Reading Strategies

Part 1: Reading Correspondence

Format

  • 11 questions in total with 10 minutes to complete the part.
  • You will read an email or letter exchange between two people, consisting of an original message and its reply.
  • The message may be a complaint, request, invitation, announcement, or other correspondence.
  • You will answer 6 sentence-stem questions about the original message using dropdown menus.
  • You will then fill in 5 blanks in the response message by choosing the best word from dropdown menus.
  • Example topics include job relocations, event planning, customer complaints, and travel arrangements.

Strategies

1
Read the original message carefully first
Understand who is writing, why, and what they want. The response only makes sense in the context of the original.
2
For sentence-stem questions, go back to the text
Don't answer from memory. Find the relevant sentence in the passage and verify your choice matches what's written.
3
For fill-in-blank questions, read the full sentence around the blank
Context before AND after the blank matters. The grammar and meaning of the surrounding words constrain which option fits.
4
Consider the relationship between writer and recipient
Is this formal or informal? A complaint or a friendly note? The tone affects which vocabulary choices are appropriate for the blanks.

Example

Part 1: Reading Correspondence
Read the following message.
From: David
To: Mom

Dear Mom,

I have some really big news to share, and I wanted you to hear it directly from me. After weeks of interviews and a lot of back-and-forth, I've officially accepted the Senior Project Manager position at Zenith Technologies in Vancouver! The role is exactly what I've been working toward, with the chance to lead a team of twelve and oversee some pretty exciting product launches.

I know Vancouver is a big move, and honestly, I'm a little nervous about leaving everything familiar behind. But the company is offering a generous relocation package, and I've already started researching neighborhoods. I'm hoping to find a place near Stanley Park so I can keep up my morning runs.

I'd love for you and Dad to come visit once I'm settled. I think you'd really enjoy the city.

Using the drop-down menu, choose the best option according to the information given in the message.
1.David's main reason for writing to his mother is to
How to apply the strategies
  • This question tests whether you identified David's primary purpose for writing.
  • The message opens with "I have some really big news" and focuses on describing his new job at Zenith Technologies. Being nervous and the housing search are secondary details.
  • Strategy 1 (Read the original message carefully): The opening sets the main purpose of the email.
  • Strategy 2 (Go back to the text): Re-reading the first paragraph confirms the answer.
Part 2
Reading to Apply a Diagram

Practice Reading Now

Apply these strategies with real CELPIP-style reading passages.

Start Practicing

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