CELPIP

focus
LISTENING and SPEAKING
CELPIP
focus
LISTENING and SPEAKING
 Introduction

CELPIP Focus: Listening and Speaking (Ebook Version)

In response to ongoing research and development, changes may occasionally be made to the
CELPIP Test. There may be short periods of time when study materials do not exactly match
the current official test format, and content may be updated to match changes to the CELPIP
Test without prior notice. Check celpip.ca for any updates to the CELPIP Test.

Copyright © 2018 Prometric

Prometric, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

First Edition: December 2022

All rights reserved. It is illegal to reproduce any portion of this material except by special
arrangement with Prometric. Reproduction of this material without authorization, by any
duplication process whatsoever, is a violation of copyright.

ISBN 978-1-988047-54-6

ii
 Introduction

CONTENTS

The CELPIP Test iv

How to Use This Book iv

The Listening Test

Unit 1 Overview of the Listening Test 1

Unit 2 Listening to Conversations between Two People 9

Unit 3 Listening to a News Item 27

Unit 4 Listening to a Discussion 40

Unit 5 Listening for Viewpoints 48

The Speaking Test

Unit 6 Overview of the Speaking Test 55

Unit 7 Giving Advice 61

Unit 8 Talking about a Personal Experience 70

Unit 9 Describing a Scene 80

Unit 10 Making Predictions 90

Unit 11 Comparing and Persuading 100

Unit 12 Dealing with a Difficult Situation 111

Unit 13 Expressing Opinions 121

Unit 14 Describing an Unusual Sitwuation 131

Answer Key 142

iii
 Introduction

The CELPIP Test

About the CELPIP Test

The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP) is a computer-delivered

general English language test administered by Prometric Testing. The CELPIP Test measures
how well test takers can communicate in English in a variety of social, workplace, community,
and daily life situations. The format and scoring of the test are referenced to the Canadian
Language Benchmarks (CLB).

The CELPIP Test is offered in two versions. This chart summarizes the main features of each
version.

CELPIP–GENERAL TEST CELPIP–GENERAL LS TEST

 Four-skills test  Two-skills test
 About 3 hours  About 1 hour 10 minutes
Listening 6 parts* 47–55 minutes Listening 6 parts* 47–55 minutes
Reading 4 parts* 55–60 minutes Speaking 8 tasks 15–20 minutes
Writing 2 tasks 53–60 minutes
Speaking 8 tasks 15–20 minutes

* There may be additional unscored items in the Listening and/or Reading Tests which are used
for research and development purposes. See celpip.ca for more information.

Tip Doing a CELPIP Practice Test is a great way to familiarize yourself with test features
and get ready for your test day. You can access free practice test questions and
purchase practice tests at celpip.ca.

How to Use This Book

This book is divided into two modules, Listening and Speaking. Each unit within a module
is independent of the others, so you can do them in any order. Since the skills get harder to
master as you work through the module, it is easier to start at the beginning of the module and
work through the units in order.

Interactive Features
You can type responses, make notes, answer multiple choice questions, and select from drop-
down menus right in this PDF. For Listening activities, you can write notes using a pen and
paper instead if you prefer. This will replicate the way you will take notes on the CELPIP Test.

For the best experience, view the PDF in Adobe Acrobat. Acrobat offers a highlight feature that
will allow you to complete a number of exercises.

iv
 Introduction

Features
Look for the icons shown below to quickly locate specific features.

LISTENING SKILLS:
These skills help improve your ability to get the score you need on the Listening
Test.

SPEAKING SKILLS:
These skills help you perform at your best on the Speaking Test.

ACTIVITY:
These are practice opportunities for the skill you are learning. Answers, some
with explanations, are provided in the Answer Key.

@
ONLINE RESOURCE:
This icon indicates that there are resources on the internet that will be needed for
the activity.

TIP:
These are important tips and strategies to improve your performance on the test.

NOTE-TAKING:
This feature shows ways to set up your notes for each Listening part.

The Modules
The Listening Module

• The format of the six parts of the Listening Test is explained.

• The different kinds of questions found on the Listening Test are discussed.
• Each unit explains either a single Listening part, or multiple Listening parts that share
similarities.
• An infographic shows key elements and computer navigation features for the Listening
Test.

v
 Introduction

The Speaking Module

• An overview of the test component explains the format of the Speaking Test and gives
information about performance expectations.
• Each unit explains a single Speaking task.
• An infographic shows key computer navigation features for the Speaking Test.
• Sample responses have been provided for each task in the Speaking Test.
• Speaking tasks are presented as they look on the test screen.

Each unit focuses on key language skills and essential test-taking strategies. A complete Answer
Key is included, with explanations for some activities. The speaking checklists will help you
assess your Speaking responses.

Accessing Media and Transcripts

This book uses numerous audio and video files to support the skills and activities that are
discussed. To access this media, please go to the Focus LS Resource Portal (link below) and
click on the matching filename. Full transcripts are also provided for relevant media clips.

@
Online Resource: https://secure.paragontesting.ca/ip/focus-ls

For Instructors
Use this book to build your own CELPIP test preparation course. The activities here are best
suited to self-study, but many can be adapted for working in groups of two or more. Here are a
few suggestions to get you started:

• Students can work in pairs to complete an activity.

• Students can complete an activity alone and discuss their answers in small groups.
• After completing an exercise, students can exchange books and mark each other’s
answers.
• Students can provide feedback on each other’s Speaking responses using the speaking
checklists in Units 7–14.
• To make full use of this book, you may wish to access the media for the class, as well as
project the relevant transcripts.

vi
 1
UNIT
Overview of the Listening Test

• Format of the Listening Test

LEARNING FOCUS
• Understanding question format
• Identifying question types
• Previewing
• Improving your listening

The Listening Test consists of a variety of typical daily social and workplace
situations. This includes conversations, news items, reports, and discussions
in which people express different viewpoints. Before listening to the audio
in each part, you will see a brief statement providing some context about
what you are about to hear. You will be required to listen for information,
infer meaning, identify main points and important details, and perform other
listening tasks as you complete each part of the test.

In this unit, you will become familiar with the overall format and the
different types of questions you will find on the Listening Test. Knowing
what to expect on the Listening Test can make a big difference in your
performance.

1
 Listening: Unit 1

1
2

4 5
.
6

7 8

10

1 The prelistening statement helps give context before the audio or video starts.

2 The title reminds you where you are in the test.

3 The audio or video plays on this page, and the blue bar shows the progress of the audio clips.
4 The countdown timer shows how much time you have left for this page. When the timer reaches
zero, the test will move to the next part.
5 Use the NEXT button to move to the next part before the timer reaches zero. You cannot move back.

