CELPIP Tips: Speaking Task 1
Welcome to our 2nd series of CELPIP Speaking blog posts which will cover each speaking task one by one. Learn more about Speaking Task #1 below!
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The Speaking Task is computer-based, which means that candidates will see the questions and prompts on the computer screen in front of them, and their spoken answers will be recorded. Test-takers will have 20 minutes to complete all 8 tasks of the CELPIP Speaking Test. The test will begin with a practice question that is intended to be a warm-up and is not graded.
Each task provides time to prepare and time to record, therefore, time management is one of the most important factors to consider while preparing and during the test.
If candidates don’t finish a task within the specified time period, the screen will move to the next task, and there is no opportunity to go back. It’s important to try to answer all the questions as best as you can. Focus on grammar, including verb tenses, and try to give as many details and be as specific as possible with your answers.
The preparation time starts once the question appears on the screen. When you hear, “start speaking now,” the recording will start and you will start speaking until you hear, “time is up.”
Now let’s look at an example questions and answer for Task #1 which requires candidates to give advice. For this task, it is important to use modal verbs such as should, could, and would. Also, because this type of question is hypothetical and not a real situation from your personal life, think of yourself as an actor!
Start by summarizing the situation to show that you understand the question, and use lots of details, different vocabulary, and a variety of sentence structures. Direct your response to the imaginary person you’re talking to and consider the relationship. For example, is it a friend or a co-worker? Either way, give them a name!
Keep speaking until the time runs out. You can give multiple options while giving advice by creating “if” situations, talk about an example of a similar experience, and create a brief background story.
Task #1: Giving advice
Preparation time: 30 seconds
Recording time: 90 seconds
Question: Your brother is planning on renting his first apartment. Advise him about how he can find a suitable place to live in. You could talk about the location, size, and anything else that is important.
(*once you see the question, start mentally preparing your answer. Remember, you’ll have 30 seconds to prepare before speaking).
Answer: Hey Ravi! I still can’t believe that you’re going to move out. I’m really excited for you! This is a big step not only because you’re moving out of our family home, but also because you’ll be moving to the big city. I know that you’re unsure of what kind of place you should rent, so I’m here to help.
As you know, I also lived in Toronto for a few years after I graduated from university. The first apartment I rented was really old and the heat wasn’t working. I realized that I should have spent more time researching places before I handed over my deposit to the landlord.
You should make sure to actually look at the apartment carefully before you you agree to rent it. In my case, I saw the posting online with actually seeing or inspecting the apartment in person. I could also ask one of my old co-workers who lives in Toronto to do the inspection with you because he has a lot of experience in that department.
I highly recommended using apartment listings page on your school’s student centre website. The school has to approve these postings so they’re likely to be more legitimate and reliable.
Another important thing to consider is the location. Would you prefer to live downtown or in a quieter neighbourhood? Living downtown would be more convenient and fun with all the entertainment within walking distance. On the other hand, the rent would be higher and the apartment would be smaller.
You would also need enough room to store all your bikes, so you could consider renting a basement suite or an apartment with a storage locker. The neighbourhood I used to live in had affordable rent and the bedrooms in the apartments were spacious.
Have you decided if you want a roommate yet? I completely understand that it’s a hard decision to make because there are pros and cons to both. If you decide to live with roommates, you should not sign a lease and should find a place you can rent month-to-month. That way, you’re not stuck if it doesn’t work out.
Also, make sure that you also have a copy of the contract that you sign and you should do a walk-through with the landlord before you sign it. If you notice any damage, even small scratches on the wall, make sure to point it out so you don’t get blamed for it later. And double check that the furnace actually works because winter in Toronto is freezing!