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CELPIP Speaking Task 5: Comparing and Persuading

CELPIP Speaking Task 5 Sample Answer: Weekend Away for an Anniversary

By David

The speaker must persuade Arjun to choose a quiet farm B&B over a Calgary hotel and theatre package for their anniversary. The tricky part is answering his wish for a show while proving the farm is a better celebration.

Choosing time
60 seconds
Preparation
60 seconds
Speaking
60 seconds

The question

Your 10th wedding anniversary is in February, and you and your husband, Arjun, want to spend a weekend away without your two children, who will stay with their grandparents. You live in Lethbridge, and your budget is about $900. You found two suitable options. Using the pictures and information, choose the option that you prefer. In the next section, you will need to persuade Arjun that your choice is the better choice.

If you do not choose an option, the computer will choose one for you. You do not need to speak for this part.

Hot Springs Hotel in the Rocky MountainsHot Springs Hotel in the Rocky Mountains
  • $850 for two nights, including hot pool passes
  • 4 hours’ drive each way on mountain highways in winter
  • spa treatments cost extra and are often fully booked
Farm Bed and Breakfast with a Sleigh RideFarm Bed and Breakfast with a Sleigh Ride
  • $540 for two nights, with home-cooked breakfasts
  • 30 minutes from home, with a wood-burning fireplace in the room
  • very quiet; there are no restaurants or shops nearby
Calgary Hotel and Theatre PackageCalgary Hotel and Theatre Package
  • $720 for two nights and two tickets to a musical
  • 2 hours’ drive on a straight, well-cleared highway
  • busy downtown area, and parking costs $35 per night
Arjun suggests booking the Calgary hotel and theatre package. Persuade Arjun that the option you chose is more suitable by comparing the two.

How to plan your answer

What they want

  • Pick a 10th-anniversary weekend away from Lethbridge in February (~$900 budget), then persuade Arjun it beats his idea: the Calgary hotel and theatre package ($720).
  • The farm B&B with a sleigh ride ($540) is easier to argue: cheaper, only 30 minutes away, and very romantic.

Plan (60 sec)

  1. Acknowledge: "Arjun, a musical sounds fun, I agree."
  2. Cost: $540 vs $720 plus $70 parking; we save about $250 for a nice dinner.
  3. Driving: 30 minutes vs 2 hours on a winter highway.
  4. Romance: a sleigh ride, a fireplace in our room and home-cooked breakfasts.
  5. Relax: it's quiet, no crowds; we're close to the kids if Grandma calls.
  6. Close: "This weekend is about us, not a busy downtown."

Useful vocabulary

  • bed and breakfast, sleigh ride, wood-burning fireplace, cozy
  • romantic getaway, peace and quiet, home-cooked, parking fees

Phrases

  • "I see your point, but..."
  • "Compared to the Calgary package,..."
  • "On top of that,..."

Avoid

  • Only describing your option; compare it with Calgary.
  • Ignoring your downside: no restaurants or shops nearby.

Excellent answer (transcript): around CLB 11–12

Arjun, I know you'd love to see a show, and the Calgary package does sound fun, but I really think the farm bed and breakfast is the better way to celebrate ten years. First, look at the cost. With parking at $35 a night, Calgary comes to almost $800, while the farm is just $540, and that includes home-cooked breakfasts. We could use the difference on a really nice dinner. Second, it's only half an hour from home, so no February highway driving, and if the kids need us, we're close. And honestly, what we need most is time together, just the two of us. A sleigh ride through the snow and an evening by our own wood-burning fireplace sounds far more special than a busy downtown hotel.

128 words

Why it scores high

  • Task Fulfillment: the speaker suggests using the savings on "a really nice dinner", which answers the cost difference with a real benefit for Arjun.
  • Content/Coherence: "First, look at the cost", "Second" and "And honestly" give a clear structure that ends on the emotional reason, time together.
  • Vocabulary: "the better way to celebrate ten years" and "an evening by our own wood-burning fireplace" make the farm sound warm and appealing.

Good answer (transcript): around CLB 7–8

Arjun, I know the musical sounds fun, but I really think the farm bed and breakfast is better for our anniversary. First, it's much cheaper. The farm is $540 for two nights, but the Calgary package is $720, plus $35 a night for parking, so almost $800. Second, it's only 30 minutes from home. In February, I don't want to drive two hours, and if the kids need us, we can get back quickly. Also, we'd have a sleigh ride, home-cooked breakfasts and a fireplace in our room. That's so romantic. Downtown Calgary is busy. I think we just need some quiet time together.

104 words

What works, and what's missing

  • Content/Coherence: "First, it's much cheaper" and "Second, it's only 30 minutes from home" give clear, ordered reasons, and the total "almost $800" is calculated.
  • Task Fulfillment: the speaker opens with "I know the musical sounds fun" and adds that "if the kids need us, we can get back quickly", a smart, personal point.
  • Vocabulary: "home-cooked breakfasts" and "quiet time together" fit, but "That's so romantic" is plain where a vivid picture would persuade more.

Basic answer (transcript): around CLB 4–5

Arjun, I think farm bed and breakfast is better than Calgary hotel. Farm is only $540, Calgary is $720 and also parking is $35 every night. So farm is much cheaper. Also farm is only 30 minute from home. Calgary is two hour driving in winter. We can have sleigh ride and fireplace in our room. It is very romantic. Downtown is busy and noisy. We want relax for our anniversary.

71 words

What holds it back

  • Task Fulfillment: the cost comparison, "$540, Calgary is $720 and also parking is $35 every night", is a strong point, but Arjun's interest in the musical is never mentioned.
  • Listenability: "farm is only 30 minute from home" and "We want relax" miss small words, so the persuasion sounds less confident.
  • Vocabulary: "very romantic" and "busy and noisy" are basic; the farm's features are listed but not made attractive.

These are original CELPass examples written at each level. The CLBs are our estimates, not official CELPIP scores. How we estimate CLB

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