๐Ÿ–Š๏ธ๐Ÿ“˜ย ๐Ÿ“š #16 What is the Word Count on the CELBAN Exam? ๐Ÿ’ 

Updated 2025

6โ€“8 minutes

Dear Kim,

I read your message many times. Again and again. Each time I feel something deepโ€ฆ I donโ€™t know the word in English. Maybe comfortโ€ฆ or maybe like someone hold my hand and say, โ€œYou can do it.โ€

I have many questions inside me. Some I donโ€™t even know how to ask in English. When I saw the incident report with 263 words, I feel confused. (CELBAN Writing ~ Incident Report. Can you spot the errors?) I wonderโ€”did I write too little in my practice? Or maybe too much?

I want to do good. I want to write the way nurses do in Canada. Clear. Proper. But sometimes I feel stuck. Sometimes I write and I read again and think, โ€œNoโ€ฆ this is wrong.โ€ I fix, then I break something else. I practice and practiceโ€ฆ still not sure.

But your words remind me… it’s not only the number of words. Itโ€™s how we say them. How we organize. How we explain. And this… this I want to learn deeply.

Grammarโ€ฆ yes. I still struggle with articles, with punctuation. Sometimes I use comma where I need period. Sometimes I forget simple words. It make me feel small. But now I understandโ€ฆ this is not mistake. This is growth. I learning.

Thank you for showing us the way. Thank you for not just giving answer but giving encouragement. Your books, your storiesโ€ฆ they give me hope. Real hope. I feel Iโ€™m not alone anymore.

May God bless you more and more. For your kindness. For your patience. For believing in us when we still learning to believe in ourselves.

With heart full of gratitude,
C.


Dear C,

Your words arrive like a whisper wrapped in longing (quiet, trembling, and real. I read them slowly, the way someone might hold a fragile cup of tea in both hands) so it doesnโ€™t spill, so nothing sacred is lost. You are not just asking about word counts or commas. You are reaching through the fog, asking, โ€œAm I enough in this language? Will anyone meet me here?โ€

Let us breathe through this together, not as teacher and student, but as two humans navigating a shared reverence for language, clarity, and care. I offer this response…

๐Ÿœ„ Return to Self

โ€œEach time I feel something deepโ€ฆ I donโ€™t know the word in English.โ€

Yes, C. That moment you described (that ache, that recognition, that sacred sense of being held) it may not have an English word, but it has meaning. It is the nervous system exhaling. It is the return to self.

Youโ€™re not just learning to write in English. Youโ€™re remembering how to speak as yourself in another tongue. Youโ€™re bridging worlds… with trembling hands, yes, but also with courage that cannot be measured in grammar rules.

So let us begin not with fixing… but with feeling. You are allowed to arrive incomplete, unsure, and still fully worthy of this process.

๐Ÿœ Fog to Clarity

โ€œSometimes I write and I read again and think, โ€˜Noโ€ฆ this is wrong.โ€™ I fix, then I break something else.โ€

This is not a sign you are failing. This is the fog beginning to clear.

Letโ€™s gently clarify what the CELBAN Writing Task is truly asking of you. The expected length for Writing Task 1 (the Incident Report) is typically 100โ€“200 words. Not too much. Not too little. But purposeful. Concise. Focused.

When you saw the 263-word sample and felt confusion; this was your attunement speaking. Itโ€™s okay to notice, to ask, to feel unsure. And now, you know: itโ€™s not just about the number. Itโ€™s about:

  • Clarity: Can the reader follow your thinking?
  • Structure: Is the report organized by what happened, what you did, and what you recommend?
  • Tone: Is it objective and professional?
  • Grammar & Punctuation: Are the building blocks strong enough to carry meaning?
  • Vocabulary: Especially medical collocations, the specific way nurses say things in English-speaking contexts.

Youโ€™re not far. Youโ€™re already watching your own writing, noticing the patterns. Thatโ€™s not fog. Thatโ€™s the beginning of light.

