Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram

What happens in Part 2

• You complete gaps in an email using information from the diagram.
• Then you answer questions that combine information from both texts.

Tips for a higher score

• Read the person's needs in the email carefully: the right answer must satisfy every condition.
• Check prices, days and limits in the diagram before you choose.

Common mistakes

• Picking the option that fits one condition but breaks another.

Step-by-step strategy for Part 2

1. Scan the diagram's layout. Take about 1 minute to see how the diagram is organised: columns, rows, labels, prices, times and any footnotes or asterisks. Footnotes often hold the condition that decides an answer.
   • *
   • excluding
   • extra
   • per person
   • available only
   • closed on
2. List the writer's conditions from the email. Spend about 2 minutes reading the email and noting every need or limit, such as a budget, a day, an age or an accessibility need. Write them as a short checklist.
   • must
   • can't
   • no more than
   • at least
   • would prefer
   • as long as
3. Fill the email gaps one condition at a time. Allow about 3 minutes. For each gap, test every option against all the conditions on your list, not just the first one that fits.
   • unless
   • except
   • only if
   • otherwise
   • instead
4. Eliminate near-misses. Cross out options that meet most conditions but break one: the right price on the wrong day, or the right time but over the limit. This is where most points are lost in this part.
5. Answer the combined questions and check the clock. Use the last 2 to 3 minutes for the questions that combine both texts, then make sure no answer is blank. There is no penalty for a guess.

Part 2 vocabulary and signal words

Part 2 sample tests (57 free practice tests)

Each test has the full text, every question and the answer key. Choose your answers and check them on the page.

• Aquatic Recreation Options
• Artisan Market Vendor Options
• Athletic Field Timetable
• Aviation Hub Design
• Canine Recreation Zones
• City Bus Route Information
• City Transit Pass Options
• Citywide Emergency Shelter Locations
• Community Arts Center Programs and Schedule
• Community Enrichment Programs
• Community Fitness Class Schedule
• Community Recycling Drop-Off Site Locations

All 57 Part 2 sample tests · Full-length Reading practice tests (all parts, 38 questions)

Practice ideas for Part 2

1. A community centre's fall program table with class names, ages, days, times and fees, and an email from a parent choosing classes for two children with different schedules. Gaps pick the class; questions combine age and price limits.
2. A moving company's price list with truck sizes, hourly rates and extra fees for stairs and weekends, and an email from someone planning a Saturday move on a budget. Questions test which fee applies.
3. A floor plan of an office with rooms, capacities and equipment, and an email booking a room for a training session with a projector and 14 people. Gaps choose the room; one option fits everything except capacity.
4. A public transit timetable with weekday and holiday service, and an email from a visitor who must reach the airport before a set time. Questions test footnotes about holiday changes.
5. A comparison chart of three phone plans with data, minutes, contract length and fees, and an email from a student who travels often and wants no contract. Gaps choose the plan; questions ask why the others don't fit.

Reading Part 2 questions, answered

More CELPIP Reading

• Part 1: Reading Correspondence
• Part 3: Reading for Information (next)
• Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints