Reading Correspondence

How to Master CELPIP Reading Task 1: Correspondence

This is the first task in the Reading section. It tests your ability to quickly understand an email and its reply. This task is split into two parts: you'll read an email and answer multiple-choice questions, then you'll read the reply to that email and fill in the blanks.

What You Will Read

• Part 1: A short email or message (approx. 100-150 words).
• Part 2: A short reply to that email (approx. 50-80 words).
• You will answer 11 questions in total: 6 multiple-choice questions about the first email, and 5 fill-in-the-blank questions for the reply.

The #1 Trap to Avoid

The biggest mistake is mismatching the tone in the reply. For the 5 fill-in-the-blank questions, the correct answer doesn't just have to make sense. It has to sound like the person replying. If the first email is a formal complaint from a manager, but the reply is a casual apology from a friend, your answer choices must be casual.

Key Strategies for a CLB 9+

• Step 1: Read the First Email (1-2 min): Read the main email to quickly understand the 5 W's: Who wrote it? Who are they writing to? What is the main point? What do they want?
• Step 2: Answer the 6 MCQs (3-4 min): Answer the 6 multiple-choice questions. These are only about the first email.
• Step 3: Analyze the Reply (3-4 min): Now, read the second email (the reply). Ask yourself: "Who is writing this? What is their tone (formal, casual, angry, helpful)?"
• Step 4: Fill in the 5 Blanks: Read the sentence with the blank. The answer will be a word or phrase that perfectly fits the context of the first email and the tone of the second email.

How to Practice

• Read real-life email chains. Pay attention to how the tone changes between the first message and the reply.
• Practice summarizing the purpose of an email in a single sentence.

Ready to Practice This Skill?

This task tests your understanding of real-world communication. The best way to improve is to practice reading for tone, context, and purpose under a time limit.

Our webapp has unlimited practice questions for this exact 2-part task, all following the official CELPIP format.

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