CELPIP Speaking Task 1: Giving Advice

CELPIP Speaking Task 1 Sample Answer: Tips for a Better Night's Rest

This prompt asks you to help a cousin who has been sleeping badly for a month and now relies on coffee to get through the day. The tricky part is noticing that the coffee is part of the problem and building a complete routine instead of offering a single quick fix.

Preparation

30 seconds

Speaking

90 seconds

Listener

Someone you know well

The question

Your cousin Daniela, who lives in Victoria, has been lying awake for hours most nights for the past month. She feels exhausted at work, and she has started drinking several cups of coffee a day to stay awake. She has asked for your advice. Advise Daniela on how she can sleep better at night.

How to plan your answer

What they want

Advise your cousin Daniela, who lies awake for hours, feels exhausted at work and now drinks lots of coffee, on how to sleep better.

Plan (90 sec)

Open: "Daniela, a month of bad sleep is really hard; let's fix it step by step."
Coffee: none after noon; it stays in your body for hours.
Schedule: same bedtime and wake-up time, even on weekends.
Wind down: no screens an hour before bed; a warm shower, reading.
Bedroom: cool, dark, quiet; blackout curtains, earplugs.
Can't sleep? Get up after 20 minutes, read in dim light, go back when sleepy.
Doctor: if it lasts, see a doctor.
Close: check in with her next week.

Useful vocabulary

insomnia, caffeine, bedtime routine, wind down
blackout curtains, relax, exhausted, sleep schedule

Phrases

"One thing that might be making it worse is..."
"Try to avoid..."
"If it doesn't get better,..."

Avoid

Only one tip; give a full routine.
Forgetting the coffee, which is part of the problem.

Excellent answer (transcript): around CLB 11–12

Daniela, I'm so sorry. A whole month of lying awake must be exhausting, and I can see why you're reaching for coffee. The trouble is, the coffee might be part of the cycle. Caffeine can stay in your system for six hours or more, so that afternoon cup could be what's keeping you up. Try stopping at noon for a week and see what happens. I'd also keep the same schedule every day, weekends included. It sounds boring, but your body really does start to feel sleepy at the right time. Give yourself an hour to wind down before bed. Put the phone in another room, dim the lights, maybe have a warm shower and read something light. Make the bedroom cool and dark, too. Blackout curtains made a huge difference for me. And if you're lying there wide awake, don't fight it. Get up, read on the couch for a bit and go back when you're drowsy. If it's still bad in a few weeks, please see your doctor. I'll check in with you on Sunday.

177 words

Why it scores high

Content/Coherence: Calling the coffee "part of the cycle" connects Daniela's two problems and explains why the first tip matters most.
Vocabulary: Natural phrases like "reaching for coffee," "wind down," "don't fight it" and "drowsy" sound fluent and caring.
Task Fulfillment: Practical details like "Try stopping at noon for a week" and the promise to check in on Sunday make the advice specific and supportive.

Good answer (transcript): around CLB 7–8

Hey Daniela, I'm really sorry, a month of bad sleep sounds awful. First, I think the coffee might be making things worse. Try to have your last cup before noon, because caffeine stays in your body for a long time. Next, keep the same bedtime and wake-up time every day, even on weekends. It helps your body learn when to feel sleepy. About an hour before bed, put your phone away and do something relaxing, like having a warm shower or reading. Also, keep your bedroom cool and dark. Blackout curtains can really help. If you're still awake after twenty minutes, get up and read somewhere else until you feel tired. And if nothing changes in a few weeks, please talk to your doctor.

124 words

What works, and what's missing

Content/Coherence: Reasons back up key tips, such as caffeine that "stays in your body for a long time," so the advice is logical.
Vocabulary: Clear phrases like "put your phone away" and "Blackout curtains" are accurate and natural.
Task Fulfillment: Every main area is covered, but the advice sounds a little general; a personal touch or a follow-up offer would make it warmer.

Basic answer (transcript): around CLB 4–5

Hi Daniela, I'm sorry you can't sleep, it's very hard. I think the coffee is a problem. Too much coffee make you awake at night. Try to drink only in the morning, not afternoon. Also, go to bed and wake up same time every day, also weekend. Your body need routine. Before sleep, don't look phone or TV. Maybe take warm shower or read book. Make your room dark and cool. If you can't sleep, don't stay in bed long time, get up and read a little. If still bad after some weeks, go see doctor. Take care!

98 words

What holds it back

Vocabulary: Errors like "Too much coffee make you awake," "Your body need routine" and "don't look phone" show missing verb endings and prepositions.
Content/Coherence: The tips are sensible, but reasons are rare, and ideas are joined mainly with "Also," which makes the answer feel like a list.
Task Fulfillment: The coffee problem is noticed, but most tips are only a few words, such as "Make your room dark and cool."

The CLBs are estimates of the level each sample was written at, not official CELPIP scores. How we estimate CLB