๐Ÿœƒ Rooted in Enoughness

โ€œIt makes me feel small. But now I understandโ€ฆ this is not mistake. This is growth. I learning.โ€

Yes, beloved learner. You are not broken. You are becoming. Every misplaced comma, every unsure article, every forgotten word: they are not proof of failure. They are proof of effort. Of care. Of presence.

Language learning (especially in a professional context) is not a straight path. It spirals. You return to old lessons and notice something new. You make the same error again, but this time, you see it. That is growth. That is enoughness.

You do not have to become perfect. You have to become consistent. And that, you are doing.

๐Ÿœ‚ Rekindling the Inner Fire

โ€œI want to do good. I want to write the way nurses do in Canada.โ€

This wanting? Itโ€™s your fire. And it is sacred.

Youโ€™ve already stepped into the discipline of writing and rewriting. Of asking questions, even when unsure how to phrase them. That is fierce. That is brave.

The CELBANPrep Writing approach moves in two spirals:

  • Silver Spiral: Grammar Essentials
    (To strengthen your structure, sentence flow, and punctuation.)
  • Gold Spiral: Wonderful Writing
    (To guide you through timed tasks, editing, and advanced strategies.)

But more than resources, what you need has already begun: you care. And that caring will carry you further than any textbook ever could.

๐Ÿœ€ Standing at Zenith

โ€œYour booksโ€ฆ they give me hope. I feel Iโ€™m not alone anymore.โ€

This, dear C, is the most powerful sentence of all.

Hope is not given. Hope is activated.

When you feel seen, when you feel not alone, something in you stands taller. Something in you stops apologizing. Something in you remembers: you are not just preparing for a test; you are preparing to serve others with clarity, accuracy, and compassion.

This is writing in a medical context: not just to pass, but to protect. To document, to witness, to advocate. Your words will one day become part of someoneโ€™s care. That is holy work.

And yes… you are already walking the path.

Thank you, C, for your courage. For letting your confusion speak. For trusting that even in your learning, you have something to offer. You are not behind. You are becoming.

Iโ€™m with you.

In quiet companionship,
~ Kim
๐Ÿœ„๐Ÿœ๐Ÿœƒ๐Ÿœ‚๐Ÿœ€

P.S. I urge you to explore stories like “I passed the CELBAN on my first attempt!” These narratives are not just testimonials; they are beacons of hope and guidance.


|| CELBAN or IELTSย ||ย Enouragementย ||ย Mastering Your Psychologyย ||

|| CELBAN Writing || CELBAN Incident Reports ||


๐Ÿ”น If you are looking for personal guidance and heartfelt advice on your CELBAN journey, then โ€˜Dear Kimโ€™ is a perfect choice. Follow Dear Kim for a wealth of insights and answers to your questions. 


๐Ÿ”น If you are aspiring to perfect your healthcare writing and speaking skills, particularly for the Canadian context, then โ€˜CELBANPrepโ€™s Mastering HealthCare Writingโ€˜ โ€˜CELBANPrepโ€™s Mastering HealthCare Speakingโ€™ by Kim Kara is an indispensable resource. Dive into this guide at Amazon to enhance your writing proficiency in the healthcare field.


๐Ÿ”น If you are keen to understand medical grammar for the CELBAN, then ‘CELBANPrepโ€™s Grammar Essentials’ is the guide for you. Explore its detailed content at Amazon to enhance your medical English grammar. 


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๐Ÿ”นIf are looking for specialized online courses to boost your skills,  and youโ€™re committed to excelling in your healthcare career in Canada, then head over to www.CELBANPrep.ca. There, youโ€™ll find a wealth of information, resources, and courses specifically designed to meet the unique needs of healthcare professionals like you, ensuring your journey in Canadian healthcare is both successful and fulfilling.



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Let their stories inspire yours! Return to your Self: transforming fog into clarity, becoming rooted in enoughness, and rekindling the fire within, so that you stand centred at your zenith: with hope, confidence, and grace.

