CELPIP Speaking: Complete Guide to All 8 Tasks

Overview of CELPIP Speaking

The CELPIP Speaking component consists of 8 tasks completed entirely on a computer using a headset microphone. There is no human interlocutor. Each task has a fixed preparation time and response time. You cannot go back to a previous task or record again.

Total speaking time is approximately 15–20 minutes of active recording, with prep time included.

Your responses are evaluated on five criteria:

• Task Achievement — Did you respond to what was asked?
• Vocabulary Range — Variety and accuracy of your word choices
• Grammar Accuracy — Sentence structure and correctness
• Coherence — Logical flow and organisation
• Fluency — Smoothness, pacing, and naturalness of delivery

Task 1 — Giving Advice

Prep time: 30 seconds | Response time: 90 seconds

What it asks: You are shown an image of a person in a situation (e.g., someone who has locked their keys in their car) and asked to give them advice.

Strategy:

• Address the person directly ("I'd suggest that you…")
• Offer 2–3 distinct pieces of advice — not one long explanation of one idea
• Acknowledge their feelings briefly to demonstrate social awareness: "I understand this must be stressful…"
• Use modal verbs for advice: should, could, might want to, I'd recommend

Common mistake: Spending all 90 seconds explaining one piece of advice in detail instead of covering multiple approaches.

Task 2 — Talking About a Personal Experience

Prep time: 30 seconds | Response time: 60 seconds

What it asks: You are asked to describe a personal experience related to a theme (e.g., a time you helped someone, a memorable celebration).

Strategy:

• Open with a scene-setting sentence: "A few years ago, I had an experience that…"
• Describe what happened using past tense consistently
• Include sensory detail — what you saw, heard, or felt — to increase vocabulary range scores
• Conclude with a brief reflection: "Looking back, I realise that…"

60 seconds is short. Do not ramble. Identify one experience, describe it in 3–4 sentences, and close with a reflection.

Task 3 — Describing a Scene

Prep time: 30 seconds | Response time: 60 seconds

What it asks: You are shown an image of a scene (often a public place with multiple people doing different things) and asked to describe it.

Strategy:

• Start with the overall setting: "The image shows a busy farmers' market on what appears to be a sunny afternoon."
• Then systematically describe foreground, middle, and background
• Comment on relationships and inferred actions: "In the foreground, a woman appears to be choosing vegetables while speaking to a vendor."
• Avoid listing: "There is a man. There is a table. There is a child." — use connected sentences instead

Vocabulary tip: Prepositions of place are critical here — in the foreground, to the left of, behind, adjacent to, in the distance.

Task 4 — Making Predictions

Prep time: 30 seconds | Response time: 60 seconds

What it asks: You are shown an image and asked what you think will happen next, or what the people in the image are likely to do.

Strategy:

• Frame predictions with appropriate hedging language: "It looks as though…", "I think it is likely that…", "Based on the image, I would expect…"
• Make 2–3 distinct predictions
• Explain your reasoning briefly for each: "The woman appears to be preparing to leave because she has her coat on and is looking toward the door."

Mistake to avoid: Stating predictions as certainties ("She will leave"). Examiners reward hedged, reasoned predictions over flat assertions.

Task 5 — Comparing Two Images

Prep time: 30 seconds | Response time: 60–90 seconds

What it asks: You are shown two images and asked to compare them — usually in terms of their advantages and disadvantages or similarities and differences.

Strategy:

• Use compare-contrast language explicitly: "While the first image shows…, the second depicts…"
• Cover both images approximately equally — don't spend 80% on one
• Address the comparison prompt directly. If asked "Which situation would you prefer?", answer it clearly and give a reason
• Transition between images: "In contrast to the first scene, the second image…"

Task 6 — Dealing With a Difficult Situation

Prep time: 60 seconds | Response time: 60–90 seconds

What it asks: You are given a scenario (e.g., a neighbour is playing music too loud at 11 p.m.) and asked what you would say to resolve it.

Strategy:

• Treat this like a real conversation: speak to the imaginary person directly
• Be polite but assertive — this models real communication competence
• Structure your response: opening (acknowledge the issue) → request → consequence if needed → closing (positive note)
• Avoid being aggressive or dismissive, which would harm Task Achievement

Model structure:

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you this late. I wanted to mention that the music has been quite loud and it's making it difficult for me to sleep. Would it be possible to turn it down a little? I'd really appreciate it. Thanks so much for understanding."

