CELPIP Writing Task 1 · formal email

Email to a property manager about a broken elevator

You live on the ninth floor of a rental apartment building. The building's only elevator has stopped working three times in the past month, and the latest breakdown has now lasted four days. No one has told residents when it will be fixed. Write an email to the property management company.

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

Describe the problem and how long it has been going on
Explain how the situation is affecting you and other residents
Suggest what the company should do to solve the problem

Your response

27:00

0 words · target 150–200

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Write at least 50 words first.

Tips for this prompt

Include specific details such as your unit number, the number of breakdowns, and the dates, so the complaint sounds concrete and credible.
Keep the tone firm but polite; a formal complaint is more persuasive when it stays calm and avoids exaggeration.
Make your suggestions realistic, for example a permanent repair, regular updates in the lobby, or temporary help for residents with limited mobility.

Sample responses

Try the task first, then compare. Levels are our estimates, not official CELPIP scores.

Sample at about CLB 7181 words

Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Alex Chen and I am living in the ninth floor of your building on Maple Street. I want to tell you about elevator. It is broken again since four days. This month it already stopped three times and nobody give us any information about when it will be repair.

This situation is very hard for me and my neighbours. Every day I need to walk up and down nine floors, when I come back from work I am very tired. Also there are old people and family with baby in our building, for them it is more difficult than me. Some people cannot go out at all. I think this is not fair because we pay our rent every month on time.

So I hope you can fix the elevator as soon as possible. Also please check it carefully, so it will not break again next week. It is better if you put a paper in the lobby to inform us what is happening.

I am waiting for your answer.

Best regards, Alex Chen

Why about CLB 7: The purpose and the three points are clear, but the effects on others are described only in general terms and the solution is brief. Errors with tense and prepositions ("broken again since four days", "living in the ninth floor"), word forms ("will be repair") and run-on sentences keep it at this level.

Sample at about CLB 9189 words

Dear Property Management,

My name is Alex Chen and I am writing to you regarding the elevator in our building. I live on the ninth floor and I have been a tenant here for three years. In the past month the elevator has stopped working three times, and this time it has not been working for four days now. Nobody has told the residents when it will be fixed, which is very frustrating.

Because I live on the ninth floor, I have to use the stairs every day to go to work and come back home. This is very tiring for me, especially when I am carrying groceries or heavy bags. I have also seen other residents having a hard time with the stairs, so I know I am not the only one who is affected from this problem.

I would like to ask you to fix the elevator as soon as possible. It would also be good if you could let us know what is happening with the repair, so we are not left wondering.

I hope you will take care of this problem soon.

Thanks, Alex Chen

Why about CLB 9: Clear and fluent, with a well-explained personal problem. The effect on other residents is only mentioned in general terms and the suggestions are vague ("fix the elevator as soon as possible"); there are small slips such as "affected from" and a missing comma after "In the past month".

Sample at about CLB 11185 words

Dear Property Management Team,

Could you please provide a repair plan for the only elevator at 455 Maple Street? I live in unit 903. It has failed three times this month, and the latest outage, which began on Thursday, has now lasted four days without a notice or estimated completion date.

Climbing nine flights with groceries is exhausting after work, but the consequences to other residents are more serious. My neighbour in 907 uses a cane and has been unable to leave home since Thursday. Meanwhile, parents must carry both children and strollers through the narrow stairwell, making an ordinary outing a considerable undertaking.

Given the recurring failures, please commission a full diagnosis and permanent repair. A daily notice in the lobby, including the next scheduled service visit, would help residents plan around the disruption. Until the elevator is restored, I also ask that you arrange staff assistance with grocery deliveries for people who cannot use the stairs.

Please confirm tomorrow who is coordinating these measures and when we can expect another update. A clear point of contact would be much appreciated.

Sincerely, Alex Chen

Why about CLB 11: The email links concrete effects to a permanent repair, daily notices and delivery assistance in a firm, courteous tone. "Consequences for" would be the more natural preposition.

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