CELPIP Speaking Task 6 often makes test-takers nervous because it asks you to respond to a challenging or uncomfortable situation—something that requires calm thinking, clear communication, and problem-solving skills. The good news? With the right approach, you can turn Task 6 into one of your strongest answers. In this post, you’ll learn simple strategies, common mistakes, and get practice material to help you perform confidently on test day.

🔍 What Task 6 Is All About

Task 6 evaluates how well you can:

Handle conflict professionally
Respond politely under pressure
Offer realistic steps to fix a problem
Communicate feelings calmly
Show mature and solution-focused thinking

You're judged on clarity, organization, tone, vocabulary, and coherence.

💡 Top Tips for Task 6

1️⃣ Acknowledge the Problem Calmly

Start by showing you understand the situation. Use calm, neutral wording like:

“I would try to stay calm…”
“I understand this might be a misunderstanding…”

2️⃣ Show Empathy

CELPIP rewards emotional intelligence.
Try:

“I realize they might be stressed or busy…”
“I’d try to understand their point of view…”

3️⃣ Provide Clear, Logical Steps

Describe exactly what you would do.
For example:

“First, I would talk to them privately…”
“Next, I would explain how the situation affects me…”
“Finally, I’d suggest a solution…”

4️⃣ Keep Your Tone Polite and Respectful

Avoid blaming.
Use phrases like:

“I would politely ask…”
“I’d explain my concerns without sounding rude…”

5️⃣ End With a Positive Outcome

Finish strong:

“In the end, I believe we could resolve this peacefully…”
“I’m confident we could prevent this problem in the future…”

🔥 Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Showing anger or frustration
❌ Blaming the other person
❌ Forgetting to explain why you’re doing something
❌ Giving unrealistic or dramatic solutions
❌ Speaking too generally (“I would talk to them”) without details

📝 Practice Question: Try It Yourself

Situation:
Your coworker keeps interrupting you during team meetings, making it hard for you to share your ideas. How would you handle this situation?

Take 60 seconds to think, then record your answer as if it’s the real test.

🎤 Sample Answer (Approx. Score: 10/12)

“First, I would try to stay calm and understand that my coworker may not even realize they are interrupting me. Instead of reacting emotionally, I would ask to speak with them privately after the meeting. I’d politely mention that I’ve noticed they often speak over me, and I’d explain that it makes it difficult for me to contribute fully.

I would share my feelings in a respectful way and let them know that I value teamwork and open discussions. Then I might suggest a small change, like taking turns speaking or giving everyone a chance before moving to the next topic.

If the behaviour continued, I might bring it up with the team lead in a constructive way—not to complain, but to find a better communication strategy for the group. Overall, my goal would be to improve our teamwork and keep a positive working relationship.”

📚 Practice Tasks You Can Do Daily

✔ 1. One-minute challenges

Pick a difficult scenario (late friend, noisy neighbour, lost item). Speak for 60 seconds.

✔ 2. Conflict vocabulary practice

Learn phrases like “I appreciate your understanding,” “I’d prefer…,” “Would it be possible if…”

✔ 3. Tone practice

Record yourself and listen. Do you sound calm? Polite? Organized?

✔ 4. Outline quickly

Before answering, think:
Problem → Feelings → Steps → Outcome

✨ Final Thoughts

CELPIP Speaking Task 6 isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being calm, organized, respectful, and solution-focused. With consistent practice and a clear structure, you can deliver strong answers every time.

CELPIP Speaking Task 6: Dealing With a Difficult Situation