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CELPIP · Speaking · S1

CELPIP Speaking Task 1: Giving Advice

CELPIP Speaking Task 1, Giving Advice, describes a person, such as a friend, relative or coworker, who faces a problem or decision. You have 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak, giving them advice with reasons. Your response is recorded and rated on content, vocabulary, listenability and task fulfillment.

Preparation time
30 seconds
Speaking time
90 seconds
Prompt
A short written situation about someone who needs advice
Rating areas
Content/coherence, vocabulary, listenability, task fulfillment
Scoring
Counts toward your CELPIP Speaking level (1 to 12)

How it works

  1. 1The situation appears on screen.
  2. 2The 30-second preparation timer starts.
  3. 3Recording begins automatically when preparation ends.
  4. 4Speak for up to 90 seconds; recording stops when the time runs out.

Sample task

Original sample · not from an official test

Your friend Daniel has been offered a job in another city. The pay is much higher, but he would be far from his family and would need to find a new apartment quickly. What advice would you give Daniel? Explain your reasons.

Show a strong response

Outline: Open by speaking to Daniel directly: "Daniel, congratulations on the offer, but take a moment before deciding." Advice 1: compare the higher salary with higher rent and moving costs in the new city. Advice 2: ask the employer about a later start date or a trial period so the apartment search is less rushed. Advice 3: plan regular visits home and talk to family before accepting. Close with a clear recommendation and encouragement.

A strong response speaks to the person, gives two or three distinct pieces of advice, explains the reason for each, and uses suggestion language ("you could", "I'd suggest", "it might be worth"). It fills most of the 90 seconds without long pauses.

Tips that work

  • Use the 30 seconds to pick two or three pieces of advice, not to plan full sentences.
  • Talk to the person by name, as if they were in front of you. It keeps the tone natural and on task.
  • Give a reason after every piece of advice: "because", "that way", "so that".
  • Vary your suggestion language: "you should", "why not", "have you thought about", "if I were you".

Common mistakes

  • Describing the situation back to the listener instead of advising them.
  • Giving one piece of advice and repeating it for 90 seconds.
  • Stopping at 45 seconds with nothing left to say.

Questions candidates ask

How long is the response time for CELPIP Speaking Task 1?

90 seconds, after 30 seconds of preparation. Task 1 and Task 7 are the two speaking tasks with 90 seconds of speaking time, so plan enough content to fill it.

Should I give many pieces of advice or a few?

Two or three, each with a reason and perhaps an example, usually works better than a quick list of six. Development shows the range of your language; a list does not.

What if I run out of time before finishing?

Recording stops when the time is up. A clear main point and reasons matter more than a formal conclusion, but practise with a timer so you finish naturally with a short closing sentence.

Can I practise this task with feedback?

Yes. EnglishHub records your answer with the real 30-second preparation and 90-second speaking timers, then gives AI feedback on your speaking using the same four rating areas raters use.

Other CELPIP Speaking tasks

CELPIP overviewCELPIP Speaking: all partsCELPIP full mock testsCELPIP articles on the blog