6 The audio will play ONCE for each question in Parts 1–3. You will only hear the questions—you
will not see them.
7 Click on the circle to select the best answer. Change the answer as many times as you like.

8 In Parts 1–3, each screen displays answer choices for a single question.
9 All the questions are displayed on the same page in each of Parts 4–6.

10 Click on the box to see the answer choices.

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 Listening: Unit 1

Format of the Listening Test

There are six parts to the Listening Test, as well as an unscored practice task at the beginning.
There may be additional unscored items which are used for research and development
purposes. You will have about 50 minutes to complete the Listening Test. The test is computer
scored and it gets more difficult as you work through it.

LISTENING PART TASKS

Listening to Problem Solving Listen to a dialogue between two people,
divided into three parts, and answer
questions.
Listening to a Daily Life Conversation Listen to a dialogue between two people and
answer questions.
Listening for Information Listen to a dialogue between two people and
answer questions.
Listening to a News Item Listen to a news story and answer questions.

Listening to a Discussion Listen to and watch a discussion between

three people and answer questions.
Listening for Viewpoints Listen to a report containing multiple
perspectives and answer questions.

TOTAL TIME About 50 minutes

Understanding Question Format

All questions that may appear on the Listening Test are multiple choice, and there are two
different styles, shown below.

1) Sentence-Completion Questions
Choose among four ways of completing a single sentence.

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 Listening: Unit 1

2) WH Questions
Answer questions that begin with words like “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why.” The
options for these answers may be presented as text or, in Listening Part 1, as images. The
questions themselves are given as audio only in Parts 1–3, and as text only in Part 5.

For the question above, you would hear, For the question above, you would hear,
“What is the man’s reaction to the woman “What did the woman likely have in her
being in his yard?” hand?”

Identifying Question Types

Questions for the Listening Test can be grouped into three types.

1. GENERAL MEANING 2. SPECIFIC DETAILS 3. INFERENCE

• These are questions that • These are questions that • These are questions
focus on understanding focus on understanding that focus on drawing
the overall idea in a specific details in a conclusions and making
passage. passage. assumptions based on
• You may be asked to • You may be asked to information in a passage.
identify the topic, identify key information, • You may be asked
theme, or main idea of a supporting details, to identify implicit
Listening passage. opinions, or examples. information, including a
speaker’s purpose, tone,
or attitude.

4
 Listening: Unit 1

Activity 1
Listen to the audio taken from Listening Part 1, and then read the questions below. You do not
need to actually answer the questions.

@
Play Unit 1 - Track 1.
Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

1. What is the problem?

2. Why will the woman go to the cab driver?

3. Why is the woman so upset?

Identify the question type for each question above.

QUESTION NUMBER QUESTION TYPE

1
2
3

Previewing
When each Listening part begins, start by previewing the screen to check for key information.
• Determine how many speakers there are.
• Identify the context.
• Check how many sections each audio passage has.
• Check how long each audio section is.

Activity 2
Scan the following images and answer as many questions as you can below. Note that not all
questions may be answerable from the given information.

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 Listening: Unit 1

1.
a) What will you hear?

b) How many speakers are there?

c) Where are the speakers?

d) How many sections will the audio have?

e) How long is the audio?

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 Listening: Unit 1

2.
a) What will you hear?

b) How many speakers are there?

c) Where are the speakers?

d) How many sections will the audio have?

e) How long is the audio?

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 Listening: Unit 1

3.
a) What will you watch?

b) How many speakers are there?

c) Where are the speakers?

d) How many sections will the video have?

e) How long is the video?

Improving Your Listening

In preparing for the Listening Test, there are various ways to improve your skills. Try to set
aside some time each day, even if it’s only a few minutes, to listen to the news or audiobooks,
or to watch movies or television. You could also listen to people around you. Listening to a
variety of material will help you increase your range of vocabulary, idioms, and expressions.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) website is a great place to start. Most
importantly, listen to audio and watch videos that interest you. This will make your listening
practice much more enjoyable, and you may learn new words and phrases.

8
 2
UNIT
Listening to Conversations between
Two People

• Understanding Parts 1–3

LEARNING FOCUS
• Identifying the relationship between the speakers
• Following a sequence of events
• Understanding conversational English
• Note-taking
• Test practice

The first three parts of the Listening Test share a few similarities: they
include conversations between two people about a topic common to daily
life, and you must answer multiple-choice questions. There are also some
important differences between these Listening parts. In order to best
illustrate these similarities and differences, Listening Parts 1, 2, and 3 are
addressed together in this unit.

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 Listening: Unit 2

1 The prelistening statement in Part 1 includes text and an image. Parts 2 and 3 only include text.

2 The Part 1 conversation audio has three sections; conversations in Parts 2 and 3 have one section
each.
3 In Parts 1–3, you will only hear the questions—you will not see them. The number of questions
varies between parts.
4 In Parts 1–3, you will have 30 seconds to listen to each question and select an answer.

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 Listening: Unit 2

Understanding Parts 1–3

Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving is a conversation between two strangers in which one has
a problem, and the other is trying to help him or her solve the problem. This conversation is
split into three sections, each followed by a few comprehension questions. To answer these
questions, you need to understand the basic facts, opinions, and details. Sometimes you will
need to make inferences.

In Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation, you will hear a conversation about a day-to-
day activity or workplace situation. To answer the questions that follow the conversation, you
need to understand the basic facts, identify paraphrases, and make note of changes in topic.
You may also need to make inferences.

Part 3: Listening for Information contains a conversation where an expert is giving information
that is unfamiliar to the other speaker. To answer the questions following the conversation, you
need to listen for key information, understand inferences from facts and evidence, and connect
ideas.

When you listen to conversations on the street, at home, or in CELPIP Listening Parts 1, 2,
and 3, it’s helpful to identify whether the speakers know each other and what role or position
they have. Another skill you will need is to be able to follow the course of the conversation and
understand how ideas are connected to each other.

Identifying the Relationship between the Speakers

When listening for the relationship between speakers in a conversation, there are two things to
be aware of. The first is their roles, and the second is how well they know each other.

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 Listening: Unit 2

Identifying Roles

There are two steps in identifying the role each speaker plays. The first is to preview and
identify the roles as described in the information screen (see previous image).

Then, listen to the audio, paying special attention to information that will further develop your
understanding of the speakers’ roles. Read the following excerpt from a conversation and note
the key words and phrases that will help you infer the relationship between the speakers.

