CELPIP Speaking Score Comparison: The Same Answer at CLB 5, 7, 9 and 11
By David · Speaking · Published · 9 min read
It is hard to improve a Speaking score when you cannot hear what the next level sounds like. This post takes one Task 1 (Giving Advice) prompt and answers it four times, at what we estimate to be CLB 5, 7, 9 and 11, and explains what changes on each of the four rating dimensions. These are original CELPass examples written for practice. They are not official CELPIP material, and the CLB levels are our estimates, not official scores.
The prompt
Prompt (original CELPass example): Your coworker Daniel is thinking about moving from his downtown apartment to a house in a suburb about an hour away. The rent would be much cheaper, but his commute would be a lot longer. Give Daniel some advice. Preparation: 30 seconds. Speaking: 90 seconds.
Task 1 rewards advice that fits the person and the problem. Daniel's problem has two sides, cost and time, so a strong answer deals with both. Ninety seconds at a calm pace is roughly 160 to 210 words, which you can use to check how much of the time each sample fills.
Raters score CELPIP Speaking on four dimensions: Content/Coherence (your ideas and how they are organised), Vocabulary (the range and precision of your words), Listenability (how easy you are to follow: grammar, rhythm, pronunciation and fluency) and Task Fulfillment (whether you answered the task, for the right listener, in the time). The notes after each sample follow those four dimensions.
CLB 5: understandable, but thin and hard to follow
Original CELPass sample (estimated CLB 5, not an official score). In speech, the pauses and fillers are part of the problem, so they are written in:
"Hi Daniel. Um, I think... you want to move to suburb. Is good idea because the rent is cheap. Cheap rent is very good, you can save money.
Um... but the bus is long, one hour. One hour is long time. Uh, you can, you can listen music in the bus. Also the house is big, you have more space.
And, um... downtown is expensive, very expensive. So I think you move. Yes. Um... that's it. Good luck, Daniel."
- Content/Coherence: one idea (rent is cheap) repeated several times. The commute is mentioned, but the answer does not connect the two sides or weigh them, so the advice ("you move") comes without a reason that fits Daniel.
- Vocabulary: a small set of everyday words, repeated ("cheap", "long", "expensive"). There is no word for commute, savings or space beyond the most basic.
- Listenability: missing articles and verbs ("move to suburb", "Is good idea", "listen music"), restarts and long filled pauses. A listener can follow the gist, but has to work for it.
- Task Fulfillment: it does give advice to Daniel, but the answer stops well short of a minute and leaves much of the 90 seconds unused.
CLB 7: clear and organised, but general
Original CELPass sample (estimated CLB 7, not an official score):
"Hi Daniel. I heard you are thinking about moving to the suburbs. I think it can be a good idea, but you should think about some things first.
First, the rent. In the suburbs the rent is much cheaper, so you can save a lot of money every month. You can use this money for your family or for a vacation.
Second, the commute. One hour each way is a long time, and in winter the roads can be really bad. So maybe you can ask your manager if you can work from home one or two days in a week. That will make the commute more easy.
Also, you can visit the area on a weekend before you decide, to see if you like it. So, I think moving is good if you can work from home sometimes. Good luck with your decision."
- Content/Coherence: a clear plan (First, Second, Also, So) that covers both sides of the problem. The ideas stay general, though: "save a lot of money" and "the roads can be really bad" are not developed into anything specific to Daniel.
- Vocabulary: adequate and mostly accurate ("commute", "each way", "work from home"), but plain, and words such as "good" and "think" are used several times.
- Listenability: easy to follow, with small slips that do not block meaning ("two days in a week", "more easy"). Sentences are short and similar in shape.
- Task Fulfillment: on task and addressed to Daniel, with a conclusion. It runs a little over a minute, so there is room left that could have gone into one more developed point.
CLB 9: specific, natural and well timed
Original CELPass sample (estimated CLB 9, not an official score):
"Hey Daniel, I know rent downtown has gone up a lot, so I completely understand why you're thinking about the suburbs. Before you sign anything, though, I'd look at three things.
First, do the real math. The rent will be lower, but you'll probably need a car or a monthly transit pass, plus gas and parking. Add those up and see how much you actually save.
Second, try the commute before you commit. Drive or take the train from that neighbourhood at rush hour one morning. An hour on paper can easily turn into an hour and a half in January.
And third, talk to your manager about working from home a couple of days a week. If you only commute three days, the longer trip becomes much more manageable.
So, check the full cost, test the commute, and ask about hybrid work. If it still makes sense after that, I think the extra space could be really good for you."
- Content/Coherence: three pieces of advice, each with a reason and a concrete action (add up the costs, test the commute at rush hour, ask about hybrid work), then a summary that repeats them in a few words.
