CELPIP Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation

CELPIP Speaking Task 6 Sample Answer: Using Your Employee Discount for a Friend

This prompt asks you to refuse a close friend's request to buy a $900 bike with your employee discount, or to ask your manager for an exception. The tricky part is saying no firmly while protecting the friendship.

Preparation

60 seconds

Speaking

60 seconds

Choice

Speak to person A or person B

The question

You work at a sporting goods store, and employees get 30% off anything they buy for themselves. Your close friend, Jasmine, wants to buy a $900 bicycle, and she has asked you to buy it with your discount and let her pay you back. Your store manager, Ellen, has told all the staff that the discount is only for employees and their immediate family.

Choose ONE:

EITHER

Talk to Jasmine. Explain why you cannot buy the bicycle for her with your discount.

Talk to Ellen. Ask whether you can use your discount for Jasmine this one time.

How to plan your answer

What they want

Choose ONE: tell your friend Jasmine why you can't buy the $900 bike with your 30% employee discount, OR ask your manager Ellen if you can use it for Jasmine this one time.
Talking to Jasmine is easier: the rule is clear, and breaking it could cost you your job.

Plan (60 sec)

Greet: "Jasmine, I'm sorry, I've thought about the bike."
Rule: Ellen said the discount is only for employees and immediate family.
Risk: if I'm caught, I could get a warning or even lose my job.
Feeling: I hate saying no, because we're close friends.
Help: watch for our sale next month, or check price matching; I'll tell you first.
Close: "I hope you understand; I'll help you find a good deal."

Useful vocabulary

employee discount, immediate family, store policy, break the rules
get in trouble, sale, price match, deal

Phrases

"I really wish I could, but..."
"The problem is..."
"What I can do is..."

Avoid

Making it sound like a small thing; explain the risk.
Talking about Jasmine instead of to her by name.

Excellent answer (transcript): around CLB 11–12

Jasmine, I've been thinking about the bike, and I wanted to talk to you in person, because I'd hate for there to be any misunderstanding. I really can't buy it for you with my discount. Ellen made it very clear at our last staff meeting that it's only for employees and immediate family, and every employee purchase goes through the system under our name. A $900 bike would definitely get noticed, and I'm not willing to risk my job, even for a good friend. But I don't want to leave you empty-handed. Our big end-of-season sale usually starts in about three weeks, and last year, most bikes were around twenty-five percent off. That's almost as good as my discount. I'll text you the moment the prices drop, and I'll come with you to make sure you get the right size and a proper fitting. I hope you understand. It's nothing personal.

151 words

Why it scores high

Content/Coherence: Explaining why the talk is in person, "I'd hate for there to be any misunderstanding," sets a caring tone before the refusal arrives.
Vocabulary: Phrases like "empty-handed," "the moment the prices drop" and "a proper fitting" make the alternatives sound specific and genuinely helpful.
Task Fulfillment: Comparing the sale to the discount, "That's almost as good as my discount," and closing with "It's nothing personal" resolve both the problem and the feelings.

Good answer (transcript): around CLB 7–8

Jasmine, I know you were hoping I could get the bike for you with my discount, and I really wish I could help. But I can't do it. Ellen told all of us that the discount is only for employees and our immediate family. If she found out, I could get in serious trouble, maybe even lose my job. Also, the store tracks all employee purchases, so it would be easy for them to notice a $900 bike. But I have another idea. We usually have a big spring sale in a few weeks, and bikes are often 20 or 25 percent off. I'll let you know as soon as it starts. And I'm happy to come with you and help you pick the right one.

126 words

What works, and what's missing

Content/Coherence: The answer moves from empathy, "I really wish I could help," to Ellen's rule, to the store tracking purchases, then to a practical alternative.
Vocabulary: Natural expressions like "get in serious trouble" and "pick the right one" keep the tone friendly while the refusal stays firm.
Task Fulfillment: The alternative is solid, but the friendship is only implied; a top answer would directly reassure Jasmine that the refusal is not personal.

Basic answer (transcript): around CLB 4–5

Hi Jasmine, I want to talk about the bicycle. I'm sorry, but I cannot buy it with my discount. My manager Ellen say the discount is only for employee and family. If I do this and she find out, maybe I lose my job. I need this job, you know. But I can help you other way. Next month we have big sale, maybe 20% off for everybody. I can tell you when it start. Also I can help you choose the best bike. I hope you are not angry.

90 words

What holds it back

Vocabulary: Missing verb endings in "My manager Ellen say" and "she find out," plus "help you other way," blur otherwise clear reasoning.
Content/Coherence: The risk is reduced to "maybe I lose my job" and "I need this job," without mentioning how a $900 purchase would be noticed.
Task Fulfillment: Offering to flag the sale and help choose a bike is a good alternative, but "I hope you are not angry" ends the talk abruptly rather than warmly.

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