Writing Task 1 · Writing an Email
CELPIP Writing Task 1 Template: The 1-3-1 Email
27 min · 150–200 words
One paragraph for why you are writing, one for each bullet point, and one to close, so the rater can tick off every point.
Free PDF: all 2 writing templates- Purpose
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Point 3
- Close
The template
Each part has a job, a budget and starters. Fill every blank with a detail from your prompt: raters score how well you answer the task in front of you, not memorised sentences.
- 1
Purpose
25–30 wordsGreet the reader, then say in one sentence why you are writing.
Starters
- Dear , I am writing to regarding .
- Hi , I hope you are well. I wanted to let you know about .
- Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to express my concern about .
Phrases that score
- I am writing with regard to
- I wanted to bring to your attention
- I hope this message finds you well
- following our conversation on
Earns: Task Fulfillment, Readability
- 2
Point 1
40–50 wordsAnswer the first bullet in full, with one concrete detail: a date, a name or a number.
Starters
- To begin with, . For example, .
- First of all, , which meant that .
- As you may know, . Specifically, .
Phrases that score
- on (date), I
- as a result
- which meant that
- to be specific
Earns: Task Fulfillment, Content/Coherence
- 3
Point 2
40–50 wordsAnswer the second bullet. Link it to point 1 so it reads as one story.
Starters
- In addition, . This has caused .
- To make matters worse, .
- Another issue is that , so .
Phrases that score
- to make matters worse
- not only … but also
- this has caused considerable
- on top of that
Earns: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary
- 4
Point 3
40–50 wordsAnswer the third bullet. It is usually the request: say exactly what you want and by when.
Starters
- I would therefore appreciate it if you could by .
- Could you please ? It would help me to .
- To resolve this, I would like you to .
Phrases that score
- I would appreciate it if you could
- at your earliest convenience
- within the next (number) days
- I would be grateful if
Earns: Task Fulfillment, Vocabulary
- 5
Close
15–20 wordsOne polite closing sentence, then a sign-off that matches the tone of your greeting.
Starters
- Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your reply. Sincerely,
- Thanks again for your help. Let me know if you need anything else. Best,
Phrases that score
- I look forward to hearing from you
- thank you in advance for
- please do not hesitate to contact me
- Kind regards
Earns: Readability, Task Fulfillment
See it in action
The template applied to a real task, part by part.
The task
Your neighbour's dog has been barking late at night for two weeks. Write an email to your building manager. In your email: describe the problem; explain how it is affecting you; say what you would like the manager to do.
CLB 9+ answer (173 words)
1. Purpose
Dear Ms. Chen, I am writing to bring a noise problem in our building to your attention. It concerns the dog in unit 4B, directly above my apartment.
2. Point 1
For the past two weeks, the dog has been barking almost every night between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. I have knocked on my neighbour's door twice to discuss it politely, but nobody answered, and unfortunately the barking has only continued since then.
3. Point 2
As a result, I have been getting only about five hours of sleep a night. I start work at 7 a.m. as a nurse, so I am exhausted during my shifts, and I am worried that this could affect my patients.
4. Point 3
I would therefore appreciate it if you could contact the owner of unit 4B and remind them of the building's quiet hours, which start at 10 p.m. If the noise continues, could you please let me know what further steps the building can take?
5. Close
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your reply. Sincerely, Daniel Moreau
Make it stick
Two quick rounds. Get the order right, then match each starter to its part.
Drag the parts of the 1-3-1 template into the right order.
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Point 3
- Close
- Purpose
Mistakes that cost marks
- Missing a bullet. The rater checks each one, so a missed bullet costs Task Fulfillment however good the English is.
- A tone that doesn't fit the reader: "Hey" to a manager, or "Dear Sir or Madam" to a close friend.
- Vague requests like "please fix this". Say what you want done and by when.
- Going far past 200 words. A longer email earns no extra marks and leaves no time to proofread.
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