CELPIP Writing Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions

CELPIP Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: College student space survey

Students choose between eight bookable study rooms and one large lounge for an empty campus space. What makes it tricky is showing why your option serves more students, since both choices sound reasonable.

Time

26 minutes

Length

150–200 words

Structure

Choose Option A or B and support it

The question

Campus Space Survey

Your college has an empty area on the second floor of the main building. The college could turn it into eight small study rooms that students can book for group work. Or, it could make a larger student lounge with sofas, microwaves and tables for eating lunch. The college is asking students to complete an opinion survey.

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: I would prefer eight bookable study rooms.

Option B: I would prefer a larger student lounge.

Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150-200 words.

How to plan your answer

What they want

Choose between eight bookable study rooms (A) or a larger student lounge with sofas and microwaves (B).

Plan (26 min)

State your choice. Option A is easier to argue: it supports the college's main purpose, learning.
Reason 1: group projects need quiet space; the library is noisy and full. Example: your team meeting in a hallway before a presentation.
Reason 2: booking is fair and organized; eight rooms serve many groups a day and help students get better grades.
Optional nod: a lounge helps students relax and eat, but the cafeteria already offers tables.
Conclusion: restate your choice and main benefit.

Useful vocabulary

study rooms, group projects, book a room, quiet space
presentation, concentrate, student lounge, academic success

Phrases

As a student, I would prefer... because...
For example, last term my group...
Although a lounge would be comfortable, ...

Avoid

Choosing both options.
Listing reasons without a real campus example.

Excellent answer: around CLB 11–12

I would prefer Option B, a larger student lounge with sofas, microwaves and tables. The most pressing need on our campus is simply a place to eat. Many students bring lunch from home to manage tight budgets, yet the main building has only a handful of microwaves, and the lineups at noon regularly stretch down the hallway. As a result, people end up eating cold food on staircases or squeezed onto window ledges. A dedicated lounge would address this problem directly. A lounge would also improve student life more broadly. Those of us with long gaps between classes currently have nowhere comfortable to spend them, and a welcoming common space encourages the kind of casual conversations that help new and international students feel they belong. Admittedly, bookable study rooms would be valuable for group assignments, and I appreciate why some students would choose them. However, eight rooms could serve only a few dozen people at any given time, whereas a lounge would benefit hundreds of students every single day. Furthermore, the library already offers quiet areas for collaborative work. Ultimately, the lounge would make a noticeable difference for the largest number of students.

193 words

Why it scores high

Vocabulary: 'The most pressing need', 'manage tight budgets' and 'squeezed onto window ledges' give the argument a precise and vivid edge.
Content/Coherence: linking the lounge to 'casual conversations that help new and international students feel they belong' adds a thoughtful second benefit.
Task Fulfillment: 'Admittedly' and 'I appreciate why some students would choose them' concede fairly before 'a few dozen people' versus 'hundreds' settles the choice.

Good answer: around CLB 7–8

I would prefer Option B, a larger student lounge with sofas, microwaves and tables for eating lunch. The main reason is that our college does not have enough space for students to eat. Many of us bring lunch from home to save money, but there are only a couple of microwaves in the whole building, and the lines at lunchtime are very long. Students often end up eating in the hallways or on the floor. A proper lounge would solve this problem. In addition, students need a place to relax between classes. Many people, like me, have long breaks in the middle of the day, and there is nowhere comfortable to sit. A lounge would also help students meet each other and make friends, especially new and international students. I understand that study rooms are useful for group projects. However, eight small rooms would only serve a few groups at a time, while a lounge would benefit hundreds of students every day. Also, the library already has some quiet spaces for studying. For these reasons, I believe a student lounge is the better choice.

184 words

What works, and what's missing

Content/Coherence: the image of 'eating in the hallways or on the floor' turns the lack of lunch space into a concrete problem the college must address.
Task Fulfillment: the comparison 'eight small rooms would only serve a few groups at a time, while a lounge would benefit hundreds' answers Option A directly.
Vocabulary: connectors like 'In addition' and 'For these reasons' work but are predictable, and phrases such as 'very long' keep the style fairly plain.

Basic answer: around CLB 4–5

I prefer Option B. I think the college should make a bigger student lounge on the second floor. First, now there is not enough place to eat lunch in the main building. Many students bring food from home because cafeteria is expensive. But we have only two microwave and there is always long line. Sometime I wait 15 minute and then I have no time to eat before my class. Second, students need a place to relax between classes. Sometimes I have three hours break and I don't know where to go. With sofas, we can rest and talk with friends. It is good for our mental health. Study rooms is also useful, but we already have the library for study. Also eight rooms is only for small number of students, but the lounge is for everybody. So I think a big lounge is better for most student.

148 words

What holds it back

Readability: 'we have only two microwave', 'Sometime I wait 15 minute' and 'Study rooms is also useful' contain plural and agreement errors in nearly every paragraph.
Vocabulary: 'It is good for our mental health' and 'better for most student' state ideas in very general terms without precise or varied wording.
Content/Coherence: the strong point that 'eight rooms is only for small number of students' comes in one short line instead of being developed.

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