Man: Hey, Laura. If you have a minute, I’ve got something

I’d like to ask you about.

This comment about “our

boss” and “the company” shows
Woman: Sure. What’s on your mind? Do you have more
that the speakers are
relationship questions? That’s what we usually talk about.
co-workers.

Man: Not this time. This is a work thing. You know our
The idea that the speakers
boss has been working for the company for a long time,
are co-workers is confirmed
right? Well, he’s retiring next month, and since he’s
by the fact that the woman
always been so good to me, I’d really like to get him a
identifies both herself and
retirement gift.
the man as being among the
“employees” that “usually get
together to buy a gift.”
Woman: That’s a great idea. Wait a minute; usually all the
employees get together to buy a gift. Why are you buying
him a gift on your own?

Identifying Familiarity

The other method for identifying the relationship between speakers is analyzing the level of
familiarity. Familiarity between speakers is shown through the way they talk. In general, when
people are familiar with each other, they tend to use less formal language; when two strangers
interact, they are likely to use more formal expressions. Below are three excerpts from listening
passages that demonstrate how the speakers’ words show what kind of relationship they have.

Excerpt One

Man: Okay, ma’am , your car’s ready. Everything mechanical

checked out fine. I noticed that you’ve still got winter tires
on your car. Are you going to change them? By using the polite term
“ma’am,” the man is
indicating that he does not
Woman: Seriously? I just bought this car, and it passed a know the woman.
safety inspection. What’s wrong with the tires?

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 Listening: Unit 2

Excerpt Two
By using slang like “how’s
Man: Hey, how’s it going? Have you heard the news? Josh’s it going” and informal
gonna get into uni after all. He actually passed that crazy contractions/abbreviations
hard exam. like “gonna” and “uni” for
“going to” and “university,” it
is clear that the man is friends
Woman: Seriously? That’s sweet! Good for him! with the woman. If they
weren’t friends, the use of the
slang might be inappropriate.

Excerpt Three
By calling the woman by
Man: Hey, Laura. If you have a minute, I’ve got something her first name, the man is
I’d like to ask you about. demonstrating that there is
some level of familiarity.

Woman: Sure. What’s on your mind? Do you have more

relationship questions? That’s what we usually talk about. As discussed previously,
these two speakers have been
identified as co-workers.
In addition to this, the
woman’s question shows
that the connection between
the speakers is close, since
good friends talk about
relationships.

Activity 1
Listen to the audio and answer the questions below.

@
Play Unit 2 - Track 1.
Access audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

1. How many speakers are in the passage?

2. What is the relationship between the 3. Are the speakers familiar with each other?
speakers? a) Yes
a) They are strangers. b) No
b) They are co-workers.
c) They are classmates.
d) They are friends.

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 Listening: Unit 2

Tip In CELPIP, being able to identify the relationship and level of familiarity of the
speakers can help you answer inference questions.

Following a Sequence of Events

Being able to follow the flow of ideas in a conversation is a key language skill. There are a
number of ways to keep track of the connection between ideas. One way is to pay attention to
the pronouns used. In the first speech bubble below, the woman replies that “it wasn’t my cup
of tea, to be honest.” This requires you to understand that “it” refers to the word “performance”
in the man’s question. Linking pronouns to the correct nouns referred to earlier in the
conversation is an important part of understanding what is happening in a listening activity.

Man: Hello there! How Man: Oh, that’s too bad. Man: Thanks. Just a minute
was the performance? Well, I’ll get your jacket for . . . Um . . . ma’am . . . I’m
you. Could I have your sorry, what does your coat
Woman: It wasn’t my cup number please? look like again?
of tea, to be honest. I guess
I don’t really like musicals. Woman: Yes, it’s just in my Woman: Why do you ask? It
pocket . . . here it is, it’s #240. should be on the hanger with
the matching number. It’s a
black parka jacket with grey
fake fur on the hood.

Time

Activity 2
Use the excerpts in the speech bubbles above to answer the following questions. Write your
answers in the blanks provided.

1. In the phrase “Oh, that’s too bad,” what does “that” refer to?

2. In the phrase “Yes, it’s just in my pocket,” what does “it” refer to?

3. In the phrase “It should be on the hanger with the matching number,” what does “it”
refer to?

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 Listening: Unit 2

@ Activity 3A
Using what you have learned about following a sequence of events, listen to each track and
choose which of the two excerpts (“A” or “B”) comes next in the conversation.

Play Unit 2 - Track 2.1.

A. Man: The other attendant went

home sick. It’s just me. I understand B. Man: Yes, I will, but if you could
you’re upset, and I’m very sorry, just wait a few minutes. There are
but if you could just come back in 5 many other people waiting in line.
minutes. If we can’t find it, I’ll call I’m sure I’ll be able to find it once I
my supervisor. clear more coats.
1.
B
A

Play Unit 2 - Track 2.2.

B. Woman: But I already called a cab!

A. Woman: Oh, thank goodness. It’s probably waiting outside for me!
Where was it? Can someone else check it for me?
2.
B
A

Play Unit 2 - Track 2.3.

A. Woman: I certainly hope these

mix-ups don’t happen too often.
Perhaps I should complain to your B. Woman: Oh—Well—Thank you
supervisor. very much!
3.
B
A

Play Unit 2 - Track 2.4.

B. Man: I’ll call you another one,

A. Man: And we do hope you’ll buy and it will be paid for by the theatre
tickets for another show some time! company.
4.
B
A

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 Listening: Unit 2

@ Activity 3B
Now that you have worked on the conversation in Activity 3A, listen to the audio and answer
the questions below.
Play Unit 2 - Tracks 3.1–3.11.

Play Track 3.1 Listen to the first part of the conversation.

1. Play Track 3.2 a) He is simply trying to be polite.

b) He is collecting data for a survey.
c) He was unable to watch it himself.
d) He was an actor in the performance.

2. Play Track 3.3 a) b) c) d)

Unit 2 – Image 1: This image is not displayed in full colour. See the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

Play Track 3.4 Listen to the second part of the conversation.

3. Play Track 3.5 a) Someone has spilled tea on her coat.

b) The attendant cannot find her coat.
c) There are two identical winter coats.
d) One ticket number goes with two coats.

4. Play Track 3.6 a) The coat was very expensive.

b) It is very cold outside.
c) She is very fond of the coat.
d) The coat is irreplaceable.

