CELPIP Writing Task 1: Writing an Email

CELPIP Writing Task 1 Sample Answer: Missing Overtime Pay

This email asks payroll to fix missing overtime, so it needs dates, a supervisor's name and a clear description of the error. The tricky part is giving enough evidence that the payroll clerk can act without writing back for details.

Time

27 minutes

Length

150–200 words

Tone

Formal or semi-formal, depending on the reader

The question

You work at a food processing plant. Last month, your supervisor asked you to work 12 hours of overtime to finish a large order. However, when you received your most recent paycheque, none of the overtime hours had been included.

Write an email to your company’s payroll department in about 150-200 words. Your email should do the following things:

Explain when you worked the overtime hours and who asked you to.

Describe the problem with your paycheque.

Ask them to correct the problem and tell you when you will be paid.

How to plan your answer

What they want

A formal, polite but firm email to the payroll department about 12 hours of overtime missing from your paycheque.
Cover: when and who asked, the paycheque problem, and a request to correct it with a date.

Plan (27 min)

Greeting: "Dear Payroll Department," with your full name, employee number and department.
Overtime: last month (give dates), your supervisor (name) asked you to work 12 extra hours to finish a large order.
Problem: your latest paycheque shows only regular hours; none of the overtime was paid.
Request: check the records, correct the error, and say if it will be paid on the next pay date or separately.
Closing: thank them, full name and extension.

Useful vocabulary

overtime hours, time and a half, timesheet, pay stub
pay period, payroll error, approved by, adjustment

Phrases

I am writing about my most recent paycheque...
At my supervisor's request, I worked...
Could you please correct this and let me know when...?

Avoid

Accusing payroll of cheating you; assume it was an error.
Forgetting dates and the supervisor's name.

Excellent answer: around CLB 11–12

Dear Payroll Team, My name is Daniel Okafor, and I work on the evening shift in the bakery products section (employee ID 31876). I'm writing about overtime hours that were left off my most recent paycheque. In late September, our line had to complete a large order for a national grocery chain on a tight deadline. My supervisor, Linda Cheng, asked several of us to stay on after our shifts, and I worked three additional hours each evening from September 22 to 25, for a total of 12 overtime hours. These hours were recorded on my timesheet, which Linda signed at the end of that week. However, the paycheque I received on October 3 reflects only my regular 80 hours. None of the overtime appears on the pay stub, either as hours or as a separate payment. Since overtime is paid at time and a half, this amounts to a significant sum for me. I would be grateful if you could review my file and correct the error. Could you also let me know when I can expect the missing amount? Linda is happy to confirm the hours if needed. Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, Daniel Okafor

198 words

Why it scores high

Vocabulary: precise terms such as 'reflects only my regular 80 hours', 'pay stub' and 'paid at time and a half' sound like real workplace communication.
Content/Coherence: 'either as hours or as a separate payment' shows the writer checked carefully, which makes the complaint hard to dismiss.
Task Fulfillment: 'Linda is happy to confirm the hours if needed' offers verification in advance and closes all three points politely and efficiently.

Good answer: around CLB 7–8

Dear Payroll Department, My name is Rosa Mendes, and I work as a line operator in the meat packaging section. My employee ID is 20583. I am writing about some overtime hours that are missing from my pay. Last month, our team received a large order from a grocery chain, and my supervisor, Kevin Brar, asked me to stay late to help finish it. I worked three extra hours a day from Monday, September 8 to Thursday, September 11, for a total of 12 hours of overtime. However, when I received my most recent paycheque on September 26, none of these hours had been included. I was only paid for my regular 80 hours. I have checked my pay stub carefully and also kept a copy of my timesheet, which Kevin signed. Could you please look into this and correct the mistake as soon as possible? I would also appreciate it if you could let me know whether the overtime will be added to my next paycheque or paid separately. Thank you for your help. Best regards, Rosa Mendes

179 words

What works, and what's missing

Content/Coherence: 'three extra hours a day from Monday, September 8 to Thursday, September 11' gives exact evidence that payroll can check immediately.
Task Fulfillment: mentioning 'a copy of my timesheet, which Kevin signed' strengthens the claim, and the email asks clearly about the next paycheque.
Vocabulary: phrasing like 'some overtime hours that are missing from my pay' is accurate but plain compared with more formal workplace language.

Basic answer: around CLB 4–5

Dear Payroll Department, My name is Ali Hassan and I work on the packaging line in the plant. My employee number is 4127. Last month, we had a big order for frozen vegetable. My supervisor, Mr. Kowalski, ask me to work overtime to finish it. I work 12 hours of overtime. I stay 3 extra hours on four days, from September 15 to September 18. But when I get my last paycheque on October 1, there is no overtime on it. I only get pay for my normal hours. I check two times and the overtime hours is not there. This is a problem for me because I need this money for my rent. Please can you check this and fix the problem? Also, please tell me when I will get the money. Mr. Kowalski can tell you that I work these hours. Thank you for your help. Ali Hassan

150 words

What holds it back

Readability: past events are written in the present, as in 'My supervisor, Mr. Kowalski, ask me' and 'when I get my last paycheque', which blurs the timeline.
Vocabulary: 'frozen vegetable' and 'the overtime hours is not there' show plural and agreement slips in key factual details.
Content/Coherence: the dates and hours are clear, but 'Please can you check this and fix the problem?' is a weak, informal request for a payroll department.

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