CELPIP Speaking Practice Course: Tasks 1–2: Advice and personal experience

1. Question 1 of 15

   What do you do in Task 1, Giving Advice?

   • AGive your opinion on a city issue
   • BDescribe a picture to a friend
   • CHelp someone decide or prepare for something
   • DTell a story about something that happened in your own past
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   Answer: C. Help someone decide or prepare for something

   Task 1 asks you to give advice to someone who needs help making a decision or getting ready for something.

2. Question 2 of 15

   How long do you speak in Task 1?

   • A30 seconds
   • B60 seconds
   • C2 minutes
   • D90 seconds
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   Answer: D. 90 seconds

   Task 1 gives 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak.

3. Question 3 of 15

   How many suggestions should you aim for in Task 1?

   • ATwo suggestions with no reasons
   • BA long list with no explanations
   • CAt least three, each with a reason or example
   • DJust one suggestion, explained very slowly and carefully
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   Answer: C. At least three, each with a reason or example

   Strong Task 1 answers give at least three suggestions and support each one with a practical example or reason.

4. Question 4 of 15

   In Task 1, who should you speak to?

   • AThe rater, describing the person as "he" or "she"
   • BYourself, as if thinking aloud
   • CA large audience at a meeting
   • DThe person who needs the advice, using "you"
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   Answer: D. The person who needs the advice, using "you"

   Speak directly to the person, as if they were in front of you. Talking about them instead of to them does not fit the task.

5. Question 5 of 15

   Which phrase is the best way to introduce your first suggestion in Task 1?

   • A"In the background, there is…"
   • B"If I were you, I would…"
   • C"I'm afraid I have to…"
   • D"Last summer, I went…"
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   Answer: B. "If I were you, I would…"

   "If I were you, I would…" signals advice. The other phrases fit picture, story and difficult-situation tasks.

6. Question 6 of 15

   Which phrase best signals the last suggestion in a Task 1 answer?

   • A"One final thing is…"
   • B"It happened two years ago…"
   • C"In the foreground…"
   • D"First of all…"
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   Answer: A. "One final thing is…"

   "One final thing is…" tells the listener that your last idea is coming.

7. Question 7 of 15

   What tone fits Task 1?

   • AStrict and firm
   • BHelpful and thoughtful
   • CJoking, sarcastic and casual
   • DFormal and distant
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   Answer: B. Helpful and thoughtful

   Advice should sound helpful and thoughtful. A firm tone fits Task 6, where you explain a difficult decision.

8. Question 8 of 15

   Which verb forms should you mainly use in Task 2, Talking about a Personal Experience?

   • APast tenses
   • BOnly "should" and "could"
   • CFuture forms like "will"
   • DOnly the present continuous
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   Answer: A. Past tenses

   Task 2 is a story about something that already happened, so you tell it mainly in past tenses.

9. Question 9 of 15

   In Task 2, you can't remember a real experience that fits the question. What can you do?

   • ADescribe a picture instead
   • BMake up a story that fits the question
   • CGive advice to the listener instead
   • DStay silent until the timer ends, then move to the next task
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   Answer: B. Make up a story that fits the question

   The official study pack says you may make up a story if you can't remember a real one.

10. Question 10 of 15

    What are the preparation and speaking times for Task 2?

    • A30 seconds to prepare, 60 seconds to speak
    • B60 seconds to prepare, 90 seconds to speak
    • C30 seconds to prepare, 90 seconds to speak
    • D60 seconds to prepare, 60 seconds to speak
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    Answer: A. 30 seconds to prepare, 60 seconds to speak

    Task 2 gives 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

11. Question 11 of 15

    What makes a Task 2 story more interesting to listen to?

    • AMany short events with no details
    • BSpeaking as fast as possible
    • CDetails and feelings the listener can share
    • DTelling it in the future tense
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    Answer: C. Details and feelings the listener can share

    Descriptive details and feelings bring a story to life, so the listener can feel what you felt.

12. Question 12 of 15

    Which sentence best moves a Task 2 story forward in time?

    • A"If I were you, I'd take the train."
    • B"In general, trains are usually much faster than city buses."
    • C"Once we got to the station, the train had already left."
    • D"In the background, I can see a train."
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    Answer: C. "Once we got to the station, the train had already left."

    Time words like "once" and "then" move a story forward. The other sentences give advice, a general fact or a picture description.

13. Question 13 of 15

    Read the transcript. What is the biggest problem with the content of this response?

    Task 1 prompt: Your friend Omar wants to buy his first car, but he doesn't know where to start. Give him advice.

    Response (transcript): "Um, Omar should buy a car. Cars are, um, useful. He should buy a used car because it is cheap. Yeah, a used car is cheap. So, um, he should buy a used car. That's all."

    • AIt is too long for the time allowed
    • BIt gives only one suggestion and keeps repeating it
    • CIt gives too many different suggestions for the time allowed
    • DIt is told mostly in the past tense
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    Answer: B. It gives only one suggestion and keeps repeating it

    Task 1 needs at least three suggestions with reasons or examples. This speaker repeats one idea (buy a used car) several times.

14. Question 14 of 15

    Read the transcript. Which change would best improve the tone of this response?

    Task 1 prompt: Your friend Omar wants to buy his first car, but he doesn't know where to start. Give him advice.

    Response (transcript): "Um, Omar should buy a car. Cars are, um, useful. He should buy a used car because it is cheap. Yeah, a used car is cheap. So, um, he should buy a used car. That's all."

    • AAdd more pauses so it sounds careful
    • BStart with a story about your own first car
    • CDescribe Omar to the raters more formally
    • DSpeak directly to Omar, using "you"
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    Answer: D. Speak directly to Omar, using "you"

    The speaker talks about Omar ("Omar should…") instead of to him. Task 1 should be spoken directly to the person.

15. Question 15 of 15

    Read the transcript. Which change would most improve this story?

    Task 2 prompt: Talk about a time when you moved to a new home.

    Response (transcript): "Three years ago, I moved into a new apartment in Winnipeg. First, I rented a truck. Then my friends helped me carry the boxes. After that, we put the sofa in the living room and the bed in the bedroom. Then we ordered pizza."

    • AAdd how the speaker felt and how the move ended
    • BList more pieces of furniture
    • CBegin the story by giving the listener some advice about moving
    • DChange it into the present tense
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    Answer: A. Add how the speaker felt and how the move ended

    The story has a clear time and order of events, but no feelings and no real ending or lesson. Adding these makes it complete and engaging.

Keyboard: 1–4 to answer, Enter for the next question.