5. Play Track 3.7 a) He wants to call the other attendant for help.
b) He wants to deal with the other customers.
c) He wants to call his supervisor for instruction.
d) He wants to give her time to calm down.

6. Play Track 3.8 a) to ask the cab driver to wait for her
b) to look in the cab for her missing coat
c) to return home in the cab right away
d) to wait inside the cab for 5 minutes

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 Listening: Unit 2

Play Track 3.9 Listen to the third part of the conversation.

7. Play Track 3.10 a) Another employee put the woman’s coat on the wrong ticket.
b) Another employee mistook the woman’s coat for her own.
c) The woman’s coat looked like the one hanging beside it.
d) The woman’s coat was hidden from view by other coats.

8. Play Track 3.11 a) He gives the woman free tickets for a show.
b) He offers to have the coat cleaned.
c) He says he’ll file a complaint with the supervisor.
d) He arranges for the theatre to pay for her cab.

Bookend Statements

Another way to connect ideas is to listen for “bookend” statements. These appear at the
open and close of a conversation and serve many purposes. The first is to set the tone of
the conversation. For example, if a speaker begins a conversation with an angry tone and
then slowly becomes more neutral, you could infer that the other person is helping with the
problem. The tone can also help you clarify whether the speakers know each other, since
people use different tones for strangers or friends. For example, strangers may speak to each
other with a fairly neutral tone, while people who are more familiar with each other may speak
with more emotion.

Another purpose of a “bookend” statement is to frame the context of the conversation. If

you take the information in the opening and closing statements, you will probably be able to
understand the basic situation: what happened and how it concluded. Opening statements
usually involve a greeting and introduce the action, whereas closing statements usually involve
a farewell and a final reference to what was discussed.

@
Play Unit 2 – Track 4 and read along with the transcript below.

MAN: Excuse me, could you please tell me what you’re doing in my front yard?

WOMAN: I’m sorry, I didn’t think anyone was home. I’m the townhouse gardener.
We’re doing assessments of what trees need to be pruned or removed.

(The bulk of the conversation has been removed.)

MAN: That’s great! Did you speak with the neighbours as well?

WOMAN: I did. And they agreed that, for the shade, it’s worth keeping the tree.

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 Listening: Unit 2

MAN: Terrific! Thanks so much!

WOMAN: No problem. Have a nice day!

In this example, only a few sentences are given. However, the main idea of the conversation is
clear. Initially, the man seems bothered by the woman in his yard, as expressed by his frustrated
tone. The woman is a gardener and she is checking the trees. Between these “bookends,” there
was a problem, but from the closing statement, it is evident that the problem was solved. This
is indicated by the speakers ending the conversation with a positive tone.

Activity 3C
Practice identifying “bookend” statements by reading the following and choosing whether each
set is “opening” or “closing.”

Woman: You’d think they Man: Hi, how can I help you?
could have used dark green at
least, not blue! Woman: Hi. I’d like to
exchange my backpack. The
Man: Maybe they didn’t have strap broke. I can only carry
1. 2.
dark green either. it on one shoulder now.
closing
opening closing
opening
Woman: True. Anyways, it
works, that’s all that matters.
Thanks for your help!

Now that you are familiar with how to identify opening and closing “bookends,” these next two
activities will expand this idea further.

@ Activity 3D
Listen to the audio and write the track numbers for each opening and closing pair on a line
below.
Play Unit 2 – Tracks 5.1–5.4.

Track 5.1 Track 5.2 Track 5.3 Track 5.4

OPENING CLOSING

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 Listening: Unit 2

@ Activity 3E
Listen to the audio and write the track numbers for each opening and closing pair on a line
below.
Play Unit 2 – Tracks 6.1–6.6.

Track 6.1 Track 6.2 Track 6.3 Track 6.4 Track 6.5 Track 6.6

OPENING CLOSING

As demonstrated in these activities, clues to the main ideas of a passage can often be
determined from the opening and closing statements. Being able to follow along with the ideas
in a conversation like this is important on the CELPIP Test. Sometimes you might be asked a
question that requires you to understand how the conversation developed and if a topic was
the main idea or a small detail.

Understanding Conversational English

One of the greatest challenges in listening to English is clearly identifying what is being said
when the speakers use contractions and interjections.

Contractions are made by joining words to make language more efficient. These are some of
the most common contractions:

• it’s = it is
• didn’t = did not
• aren’t = are not
• we’ve = we have
• you’re = you are
• we’re = we are
• they’re = they are
• I’d = I would OR I had
• she’s = she has OR she is

It is important to understand the context of how the contraction is being used, especially
because some contractions can have multiple meanings.

Interjections are commonly used in two ways. Sometimes interjections are used to express
emotions (“wow,” “oh my,” and “thanks”). Interjections are also used when people do not
know what to say next (“um,” “uh,” and “ah”).

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 Listening: Unit 2

@ Activity 4
Listen to the audio and then complete the table by writing each contraction you hear in the
order that you hear it on the left side. After listening, write the full words on the right
(You’ve  You have). Some contractions will appear more than once.
Play Unit 2 – Track 7.

CONTRACTION FULL WORDS

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.
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 Listening: Unit 2

Note-Taking
Being able to take notes is a key skill that helps when participating in business meetings,
classroom lectures, and other information-heavy conversations. This skill is also useful when
completing the Listening Test in CELPIP. On the official test, you will be provided with a pen
and notepaper, in case you wish to take notes while listening to the passages. It is your choice
whether you take notes or not. At the end of the official test, all notepaper will be collected, but
you will not be scored on your notes.

Whether you use the following strategies or not, keep in mind that it doesn’t matter how many
notes you take or whether they contain any spelling or grammar mistakes. Only you will see
them, so as long as they make sense to you, that’s good enough.

Two of the most important strategies for note-taking are using symbols or shortened words,
and organizing the notes so that the information is easy to locate. These strategies will be
discussed in more depth in the following activities. Keep in mind that you may also wish to
draw diagrams, free-form images, or even use emoticons in your notes. Ultimately, you should
take notes in whatever way you find to be the most efficient.

Symbols and Shortened Words

This list contains some of the most common and useful symbols used in note-taking. This list
is not exhaustive.

♀ woman, women, female

♂ man, men, male

a.m. morning

p.m. afternoon

NB note well (from the Latin “nota bene”), remember this, important
*
w/ with

w/o without

⟹ ∴ therefore, consequently

∵ because

approx. ≈ approximate(ly)
equals, is the same as, results in
⁼
@
Access the Focus LS Resource Portal for additional materials.

