CELPIP Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation

CELPIP Speaking Task 6 Sample Answer: Mother’s New Partner

The speaker talks to a brother who wants their widowed mother to end a new relationship. The challenge is respecting the brother's worries while explaining why Howard deserves a chance.

Preparation

60 seconds

Speaking

60 seconds

Choice

Speak to person A or person B

The question

Your mother, Gloria, has been a widow for three years, and she recently started dating a man named Howard, whom she met at her dance class. After only two months, Howard has moved into her house. Your brother, Raymond, does not trust Howard, and he wants you to help him convince your mother to end the relationship.

Choose ONE:

EITHER

Talk to Raymond. Explain why he should give Howard a chance.

Talk to your mother. Explain your concerns about Howard moving in so quickly.

How to plan your answer

What they want

Choose ONE: tell your brother Raymond why he should give Howard a chance, OR tell your mother Gloria your concerns about Howard moving in so quickly.
Talking to Raymond is easier: Mom is an adult, and fighting her could push her away.

Plan (60 sec)

Greet: "Raymond, I know you're worried about Mom. I am too, a little."
Mom's happiness: she's been lonely for three years, and now she's dancing and smiling again.
Her choice: she's an adult; if we try to end it, she might stop talking to us.
Better plan: let's get to know Howard, invite them to dinner and ask about his life.
Safety net: if we see real warning signs, like money problems, we'll talk to her together.
Close: "Let's support Mom and keep our eyes open."

Useful vocabulary

give someone a chance, get to know, move in, lonely
warning signs, respect her choice, push away, keep an eye on

Phrases

"I understand why you feel that way, but..."
"Don't you think..."
"Why don't we..."

Avoid

Calling Raymond's worries silly; take them seriously.
Talking about Raymond instead of to him by name.

Excellent answer (transcript): around CLB 11–12

Raymond, I hear you, and honestly, I had the same reaction when Mom told me Howard was moving in. Two months is fast. But I don't think pushing her to end it is the right move, at least not yet. Think about how she's been since Dad passed. For three years, she barely left the house, and now she's dancing again, she's laughing on the phone, she actually sounds like herself. Howard has something to do with that. If we go to her with an ultimatum, I'm worried she'll feel judged and choose him over us, and then we'd have no idea what's going on in her life. So here's what I'd suggest. Let's invite them both over for dinner and really get to know him. If something doesn't add up, especially anything about money or the house, we'll talk to Mom together, calmly and with real reasons.

148 words

Why it scores high

Vocabulary: "I had the same reaction" and "she actually sounds like herself" express understanding and emotion naturally.
Task Fulfillment: the risk is explained clearly, "she'll feel judged and choose him over us", and the plan names specific warning signs, "money or the house".
Content/Coherence: the answer builds from shared concern to the mother's recovery and ends with "here's what I'd suggest", a clear, reasonable plan.

Good answer (transcript): around CLB 7–8

Raymond, I understand why you're worried. Two months is really fast. But I think we should give him a chance before we say anything to Mom. After Dad died, she was lonely for three years. Now she's going to her dance class, she's laughing again, and she seems really happy. If we tell her to end the relationship, she'll probably feel hurt, and she might stop talking to us about her life. Why don't we invite them both for dinner next weekend? We can get to know Howard better, and if we see something that really worries us, we can talk to Mom together then.

105 words

What works, and what's missing

Content/Coherence: the answer moves clearly from agreeing "Two months is really fast" to the mother's happiness and the risk of hurting her.
Task Fulfillment: the dinner invitation gives a practical next step, and "talk to Mom together" if something worries them is reasonable.
Vocabulary: "she's laughing again" is a good detail, but phrases like "she seems really happy" are general.

Basic answer (transcript): around CLB 4–5

Raymond, I know you worry about Mom. I worry too, because Howard move in very fast. But I think we need to give him a chance. Since Dad die, Mom was very sad and alone for three year. Now she is happy again. She smile a lot. If we tell her to stop, she will be angry with us. Maybe we can invite Howard for dinner and talk to him. We can know him better. If he do something bad, then we talk to Mom together.

86 words

What holds it back

Task Fulfillment: the speaker agrees Howard moved "very fast" and gives reasons, but the suggestion to "talk to him" is simple.
Listenability: "Since Dad die", "three year" and "If he do something bad" contain errors that a listener notices.
Vocabulary: "She smile a lot" and "she will be angry with us" are simple and do not fully express the family's feelings.

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