CELPIP · Speaking · S3
CELPIP Speaking Task 3: Describing a Scene
CELPIP Speaking Task 3, Describing a Scene, shows you a picture of an everyday place with several people doing different things. You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to describe the scene in as much detail as you can, for a listener who cannot see the picture.
- Preparation time
- 30 seconds
- Speaking time
- 60 seconds
- Prompt
- A picture of an everyday scene
- Listener
- Someone who cannot see the picture
- Rating areas
- Content/coherence, vocabulary, listenability, task fulfillment
How it works
- 1A picture appears with the instruction to describe it.
- 2Use the 30-second preparation time to scan the whole scene.
- 3Recording starts automatically.
- 4Describe the scene for up to 60 seconds. The same picture is used again in Task 4.
Sample task
Original sample · not from an official test
Describe what is happening in this picture in as much detail as you can. The person you are speaking to cannot see the picture. [Picture: a neighbourhood park on a sunny afternoon. On the left, two children fly a kite that is caught in a tree. In the centre, an older couple sit on a bench feeding pigeons. On the right, a man jogs with a dog whose leash is tangled around a lamp post. In the background, a food truck has a long line.]
Show a strong responseHide response
Outline: Overview first: "This is a busy park on a sunny afternoon." Then move left to right: the children and the kite stuck in a tree, what they are doing about it; the couple on the bench in the centre feeding pigeons; the jogger on the right whose dog's leash is wrapped around a lamp post. Finish with the background: a food truck with a long line.
A strong response starts with a one-sentence overview, follows a clear spatial path, uses the present continuous for actions, and adds precise details (clothing, expressions, positions). Location phrases like "in the foreground" and "to the right of" help the listener build the picture.
Tips that work
- Start with one sentence that sums up the place and the moment, then go into detail.
- Pick a route through the picture, such as left to right or front to back, and stick to it.
- Use the present continuous for actions ("a man is jogging") and prepositions for position ("next to", "behind").
- Describe fewer things well rather than listing everything. Colour, size and people's expressions add useful vocabulary.
Common mistakes
- Jumping around the picture so the listener cannot follow.
- Predicting what will happen next. Save that for Task 4.
- Saying "I can see" before every sentence instead of describing directly.
Questions candidates ask
Why is the same picture used in Tasks 3 and 4?
Task 3 asks you to describe what is happening now; Task 4 asks what will happen next in the same picture. Noticing unfinished actions during Task 3 gives you ideas for Task 4.
Do I have to describe everything in the picture?
No. There is usually more than you can cover in 60 seconds. A clear overview plus detailed descriptions of the main areas is better than a rushed list of every object.
What vocabulary helps most in Task 3?
Location phrases (in the foreground, in the top-left corner), action verbs, and specific nouns for objects and places. Descriptive adjectives for colour, size and mood also help the listener picture the scene.
Other CELPIP Speaking tasks
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