21
 Listening: Unit 2

Using shortened words can make the note-taking process more efficient. Three methods are
listed below.

Remove vowels
• garden  grdn
• government  gvrnmnt
• people  ppl

Replace letters with an apostrophe (’)

• thinking  think’g
• respond  resp’d

Use the first three letters of a word

• government  gov
• March  Mar
• contradict  con

Organizing Notes

There is a wide range of note-taking methods; one such method is speaker-based organization.

Speaker-based organization focuses on each speaker and asks WH questions such as: Who is
the speaker? Where is the speaker? What is the speaker doing? When is the speaker doing this?
Why is the speaker doing this? Sometimes, there is no direct answer to these questions, but
thinking about them will help you focus on important information. To take notes in this style,
take a sheet of paper and divide it into sections. You will need one section for each speaker.

SPEAKER 1 SPEAKER 2
Who: Who:

What: What:

When: When:

Where: Where:

Why: Why:

Before you hear the conversations in Listening Parts 1, 2, and 3, you will be presented with a
prelistening statement that will give you information about the speakers. For example, the
prelistening statement may be, “You will hear a conversation between a man and a woman.”
Based on this information, you can begin to fill in the chart by identifying the gender of each
speaker in the “who” section of the chart as soon as the audio starts.

22
 Listening: Unit 2

@ Activity 5
Listen to the audio and practice taking notes. You can type them in the spaces below, or make
your own chart on paper and take notes with a pen as you will do on the CELPIP Test. Then
compare your notes with the sample notes in the Answer Key.
Play Unit 2 – Track 8.

LISTENING NOTES
SPEAKER 1 SPEAKER 2
Who: Who:

What: What:

When: When:

Where: Where:

Why: Why:

@
Test Practice
Using everything you have learned, play the following tracks and choose the best answer for
each question.
Play Unit 2 – Tracks 9–11.

Tip In Listening Parts 1–3 on the official test, you will only be able to hear the passage
and questions once. In preparation for this, try to listen to each track only once as
you answer these questions.

23
 Listening: Unit 2

Listening Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving

Play Track 9.1 Listen to the first part of the conversation.

1. Play Track 9.2 a) They need to reduce expenses.

b) They need more time to finish.
c) The script needs to be changed.
d) The deadline has been moved up.

2. Play Track 9.3 a) b) c) d)

Unit 2 – Image 2: This image is not displayed in full colour. See the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

Play Track 9.4 Listen to the second part of the conversation.

3. Play Track 9.5 a) Pleasing her client is important to her.

b) She doesn’t like last-minute changes.
c) Spending too much on actors worries her.
d) She has an uptight attitude.

4. Play Track 9.6 a) reducing the actors’ salaries

b) hiring new script writers
c) making a shorter commercial
d) improving the animation quality

5. Play Track 9.7 a) He is working with this agency for the first time.
b) He preferred the writers at the previous ad agency.
c) He is head of the toothpaste company.
d) He is unconcerned about the script changes.
24
 Listening: Unit 2

Play Track 9.8 Listen to the third part of the conversation.

6. Play Track 9.9 a) disappointed
b) angry
c) excited
d) pleased

7. Play Track 9.10 a) It requires more resources.

b) It is on schedule.
c) It is pending approval.
d) It needs a new product.

8. Play Track 9.11 a) He has provided useful advice.

b) She has enjoyed working with him.
c) He has another project for her company.
d) She has received payment for the ad.

Listening Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

Play Track 10.1 Listen to the conversation.

1. Play Track 10.2 a) The woman offers assistance.

b) The man requests information.
c) The woman asks for directions.
d) The man introduces himself.

2. Play Track 10.3 a) He will make it from blueberries.

b) He will need a lot of berries.
c) He will add a lot of sugar to it.
d) He will make it with a little honey.

3. Play Track 10.4 a) to check if the berries they found are safe to eat
b) to read some information about bees dying
c) to see what a black raspberry looks like
d) to find a list of foods that need bees to grow

4. Play Track 10.5 a) They are both allergic to bees.

b) They are both grateful for bees.
c) They are both afraid of bees.
d) They are both optimistic about bees.

25
 Listening: Unit 2

5. Play Track 10.6 a) their disappearance

b) their ability to sting
c) their habitat
d) their daily routine

Listening Part 3: Listening for Information

Play Track 11.1 Listen to the conversation.

1. Play Track 11.2 a) The man is asking about current train specials.
b) The man needs to book an urgent trip to Boston.
c) The man wants information about train travel.
d) The man is planning a family trip to Montreal.

2. Play Track 11.3 a) The cabin would be too crowded for the children.
b) His children would dislike the meals offered.
c) His children would be bored on the trip.
d) The tickets would be too costly with the children.

3. Play Track 11.4 a) He is surprised by what the fare excludes.

b) He is wondering if there is a deal.
c) He is planning to purchase a ticket.
d) He is curious about longer train trips.

4. Play Track 11.5 a) Boston

b) Vancouver
c) Toronto
d) Montreal

5. Play Track 11.6 a) She makes no comment about the comparison.

b) She argues that train service is more enjoyable.
c) She describes the scenic delights of train travel.
d) She recommends the shorter trip to Montreal.

6. Play Track 11.7 a) send a complaint about high ticket prices

b) check the website for special rates to Montreal
c) fly to Vancouver instead of taking the train
d) purchase himself a round-trip ticket to Montreal

26
 3
UNIT
Listening to a News Item

• Understanding pauses, intonation, and stress

LEARNING FOCUS
• Answering questions about general meaning
• Answering questions about specific details
• Following a sequence of events
• Note-taking
• Test practice

In Listening Part 4: Listening to a News Item, you will hear a report which
focuses on an event that takes place in a Canadian community. You will be
assessed on your ability to understand what the story is about. Some of the
questions will test your general comprehension of the event; others will ask
about specific details or require that you make inferences.

27
 Listening: Unit 3

1
2

3
4

5
6

1 The prelistening statement provides the context for the news item before the audio starts.
2 Part 4 is a short news story delivered by one speaker.
3 Part 4 contains sentence-completion questions.

4 Be aware of the time remaining and be sure to answer all questions.

5 There are five questions in Part 4. The questions are given in text format, not audio.
6 Click on the box to see the options to complete each sentence. There will always be four choices.

28
 Listening: Unit 3

Understanding Pauses, Intonation, and Stress

When you listen to audio with one speaker, such as the news report in Listening Part 4 in
CELPIP, it is important to notice the small hints and signs that help you follow along. Three of
these signs are pauses, intonation, and stressed words.

