CELPIP Writing Task 1 · formal email

Email to your manager asking to change your work schedule

You work full-time at a hardware store, and some of your shifts end at 8 p.m. You have just been accepted into a part-time bookkeeping course at a local college. The course meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and starts next month. Write an email to your store manager.

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

Explain what the course is and why it is important to you
Request a specific change to your work schedule
Describe how you will make sure the change does not cause problems for the team

Your response

27:00

0 words · target 150–200

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Write at least 50 words first.

Tips for this prompt

Be exact about the days, times, and length of the arrangement so your manager can see what you are asking for.
Connect the course to your job if you can, because a manager is more likely to agree when the business also benefits.
Offer concrete solutions, such as extra weekend shifts or a coworker willing to swap, rather than just promising to work hard.

Sample responses

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

Sample at about CLB 7185 words

Dear Ms. Patel,

I hope you are doing well. As you know, I work in the store full-time and sometimes my shift is finish at 8 p.m. I want to tell you some good news. I got accept in a bookkeeping course in the college near my house. It is part-time and the classes is on Tuesday and Thursday evening, it starts next month.

This course is very important to me. I always interested in numbers and I want to have better job in the future. Maybe one day I can help with the accounting in our store too.

Because of this, can you please change my schedule? I need to finish early on Tuesday and Thursday, before 5 p.m. I can work more hours in other days, for example Saturday or Monday evening.

I will make sure everything is fine for the team. I will tell my coworkers my new schedule and if somebody need help I can change shift with them. I am a hard worker so I think there will be no problem.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards, Alex Chen

Why about CLB 7: The request is clear, but the last point only promises that "everything is fine" without a real plan, and the reasons for the course are general. Errors such as "my shift is finish", "got accept in", "I always interested" and "in other days" are frequent.

Sample at about CLB 9176 words

Dear Ms. Patel,

I am writing to you because I have been accepted into a part-time bookkeeping course at the local college, and I wanted to discuss my work schedule with you. The course starts next month and the classes are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I have always been interested in working with numbers, and I think that this course will help me a lot with my future career, as I would like to work in an office one day.

As you know, some of my shifts end at 8 p.m., which means I would not be able to attend the classes on those days. Therefore, I would like to ask if it would be possible for me to finish my shifts earlier on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I am happy to work extra hours in other days of the week to make up for it.

I really enjoy working at the store and I do not want this change to cause any problems. Please let me know if this would work.

Best regards, Alex Chen

Why about CLB 9: Well organized and natural, with a clear reason for the request. The change is not specific ("earlier" rather than a time), and the last point only says the writer does not want to cause problems instead of explaining how the team will be covered; "in other days" should be "on other days".

Sample at about CLB 11189 words

Dear Ms. Patel,

I have been accepted into Northside College's part-time bookkeeping course and would like to discuss a small adjustment to my shifts. Classes start next month at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when I am sometimes scheduled until 8 p.m. Finishing at 5 p.m. would leave enough time to travel to college.

After a year at the hardware store, I am keen to develop beyond customer service. The course covers invoice processing and expense records, skills that could eventually allow me to assist with office duties as well as my current role.

To maintain my weekly hours, I can stay later on Mondays and Wednesdays or take additional Saturday shifts. On class days, I would complete stock checks before leaving and hand over outstanding customer messages personally, so the evening team would have a clear starting point.

Before the course begins, could we draw a trial schedule for its first two weeks? We could then review whether the coverage is working and adjust my replacement hours as needed. I want the arrangement to support my studies while remaining practical for the team.

Best regards, Alex Chen

Why about CLB 11: The email connects the course to useful store skills and proposes replacement hours, a personal handover and a review. "Draw up a trial schedule" is the correct phrase.

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