CELPIP General — Speaking

All four tests deliver their speaking section on a computer with a microphone, strict per-task timing and no human examiner in the room; responses are scored by automated systems, with human raters also involved for TOEFL, Duolingo and CELPIP. PTE Academic's speaking tasks are read aloud, repeat sentence, describe image, retell lecture and answer short question, with Pearson adding respond to a situation and summarise group discussion to the speaking and writing section in 2025; each item is scored on content, oral fluency and pronunciation and the section reports on the 10 to 90 scale. TOEFL iBT speaking has long run four tasks in about sixteen minutes, one independent opinion task and three integrated tasks built on a campus conversation or an academic lecture, scored 0 to 30; ETS has announced a redesigned, shorter TOEFL for 2026, so candidates should check the current task list on the ETS site. The Duolingo English Test is adaptive and mixes read aloud, listen then speak, speak about the photo and a longer speaking sample into a roughly one-hour test scored 10 to 160. CELPIP General speaking has eight tasks in fifteen to twenty minutes, from giving advice to describing an unusual situation, and reports levels 1 to 12. The ExamPilot mock compresses this into twelve minutes with one examiner who runs a mic check, three or four timed tasks of the task type you choose, then two or three independent prompts in your test's style, and scores you on pronunciation, oral fluency, content and accuracy, and vocabulary and grammar.

1. 1

   Giving advice

   Task 1, giving advice: your cousin has a job offer in another Canadian province but is anxious about leaving his parents behind. What would you tell him?

   What a strong answer covers

   Speak directly to your friend, acknowledge their concern, give a clear recommendation with two reasons, and add a practical tip or caution, filling about ninety seconds. Use advice language like I think you should and if I were you. Avoid giving a vague answer that does not commit to a recommendation.

2. 2

   Personal experience

   Task 2, personal experience: talk about a time when you received unexpected help from a stranger.

   What a strong answer covers

   Tell an organised story in past tense: when and where, what happened, how the stranger helped and how you felt, ending with a reflection. Fill the time with relevant detail. Avoid jumping between events or running out of content.

3. 3

   Describing a scene

   Task 3, describing a scene: you see a picture of a busy park in summer with children playing, a family picnic and a man walking his dog. Describe it to someone who cannot see it.

   What a strong answer covers

   Describe systematically, from left to right or foreground to background, so the listener can picture it: the children playing, the family picnic, the man with the dog, plus details like weather and colours. Use prepositions of place and the present continuous accurately. Avoid a disorganised list or describing only one part of the picture.

4. 4

   Making predictions

   Task 4, making predictions: looking at the same park scene, what do you think will happen next?

   What a strong answer covers

   Make two or three logical predictions using future forms such as is going to and will probably, linked to details in the picture. Avoid repeating the scene description.

5. 5

   Comparing and persuading

   Task 5, comparing and persuading: your parents are deciding between two second-hand cars, a fuel-efficient hatchback and a larger SUV. Convince them to pick the one you prefer.

   What a strong answer covers

   Compare the two cars on the factors your family cares about, such as price, fuel cost, space, safety and reliability, then make a persuasive case for your choice with comparatives and a direct appeal like I really think we should. Acknowledge the other car's strength briefly. Avoid describing only one option or sounding undecided.

6. 6

   Difficult situation

   Task 6, difficult situation: you promised to help your neighbour move on Saturday, but your manager asks you to work that day. Choose one person and explain your decision.

   What a strong answer covers

   Choose one person, address them directly, explain the conflict honestly and tactfully, apologise where appropriate and offer a fair alternative, such as helping your neighbour on Sunday or finding a friend to help. Show diplomacy and keep a natural tone. Avoid being rude, vague, or not making a clear choice.

7. 7

   Expressing opinions

   Task 7, expressing opinions: should cities offer free public transport? Give your opinion and reasons.

   What a strong answer covers

   State your opinion clearly at the start, give two reasons with examples, such as reduced traffic and support for low-income residents, or the tax burden, acknowledge the other side briefly and conclude. Keep it organised with linking words. Avoid sitting on the fence or repeating the same reason in different words.

8. 8

   Unusual situation

   Task 8, unusual situation: you see an unusual object in a shop and want to describe it to a friend over the phone. Describe it so they can understand.

   What a strong answer covers

   Describe the object so your friend can picture it: shape, size compared with familiar things, colour, material, any moving parts and what it seems to be for, then ask whether they want you to buy it. Use precise vocabulary and comparisons like about the size of a phone. Avoid vague words like thing or stuff.

9. 9

   Personal experience

   Task 2, personal experience: describe a time you had to learn something new quickly for work or study.

   What a strong answer covers

   Tell an organised story in past tense: the situation, what you had to learn and why it was urgent, how you learned it, and the result, ending with what you would do the same or differently. Fill the time with relevant, specific details. Avoid general statements about being a fast learner with no actual event.

• English