell you what each task asked for, and compare your habits with the criteria and the rated samples on Paragon's own pages.
On a computer. Paragon says the test is fully computer-delivered and that being comfortable with a mouse and keyboard will help, and the workstation has a standard QWERTY English keyboard.
Paragon says there are many different test forms, that different test takers get different forms, and that each form has some unique questions. Treat any list that claims to show the questions you will see with suspicion, and use original prompts such as the ones in this set and on our topics page.