CELPE-BRAS Task 1 (Tarefa 1): What Examiners Want

What Is Tarefa 1 in the Written Exam

Task 1 is one of four integrated writing tasks in the CELPE-BRAS written exam. You have approximately 45 minutes to complete it, though time management across all four tasks is up to you within the 3-hour exam window. The task presents a trigger — usually an audio recording or video clip — along with written instructions specifying what you must produce and for whom.

What makes Task 1 distinctive is that it almost always begins with a listening component. You hear the audio or watch the video twice, with a brief pause between the two playings. During this time, you take notes on key information, arguments, facts, and data. Then, using both the trigger content and the written instructions, you compose a text in the specified genre. Your text must demonstrate that you understood the trigger, addressed the task requirements, and wrote in the correct format.

Typical Trigger Types

Task 1 triggers come in several formats, and understanding each type helps you prepare your note-taking strategy:

• Audio recordings: The most common trigger for Task 1. These are typically excerpts from radio programs, interviews, news reports, or podcasts about a current issue in Brazilian society. You listen twice and must extract the main arguments, supporting details, and any data or examples mentioned.
• Video clips: Short video segments from TV news, documentaries, or public service announcements. These add visual information to the audio, so pay attention to both what is said and what is shown. Graphs, images, or text overlays in the video may contain important information not mentioned in the narration.
• Combined triggers: Occasionally, Task 1 may include both an audio/video trigger and a supplementary written text (such as a newspaper article or infographic). In these cases, you must integrate information from multiple sources into your response.

What Examiners Evaluate

CELPE-BRAS evaluators assess your Task 1 response against four main criteria, each carrying significant weight:

• Communicative adequacy (adequacao comunicativa): Did you actually do what the task asked? If the instruction says to write a letter to the mayor arguing against a proposed policy, you must write a letter, address the mayor, and present arguments against the policy. This is the single most important criterion — failing to address the task requirement can drop your score to the lowest level regardless of your Portuguese quality.
• Genre format (configuracao do genero): Does your text look and function like the genre requested? A formal letter needs proper greeting, structured paragraphs, and formal closing. An article needs a headline and journalistic structure. An email needs appropriate register for the specified recipient. Evaluators check whether you followed the genre conventions.
• Textual cohesion and coherence (coesao e coerencia): Are your ideas logically connected? Do you use transition words and phrases? Does each paragraph flow naturally into the next? Evaluators look for a unified text where ideas build on each other rather than a collection of disconnected sentences.
• Linguistic resources (recursos linguisticos): This covers grammar accuracy, vocabulary range, spelling, and punctuation. Evaluators assess whether your Portuguese is accurate enough to communicate effectively and whether you demonstrate vocabulary appropriate to the topic and register.

Common Task 1 Genres

While any genre can appear on Task 1, certain genres are more frequently associated with this position in the exam:

• Carta formal (formal letter): Writing to an authority figure — a mayor, director, or editor — is one of the most common Task 1 assignments. You must use formal register, proper greeting and closing formulas, and a clear statement of purpose.
• Artigo de opiniao (opinion article): You take a position on the topic presented in the trigger and defend it with arguments. This requires a clear thesis, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion that reinforces your viewpoint.
• Email profissional (professional email): Writing to a colleague, supervisor, or institution about a topic related to the trigger. The register depends on the recipient specified in the instructions.
• Carta aberta (open letter): Addressed to a specific person or group but intended for public reading. Used to raise awareness or advocate for a cause related to the trigger content.
• Proposta (proposal): Presenting a solution or plan of action based on the problem or situation described in the trigger. Requires concrete, actionable suggestions.

Step-by-Step Approach to Answering Task 1

Follow this structured approach to maximize your score on Task 1:

• First listening — get the big picture: During the first playing of the audio or video, focus on understanding the main topic, the speaker's position, and the key arguments. Do not try to write everything down. Listen for the central message and the overall structure of the content.
• Second listening — capture details: Now that you understand the general content, use the second playing to note specific facts, names, statistics, and examples. These details will strengthen your written response and demonstrate thorough comprehension to the evaluators.
• Read the instructions carefully: After the trigger, read the written instructions twice. Identify exactly what you must do (the action), who you are writing to (the audience), and what genre you must use (the format). Underline the key verbs — argue, propose, inform, summarize — as these define your task.
• Plan before writing: Spend 3-5 minutes outlining your response. Decide on your opening, the main points you will address, and your conclusion. Identify which information from the trigger supports each point. Planning prevents disorganized writing and helps you stay within the genre conventions.
• Write and review: Compose your text following the genre structure. Use the first paragraph to establish purpose and context, the body to develop your arguments or information, and the closing to summarize or call to action. Leave 3-5 minutes to review for grammar errors, missing genre elements, and coherence.

Time Management for Task 1

You have 3 hours for four tasks, and the audio/video trigger for Task 1 is played at a fixed time at the beginning of the exam. This means Task 1 has a somewhat forced timeline — you cannot come back to listen to the trigger again later. You must work with your notes.

Aim to complete Task 1 within 40 minutes after the trigger finishes. Spend 5 minutes on note-taking during the listening, 3-5 minutes planning, 25-30 minutes writing, and 3-5 minutes reviewing. If Task 1 takes longer than 45 minutes, you risk running out of time for later tasks, which typically hurts your overall score more than a slightly imperfect Task 1 response.

Practice Makes the Difference

Task 1 rewards preparation. The more you practice listening to Brazilian media, taking notes, and writing in Portuguese genres under timed conditions, the more automatic these skills become. On exam day, you want your note-taking and genre knowledge to be second nature so you can focus on communicating effectively. Start practicing today — every timed writing exercise brings you closer to the score you want.

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