- Vocabulary: precise everyday phrases ("do the real math", "before you commit", "on paper", "much more manageable") instead of general words such as "good" and "bad".
- Listenability: natural contractions and varied sentence length. Short sentences such as "Add those up" are easy to say, and easy to follow, at a steady pace.
- Task Fulfillment: speaks directly to Daniel, answers both the money and the time side of his problem, and fills most of the 90 seconds without rushing.
Notice that the jump from CLB 7 to CLB 9 is not mainly about harder words. It comes from development: every point gets a specific example or action that fits Daniel's situation.
CLB 11: tailored, nuanced and persuasive
Original CELPass sample (estimated CLB 11, not an official score):
"Daniel, I've been thinking about what you said at lunch, and honestly, I'd weigh it up carefully before you give notice on your apartment, because there's more to it than the rent.
The first thing I'd do is put together a realistic monthly budget. The rent difference looks huge, but once you factor in a car payment, insurance and winter tires, the savings might shrink to a few hundred dollars. If it's still worth it after that, great, but at least you'll know.
Then I'd think about what two hours a day on the road would actually mean for you. You're the one who's always at the climbing gym after work, and I suspect that's the first thing that would go. So do a trial run: spend a weekend out there and make the commute on a weekday morning, just to see how it feels.
Finally, if you do go ahead, try to negotiate a hybrid schedule before you move rather than after, while you still have some leverage.
Bottom line: if the numbers work and you can cut the commute to three days a week, it could be a great move. If not, a smaller place closer to the office might serve you better."
- Content/Coherence: the advice is built around Daniel himself (his climbing gym, the conversation at lunch), weighs the trade-off honestly and ends with a conditional recommendation: when to move and when not to.
- Vocabulary: idiomatic and exact ("weigh it up", "give notice", "factor in", "leverage", "serve you better"), used naturally rather than to show off.
- Listenability: long and short sentences mixed with full control, and the tone of a real conversation between coworkers. Nothing makes the listener work to follow it.
- Task Fulfillment: completely on task, anticipates a problem Daniel has not mentioned (losing his evenings) and uses the whole 90 seconds.
What changes from CLB 5 to CLB 11, at a glance
| Dimension | CLB 5 | CLB 7 | CLB 9 | CLB 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content/Coherence | One idea, repeated | Clear points, general reasons | Each point developed with a specific action | Advice built around the person, with trade-offs |
| Vocabulary | Basic and repetitive | Adequate but plain | Precise everyday phrases | Idiomatic and exact |
| Listenability | Frequent errors and long pauses | Small errors, simple sentences | Natural rhythm, varied sentences | Fully controlled, conversational |
| Task Fulfillment | Advice given, much of the time unused | On task, ends early | Both sides of the problem, most of the time used | Anticipates needs, full time used |
Two patterns stand out. First, length follows development: the higher answers are longer because each point is explained, not because the speaker talks faster. Second, accuracy matters most at the lower levels. Once your grammar stops getting in the way, the next levels come mostly from specific, tailored content.
How to move your own answer up one level
- Record yourself answering the prompt above with a real timer: 30 seconds to prepare, 90 seconds to speak.
- Play it back and compare it with the four samples. Which one does it sound closest to on each dimension?
- Pick the one change that separates you from the next sample. From CLB 5, it is usually filling the time with two clear points. From CLB 7, it is adding a specific example or action to each point. From CLB 9, it is tailoring the advice to the person and weighing the trade-off.
- Answer the same prompt again with only that change in mind, and listen for the difference.
Do not memorise any of these samples. A memorised answer rarely fits the prompt you get on test day, and raters notice rehearsed speech. Copy the moves, not the words.
CELPass scores each recorded Speaking answer on the four dimensions with an estimated CLB, so you can check which level your own answer sits at. The free plan includes three AI-scored Speaking or Writing answers, and the free diagnostic predicts your CLB in each section in about 25 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Are these official CELPIP sample answers?
No. They are original CELPass examples, and the CLB levels are our estimates of how each answer would likely be rated. Only Paragon's raters give official CELPIP scores.
Why is there no CLB 6, 8 or 10 sample?
Showing every second level makes the differences easier to hear. A real answer often sits between two samples, for example closer to the CLB 9 sample in content but closer to the CLB 7 sample in vocabulary.
Do I need a perfect accent to reach CLB 9 or above?
No. Listenability is about how easy you are to follow, not about sounding like a native speaker. Clear words, steady pacing and controlled grammar matter far more than accent.
Does speaking longer always mean a higher score?
No. Length helps only when it comes from developing your ideas. Repeating the same point, as in the CLB 5 sample, adds time but not level.
Keep reading
CELPass is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises. CELPIP is a trademark of Paragon Testing Enterprises. Check the official CELPIP website and IRCC for current test rules and requirements.