CELPIP Writing Task 1: Writing an Email

CELPIP Writing Task 1 Sample Answer: Disorganized Thai Cooking Lesson

This prompt asks you to give a community centre feedback on a cooking class that started late and ran short of ingredients and stations. The tricky part is the second point, which combines the negative effect on your learning with what you still enjoyed, so the email must stay balanced.

Time

27 minutes

Length

150–200 words

Tone

Formal or semi-formal, depending on the reader

The question

You signed up for a four-week Thai cooking course at a community centre in Victoria for $120. At last Wednesday's class, the instructor arrived late and there were not enough ingredients or cooking stations for all the students. You still liked some parts of the evening, but you did not learn as much as you had hoped.

Write an email to the program coordinator at the community centre in about 150-200 words. Your email should do the following things:

Describe what happened during the class.

Explain how it affected your learning and mention what you still enjoyed.

Suggest how future classes could be improved.

How to plan your answer

What they want

A polite, constructive email to the program coordinator about last Wednesday's Thai cooking class.
Cover: what happened, the effect on your learning plus what you enjoyed, and suggestions.

Plan (27 min)

Greeting: "Dear Program Coordinator," with the course name and the $120 fee.
What happened: the instructor came 30 minutes late; ingredients for about 12 people but 18 students; three people shared each cooking station.
Effect: you mostly watched instead of cooking, so you can't make the curry at home; but the instructor was knowledgeable and the food tasted great.
Suggestions: confirm numbers before each class, prepare ingredients in advance, cap the class size, or add a make-up session.
Closing: thank them, say you hope the last week goes well, full name.

Useful vocabulary

instructor, cooking station, ingredients, hands-on
class size, prepare in advance, make-up session, disorganized

Phrases

At last week's class,...
Because of this, I was only able to...
That said, I really enjoyed...

Avoid

Forgetting the positive part; the prompt asks for it.
Attacking the instructor personally.

Excellent answer: around CLB 11–12

Dear Program Coordinator, I am currently taking the four-week Thai cooking course on Wednesday evenings, and I would like to share some feedback about last week's session. The class got off to a difficult start when the instructor arrived nearly 30 minutes late. Once we began, it became clear that there were only enough ingredients for about twelve people, even though eighteen of us were registered, and we ended up crowding three to a cooking station. Consequently, I spent most of the evening watching rather than cooking, and I left without the confidence to make green curry at home, which was the main goal of that lesson. For a course advertised as hands-on, this was disappointing. Nevertheless, the instructor's explanation of how to balance sweet, sour and spicy flavours was fascinating, and the finished dish was excellent. To improve future sessions, I would suggest confirming attendance in advance, having ingredients measured out before students arrive, and capping enrolment at the number of available stations. A short make-up class for this lesson would also be greatly appreciated by everyone in the group. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, Jonas Weber

190 words

Why it scores high

Vocabulary: Natural phrases like "got off to a difficult start," "crowding three to a cooking station" and "capping enrolment" are precise and idiomatic.
Content/Coherence: The contrast "For a course advertised as hands-on" shows exactly why the problem mattered, and "Nevertheless" turns gracefully to the positives.
Task Fulfillment: Three practical suggestions plus a request for "a short make-up class" give the coordinator clear actions for both the future and this lesson.

Good answer: around CLB 7–8

Dear Program Coordinator, My name is Jonas Weber, and I am registered in the four-week Thai cooking course on Wednesday evenings. I am writing to share some feedback about last week's class. Unfortunately, the instructor arrived about 30 minutes late, so the class started behind schedule. There were also not enough ingredients for the 18 students, and three of us had to share each cooking station. As a result, I spent most of the evening watching instead of cooking, and I still don't feel confident making green curry on my own. Since the course is meant to be hands-on, this was disappointing. That said, I enjoyed the instructor's explanations of Thai spices, and the curry we tasted at the end was delicious. For future classes, I suggest confirming the number of students each week and preparing the ingredients before class begins. It would also help to limit the group to the number of stations available. Thank you for your attention. Best regards, Jonas Weber

164 words

What works, and what's missing

Task Fulfillment: The second paragraph handles both halves of the point, moving from "this was disappointing" to "That said, I enjoyed" smoothly.
Content/Coherence: The suggestions match the problems, especially limiting "the group to the number of stations available," which fixes the crowding.
Vocabulary: Clear and correct, but "Unfortunately," "As a result" and "For future classes" are standard links; a few more vivid details would lift it.

Basic answer: around CLB 4–5

Dear Coordinator, My name is Mei Ling Tan. I am in the Thai cooking course on Wednesday night. I pay $120 for four classes. I want to tell you about last class. The teacher come 30 minutes late, so we start late. Also there was not enough food for everybody. We are 18 students but the ingredients was only for maybe 12 people. Three people use one stove together, so I only watch and I don't cook nothing. Because of this I don't learn how to make green curry, and I can't try it at home. But I still like some things. The teacher know a lot about Thai food and the curry was very delicious. For next class please buy more ingredients and check how many students come. Maybe also make class smaller, then everybody can cook. Thank you, Mei Ling Tan

143 words

What holds it back

Content/Coherence: The positive part, "But I still like some things," is included, though it is brief and comes right after the complaint with little transition.
Vocabulary: Errors such as "The teacher come 30 minutes late," "I don't cook nothing" and "the ingredients was" show limited grammar control.
Readability: Short, simple sentences mostly starting with "I" or "The" make the email clear but choppy and somewhat informal for a coordinator.

The CLBs are estimates of the level each sample was written at, not official CELPIP scores. How we estimate CLB