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CELPIP Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation

CELPIP Speaking Task 6 Sample Answer: Missing a Work Deadline Due to Illness

By David

You were assigned a project with a tight deadline, but you fell ill unexpectedly and couldn't complete it on time, affecting team progress. Your boss is expecting the deliverable today. You must inform them…

Preparation
60 seconds
Speaking
60 seconds
Choice
Speak to person A or person B

The question

You were assigned a project with a tight deadline, but you fell ill unexpectedly and couldn't complete it on time, affecting team progress. Your boss is expecting the deliverable today. You must inform them professionally to mitigate any negative impact.

Choice:

Talk to your boss and explain the illness while providing a new timeline and offering to work extra to catch up.

OR

Talk to your boss and explain why the deadline was unrealistic to begin with, but commit to finishing soon despite the illness.

Excellent answer (transcript): around CLB 11–12

I wanted to address this directly—unfortunately, I missed the deadline on the project because I was sidelined by a sudden and debilitating illness that struck mid-week, preventing me from maintaining the necessary productivity despite my best efforts. I recognize the ripple effect this could have on our team's timeline, and I apologize profusely for any disruption caused, as reliability is something I pride myself on. Moving forward, I'm on the mend and propose a revised completion by tomorrow afternoon, supplemented by overtime if required to align with our goals. Additionally, if it helps, I could provide medical documentation or collaborate with a colleague for interim support. Your flexibility in this matter is greatly appreciated, and I'm eager to get back on track.

122 words

Good answer (transcript): around CLB 7–8

Good morning, I regret to inform you that I wasn't able to meet the project deadline due to coming down with a severe illness over the past few days, which left me unable to focus or work effectively. I understand this may delay the team, and I'm truly sorry for that. To rectify it, I've already started recovering and can commit to completing it by end of day tomorrow, even putting in extra hours if needed. Perhaps we can hop on a quick call to discuss any adjustments. Thank you for your understanding.

93 words

Basic answer (transcript): around CLB 4–5

Hi boss, I'm sorry but I missed the deadline because I was sick. I had a bad flu and couldn't work. I'll finish it soon, maybe tomorrow. I hope that's okay. I didn't want this to happen.

37 words

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

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