Pauses

Pauses are typically used for the following:

@
Access the following audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the
Introduction.

TYPE OF PAUSE EXAMPLE

Play Unit 3 – Track 1.1.
Separating ideas from each other—
Sunset Beach is a popular tourist spot
pauses can separate individual ideas
in Vancouver, [pause] but it can get
or groups of ideas
overcrowded on holiday weekends.
Play Unit 3 – Track 1.2.
The doctor’s office is just a short bus ride
Indicating extra information
from here, but [pause] if you want my
opinion, [pause] you should just walk.
Play Unit 3 – Track 1.3.
Emphasizing important words Please pay attention to the following rule
because it is [pause] very [pause] important.

@ Activity 1A
Listen to the audio and decide what kind of pause the highlighted phrases contain. These are
shown in the transcript below. The first one has been done for you.
Play Unit 3 - Track 2.

An Ontario resident ordered some fast food 1. on Friday, but instead of getting a bag of
hot chicken, 2. he got a bag of cold hard cash. 3. Richard Coleman, a third-year law student
at the University of Toronto, pulled up to the drive-thru window of the popular Charlie’s
Chicken restaurant on Broadway and ordered a chicken burger and 4. french fries to go.
At the first stoplight on his way home, Coleman reached inside the take-out bag for his
chicken burger and pulled out a 5. bundle of cash instead. “I couldn’t believe it!” said
Coleman.

1. a) separate ideas 2. a) separate ideas

b) indicate extra information b) indicate extra information
c) emphasize important words c) emphasize important words

Continue
29
 Listening: Unit 3

3. a) separate ideas 4. a) separate ideas

b) indicate extra information b) indicate extra information
c) emphasize important words c) emphasize important words

5. a) separate ideas
b) indicate extra information
c) emphasize important words

Intonation

Intonation—the way the voice goes up and down—is also important when listening to English.
It tells listeners more about the meaning of what the speaker is saying and how they feel about
it. Note that intonation is used in a variety of ways in English speech, but that this unit will
focus on the three most common patterns: falling, rising, and falling then rising.

Falling intonation describes how the voice falls at the end of a phrase or a sentence. This
intonation is commonly used with WH questions.
@
Play Unit 3 - Track 3.1.

What is the time? When will the movie start?

@
Falling intonation is also used to express statements of fact and certainty. Play Unit 3 - Track 3.2.

I like hockey.

Rising intonation describes how the voice rises at the end of a phrase or sentence. This
intonation is commonly used with yes/no questions.
@
Play Unit 3 - Track 3.3.

The new boss starts today, doesn’t he? Are you a teacher?

Falling then rising intonation describes how the voice falls then rises at the end of a phrase
or sentence. This type of intonation often tells the listener that what is being discussed might
change, or there is more to be said about the topic.
@
Play Unit 3 - Track 3.4.

I don’t have a camera quite yet.

Although the speaker does not have a camera now, it is clear that he is likely to get one in the
future.
30
 Listening: Unit 3

Falling then rising intonation can also be used with questions to make them sound more polite.

@
Play Unit 3 - Track 3.5.

Would you like me to get you your bill now?

@ Activity 1B
Listen to the audio and choose whether the intonation on the last word or two of each sentence
is falling ( ), rising ( ), or falling then rising ( ).
Play Unit 3 – Track 4.1–4.6.

1. Excuse me, which way is the train station?

rising then rising
falling
2. We have a meeting today, right? falling then rising
rising
falling
3. Are you going to Sasha’s graduation? rising
falling then rising
4. I think we should go that way. rising
falling then rising
5. Have you ever been to the theatre? rising
falling then rising
6. Have you seen the Celebration of Lights? rising
falling then rising

Word Stress

Word stress is another hint that allows listeners to make sense of what is being said. Stressed
words are often the most important words in a phrase or sentence. These keys words are often
essential when listening for details.
@
Listen to Unit 3 – Track 5 and read along with the text below; the stressed words are bolded.

Many tourists assume that Whistler is only a winter destination. They are often surprised
to learn that it provides many summer activities as well.

Note that in this passage, the words that the speaker emphasizes are helpful in gaining a
general understanding of the main ideas.

@ Activity 1C
Listen to the audio and highlight the stressed words in the excerpts below.
Play Unit 3 - Track 6.1.

If we want to make it for the 4 o’clock ferry to Vancouver Island, we will need to arrive at
the terminal before 3 o’clock. So, please try to be ready to leave by 2.

31
 Listening: Unit 3

Play Unit 3 - Track 6.2.

Last Friday, visitors to the Bridal Falls park received a welcome surprise. Actors in
Victorian costumes presented a traditional travelling tea service. Guests were treated to
fresh pastries, sandwiches, and three varieties of local tea.

After you checked your answers, did you notice anything about which words were stressed? As
mentioned earlier, words are often stressed to highlight key information in someone’s speech.
Therefore, even if you don’t understand or you didn’t quite catch some words, listening for the
stressed words should still give you a basic outline of what was discussed.

Answering Questions about General Meaning

In Unit 1, three types of questions that can be found in the Listening Test were introduced:
general meaning, specific detail, and inference. In this unit, you will learn about general meaning
and specific detail questions. Inference questions will be discussed in Unit 5.

General meaning questions assess your overall understanding of a conversation or report. To

answer this type of question to the best of your ability, it is important to be able to separate the
passage into two of its components: topic and main ideas.

Identifying the Topic

Being able to identify the topic of a conversation or report is extremely important. Sometimes
it is obvious and clearly mentioned; other times, it is less clear and needs to be pieced together
by listening to the entire passage.

One method of identifying the topic is to listen for repeated ideas. The more often certain
words or their synonyms are used throughout a passage, the more likely they apply to the topic
of the passage. These words are often called “key words.” Key words can be almost any part of
speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) but are most often nouns.
@ Activity 2
Listen to the audio and write down the key words and their variations which are repeated
throughout the passage. The answers can be one or more words each—try to write down five or
six. Then, compare your notes with the Answer Key. The first one has been done for you.
Play Unit 3 – Track 7.

KEY WORDS
Ontario resident

32
 Listening: Unit 3

Identifying Main Ideas

The difference between topics and main ideas is that the topic will appear throughout a
passage, while a main idea will appear in a section. For example, in the following excerpt,
the topic is finding a bag of money, and the three main ideas in this excerpt are related to
Coleman’s reaction, where the money came from, and why the money was given to him.

