CELPIP Speaking Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation

CELPIP Speaking Task 8 Sample Answer: Snake-Shaped Park Bench

This prompt asks you to phone your neighbour Gwen, describe an unusual snake-shaped bench and how people use it, and ask about her committee's interest. The tricky part is covering both the object and its uses so Gwen can see why it might suit your street.

Preparation

30 seconds

Speaking

60 seconds

Picture

An unusual object or situation

The question

CELPIP Speaking Task 8 practice picture: Snake-Shaped Park Bench

You are walking through a newly opened park when you see a very unusual bench. Your neighbour, Gwen, is on a committee that is planning improvements to the small park on your street. Call Gwen, describe the bench and how people are using it in detail, and ask her whether her committee might want something similar.

How to plan your answer

What they want

Call your neighbour Gwen, who is planning park improvements, describe the unusual snake-shaped bench and how people use it, and ask whether her committee might want something similar.

Plan (60 sec)

Greet: "Hi Gwen, I just saw a bench that's perfect for our park!"
Shape: a very long wooden bench shaped like a snake, with green and yellow stripes, winding across the grass.
Details: a friendly head with big eyes and a long red forked tongue, a curled tail, and flowers planted along it.
People: two boys sit on it with their phones; an older woman and man read books; a toddler crawls under one of the arches; a baby stroller is parked beside it.
Ask: "Do you think your committee might want something similar?"

Useful vocabulary

snake-shaped, striped, winding, arch
forked tongue, curled tail, crawl under, stroller

Phrases

"It looks just like..., except..."
"In the middle, the bench rises into..."
"Do you think your committee might..."

Avoid

Forgetting to ask Gwen the question at the end.
Vague words like "thing"; give colours, shapes and positions.

Excellent answer (transcript): around CLB 11–12

Gwen, I'm standing in the new park, and I've just found a bench shaped like a giant snake. It winds across the lawn in big curves, painted in green and pale yellow stripes, with a curled-up tail at one end and a huge friendly head at the other, with big round eyes and a long red forked tongue. The clever part is how many ways people are using it. Two boys are perched near the tail on their phones, a grandmother is reading on one of the low curves, and an older man is leaning on the highest hump with his book open on top. Underneath that hump, there's a gap, and a toddler is happily crawling through it like a tunnel. Do you think your committee might want something like this for our park?

135 words

Why it scores high

Content/Coherence: "The clever part is how many ways people are using it" signals a shift from appearance to use, organising the call naturally.
Vocabulary: Precise words such as "winds across the lawn," "perched," "the highest hump" and "a long red forked tongue" make each detail vivid.
Task Fulfillment: The toddler crawling through the gap "like a tunnel" shows the bench doubles as play equipment, a strong reason for the committee to consider it.

Good answer (transcript): around CLB 7–8

Hi Gwen, it's me. I'm at the new park, and I just saw the most unusual bench. It's shaped like a giant snake, with green and yellow stripes, and it curves along the grass for maybe ten metres. At one end, there's a curly tail, and at the other end, a big smiling head with a long red tongue. In the middle, the body goes up in an arch, and a little boy is crawling underneath it. Two boys are sitting on the tail end looking at their phones, an older woman is reading a book, and an older man is resting his book on the arch. Do you think your committee might want something like this?

117 words

What works, and what's missing

Content/Coherence: The bench is described end to end, from "a curly tail" to "a big smiling head," before the people, giving Gwen a clear mental layout.
Vocabulary: Size and shape words like "maybe ten metres" and "goes up in an arch" make the bench's form easy to imagine.
Task Fulfillment: Every user is covered, but the call ends with a bare question; pointing out why the design suits a small park would make it more persuasive.

Basic answer (transcript): around CLB 4–5

Hi Gwen, I am in the new park and I see very funny bench. It look like a big snake! The snake is green and yellow, and it is very long. The head is big with smiling face and long red tongue. In the middle, the body go up like a bridge, and a little boy is crawling under. Two boys sit on the bench and play with phone. An old woman read a book. Also there is a baby in stroller next to it. Maybe your committee want something like this for our park?

95 words

What holds it back

Vocabulary: Errors like "I see very funny bench" and "the body go up like a bridge" interrupt an otherwise clear picture of the snake.
Content/Coherence: People are listed in short separate lines, "Two boys sit ... An old woman read a book," without placing them on the tail, curves or arch.
Task Fulfillment: The older man resting his book on the arch is missed, and the closing question gives Gwen no reason the bench would work for her park.

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