Spoke 30 · Writing Debrief
CELPIP Mock Test Debrief: Scoring Your Own Writing
Last updated: June 2026
Official feedback on your writing takes days and tells you a number — not what to fix. This guide walks you through the actual CELPIP rubric, shows you two versions of the same email at CLB 9 and CLB 11 with line-by-line annotation, and gives you a repeatable self-scoring process.
The CELPIP Writing rubric — all three dimensions
Both Task 1 and Task 2 are scored on the same three criteria. Each skill score combines these dimensions — there is no single criterion that dominates, but Content/Coherence carries the most weight.
Content/Coherence
Are all required elements addressed? Does the response follow a logical structure? For Task 1: are all three bullet points covered and developed? For Task 2: is there a clear position supported by reason and example?
CLB 12
Every required element fully addressed. Response is tightly organised with clear progression. No irrelevant content.
CLB 9
All required elements present. Organisation is clear. Minor gaps in development — a bullet point mentioned but not elaborated.
CLB 7
Most required elements present. Organisation is readable but some elements are underdeveloped or loosely connected.
CLB 5
Required elements partially addressed. Organisation is unclear or difficult to follow in places.
Lexical Range
Is the vocabulary varied and precise? Does the response use formal-register language appropriate to the task? Are words chosen accurately — meaning they say exactly what the writer intends?
CLB 12
Sophisticated, varied vocabulary used accurately throughout. No repetition. Precise word choice in every sentence.
CLB 9
Good vocabulary range. Mostly accurate. Some repetition or slightly imprecise word choices in 1–2 places.
CLB 7
Adequate vocabulary. Repetition of common words. Some word choice errors that do not significantly affect meaning.
CLB 5
Limited vocabulary. Frequent repetition. Word choice errors that occasionally change the intended meaning.
Language Conventions
Are grammar, spelling, and punctuation correct? The key question is not whether errors exist, but whether errors interfere with comprehension. Minor errors that do not affect meaning have little impact at higher levels.
CLB 12
Virtually error-free grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Where errors exist, they do not affect comprehension.
CLB 9
Mostly accurate. Minor errors in grammar or spelling that are unlikely to be noticed by most readers.
CLB 7
Some grammatical or spelling errors. Most do not affect comprehension, but a few may cause the reader to pause.
CLB 5
Frequent errors. Some errors affect comprehension. Tense inconsistency or sentence structure problems are common.
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Side-by-side: CLB 9 vs CLB 11 for the same Task 1 prompt
Both responses address the same prompt and cover all three required bullets. The difference is precision, vocabulary range, and the depth of each development. Read both before looking at the annotations.
Prompt
Your company is organising a team lunch. You were asked to suggest a restaurant. Write an email to your manager with your suggestion.
In your email:
- ·Recommend a specific restaurant and explain why
- ·Describe what options the restaurant offers for dietary needs
- ·Mention one logistical detail (location, booking, or cost)
Content
CLB 9
All 3 bullets addressed — restaurant recommendation, dietary options, logistical detail (location + booking). Minor gap: dietary section says 'many options' without specific detail. Not wrong, but a CLB 11 response names the specific options more precisely.
Vocabulary
CLB 8–9
'I have visited several times' and 'tends to be popular' are natural but not especially sophisticated. 'Convenient', 'restrictions' are good choices. Some repetition of 'restaurant'. Level 9 is accurate.
Grammar
CLB 10
Essentially error-free. Tenses consistent. Sentence structure varied.
Overall
CLB 9
A solid, professional email that meets all requirements. To push to 11: replace 'very good' with precise description, name specific dishes or menu categories for dietary needs, add a concrete cost reference.
Content
CLB 11
All 3 bullets addressed with genuine development. Dietary section is specific: names vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free AND adds the detail about confirming with staff — this is the kind of natural specificity that separates 9 from 11.
Vocabulary
CLB 11
'attentive', 'consistently', 'dedicated entrées', 'accommodates', 'confirmed' — varied and precise. No repetition of key nouns.
Grammar
CLB 12
Error-free. Complex sentence structures used correctly. Range of clause types.
Overall
CLB 11
The specificity of the details (price, walking time, party size, confirmation with staff) is what lifts this from a good email to a top-scoring one. Every detail serves a purpose.
6-step self-scoring process
Wait at least 30 minutes before reviewing
Reading your own writing immediately after completing it means you read what you intended to write, not what you actually wrote. A short break resets your perspective and makes errors easier to spot.
Check Content first — did you address everything?
Read the prompt again. Count your bullet points in Task 1. For Task 2, find your position statement in your opening sentence. If any required element is missing, this is your biggest score gap — Content is roughly 40% of your score.
Highlight every verb and check tenses
Tense inconsistency is one of the most common grammar errors in CELPIP Writing. Underline or highlight all verbs. Are they consistent? If you are writing in present tense about a current situation, all verbs should stay present unless you shift tense intentionally and logically.
Circle every repeated word
In a 150–200 word response, circle every instance of the same word appearing more than once (excluding articles and prepositions). More than two circles on a key noun or verb indicates a vocabulary range issue. Identify a synonym for each overused word.
Read the email aloud — slowly
Reading aloud at half-speed forces you to process each word rather than skim. You will notice missing articles, awkward phrasing, and unclear sentences that look fine when reading silently.
Compare to a sample at your target CLB
Place your response next to a CLB 10–11 sample answer. Do not assess whether the ideas are similar — assess whether the vocabulary range, sentence variety, and level of specificity are similar. This comparison is more instructive than any rubric description.
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32 complete, annotated writing samples at CELPIP 10–12 level. Task 1 emails and Task 2 survey responses — the fastest way to see what a top-scoring answer looks like and internalize the pattern.
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- ✓12 Task 2 survey responses — all 3 prompt types (agree/disagree, two-option, multi-part)
- ✓Scoring notes on every answer — why each response earns 10–12
- ✓Vocabulary substitution sheet — 120 formal phrase replacements
- ✓Self-scoring checklist — grade your own writing before test day
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Want free writing tips first? Read the free Writing Guide or browse 10 free Task 1 samples.
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