CELPIP Speaking

Task 3: Describing a Scene

By David

Describe a picture of a busy scene, such as a park, a kitchen or a street market, to someone who cannot see it.

Preparation

30 seconds

Speaking

60 seconds

Picture

A detailed illustration

What happens in Task 3

Imagine you are describing the picture to a friend on the phone.
Raters look for organised description and specific vocabulary.

Tips for a higher score

Start with an overview (where it is and what is happening), then move around the picture in one direction.
Use location phrases: in the foreground, on the left, next to, behind.
Describe actions with the present continuous: "a man is carrying a box".

Common mistakes

Listing objects without saying what people are doing.

Task 3 template

Overview. Say where the scene is and the main thing happening, in one or two sentences. About 10 seconds.
- This picture shows a busy...
- It looks like it's a sunny afternoon at...
- Overall, it's a lively scene with lots of people...
- The scene takes place in...
First area. Start in one place, such as the foreground or the left side, and describe two or three people and what they are doing. About 15–20 seconds.
- In the foreground,...
- On the left-hand side, there's...
- Right in the middle,...
- A woman in a red jacket is...
Second area. Move in one direction to the next part of the picture and add specific details: clothing, colours, objects and actions. About 15–20 seconds.
- Next to her,...
- Moving to the right,...
- Behind them,...
- Just across from...
Background. Briefly describe the background, the weather or anything that adds atmosphere. About 10 seconds.
- In the background, you can see...
- Further back,...
- Off in the distance,...
- Above them,...
Closing impression. End with one sentence about the overall mood so the description feels complete. About 5 seconds.
- All in all, it looks like...
- Everyone seems to be...
- It's a pretty relaxed scene overall.
- It looks like a typical...

Task 3 vocabulary and useful phrases

Location phrases

in the foreground · in the background · on the left-hand side · in the top right corner · right in the middle · next to · behind · across from · at the far end of

Describing actions (present continuous)

is pushing a stroller · is waving at · are lining up for · is handing over · is chatting with · is carrying a tray of · is reaching for · are setting up

Describing people

an elderly man with a cane · a teenager in a hoodie · a woman with a ponytail · a toddler holding a balloon · a man in a baseball cap · a couple in their thirties · a staff member in an apron

Hedging what you see

It looks like... · It seems that... · I think it might be... · Probably · What appears to be... · Some kind of...

Common scene words

checkout counter · food truck · playground · picnic blanket · crosswalk · bus shelter · produce stand · front desk · parking lot

Atmosphere

lively · crowded · relaxed · chaotic · cheerful · peaceful · hectic

Sample question and answer

Describe the picture to a friend who cannot see it.

The picture shows a busy beach on a summer afternoon: a lifeguard on a tall chair is blowing a whistle, two children are building a sandcastle in the foreground, a family is unpacking a picnic under a striped umbrella on the left, a man is selling ice cream from a cart on the right, and sailboats are out on the water in the background.

Sample answer (transcript): estimated CLB 9–10

This picture shows a busy beach on a hot summer afternoon. In the foreground, two little kids are building a sandcastle. One of them is filling a bucket with wet sand, and the other is patting the walls into shape. On the left-hand side, a family is setting up a picnic under a big striped umbrella. The mom is unpacking sandwiches from a cooler, and the dad is spreading out a blanket. Over on the right, a man in a white cap is selling ice cream from a little cart, and a few people are lining up to buy cones. Right in the middle, a lifeguard is sitting up on a tall chair, blowing her whistle at someone in the water. And in the background, several sailboats are drifting across the water. Overall, it's a lively, cheerful scene, and everyone seems to be enjoying the sunshine.

Why it scores well

Task Fulfillment: Describes every main area of the picture, including what each person is doing, within the 60 seconds.
Content/Coherence: Opens with an overview, then moves foreground, left, right, middle and background, so a listener can build the picture in order.
Vocabulary: Location phrases ("in the foreground", "over on the right") and specific words such as "cooler", "lining up" and "drifting".
Listenability: Accurate present continuous throughout, at a steady pace with short, clear sentences.

The same question at a lower level

Sample answer (transcript): estimated CLB 5–6

This picture is a beach. It is summer and it's sunny. There are many people. There is two children, they are making a sandcastle. There is a family with an umbrella, the umbrella has stripes. They have food, maybe a picnic. There is a man with ice cream. He is selling ice cream. There is a lifeguard on a chair. And in the back there is the water and some boats. Um, everybody is happy. It's a nice day at the beach.

What holds it back

Task Fulfillment: Mentions the main people, but misses the most interesting action (the lifeguard blowing the whistle) and stops early.
Content/Coherence: Jumps around the picture with almost no location phrases, so a listener can't tell where anything is.
Vocabulary: Nearly every sentence starts with "there is", and details like clothing, colours and objects are missing.
Listenability: Short, repetitive sentences and small errors ("there is two children") make it sound like a list.

These are original CELPass examples. The CLBs are our estimates, not official CELPIP scores.

Task 3 practice questions

Describe this scene to a friend on the phone: a farmers' market on a sunny morning. In the foreground, a vendor is weighing apples for a customer. On the left, a man is playing guitar with an open case in front of him. Behind them, people are lining up at a coffee stand, and a child is chasing a dog that has run off with a scarf.
Describe this scene: the inside of a busy family kitchen during a holiday dinner. A woman is taking a turkey out of the oven, two children are setting the table, a teenager is looking at a phone by the fridge, and a pot on the stove is boiling over.
Describe this scene: an airport departure gate. A family with three suitcases is rushing toward the counter, an airline employee is talking into a microphone, a man is asleep across several seats, and through the large window an airplane is being loaded with luggage.
Describe this scene: a public library on a Saturday afternoon. A librarian is helping an elderly woman at a computer, a group of students is studying around a table covered in books, a toddler is pulling books off a low shelf, and a man is returning books at the drop-off slot.
Describe this scene: a community park in winter. Children are building a snowman on the right, a couple is skating on an outdoor rink in the middle, a man is shovelling a path near the entrance, and a vendor is selling hot chocolate from a small cart.

Speaking Task 3 questions, answered

How long is CELPIP Speaking Task 3?

CELPIP Speaking Task 3 gives you 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. Use the preparation time to pick a starting point and a direction to move around the picture.

How do I describe a picture in CELPIP Speaking Task 3?

Start with a one-sentence overview, then move through the picture in one direction, describing what people are doing. Use location phrases such as "in the foreground" and "on the left" so the listener can follow. End with a short comment on the overall mood.

Should I describe everything in the picture?

No, you can't describe everything in 60 seconds, and you don't need to. Choose four to six people or areas and describe them in detail. Specific actions and details score better than a long list of objects.

What tense should I use in Task 3?

Use mainly the present continuous for actions, for example "a man is carrying a box". Use the simple present for things that don't change, such as "there's a fountain in the middle". Save future forms for Task 4, which uses the same picture.

What if I don't know the word for something in the picture?

Describe it with simpler words instead of stopping. You can say what it looks like or what it's used for, for example "a kind of cart for carrying luggage". Keeping your speech flowing matters more than knowing every word.

More CELPIP Speaking

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