[Idea 1] “I couldn’t believe it!” said Coleman. “I immediately pulled over to the side of
the road because I was afraid I’d get into an accident.”

[Idea 2] The money, which totalled over two thousand dollars, was the restaurant’s
deposit from the previous day. Ralph Black, the owner of Charlie’s Chicken, had put the
money in a paper take-out bag because he had run out of plastic bank deposit bags.

[Idea 3] While he was on the phone, a drive-thru cashier unknowingly gave the bag to
Coleman, thinking it was his take-out order.

Putting It All Together to Answer General Meaning Questions

Now that you understand how to identify topics and main ideas, you are ready to answer
general meaning questions. General meaning questions are usually easy to recognize because
they tend to use words like “overall,” “mainly,” and “mostly.” They often ask what the passage
is about or what the main problem is. The following examples show some typical general
meaning questions:

What is the problem?

a) Someone has spilled tea on her coat.
b) The attendant cannot find her coat.
c) There are two identical winter coats.
d) One ticket number goes with two coats.

What does the man mainly talk about?

a) which rooms should have a fan
b) how ceiling fans keep a room warm
c) what to consider when buying a fan
d) why fans have remote controls

When discussing bees, what do they talk

about the most?
a) their disappearance
b) their ability to sting
c) their habitat
d) their daily routine

33
 Listening: Unit 3

To better understand how to approach general meaning questions, consider the following steps
used to answer a question about the passage introduced in Activity 2.

@
1
Listen to the audio Remove unlikely answers

3
Play Unit 3 - Track 8. Option A isn’t correct because while the passage
says, “I was tempted to keep the money,” only a small part
of the passage is concerned with this idea.

2
Option B isn’t correct because this information appears only once
when Coleman says, “I knew that the best thing to do was to return it.”
Option D isn’t correct because giving money away is a supporting
Read the question
piece of information.
The news report was about how a
a) young man’s ethics were tested.
b) businessman had his money
returned.
4
Select the most logical answer
c) fast food order held a surprise. While Options A, B, and D are all ideas presented
d) server gave away money. in the passage, they are not the focus. Option C presents the
focus of the story because the idea of a surprise is shown in many
places.

Below is an excerpt that demonstrates how the answer is found.

An Ontario resident ordered some The idea of a fast food order holding a
fast food on Friday, but instead of surprise is introduced in this excerpt.
getting a bag of hot chicken, he A bag meant for chicken is found to
got a bag of cold, hard cash . . . contain money instead. This is, by
nature, surprising.

“I couldn’t believe it!” said The idea of surprise is further expressed

Coleman. “I immediately pulled in the second excerpt. The passage
over to the side of the road goes into extensive detail to describe
because I was afraid I’d get into an Coleman’s reaction to this unexpected
accident.” event, making Option C the best
answer.

Answering Questions about Specific Details

Specific detail questions focus on the key pieces of information in a conversation or report.
Specific details are used to support and develop main ideas. One of the main ideas in the
example below is Richard Coleman’s honesty (“Coleman is going to make a very honest
lawyer.”). While this statement can stand alone, it is also supported by details such as
Coleman’s statement, “I knew that the best thing to do was to return it.”

“I was tempted to keep the money,” Coleman admitted, “but I knew that the best thing
to do was to return it.” Black told reporters, “I was quite surprised. I think most people
would have kept the money—especially when you consider how expensive law school is!
Coleman is going to make a very honest lawyer.”

34
 Listening: Unit 3

Putting It All Together to Answer Specific Detail Questions

Now that you understand how to identify specific details, you are ready to answer specific
detail questions. One way to recognize that you are dealing with specific detail questions is that
these questions usually ask what someone said or did. There may be other ways these questions
appear, but they will always assess your ability to understand the key details from the passage.
The following two examples show typical specific detail questions:

Which coat did Jessica decide to buy? What does the man say about
a) the red parka neighbourhood associations?
b) the yellow raincoat a) They help solve problems.
c) the blue trench coat b) They require too much time.
d) the black peacoat c) They keep neighbourhoods safe.
d) They improve people’s relationships.

To better understand how to approach specific detail questions, consider the following the
steps used to answer a question about the passage introduced in Activity 2.

@
1
Listen to the audio
Play Unit 3 - Track 8.

3
Remove unlikely answers
Option A isn’t correct because the passage never
talked about asking for a refund.
Option C isn’t correct because the passage never mentioned

2
Coleman refusing to eat at the restaurant.
Option D isn’t correct because Coleman was already studying law
Read the question at the beginning of the passage.
Coleman decided to
a) demand a refund from the
restaurant.
b) give back the cash to the owner.

4
c) stop eating at the restaurant. Select the most logical answer
d) start studying law at university. Option B presents the correct answer because the
detail of giving back the cash to the owner was mentioned at
one specific point in the passage.

“I was tempted to keep the money,” Coleman The answer is found

admitted, “but I knew that the best thing to do here since the passage
was to return it.” Black told reporters, “I was says, “I knew that the best
quite surprised. I think most people would have thing to do was to return
kept the money—especially when you consider it [the cash].”
how expensive law school is! Coleman is going to
make a very honest lawyer.”

35
 Listening: Unit 3

It’s important to note that, as is made clear by the example on the previous page, specific
words from the listening passage are unlikely to appear in the answer options. Instead, the
information may be paraphrased—meaning that ideas from the listening passage will be
expressed using different words. The words in the correct answer option, “give back the cash
to the owner,” are not found in the passage. They are a paraphrase of “. . . but I knew the best
thing was to return it.”

@ Activity 3
Listen to the audio and answer the following questions. Indicate whether the question is
about general meaning or specific details.
Play Unit 3 - Track 9.

1. General Meaning Specific Detail 3. General Meaning Specific Detail

Mary Bryce was affected by Mary felt that the Canadian Bankers
a) false airline and hotel charges. Association program
b) hidden bank service fees. a) needed better promotion.
c) a scam targeting the elderly. b) was incredibly beneficial.
d) bad advice from a workshop. c) came too late to help her.
d) should be free of charge.
2. General Meaning Specific Detail
4. General Meaning Specific Detail
The new workshop for seniors was designed
to Mary’s story raises awareness about
a) help seniors become more vigilant. a) affordable coupon programs.
b) educate banks on fraud protection. b) unfair bank service fees.
c) advise people on retirement c) dishonest phone marketing.
planning. d) financially struggling seniors.
d) teach seniors how to invest money.