Task 7 — Expressing Opinions

Prep time: 30 seconds | Response time: 90 seconds

What it asks: You are given a statement on a social or civic topic and asked to express and defend your opinion.

Strategy:

• State your position clearly in the first sentence
• Give two reasons with brief elaboration each
• Acknowledge the opposing view briefly, then dismiss it
• Conclude by restating your position

This is the spoken equivalent of Task 2 writing. The same structural principles apply — commit to a position and support it with specifics.

Task 8 — Describing an Unusual Situation

Prep time: 30 seconds | Response time: 60 seconds

What it asks: You are shown an image of an unusual or unexpected situation and asked to describe and interpret it.

Strategy:

• Describe what you see objectively first: "The image shows a flooded street with cars partially submerged."
• Then speculate about cause and consequence: "This appears to be the result of heavy rainfall combined with inadequate drainage."
• Use speculative language: "It seems as though…", "This might be caused by…", "One possible explanation is…"
• Comment on what actions might be happening or needed

Fluency: What Examiners Actually Notice

Fluency does not mean speaking without pauses. It means speaking smoothly and naturally, with pauses in logical places. Examiners are trained to distinguish:

Fluency markers that help scores:

• Natural hesitation fillers used sparingly: "Well…", "Let me think…", "So…"
• Smooth sentence rhythm with rising-falling intonation
• Completing sentences before pausing

Fluency markers that hurt scores:

• Frequent repetition of the same word mid-sentence while searching for vocabulary
• Very long pauses at the start of the response
• Choppy, fragmented sentences: "I think… the man… he is walking… to the store."
• Restarting the same sentence multiple times

The best preparation for fluency is speaking practice — not silent vocabulary study. Record yourself. Listen back. Notice where your speech breaks down.

How to Use Your Preparation Time

Every task gives you preparation time. Use it systematically:

1. Read the prompt carefully — identify exactly what type of task it is (describe, advise, compare, predict, etc.)
2. Choose your 2–3 main points — do not plan more than three
3. Pick one or two vocabulary words you want to use
4. Plan your opening sentence — knowing how you will start reduces hesitation at the beginning

Do not write full sentences in preparation time. You will not be able to read them naturally. Jot keywords only.

Scoring Breakdown by Task Weight

All 8 speaking tasks contribute to your final band score, but they are not weighted equally. Tasks that give you more response time (90 seconds) carry more data for raters to evaluate than short 60-second tasks.

This means:

• Tasks 1, 7, and 8 (90-second responses) have the most impact on your score
• Tasks 2, 3, 4, and 5 (60-second responses) are important but shorter
• Task 6 (60–90 seconds, situational) is highly evaluated for Task Achievement specifically

Prioritise your practice on the longer tasks. A strong performance on Task 7 (Expressing Opinions) and Task 1 (Giving Advice) has more leverage on your final band than a strong Task 2 or Task 3.

Common Mistakes Across All 8 Tasks

Not addressing the specific task type: Every task type requires a different response mode. Describing a scene and predicting what will happen next are different cognitive tasks. Treating every task as "just talk about this picture" misses the task-specific requirements.

Running out of content early: 60 or 90 seconds is longer than it feels. Candidates who plan only one main point often finish in 30–40 seconds and then stumble or repeat themselves. Always plan 2–3 points.

Ignoring the image: For Tasks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 8, an image is shown. Responses that do not reference the image's specific details miss half the available content. Look at the image, describe what you see, and build your response from it.

Starting with a long silence: The first 5–10 seconds of a response create an impression. Starting confidently — even with a simple orienting statement like "In this image, I can see…" — sets a better fluency tone than a long hesitant pause.

The Fastest Way to Improve: Task-by-Task Practice

Rather than doing full 8-task simulations repeatedly, focused single-task practice accelerates improvement faster:

Week 1: Master your two strongest tasks. These are your confidence anchors. Week 2: Target your two weakest tasks. Record 3–4 attempts at each in a single session. Week 3: Do full 8-task simulations under timed conditions. Week 4: Review simulations and patch any remaining weak points.

The logic: improving a task you already do well gets harder as you approach ceiling performance. Improving a task you do poorly has more room for rapid growth.