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CELPIP Speaking Course · Lesson 4 of 10

Tasks 1 and 2: Giving Advice and Telling a Story

By CELPass Editorial Team · 2 min read · Updated

Tasks 1 and 2 are the most personal tasks in the test. One asks you to help someone you know; the other asks you to tell a short true-sounding story. Both reward specific detail.

Task 1: talk to the person, not about them

Task 1 names a person you know well, such as a friend or family member, who has a problem. You have 90 seconds, the longest speaking time in the test. Speak directly to them ("you should…"), give two or three pieces of advice, and explain how each one would help their situation.

  • Use the person's situation from the prompt: their budget, schedule or worry.
  • Mix advice phrases: you could, it might help to, why don't you, I'd recommend.
  • Finish with encouragement: "I'm sure it'll work out."

Task 2: a short story with a point

Task 2 asks about an experience: a time you were surprised, helped someone, made a difficult decision and so on. You have 60 seconds. Use the past tense and follow a simple story order: when and where, what happened, how it ended and why it mattered to you.

The story does not have to be true, but it must sound real. Small details (the day of the week, what the weather was like, exactly what someone said) make it believable and show vocabulary.

Common problems in these two tasks

  • Task 1: talking about the topic in general ("People should save money") instead of advising the person.
  • Task 1: listing many tips with no explanation. Two developed tips beat five bare ones.
  • Task 2: switching between present and past tense. Choose past and stay there.
  • Task 2: spending 40 seconds on background and never reaching the main event.

Key points

  • Task 1: speak to the named person, two or three tips, each with how it helps.
  • Task 2: past tense, when/where → what happened → ending → why it mattered.
  • Specific details make both answers stronger.

Exercise

Rewrite each weak sentence so it fits the task better.

  1. (Task 1, advising your sister about a job interview) "People should prepare for interviews."
  2. (Task 2) "I go to the airport and I see that my flight is cancelled."
  3. (Task 2) "It was a good experience."
Show answers
  1. "You should practise answering the three questions they're most likely to ask you, maybe with me on a video call the night before."
  2. "I went to the airport and saw that my flight had been cancelled."
  3. "It taught me to always keep a backup plan, and I still check my flights the night before."

Practise with free questions

Free questions in the CELPIP format, with answers and no account needed. Try a few now, while the lesson is fresh.

All lessons in this course

  1. How CELPIP Speaking Is Scored
  2. Planning Your Answer in 30 Seconds
  3. One Answer Structure for Every Task
  4. Tasks 1 and 2: Giving Advice and Telling a Story
  5. Tasks 3, 4 and 8: Describing Pictures and Making Predictions
  6. Task 5: Comparing and Persuading
  7. Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation
  8. Task 7: Expressing and Supporting Your Opinion
  9. Fluency, Pronunciation and Pauses
  10. Common Speaking Mistakes and Your Test-Day Routine

CELPass is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises. CELPIP is a trademark of Paragon Testing Enterprises. Check the official CELPIP website and IRCC for current test rules and requirements.