CELPIP Writing Task 1 · formal email

Email to a city recreation office about cancelled swimming lessons

You registered your eight-year-old daughter for a ten-week swimming program at your city's community recreation centre. After only four classes, the program was cancelled because the pool needs unexpected repairs. You received a short notice, but it said nothing about refunds. Write an email to the city's recreation services office.

Write an email of about 150–200 words in which you do the following:

Give the details of your registration and explain what happened
Explain why the cancellation is a problem for your family
Request a specific solution, such as a refund or a place in another program

Your response

27:00

0 words · target 150–200

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Write at least 50 words first.

Tips for this prompt

Mention registration details such as the program name, the fee, and a confirmation number so the office can process your request quickly.
Acknowledge that the repairs are nobody's fault before asking for compensation; this keeps the tone cooperative rather than angry.
State clearly which solution you prefer, and name a second option you would also accept.

Sample responses

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Sample at about CLB 7178 words

Dear Recreation Office,

I am writing because of the swimming lessons of my daughter. She is eight years old and I registered her for the ten weeks program at the community centre. She only had four classes and then the program was cancel because the pool need repairs. We got a short letter but it did not say anything about our money.

My daughter was very sad when she heard this news, she was really enjoy the lessons and she started to swim better. Also I paid for all ten weeks, so now I lost money for six classes. It is not easy for us to find other program now because many programs are already full.

I would like to ask you for a refund for the classes that she did not have. Or if it is possible, maybe you can give her a place in other swimming program in another centre. I prefer the refund but both are okay for me.

Please answer me soon because I need to make plan for her.

Thank you, Alex Martin

Why about CLB 7: All three points are covered, but the registration details are vague (no dates, amount or reference number) and the request is not very firm. Errors such as "was cancel", "she was really enjoy", "other program" and run-on sentences make some parts harder to read.

Sample at about CLB 9182 words

Dear Recreation Services,

I am writing to you regarding the swimming program at the community recreation centre that my daughter was registered in. She is eight years old and she was signed up for the ten-week program this fall. After only four classes, we got a short notice saying that the program was cancelled because the pool needs some unexpected repairs. The notice did not say anything about refunds, so I am not sure what will happen with the money that I payed.

My daughter was really enjoying the classes and she was very disappointed when I told her they were cancelled. She was just starting to feel more comfortable in the water, and now she will have to wait until the next session to continue.

I would like to request a refund for the six classes that she did not get to take. If a refund is not possible, then I would also be happy if she could be moved to another swimming program in the city.

I hope to hear from you soon regarding this matter.

Thank you, Alex Martin

Why about CLB 9: The request is clear and polite, and the daughter's disappointment is described well. Registration details such as dates, the amount paid or a reference number are missing, the family impact goes no further than the child's feelings, and "program" and "regarding" repeat; "payed" should be "paid".

Sample at about CLB 11190 words

Dear Recreation Services Team,

Please help me arrange a replacement for my daughter's cancelled swimming lessons. Mia, aged eight, was enrolled in Riverside Community Centre's ten-week Saturday Level 3 course. I paid $120 in August; the registration reference is RC-48213.

After four lessons, we received a brief cancellation notice citing unexpected pool repairs. I appreciate the need to keep swimmers safe, but the notice did not explain what would happen to our payment. Mia had finally become confident enough to put her face underwater, and she is upset about losing the chance to finish. With other fall classes already full, finding a replacement ourselves has proved difficult.

Our preferred solution is a transfer to an equivalent Level 3 class at Westview Aquatic Centre for the remaining six weeks, with the unused payment applied directly. If no place is available, please return the prorated amount of $72 to the original payment method and let me know the processing time.

Could you confirm our options this week? That would allow us to settle Mia's Saturday planning rather than repeatedly searching for another class.

Thank you for your assistance.

Kind regards, Alex Martin

Why about CLB 11: The response develops the child’s lost progress and specifies both a transfer and a prorated refund, with a cooperative tone. The slightly awkward "settle Mia’s Saturday planning" could be phrased more naturally.

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