CELPIP Writing Task 1: Writing an Email

CELPIP Writing Task 1 Sample Answer: Missing a Friend’s Dinner Party

This email is an apology to a friend whose celebration you forgot, plus an offer to make amends. The hard part is sounding sincere and warm without the explanation turning into a list of excuses.

Time

27 minutes

Length

150–200 words

Tone

Formal or semi-formal, depending on the reader

The question

Last Saturday, your friend Elena invited you to a dinner party at her home to celebrate her new job. You had accepted the invitation, but you completely forgot about it and did not attend. She has not contacted you since then.

Write an email to your friend Elena in about 150-200 words. Your email should do the following things:

Apologize and explain why you missed the dinner.

Describe how you feel about what happened.

Suggest a way to make it up to her.

How to plan your answer

What they want

A sincere, informal email to your friend Elena apologizing for forgetting her dinner party for her new job.
Cover: apology and reason, how you feel, and a way to make it up to her.

Plan (27 min)

Greeting: "Hi Elena," and apologize right away; no excuses first.
Reason: a busy week, e.g., extra shifts or a sick child, and you forgot to put it in your calendar; admit it was your fault.
Feelings: terrible and embarrassed; her new job really matters to you.
Make it up: take her out to dinner at her favourite restaurant, your treat, to celebrate properly; suggest a date.
Closing: congratulate her again, "I hope you can forgive me," first name.

Useful vocabulary

sincerely apologize, completely slipped my mind, my fault, embarrassed
let you down, make it up to you, my treat, celebrate properly

Phrases

I am so sorry for missing...
I feel awful because...
I'd love to make it up to you by...

Avoid

Long excuses that sound like you are blaming others.
Forgetting to congratulate her on the new job.

Excellent answer: around CLB 11–12

Dear Elena, I'm writing to apologize for missing your dinner party last Saturday. I'd accepted your invitation and was genuinely looking forward to it, but between a hectic deadline at work and never putting the date in my calendar, it slipped my mind entirely. I didn't realize until Sunday morning, when I saw your photos online, and my heart sank. I feel terrible, honestly. You'd worked so hard for this new position, and the evening was meant to celebrate that. Knowing you probably set a place for me and wondered where I was makes it even worse. I completely understand if you were hurt, and I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner. I'd love the chance to make it up to you. Could I take you out for dinner at that little Portuguese place on Ossington you've been wanting to try? It would be entirely my treat, and I want to hear everything about the new job. Next Friday or Saturday would work for me, but I'm happy to fit around your schedule. Once again, I'm so sorry, and congratulations on a well-deserved success. With love, Nadia

187 words

Why it scores high

Vocabulary: idiomatic expressions such as 'it slipped my mind entirely', 'my heart sank' and 'a well-deserved success' sound natural and emotionally genuine.
Content/Coherence: imagining that Elena 'probably set a place for me' and adding 'I'm sorry I didn't reach out sooner' shows real empathy for her side.
Task Fulfillment: 'I'm happy to fit around your schedule' makes the make-up dinner flexible and generous, rounding off all three points with a warm close.

Good answer: around CLB 7–8

Dear Elena, I owe you a big apology for missing your dinner party last Saturday. There is no good excuse, but that week was extremely busy at work, and I had been doing overtime every evening. I never wrote the date in my calendar, and on Saturday I was so tired that I fell asleep early. I only realized what had happened on Sunday morning when I saw the photos online. I feel awful about it. Your new job is such an important achievement, and I really wanted to celebrate with you. I can only imagine how disappointed you must have been when I didn't show up, especially after you prepared so much food. I would love to make it up to you. Could I take you out for dinner at that Thai restaurant on Main Street that you love? It would be my treat, and we could have a proper celebration, just the two of us. Please let me know which evening works for you next week. Once again, I'm truly sorry, and congratulations on the new job! Love, Hannah

181 words

What works, and what's missing

Content/Coherence: 'There is no good excuse' followed by the overtime detail sets the right tone, admitting fault before explaining what happened.
Task Fulfillment: the offer of 'that Thai restaurant on Main Street that you love' and 'just the two of us' is specific and personal, not a generic gesture.
Vocabulary: the feelings paragraph relies on familiar phrases like 'I feel awful about it'; it is correct but less vivid than the rest of the email.

Basic answer: around CLB 4–5

Hi Elena, I am so sorry that I miss your dinner party last Saturday. I really want to come, but I completely forget about it. That week I was very busy because my boss give me extra work, and on Saturday I was cleaning my apartment all day. I don't write it in my calendar, so I didn't remember. When I see the date on Sunday, I feel terrible. I feel very bad and also embarrass. You are my good friend and it was special day for you because of your new job. I know you cook a lot of food and you wait for me. I want to make it up to you. Can I take you to dinner at the Italian restaurant you like? I will pay for everything. Maybe next Friday or Saturday is good for you? Again, I am really sorry. Congratulation on your new job! Your friend, Priya

153 words

What holds it back

Readability: 'I am so sorry that I miss your dinner party' and 'my boss give me extra work' mix present forms into past events throughout the apology.
Vocabulary: 'I feel very bad and also embarrass' and 'Congratulation on your new job' show word-form errors in the very phrases meant to express feeling.
Content/Coherence: the excuse that she was 'cleaning my apartment all day' weakens the apology, since it suggests she was home and simply did not check.

These are original CELPass examples written at each level. The CLBs are our estimates, not official CELPIP scores. How we estimate CLB