CELPIP Writing Task 1 · semi-formal email

Email to a teacher about too much homework

Your 10-year-old child has started getting much more homework than last year. Most evenings it takes over two hours, and your child is tired and upset. Write an email to your child's teacher.

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

Introduce yourself and describe the change you have noticed
Explain how the homework is affecting your child and your family
Suggest a solution or ask for a meeting

Your response

27:00

0 words · target 150–200

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Write at least 50 words first.

Tips for this prompt

Be cooperative rather than critical; the teacher is more likely to help if you show you support learning at home.
Use concrete examples, such as how long homework takes, which subject takes longest, and what activities your child has dropped.
Propose something specific, such as a time limit or a meeting, and say when you are available.

Sample responses

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

Sample at about CLB 7177 words

Dear Ms. Green,

My name is Ahmed Saleh and I am father of Yusuf, he is in your Grade 5 class. I am writing because I have some concern about the homework.

Since September Yusuf has much more homework than last year. Almost every day he works two hours or more after school, sometime until 9 o'clock. Last year he only needed maybe 30 minutes. Math worksheets take the most time for him, and he also has reading and a project.

Yusuf is very tired these days. He doesn't have time for play outside or for his soccer practice. Sometimes he cry because he can't finish and he is afraid you will be angry. We also don't have time to eat dinner together in peace.

I understand homework is important and I want Yusuf do well in school. But maybe the homework can be little less, or he can have more time for the project. Can we meet to talk about this? I am free after 4 pm on most days.

Thank you very much.

Ahmed Saleh

Why about CLB 7: The concern and the request are clear, but the solution is vague. Errors such as "I am father of", "some concern", "sometime", "he cry", "want Yusuf do well" and "little less" are frequent.

Sample at about CLB 9177 words

Dear Ms. Green,

My name is Ahmed Saleh, and my son Yusuf is in your Grade 5 class this year. I wanted to contact you about the amount of homework he has been getting.

Since the beginning of the school year, Yusuf has been spending more than two hours on homework most evenings. Last year it usually took him about half an hour. The math worksheets seem to take the longest, and he also has reading in every night and a science project.

Because of this, Yusuf is often very tired and stressed. He has stopped going to soccer practice on Wednesdays, and some nights he gets upset because he cannot finish everything. It has also been difficult for our family to have dinner together.

I know that homework is an important part of learning, and we want to support Yusuf at home. I was wondering if it would be possible to meet with you to discuss this. Please let me know a time that works for you.

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards, Ahmed Saleh

Why about CLB 9: Fluent, respectful and clearly organized. The third point only asks for a meeting without suggesting a solution or giving available times; "reading in every night" should be "reading every night".

Sample at about CLB 11181 words

Dear Ms. Green,

I'm Yusuf Saleh's father, and I wanted to share a concern before it affect his enthusiasm for school, which has been wonderful to see this year.

Since late September, Yusuf has been spending two hours or more on homework most weeknights, compared with about thirty minutes last year. The math worksheets take the bulk of that time: he understands the concepts but works slowly through the longer word problems. On top of nightly reading, the solar system project has added several hours each weekend.

The effects are starting to show. He has dropped out of Wednesday soccer, is often in tears by 8:30, and recently told us he was bad at school, which isn't true at all. Family dinners have become rushed affairs squeezed between assignments.

I fully support practice at home, so I wondered whether a time limit might work: forty-five minutes of math, after which he would stop and I would note what he finished. I'd also welcome a short meeting; I'm available any weekday after 3:30, in person or by phone.

Kind regards, Ahmed Saleh

Why about CLB 11: Specific evidence, a constructive proposal and a warm, cooperative tone make this email effective. "Before it affect" should be "before it affects".

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