CELPIP Tips: Speaking Task 2
Task 2 of the Speaking Test requires candidates to talk about a personal experience. Learn more about the structure of the question and useful tips on how to create a detailed and comprehensive response.
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Last week, we looked at an overview of the Speaking Test with a focus on Task 1. While Task 1 is hypothetical in nature, meaning you have to create a response to an imaginary situation, Task 2 asks candidates to recall a past experience from their memory and speak about it for one minute.
We will look at a sample question and answer for Task 2, but first, here is some information on how the questions are structured. The question can generally be divided into 3 parts.
The first part usually says: “Talk about…” This first sentence provides the topic of the prompt.
The second part usually provides some examples and says, “You could talk about…” These examples are meant to trigger memories which will help you visualize details from a past experience which you will then talk about. This part will help you narrow down your topic to a specific experience or incident that happened in the past which means you will primarily be speaking in past tense. Remember it says, “You could talk about…,” meaning that you may talk about a different experience, but these are just some options.
Finally, the third part tells you exactly which aspects you should talk about. Be aware of the command verbs that are used, such as describe and explain as well as interrogative pronouns like what, when, and who.
Task 2 has a preparation time of 30 seconds and a recording time of 60 seconds. Once again, time management is crucial, and because Task 2 asks candidates to speak about a personal experience, you may have a lot of say, so remember to stick to the topic, be specific and give details, and most importantly answer all of the points asked in the questions.
Task 2: Talking about a vacation
Preparation: 30 seconds
Recording 60 seconds
Talk about a memorable travel experience that you had. You could talk about a family trip, a holiday, a tour, or a business trip. Describe where you went, what you saw, who you went with, and mention why it was so memorable.
“When I was university student, one of my friends and I went on a 3-week backpacking trip in Europe. A few months before our trip, we met up to plan it out. She really wanted to see Italy and I’ve always wanted to go to London because I’m a big Harry Potter fan, so we made sure to include both of those destinations in our itinerary.
We decided to fly into London because there is a direct flight from Vancouver. After staying in London for a few days, we took the train to Paris. London and Paris are both amazing cities because there are a lot of art galleries, museums, and historical sites, but my favourite part was going to a variety of restaurants and trying the local food. I especially loved the fresh croissants in the Parisienne cafes!
Next, we took a short flight to Rome and it was amazing! We saw the Colosseum and the Sistine Chapel and it felt like I was transported to the past. We also went to Milan, Pisa, Florence, and Sicily, but my favourite city was Venice with all the canals and historical buildings. Fortunately, the weather was perfect and even though it was summer, it wasn’t too hot. It was even better than the photos I had seen. That shows that you have to see it to believe it!
This trip was memorable because it was the first time I travelled independently apart from my family. I learned a lot about how to book flights and hotels and this trip inspired me to take some Italian language classes when I went back to university in the fall. It was also a great bonding experience for me and my friend who is still one of my best friends ten years later.”