CELPIP Writing: Responding to Surveys Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are responding to a workplace survey about a new wellness program. The options are A) On-site fitness classes or B) Subsidized gym memberships. What is the most appropriate tone to use in your email explaining your choice to the HR Manager?
- Aggressive and demanding, to show how serious you are about the issue.
- Overly casual and personal, using slang and emojis.
- Persuasive and respectful, clearly outlining the benefits of your preferred option. (Correct answer)
- Apologetic and hesitant, as if you are inconveniencing the manager.
Correct answer: Persuasive and respectful, clearly outlining the benefits of your preferred option.
The goal is to persuade the HR Manager of the merits of your choice while maintaining a professional and respectful tone. An aggressive or overly casual tone is unprofessional, and an apologetic tone weakens your argument.
Question 2: When structuring your email response for the CELPIP survey task, what is the most effective and logical sequence for your points?
- Provide a detailed background of the issue, list all your reasons, and only state your chosen option in the final sentence.
- Clearly state your choice in the opening, provide two or three distinct reasons with support in the body, and end with a brief concluding summary. (Correct answer)
- Focus entirely on criticizing the option you did not choose, and then briefly mention that you prefer the other one.
- Begin with a long personal anecdote that is loosely related to the topic before explaining your choice and reasons.
Correct answer: Clearly state your choice in the opening, provide two or three distinct reasons with support in the body, and end with a brief concluding summary.
The most effective structure for a persuasive email of this type is to state the main point (your choice) directly, support it with well-explained reasons, and then conclude. This approach is clear, organized, and easy for the reader to follow.
Question 3: A survey for your local community asks whether a vacant lot should be used for Option A: A new playground, or Option B: A community garden. You choose Option B. Which of the following is the most persuasive supporting reason to include in your email?
- "Playgrounds are always noisy and I don't like the sound of children playing."
- "My cousin lives in a town with a community garden and she says it's nice."
- "A community garden would provide residents with access to fresh, healthy food, create a green space for relaxation, and offer educational opportunities for all ages on gardening and sustainability." (Correct answer)
- "I just think gardens are better than playgrounds in general."
Correct answer: "A community garden would provide residents with access to fresh, healthy food, create a green space for relaxation, and offer educational opportunities for all ages on gardening and sustainability."
This answer is the strongest because it provides multiple, specific, and positive benefits (access to food, green space, education) that appeal to the wider community's interests. The other options are based on personal dislike, weak evidence, or are too vague to be persuasive.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of writing an email to explain your survey choice in CELPIP Writing Task 2?
- To question the survey's design and suggest better options.
- To show off as many complex vocabulary words as possible.
- To write the longest possible response to demonstrate fluency.
- To justify your selected option with clear, well-supported, and persuasive reasons. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To justify your selected option with clear, well-supported, and persuasive reasons.
The core of this task is to fulfill the prompt by choosing an option and persuading the reader that your choice is well-founded. This is achieved through clear justification and logical support, not by challenging the survey or focusing only on word count or vocabulary.
Question 5: You are writing to your building manager in response to a survey about installing new security cameras. You support this idea. Which of the following is the most effective opening sentence for your email?
- "In response to the recent survey, I am writing to express my full support for the installation of new security cameras in our building." (Correct answer)
- "It's about time someone did something about the security in this building, which has been terrible for years."
- "I'm not an expert on security, but I guess I should probably write to you about the survey I just took."
- "You must install these cameras immediately or people will not be safe."
Correct answer: "In response to the recent survey, I am writing to express my full support for the installation of new security cameras in our building."
A strong opening should be polite, directly state the purpose of the email, and clearly indicate your position. Option A achieves this professionally. The other options are confrontational, hesitant, or overly demanding, which are less effective tones.
Question 6: Which of the following elements would make a written survey response LESS effective and persuasive?
- Organizing the response into a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
- Providing reasons that are vague general statements without any specific details or examples. (Correct answer)
- Using transition words like 'Furthermore' or 'In addition' to connect ideas.
- Proofreading the email for spelling and grammar errors before submitting.
Correct answer: Providing reasons that are vague general statements without any specific details or examples.
Persuasiveness comes from strong, specific support. Vague reasons like "it's a better option" without explaining *why* it is better are not convincing. All the other options are features of a well-written, effective, and persuasive response.
CELPIP Writing: Responding to Surveys Questions and Answers 1
You are responding to a workplace survey about a new wellness program.
The options are A) On-site fitness classes or B) Subsidized gym memberships.
What is the most appropriate tone to use in your email explaining your choice to the HR Manager?