CELPIP Speaking Task 1: Giving Advice, with sample answers
Task 1 describes someone's situation and asks you to advise them. You get 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak.
The task at a glance
Time to prepare
30 seconds
Time to speak
90 seconds
Picture
No
A structure that works
Show you understood the situation: sum it up in a sentence.
Give two or three pieces of advice, each with a reason.
Mention what could go wrong, or another option, so your advice sounds weighed.
Close with a short word of encouragement.
Sample tasks with model answers
Original practice tasks in the test's format. Start the timer and answer out loud, then read the model answer.
Task
A friend who works downtown can move to an apartment there for the same rent, but it has no balcony and no parking. She grows vegetables on her balcony now. Give her advice about whether to move.
Answer out loud while the timer runs. This page does not record or score you.
Model answer, written by MapleMock
Okay, so I've thought about this, and honestly, I think you should take the new apartment, but only if you can find another place for your garden. The biggest advantage is time. Right now you spend almost an hour on the bus every morning, and if you live downtown, you could walk to work in fifteen minutes. That's more than seven hours a week you'd get back, for the same rent, which is a great deal these days. The parking isn't a big problem either, because you hardly use your car anyway, and you could sell it and save on insurance. The balcony is the hard part, I know how much you love your tomatoes. But the city has community garden plots, and there's one in the park two blocks from that building. I'd call them this week and ask if there's a waiting list. If you can get a plot, I'd say move without thinking twice. If not, maybe put a few pots on a sunny windowsill for the first year, and keep looking. Either way, don't let the balcony stop you from a much better daily life.
Task
Your cousin wants to buy a used car from a private seller he found online instead of from a dealer. He has never bought a car before. Give him advice about how to do it safely.
Answer out loud while the timer runs. This page does not record or score you.
Model answer, written by MapleMock
Buying privately can save you a lot of money, but you need to be careful, so here's what I'd do. First, before you even go and see the car, ask the seller for the vehicle identification number and run a history report online. It costs about forty dollars, but it tells you if the car has been in a serious accident or still has money owing on it. If the seller won't give you the number, that's a warning sign, and I'd walk away. Second, always meet in daylight, in a public place, and bring someone with you, me if you like. Take it for a proper test drive, on the highway too, not just around the block. Third, and this is the most important part, pay a mechanic to inspect it before you agree on anything. It's usually around a hundred dollars, and it can save you thousands. Finally, don't pay in cash. Do the transfer at the bank or at the registry office, where you both sign the papers. If anything feels rushed, take your time. A good deal will still be there tomorrow.
Common mistakes
Giving advice with no reason behind it.
Talking about yourself instead of the person you are advising.
Ignoring the details the prompt gives about the situation.
Practise it on the clock
Speaking practice is coming soon. The free Listening & Reading mock is open now.