CELPIP Speaking Tasks 1 to 8: What Each Task Tests and How to Score Higher

The Format: 8 Tasks, One Recording Session

The CELPIP Speaking section contains 8 tasks delivered entirely by computer. You record your response into a microphone — there is no live examiner. Each task gives you a preparation window (30–60 seconds) followed by a response window (60–90 seconds). Your response is recorded once with no retakes. Scoring uses four criteria across all tasks: Coherence, Vocabulary, Listenability, and Pronunciation. The weighting is equal — neglecting any one criterion costs you points across all 8 tasks.

Tasks 1–2: Giving Advice

Task 1 asks you to give advice in an informal context — to a friend, family member, or colleague. Task 2 presents the same structure but in a formal relationship: an employee, a business contact, or a client. Most candidates give vague advice ("I think you should consider..."). High-scoring responses give specific, actionable recommendations with at least two supporting reasons.

• Structure: recommendation → reason 1 → reason 2 → brief closing statement
• Task 1 register: natural, warm, direct ("Here is what I would do...")
• Task 2 register: professional, measured, clear ("I would recommend that you...")
• Avoid: hedging ("It depends..."), over-qualifying, or failing to take a clear position

Tasks 3–4: Describing a Personal Experience

Tasks 3 and 4 ask you to describe a personal experience or a familiar situation. These tend to produce strong Vocabulary scores but weak Coherence scores — because candidates narrate a timeline of events without a clear point. Examiners score Coherence on whether your response has a clear development and resolution, not just a sequence of events.

• Opening: set the scene in one sentence ("A few years ago, I had to...")
• Development: describe the key moment or challenge specifically — avoid vague references
• Vocabulary: use cause-and-effect connectors ("As a result...", "This led to...", "Consequently...")
• Closing: end with a reflection or insight ("Looking back, I realize that...")

Replace filler transitions like "and then... and then..." with connectors that show logical progression. This single change can raise your Coherence score by a full CLB level.

Task 5: Comparing and Persuading

Task 5 presents two options and asks you to argue in favour of one. This is the highest-difficulty task for most candidates because it requires building a persuasive argument under time pressure rather than describing a situation. The most common mistake: trying to be balanced. Hesitation and hedging ("both options have their advantages...") immediately lowers your Coherence score.

• State your preference clearly in the first sentence — do not build up to it
• Give one strong reason with a concrete example rather than two weak reasons without support
• Briefly acknowledge the alternative and then explain why your choice is stronger
• Close with a forward-looking statement ("For these reasons, Option A is clearly the better choice for...")

Tasks 6–7: Handling a Difficult Situation

Tasks 6 and 7 simulate real communication challenges: responding to a complaint, making a difficult request, or navigating an uncomfortable conversation. You see a scenario and must respond to an imagined listener. These tasks test whether your language sounds natural under social pressure. What examiners listen for:

• Appropriate tone — empathetic for complaints, assertive for setting boundaries
• Direct language — reach the point without over-apologizing or under-explaining
• Practical resolution — state clearly what will happen next, not just acknowledgment of the problem
• Vocabulary range — avoid repeating the same phrases ("I understand... I understand...")

Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation

Task 8 presents an unusual image or hypothetical scenario and asks you to describe or speculate about what is happening. This is the only task that explicitly rewards imaginative vocabulary and the natural use of modal verbs. High-scoring structure: Scene description → Possible explanation → Speculation → Personal reaction. Example: "This image appears to show a city street completely covered in sand. This could suggest a recent sandstorm or some kind of unusual environmental event. The expressions on people's faces seem surprised but calm, which makes me think this occurred recently. Personally, I would find this both alarming and fascinating..." The key is sustained speculation — keep developing possibilities rather than stopping after one or two sentences.

Preparation Habits That Work Across All 8 Tasks

These habits separate CLB 9 responses from CLB 7 responses regardless of the task type:

• Always use the full preparation window — even 30 seconds is enough to plan your opening and closing sentences
• Never open with "Um" or "So" — start with a content word or direct statement
• Vary your sentence openings — three consecutive sentences starting with "I" signals a limited range to the examiner
• Speak at 90% of your natural speed — clarity matters more than pace, and nerves cause most people to rush
• Record yourself doing all 8 tasks once per week and listen back — patterns you cannot hear in real time become obvious on playback