Reading Part 1: Correspondence
Part 1 gives you an everyday email or letter with 11 questions in about 11 minutes. The first 6 test how well you understood the letter, then you complete a short reply to it by filling 5 blanks, all from drop-down menus.
No account needed for the demo. Practicing the full bank takes a free account.
Reading Part 1 format: how the test plays out
Every panel below is a moment from the exam interface this site rebuilds. Read the flow once, then run the same screens yourself in the demo.
An email or letter about an everyday situation, the kind a friend or a neighbour would actually write. It stays on screen the whole time.
They test how well you understood the letter, all from drop-down menus.
Fill 5 blanks in a short response to the letter, choosing the option that fits both meaning and tone.
The letter stays on screen throughout. Six comprehension questions come first, then five blanks in a reply, about 11 minutes for all 11 questions.
That is the whole flow. The demo runs these exact screens with a real question, timed like test day.
How Reading Part 1 is scored
Reading is scored by computer, one point per correct answer and no penalty for a wrong one. Your raw score out of 38 converts to a CELPIP level from 1 to 12, aligned with CLB.
38 scored questions across the four Reading parts
No penalty for guessing, so an educated guess always beats a blank
The raw score converts to CELPIP levels 1 to 12, aligned with CLB
Part 1 carries 11 of the 38 scored Reading questions, the largest share of any reading part, and it is also the most approachable, so accuracy here banks points.
Practice here grades every question instantly, shows the evidence sentence behind each answer, and tracks accuracy per part across the bank.
Submit and see the evidence
Every question comes back judged against the key, with an explanation and a Find in passage jump to the exact sentence that proves the answer.
Reading Part 1, answered
How many questions are in CELPIP Reading Part 1?
Eleven in about 11 minutes: six comprehension questions about the letter, then five blanks to complete in a reply to it. Everything is answered from drop down menus.
What is the reply section in Part 1?
A short response to the letter with five blanks. Each blank is a drop down with its own options, and the right choice fits both the meaning and the tone of the reply.
How much is Part 1 worth in the Reading score?
Part 1 carries 11 of the 38 scored Reading questions, the single largest share in Reading, with one point per correct answer and no penalty for guessing.
Do the answer options copy words from the letter?
Mostly not. The options reword the letter on purpose, so matching surface words is a trap and understanding the intent is what pays.
All CELPIP Reading question types, covered
4 parts · about 55 minutes on the mockRead a personal letter, answer 6 comprehension questions, then fill 5 blanks in the reply.
Ready to try Correspondence?
Open the demo to see the exact exam interface, or create a free account to practice the full bank. Everything is free during pre-launch, no credit card required.
