Is it wrong to mention the option I did not choose?

Not at all. A brief concession, such as "I can see the appeal of the cheaper plan", shows you have thought about both sides. Just make sure you return to your own choice straight away so the reader is never unsure which option you support.

What are the rating areas for the writing tasks?

Paragon lists four areas for Writing: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment. The entries here mainly help with vocabulary and coherence, because they give you varied ways to state, justify and link ideas.

What do the CLB numbers next to each word mean?

They are {brand}'s own estimate of the Canadian Language Benchmarks level at which a learner can use the item comfortably. They are a study guide, not an official rating, so treat them as a hint about which words to learn first.

Writing Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions

Writing Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions belongs to the Writing component of CELPIP. The task gives you 26 minutes to write about 150–200 words. Responses are rated on 4 areas: Content / Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability, Task Fulfillment.

Length: 150–200 words
Time: 26 minutes
Prompts here: 23 published

Pick, prove, weigh the other

Our method for this task — study advice, not an official rule.

1
Commit in your opening line
Name the option you support before anything else, using the prompt's own name for it. A response that weighs both sides for a paragraph before choosing reads as undecided — and at lower levels it sometimes never chooses at all.
2
Build two reasons from the survey's own details
The prompt hands you facts: a cost, a schedule, the people affected. Reasons made from those facts sound like a resident answering this survey; reasons that would fit any topic sound memorised. Stronger responses tie each reason to a person or a consequence.
3
Give the other option one fair sentence
Say what it does well, then why your choice still matters more. It proves you read both options, and it costs one sentence.

Choose early, and argue from the survey's own facts.

A reason the reader can check against the prompt is harder to wave away than a general opinion.

This list gathers the language of a survey answer: naming the option you prefer, giving reasons, weighing the other side and tying your points together. The examples imagine community, workplace and school decisions, the kind of choices a survey might ask residents or staff to vote on.

Choose one option quickly and commit to it, then plan two or three reasons, each with a concrete detail. Add one short concession to show you considered the other choice, and use a different linker for each paragraph so your argument moves forward instead of circling.

CELPIP · Writing

Employee Benefits Survey

From a bank of 23 prompts · free to read, no account needed

Employee Benefits Survey A growing company wants to improve its employee benefits package in order to attract and retain qualified workers. However, the company can only afford to make one major improvement this year. Employees have been asked to choose between two options. Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150–200 words. Option A: Expand Health and Insurance Benefits The company would provide more comprehensive health, dental, and insurance coverage for employees and their families. Option B: Increase Paid Time Off The company would offer employees additional paid vacation days and more flexible personal leave each year.

Your response must

Choose the option that you prefer.
Explain the reasons for your choice in about 150–200 words.

Tips for this prompt

Name your option in the first sentence. This task punishes an answer that weighs both and never chooses.
Only one improvement is affordable, so an answer that wants both misses the point of the question.
The company's stated goal is attracting and keeping staff — an argument that answers that goal is stronger than one about personal preference.
Concede the other option properly, then say why yours still wins.

Where answers slip

1Staying on the fence until the last paragraph — or never getting off it.
2Stacking four quick reasons where two developed ones would say more.
3Arguing about the topic in general and forgetting the specific plan the survey describes.

What Writing is rated on

Content / Coherence: How relevant and well developed your ideas are, and how clearly each sentence and paragraph leads to the next.
Vocabulary: How wide and how exact your choice of words is, including word combinations that sound natural.
Readability: How easy the text is to read: grammar, spelling, punctuation and the way it is split into paragraphs.
Task Fulfillment: Whether the response handles every part of the prompt, in a tone that suits the reader.

Sample answer

One strong response to this prompt, written for our own question bank to show a way through it. It is not a Paragon answer and not an official benchmark; a real response is judged on the four areas listed above.

Sample answer193 words

I strongly support Option A, expanding health and insurance benefits, because comprehensive coverage would give employees greater financial security and improve their well-being. Although more paid time off would help employees achieve a better work-life balance, good health and insurance coverage is a more fundamental long-term benefit. First, medical and dental expenses can place a significant financial burden on employees and their families. A comprehensive package would help workers get essential care without worrying about the cost. This could matter most to employees with children or dependents who need regular treatment. Furthermore, better insurance coverage could improve employee satisfaction and loyalty. Workers are more likely to stay with an employer that genuinely values their well-being. Consequently, the company could reduce staff turnover and avoid some of the cost of recruiting and training new employees. Admittedly, additional vacation days would allow employees to rest and spend more time with their families. However, time off cannot compensate for inadequate healthcare coverage when an employee faces a serious medical or financial emergency. For these reasons, I believe expanding health and insurance benefits would be a more valuable and sustainable investment for both employees and the company.

Try one yourself, under the clock

Reading a good answer is not the same as producing one. Write or record your own response and get an estimated CLB level on each rating area, with the lines that decided it.

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Common questions

Is it wrong to mention the option I did not choose?: Not at all. A brief concession, such as "I can see the appeal of the cheaper plan", shows you have thought about both sides. Just make sure you return to your own choice straight away so the reader is never unsure which option you support.
What are the rating areas for the writing tasks?: Paragon lists four areas for Writing: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment. The entries here mainly help with vocabulary and coherence, because they give you varied ways to state, justify and link ideas.
What do the CLB numbers next to each word mean?: They are {brand}'s own estimate of the Canadian Language Benchmarks level at which a learner can use the item comfortably. They are a study guide, not an official rating, so treat them as a hint about which words to learn first.

22 more Survey Response prompts in the bank0 free

·Main Street Bike Lanes Survey
·New School Curriculum Survey
·Wildfire Prevention Survey
·Employee Promotion Survey
·Community Centre Volunteer Survey
·Hospital Expansion Survey
·Ice-Skating Rink Survey
·Reading Habits Survey
·University Course Delivery Survey
·Shipyard Festival Location Survey
·Restaurant Relocation
·University Final Exams
·Waste Management Policy
·Community Program Schedule
·Road Construction Scheduling
·Traffic Congestion Policy
·Electric Scooter Safety Policy
·Property Crime Prevention Survey
·Healthcare Access Funding Priority
·Affordable Housing Funding Priority
·Neighbourhood Transportation Funding Survey
·Community Centre Space Survey

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