CELPIP Speaking Tasks 1-8: Complete Templates, Tips, Do's and Don'ts!

CELPIP Speaking Tasks 1–8

The video presents templates and practical strategies for all eight CELPIP Speaking tasks. Its recurring advice is to organize answers clearly, choose a few strong points rather than trying to cover everything, use varied vocabulary and connectors, and adjust your tone to the person or situation. The templates are flexible frameworks, not scripts to recite mechanically.

Task 1: Giving Advice to a Friend

• Example prompt: A friend wants to learn English with a tutor and asks for advice.
• Use a friendly tone and a natural greeting.
• Focus on two or three useful suggestions, explaining each one rather than briefly listing many.
• Suggested structure:
  1. Greet the friend.
  2. Refer to the situation.
  3. Offer advice using signposts such as “first,” “also,” and “finally.”
  4. End with a simple closing, such as “Let me know your thoughts.”
• Timing: 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak. Pace yourself and pause naturally.

Task 2: Describing a Past Experience

• Example prompt: Describe a time you dealt with someone with a harsh personality, including what you did and how you handled the situation.
• Keep your response focused on about three main points, since speaking time is limited.
• Use descriptive adjectives to explain your feelings and the experience.
• Connect ideas with varied transitions rather than relying on repetitive filler words such as “and.”
• Suggested structure: Introduce the topic, describe the event and your response, then briefly summarize what you thought of the experience.
• Timing: 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Task 3: Describing an Image

• Identify three or four main features instead of trying to describe every detail.
• Describe what people are doing, their apparent feelings or expressions, and important features of the setting.
• Organize details spatially, using references such as the foreground, background, left, right, or center.
• Vary sentence structures by mixing active and passive phrasing, such as describing what people are doing and what “can be seen” or “can be observed.”
• Begin with a brief overall impression and finish with a concluding observation.

Task 4: Predicting What Will Happen Next

• Use the same image as in Task 3, but predict likely events rather than simply describing what is visible.
• Focus on what may happen in the next few minutes, not on distant possibilities.
• Use cautious language such as “might,” “could,” “may,” or “most likely.”
• Explain the basis for each prediction by connecting it to something already happening in the scene.
• Conclude by summarizing the most likely outcomes based on the visible evidence.

Task 5: Comparing Options and Persuading Someone

• Example: A friend is choosing between activities. The test format described includes 60 seconds to choose an option without speaking, followed by preparation and speaking time.
• Compare both options. Acknowledge the merits of the option you do not prefer, as well as the advantages of your preferred choice.
• Use contrast words such as “however” and “nevertheless.”
• Suggested structure:
  1. Greet the person and briefly say you considered their option.
  2. Mention one or two advantages of that option.
  3. Explain why you prefer the alternative.
  4. Close by asking what they think.
• Response timing: 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Task 6: Responding to a Situation and Recommending an Option

• Example: A teenager is considering a summer job or internship.
• Choose one option and explain why it is better, while acknowledging the other person’s preferences.
• Depending on the prompt, you may need to apologize, make a recommendation, or do both.
• If the preferred plan cannot happen, offer a practical alternative.
• Use a sincere, measured tone, especially when apologizing or discussing a sensitive situation.
• Suggested structure: Greet the person, acknowledge what they want, explain your recommendation or apology, and offer an alternative if appropriate.
• Timing: 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Task 7: Giving an Opinion in a Debate

• Example prompt: Should gyms serve only one gender at each location?
• State your position clearly and support it with two or three reasons.
• Add examples where possible to make your argument more convincing.
• Address the opposing position and explain why you disagree, using contrast and forceful language where appropriate.
• Speak with conviction rather than sounding as though you are reading a list.
• Finish by restating your main position.
• Timing: 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak.

Task 8: Describing a Situation or Experience

• This task can vary substantially. The example involves describing a camping scene, but another prompt may ask you to leave a message, make a call, or request information.
• Match your tone to the audience and purpose, whether formal or informal.
• Describe the scene clearly using spatial expressions such as “towards the left,” “closer to the right,” or “moving towards the center.”
• As with image description, vary sentence structures and use both active and passive phrasing.
• Include any additional requirements in the prompt, such as explaining your experience, asking about a campsite, or enquiring about its cost.
• End in a way that suits the task, such as with a conclusion or a request for a reply.

Other Points

The presenter promotes free CELPIP resources and speaking feedback, and advertises a paid, self-paced course. These are promotional claims made in the video, not test-taking instructions.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• One unnamed presenter or narrator speaking on behalf of HZad Education / Coaching Central.
• The friends, teenager, and other people mentioned are hypothetical characters in sample prompts; no other actual speakers are featured.