CELPIP Speaking Samples
Table of Contents
Advice
Personal Experience
Describe a Picture
Predict What Might Happen
Persuade Someone about Something
Awkward Situation
Opinion
Describe an Unusual Situation
Speaking Topics
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Advice
Topic
Advise your friend about the best recreation centre in town.
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 1
Hi Mike, I hear you’re looking for a recreation center so that you can resume your
fitness campaign after your move. Thinking back to all those workouts we used to do, I
suspect that facilities for swimming, exercising, and eating are still as critical to you as
they are to me.
We have two pools in town, and both are part of city-run leisure centers. One’s in the
North, the other is in the South and, because they’re run by the city, there’s no price
difference.
The one in the North is probably the best, so I suggest that you try that one first. It’s
clean, nicely equipped, and well maintained with a great place to eat overlooking the
pool. The southern center tends to be less well-maintained with dirty changing rooms,
broken equipment, and cooler water.
I don’t know much about the private fitness centers as they don’t offer swimming, but
you should definitely check out the northern center.
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Personal Experience
Topic
Describe something that has been handed down through your family from generation
to generation. Why is it important to you?
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 2
My family has a couple of heirlooms. One is a silver coffee pot, the other is my great
grandfather’s piano. As the oldest child, I will inherit both of them since traditionally,
in my family, heirlooms are passed down to the oldest child.
The piano brings back many memories of my grandfather, who, like his father, loved
to play. Whenever the family gathered, grandad could be counted on to sit down at
the piano and play family favorites. For example, he always accompanied us when we
sang ‘Happy Birthday’. At Christmas, he would play all the Christmas carols, and we
would sing along merrily. Occasionally, we even danced.
So, I guess the main reason that the piano matters to me is that it brings back so many
happy memories of my childhood, family gatherings, and a lovely man.
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Describe a Picture
Topic
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 3
This is a scene of an outdoor kitchen in what must be a rural village in a hot country. It’s
a very calm scene because no-one seems to be stressed or angry.
In the middle of the picture, an older woman is grinding grain between two stones. She
has positioned herself on a small upturned basket in front of a large stone, placed the
grain on it, and has started rolling a cylindrically shaped stone to and fro over the grain
to crush it.
Behind the woman there is a young boy, wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt, who
seems to have been distracted by something outside the picture and is watching this
unknown action with great interest.
To the woman’s left, there is a young girl dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. She’s standing
with her hands on her hips watching with great interest as the older woman grinds the
grain.
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Predict What Might Happen
Topic
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 4
I suspect that a couple of things are about to happen in this picture.
During the next hour, I think that the older woman will finish grinding the grain,
carry it over to a cooking area outside the picture, and start cooking supper.
The young boy will probably move closer to the captivating action that hasn’t been
included in the picture. He will probably stay and watch, or participate, until the
action comes to an end.
And the young girl may help the older woman gather up the grain and move it to
the cooking area. As they work, they’ll talk to each other a little, but it will probably
mostly be the older woman who speaks and issues instructions.
By the end of the day, I think the people will have eaten the meal, and the
preparation areas will have been cleaned and restored to order ready for
tomorrow.
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Persuade Someone about Something
Topic
Your partner wants your opinion regarding a guitar he/she’s considering as a gift
for his/her eight-year-old nephew. Persuade your partner that your choice is
best.
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 5
Hi Mike, is now a good time to talk about your nephew’s birthday present? Do you
really think that the guitar you have chosen is the best alternative for Sam, after
all, he is only eight.
I think a lighter acoustic guitar with nylon strings would be much more suitable
than the heavier electric guitar with steel strings that you have
chosen. Steel strings can really hurt your fingertips, and it can take a long time to
get used to them.
Acoustic guitars are also generally not as expensive as electric guitars, and this
one that I have found is less than half of what your choice would cost.
I really think you should take a serious look at my choice because your nephew
wouldn’t have to buy any additional equipment, and my choice is fundamentally
more suitable for a little kid.
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Awkward Situation
Topic
One of your friends has started wearing a strong fragrance that your roommate
finds offensive.
Choose One
Talk to your friend about his/her fragrance choice.
Or
Talk to your roommate about possible solutions.
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 6
Hi Janet, I need to talk to you about this new perfume you’re wearing because it’s
causing me problems with my roommate, Jack.
So, apparently, Jack has been having trouble with your fragrances for a while, but last
night, after you left, he came and talked to me because he was having an especially bad
reaction that was affecting his breathing.
He described how his normal reaction leaves him having to open the window for several
hours, even though he keeps his door closed and stuffs a towel under it to stop the smell
penetrating into his room.
Anyway, it would really help if you didn’t wear quite as much perfume when you come to
see me and maybe abstain from wearing the one you wore last night altogether.
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Opinion
Topic
Do you think governments should spend more on homeless people and relieving
their issues than on space exploration?
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 7
In most of the western world today, a certain level of homelessness is inevitable
regardless of how much of their budget governments allocate to it. I’m far from
convinced that the problem is a financial one, and so I would not want to see any
of the money that governments spend on space exploration diverted to deal with
homelessness issues.
A great deal of progress has come out of the efforts made to explore space. These
include many of our technological advances, much of our knowledge, and a great
deal of our current access to global communication channels. Being able to fly
across the world in a matter of hours, call home to let your loved ones know you’ve
arrived safely, and read up on your destination’s history online, is all part of that
progress.
The speed of society’s advances would be severely hampered if money was
diverted from space exploration to homelessness. Not only would
progress be slowed, but it’s unlikely that the diversion would solve the bulk of
homelessness problems.
So, I think governments should continue with their current funding priorities.
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Describe an Unusual Situation
Topic
You have been asked to check the lost and found at work for a red jacket that
one of your customers left behind.
Call your customer and provide her with a full and clear description of the three
jackets you have found. Ask her if any of them sound like hers. Make
arrangements to reunite her with her jacket.
CELPIP Speaking Sample Answer
Task 8
Hi, I understand you forgot your red coat when you were visiting our offices the
other day. It’s getting pretty cold out, so I’m sure you’d like to have it back. I have
three red coats here in the lost and found. Let me describe them to you, and then
you can tell me if any of them sound like yours.
The first one is quite a warm one because it’s made from a heavy material. It’s a
medium length coat with a zip from the bottom to the top. It has a hood and a fur
trim as well as pockets.
The second one is more of a light-weight, short, leather jacket. It also has a zipper,
but it doesn’t have any type of hood or even pockets.
The third one, a medium-length coat, is the most formal of the three because it has
a collar, six black buttons and pockets, but it doesn’t seem particularly warm.
Hi, I understand you forgot your red coat when you were visiting our offices the
other day. It’s getting pretty cold out, so I’m sure you’d like to have it back. I have
three red coats here in the lost and found. Let me describe them to you, and then
you can tell me if any of them sound like yours.
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