Common CELPIP Speaking Topics to Practise
By David · Speaking · Published · 6 min read
CELPIP Speaking is built around everyday life in Canada: work, family, neighbours, money, health, travel and community. Nobody outside Paragon knows the actual questions on your test, and you should be wary of anyone who claims to. What you can do is practise the kinds of themes each task tends to draw on, so that no topic feels completely new. Below are themes worth practising for every task, with original CELPass practice prompts you can use today.
Why practise by theme
Practising by theme builds the vocabulary and ideas you need for a whole family of prompts. If you have already given advice about saving money, you have phrases for budgets, costs and priorities ready for any similar question.
- The themes below are common everyday situations, not a list of real or leaked test questions.
- Each task has its own shape. A theme like "moving house" could appear as advice in Task 1, a story in Task 2 or a dilemma in Task 6.
- Rotate themes so you do not over-prepare one topic and freeze on another.
Task 1 (Giving Advice): themes and prompts
Task 1 asks you to advise a friend or family member who faces a choice or a problem. Good themes to practise are work and career changes, studying, money, health, housing, moving to a new city, family responsibilities and getting used to life in Canada.
- Your cousin has just moved to Canada and is finding the first winter difficult. Give him some advice.
- Your friend wants to go back to school part-time while working full-time. Give her some advice.
- Your neighbour keeps spending more than he earns each month. Give him some advice on managing his money.
- Your sister is deciding whether to buy a used car or keep taking public transit. Give her some advice.
Task 2 (Personal Experience): themes and prompts
Task 2 asks for a past experience. Useful themes are learning a new skill, helping someone, a mistake you learned from, a surprise, a difficult decision, a trip, a memorable celebration and a time you changed your mind. Your story does not have to be true, so build a small bank of flexible stories you can adapt.
- Talk about a time you learned something new as an adult.
- Describe a time a stranger helped you.
- Talk about a decision you made that you later regretted, or were glad about.
- Describe a time you had to solve a problem quickly.
One prepared story can often answer several prompts. A story about getting lost on your first day at a new job could fit "a difficult day", "a time someone helped you" or "a time you learned something" with a different ending.
Tasks 3, 4 and 8 (pictures): scenes and objects
Tasks 3 and 4 use a busy everyday scene, and Task 8 uses something unusual. Practise describing places where many people do different things at once, and build vocabulary for shapes, sizes and materials.
| Scenes for Tasks 3 and 4 | Objects or situations for Task 8 |
|---|---|
| A park or beach on a summer day | A piece of furniture with an odd shape |
| A kitchen during a family dinner | A household tool used in a strange way |
| A street market or shopping mall | A vehicle or bicycle with an unusual design |
| An airport, bus station or train platform | A building or room decorated in a surprising way |
| A school, office or community centre event | Clothing or a gadget with an unexpected feature |
| A campsite, ski hill or skating rink | A garden or yard with something out of place |
To practise without an official picture, use any photo of a busy public place, or look around a café or bus and describe it quietly to yourself for 60 seconds. Then predict what will happen next for another 60 seconds.
Task 5 (Comparing and Persuading): choices to practise
Task 5 compares options that a family might choose between: places, products, services or activities, each with details such as price, distance and features. Practise comparing with numbers and saying why your option suits the family better.
- Two places for a family reunion: a rented hall downtown or a picnic shelter at a provincial park.
- Two ways to celebrate a parent's birthday: a restaurant dinner or a weekend trip.
- Two after-school activities for a child: swimming lessons or a coding club.
- Two apartments: a larger one in the suburbs or a smaller one near the subway.
For each, decide which option you would choose, then imagine a family member prefers a third option and persuade them in 60 seconds.
Task 6 (Difficult Situation): dilemmas to practise
Task 6 dilemmas usually involve a conflict between two people you care about, or between a promise and a new problem. Themes include work schedules, borrowed items, shared spaces with roommates or neighbours, family obligations and favours you cannot do.
- Your manager asks you to work this Saturday, but you promised to help your friend move. Speak to your manager or your friend.
- You borrowed a coworker's camera and it broke. Speak to the coworker, or speak to the repair shop to ask for a faster repair.
- Your roommate keeps inviting guests late at night before your early shifts. Speak to your roommate, or to the landlord.
- Two friends have their weddings on the same day. Speak to the friend whose wedding you will miss.
Task 7 (Expressing Opinions): issues to practise
Task 7 asks for your opinion on a community or social question. Themes worth practising are technology, work life, education, transport, the environment, health, public spending and city life.
- Should cities make public transit free for everyone?
- Should employers let staff work from home at least two days a week?
- Should high schools teach personal finance as a required course?
- Is it better to live in a small town or a big city?
- Should restaurants be required to show calories on their menus?
For each issue, prepare two reasons and one example on both sides. On test day you only need one side, but knowing both helps you answer the opposing view in a sentence.
How to turn a topic list into progress
- Pick one prompt per task each day, so that you cover all eight tasks in a day or two.
- Use the real timer: 30 or 60 seconds to prepare and 60 or 90 seconds to speak.
- Record every answer and listen back once. Note one thing to fix.
- Write down any word you wanted but did not have, and look it up afterwards.
- Answer the same prompt again the next day and check that the fix happened.
- Every week, add one new theme you have not practised yet.
If you want a score instead of guessing, the CELPass question bank has Speaking prompts for every task type, and each recorded answer is scored on the four CELPIP dimensions with an estimated CLB.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find out the actual CELPIP Speaking questions in advance?
No. Test questions are not published, and lists that claim to be real questions should not be trusted. Practise common everyday themes instead so that any prompt feels familiar.
Do I need to know a lot about a topic to score well?
No. CELPIP tests your English, not your knowledge. A clear, organised answer with everyday examples scores well even on a topic you know little about.
How many topics should I practise?
Enough to cover each task several times with different themes. Variety matters more than a large number: practise each theme properly, with a timer and a recording.
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.