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Writing · W2

CELPIP Writing Task 2: evening buses or new shelters

Compare two transport improvements using a clear priority and a fair acknowledgement of the alternative.

By MockMaple · Updated

Try the prompt

A fictional town can fund either more evening buses or new shelters at existing stops. Choose one option and explain your preference in 150–200 words.

  • Option A: more evening buses.
  • Option B: new shelters at existing stops.
  • No ridership figures or cost estimates are provided.

Plan your approach

  1. Choose one option immediately.
  2. Explain who benefits and how.
  3. Acknowledge the other option before defending your priority.

Complete sample response

I would choose more evening buses because a useful transport service needs to operate when residents actually need to travel. Comfortable stops matter, but they cannot help someone whose last bus has already left. Evening service would be particularly valuable to people who finish work late or attend classes after their daytime jobs. For example, a resident taking an evening course could travel home by bus instead of depending on a friend for a ride. A more frequent service could also shorten the wait between connections, making longer journeys less difficult. New shelters would certainly offer protection from rain and snow. However, I would give service availability priority in this decision. A sheltered stop with no suitable departure still leaves a passenger without a practical journey home. Before selecting the routes, the town should ask residents which evening connections they need most. That would help direct the additional service toward useful journeys. For these reasons, I support investing in evening buses first and considering shelter improvements in a later budget.

170 words, counting space-separated words including the greeting and sign-off.

Why these choices work

A response or interpretation to improve

Buses are better. Shelters are useless. Everyone in the town needs an evening bus every day.

Compare against the same goal

Both options are evaluated as ways to make journeys practical. This is more coherent than praising buses for one reason and criticising shelters for an unrelated issue.

Avoid invented evidence

The course example illustrates a possible benefit. The response asks for local input instead of fabricating ridership statistics.

Vocabulary in context

give priority to

Treat something as more important in a decision.

I would give priority to evening service.

Choose the right alternative: Prefer states a choice; give priority to also suggests an order for allocating attention or resources.

Usage note: Use priority over another option or priority to a need; avoid priority than.

Explore vocabulary, synonyms and idioms

Check your understanding

Choose an answer to see the evidence and an explanation for every option. These checks are not a proficiency score.

1. Why does the response acknowledge shelters?
All answers and explanations

Why does the response acknowledge shelters?

Answer: To compare the options fairly before stating a priority

Evidence: New shelters would certainly offer protection from rain and snow.

  • To reverse its choice: The conclusion still supports buses.
  • To compare the options fairly before stating a priority: It recognises weather protection while prioritising available journeys.
  • To prove shelters cost more: No cost figures are supplied.

Try a new situation

Choose between more weekend trains and improved station seating. Explain a priority without inventing usage or cost figures.

Use your own notes or voice recorder, then check your work:

  • Did you choose one option clearly?
  • Have you explained a benefit through a concrete situation?
  • Did you address the alternative fairly?
Apply this in free practice

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