Responding to Survey Questions

CLB 9+ sample answer (170 words)

Regarding the new employee benefit, I strongly prefer Option B, two extra work-from-home days each month. Although a gym membership is attractive, remote days would help far more employees in a practical way.

Firstly, working from home saves a great deal of time and money. Many of my colleagues commute more than an hour each way, so two remote days would give them back over four hours a month and reduce what they spend on gas and parking. That time could be spent with family or, ironically, exercising.

Furthermore, remote days would improve our productivity. Our open-plan office is often noisy, which makes it hard to concentrate on detailed tasks such as writing reports. At home, staff could schedule their most demanding work for those quiet days and finish it faster.

In conclusion, while a gym membership would only benefit people who already enjoy working out, extra remote days would make every employee's life easier and their work better. For these reasons, I believe Option B is the clear choice.

Why it scores CLB 9+

• Task fulfillment: the choice is stated in the first sentence and never wavers.
• Coherence: "Firstly", "Furthermore" and "In conclusion" map exactly onto the four paragraphs.
• Vocabulary: "ironically" and "demanding work" show range in a natural way.
• Readability: each reason has a concrete example: the commute numbers, the noisy office.

CLB 9+ sample answer (175 words)

I would like to express my support for Option A, turning the empty lot into a community garden. In my view, it would do much more for our downtown than another place to park.

The main reason is that a garden would bring residents together. Downtown has many apartment buildings, and most people who live in them have no space to grow anything. A shared garden would give families, seniors and newcomers a place to meet their neighbours. For instance, a similar garden in Riverside now runs weekend workshops that attract dozens of people.

In addition, a garden would make the area healthier and more attractive. Plants and trees cool the streets in summer and absorb rainwater, while a parking lot would only add more concrete and traffic. A greener downtown would also encourage people to walk to local shops instead of driving.

To sum up, a parking lot would solve a short-term problem, but a community garden would improve the neighbourhood for years. That is why I believe the council should choose Option A.

Why it scores CLB 9+

• Task fulfillment: both reasons are developed, and the conclusion addresses the other option fairly.
• Coherence: "The main reason", "In addition" and "To sum up" guide the reader through the argument.
• Vocabulary: "absorb rainwater" and "short-term problem" are precise, not generic.
• Readability: the example from another neighbourhood makes the first reason persuasive.

CLB 9+ sample answer (168 words)

When it comes to improving transportation in our city, I firmly believe that running public transit 24 hours a day on weekends is the better option.

First of all, late-night transit would make our city much safer. At the moment, the last buses leave around 1 a.m., so people who work late shifts in restaurants and hospitals often have to pay for expensive taxis or walk home in the dark. Overnight service would give them a safe and affordable way to get home.

Secondly, this option would benefit far more people than bike lanes. Cycling is only practical for a few months of the year because of our long winters, whereas buses run in every season. Weekend service would also support local businesses, since visitors could stay out later without worrying about how to get home.

Overall, bike lanes are a good idea for the future, but 24-hour weekend transit would meet an urgent need for thousands of residents all year round. I therefore strongly support Option A.

Why it scores CLB 9+

• Task fulfillment: the response compares the options directly instead of only praising one.
• Coherence: "whereas" and "since" link the ideas within each paragraph, not just between them.
• Vocabulary: "late shifts", "affordable" and "urgent need" fit the topic precisely.
• Readability: the second reason uses a local detail (long winters) that is easy to picture.