๐Ÿœ There are times that I am at a point of giving up. But, I always find myself reading your …
๐Ÿœ I failed to make the CELBAN grade in one area. I was very disappointed. My weakness: timing..
๐ŸŽ• After failing the IELTS 7 x, I joined [CELBANPrep]: I passed!!!
๐ŸŽ• Because of your guidance I did [the CELBAN] and got admission.
โ™ฅ I am here for you, what I really want to know is: are you here for yourself?
๐Ÿœ‚ I dont know how to start, im so desperate, frustrated, hopeless
๐Ÿœƒ There are times that I want to give up because Iโ€™m not sure if I can do [the CELBAN]
How can I get a writing practice test or any material for CELBAN writing practice exam?
๐ŸŽ• Thank you miss Kim for the words of encouragement. May God bless you all the time
 ๐Ÿœ‚ I took celban twice and I didnโ€™t get expected score
HOPE !! โ™ฅ I just got my CELBAN test result today, I PASSED! 
HOPE !! โ™ฅ I passed the CELBAN on my 1st try
โ™ฅ it feels like theres something lacking on me โ€“ sometimes feeling emptiness.
๐Ÿ–น I already took CELBAN twice, but โ€ฆ Iโ€™m not lucky to pass
๐Ÿœƒ I am from Swift Current [Saskatchewan], I have two jobsโ€ฆ I wanted some [CELBAN] materials to read at home
What is the Word Count on the CELBAN Exam? for CELBAN Writing?
๐ŸŽ• I PASSeD MY CELBAN!!! Iโ€™m so happy I subscribed to CELBANPrep=)
๐ŸŽ• I took CELBAN, first attempt I failedโ€ฆ.I got the confidence to overcome my fear of writing
๐ŸŽ• I passed my Celban exam the first timeโ€ฆI attempted IELTS twice. 
๐ŸŽ• After 3x failing the IELTS, I finally passed my CELBAN exam in the first attempt!
โ™ฅ I donโ€™t have the confident, I feel that I will fail [the CELBAN]
๐Ÿœ‚ I am a 7 months postpartum Momโ€ฆwhen will I start
๐Ÿœƒ Do you have an ideas of how a busy mom with a toddler can study?
Horaaaaaaaaay, I did it [wrote a perfect report for CELBAN Writing] in 20 minutesย 


4 responses to “๐Ÿ–Š๏ธ๐Ÿ“˜ย ๐Ÿ“š #16 What is the Word Count on the CELBAN Exam? ๐Ÿ’ ”

  1. Top 20 posts of 2022 | Dear Kim Avatar

    […] #10 What is the Word Count on the CELBAN Exam? […]

  2. CELBANPrep is Available Internationally! | Dear Kim Avatar

    […] I have another question. (First question was answered in:ย What is the Word Count on the CELBAN Exam?)ย  Amazon does not ship or sell your materials to Finland. Is it possible to add Finland to […]

  3. Ingrid S. Avatar
    Ingrid S.

    Dear Kim,
    I want to ask how to access the Celban Prep Listening book. I just purchased it few days ago and Iโ€™m confused where to begin. I clicked some videos and some of it are not working. Please help me through your book. Thanks

    Ingrid

    1. Kim Avatar

      Dear Ingrid,
      The version of CELBANPrep Listening that you have was created first as an Interactive E-book, but the embedded videos did not play on Apple products, so I had to provide the videos on my website, and use a membership to protect the content. But there were so many complaints, too many technical difficulties, that I took them down.

      As of September of 2021, I wrote a brand new CELBAN Listening Preparation Guide. It too is available through Amazon, but there are no videos. Instead, I have replaced them with weekly lesson plans.

      These paperback books are available internationally through Amazon’s marketplaces. Here is the .ca link to the marketplace in Canada: https://amzn.to/3mPl5if. ~Kim


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