Following a Sequence of Events

Unit 2 discussed how identifying pronoun usage can help you follow a sequence of events in a
conversation. When you listen to news stories like those in Listening Part 4, you need to pay
attention to words that describe when or in what order events happened. The first method is to
listen for words describing dates or times. The second is to listen for sequencing words, some
examples of which are in the table below.

SEQUENCING WORDS
after
next then finally later
that
in the
first second initially meanwhile
beginning
at the same
during while soon until
time

before after just as now presently

36
 Listening: Unit 3

@ Activity 4A
Listen to the passage and write down the words or phrases that describe when things
happened.
Play Unit 3 - Track 10.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

@ Activity 4B
Check your answers for Activity 4A and use them to help you complete the sentences
below. Then listen to the audio and write the order of the sentences from 1 (the first sentence)
to 5 (the last sentence) in the blanks in front of each sentence.
Play Unit 3 - Track 10.

a. Authorities are trying to determine the motive for the crime.

b. ,
she noticed a man behaving erratically in one of the aisles.

c. , a security guard thwarted a kidnapping attempt by

providing police with information that led to the rescue of a young girl.

d. , police put out an amber alert that a seven-year-old

girl had been abducted

e. , police apprehended the man as he was speeding out

of the city

37
 Listening: Unit 3

Note-Taking
In Unit 2, a style of note-taking was introduced to help you when listening to two people having
a conversation. In this unit, you will learn how to take notes on a news story delivered by a
single speaker. This style of note-taking focuses on answering the following questions: Who?
What? When? Where? Why?

To take notes using this style, take a sheet of paper and make a table with each question listed
in a column on the left and space to answer the questions on the right.

WH WORD NOTES

Who?

What?

When?

Where?

Why?

@ Activity 5
Practice note-taking by listening to the audio and filling in the note template above, or make
your own template on paper and write your notes.
Play Unit 3 – Track 11.

38
 Listening: Unit 3

@ Test Practice
Using everything you have learned and the notes you have taken, listen to the audio and then
choose the best answer to complete each sentence.
Play Unit 3 – Track 11.

Play Track 11 Listen to the conversation.

1. The storm was a a) traffic was unusually heavy that day.

problem because b) the change in weather was unexpected.
c) bad weather is uncommon in the area.
d) the city had no salt for the roads.

2. Driving a) the roads required maintenance.

conditions b) salt trucks were blocking roads.
were dangerous c) it snowed many times in November.
because
d) drivers were causing accidents.

3. Halifax motorist a) disliked the city’s slow response.

Alan Cameron b) drives one of the salt trucks.
c) had an accident on the highway.
d) slipped on the black ice.

4. City official a) commuters caused the problems.

Samantha Park b) the city made a mistake.
thinks that c) salt trucks need priority on roads.
d) the city is doing its job correctly.

5. Listeners to the a) the salt trucks caused the traffic jams.

news would b) the motorists were being careless.
likely believe c) salt trucks will start earlier next time.
that
d) city officials knew the storm was coming.

39
 4
UNIT
Listening to a Discussion

• Recognizing visual cues

LEARNING FOCUS
• Recognizing verbal cues
• Note-taking
• Test Practice

In Listening Part 5: Listening to a Discussion, you will watch a video with

three people who are discussing a topic. You will be assessed on your ability
to follow the flow of a conversation among a small group of people and recall
key details about the topic. As the conversation is presented in a video, you
will be able to see the speakers and their surroundings, which can help you
understand the situation.

40
 Listening: Unit 4

5
6

1 The prelistening statement helps give the context before the video starts.
2 Part 5 contains a video instead of an audio clip.
3 The discussion takes place between three people. First, you will see an image of the speakers in
which each person is identified by name.
4 Be aware of the time remaining and be sure to answer all the questions.

5 There are eight questions in Part 5. The questions appear as text, not audio.

6 Click on the box to see the answer choices. There will always be four choices.

41
 Listening: Unit 4

Recognizing Visual Cues

While watching the video, pay attention to visual cues that can help you understand the
discussion. Some of these cues are found in the setting (where the speakers are), and some are
found in the speakers’ body language.

Setting

As in all parts of the Listening Test, there is a prelistening statement in Part 5 that will help
you understand the general context of the listening passage. However, since the conversation
in this part is presented in a video, you will be able to learn more about the situation by paying
attention to visual details. Consider the setting of the conversation. Where are the speakers?
Are they in a public place? Are they in a workplace? If so, what are the speakers’ jobs? Paying
attention to the setting will help you make sense of the conversation.

Activity 1
To practice identifying important visual aspects in a scene, imagine that you were presented
with this image before the video began. Answer the following question to determine what
information you can learn from it.

1. Where are the speakers?

a) in an office
b) in a coffee shop
c) in a kitchen
d) in a factory

42
 Listening: Unit 4

Speakers

After you’ve used the setting to help you understand the situation, you need to be aware of how
the speakers feel about the topic and what they are saying. The easiest way to do this is to pay
attention to the speakers’ body language: their facial expressions and posture. When you look
at the speakers’ body language, aim for a general understanding of their feelings: happy, sad,
angry, confused, surprised, etc.

Activity 2
Look at the images below and answer the questions. Note that this activity is just meant to help
you practice recognizing visual cues; you will not see image-based questions like this in the
actual Listening Part 5.

Based on the pictures, how is each person feeling at this moment?

1. 2. 3.

a) happy a) excited a) joyful

b) sad b) concerned b) confused
c) frustrated c) hopeful c) depressed
d) amused d) bored d) enthusiastic

Recognizing Verbal Cues

The other part of understanding a conversation in a video or in real life is being able to identify
how people feel about a topic or each other from what they say and how they say it.

Formality

How formally people speak can give a lot of information about the relationship between the
speakers and how well they know each other. Normally, we use informal English with our
friends and family, and sometimes with co-workers. We become more formal as we talk to
people with whom we are less familiar, and when we interact in more official settings (at a
bank, in a court of law, etc.).

43
 Listening: Unit 4

Informal Level of Formality Formal

• Friend • Colleague • Stranger • Supervisor
• Family member • Acquaintance • Police Officer

Tone of Voice

The tone of voice that someone uses can tell you about their mood. When someone speaks in a
higher tone, it can mean that they are excited, uncertain, or surprised. If they use a lower tone,
they might be certain or sad. Being able to identify a speaker’s mood can help you understand
the language they use.

@
Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

Play Unit 4 – Track 1.1–1.2 to hear examples of higher tones of voice.

Play Unit 4 – Track 1.3–1.4 to hear examples of lower tones of voice.

@ Activity 3
Listen to each track and match it to the correct tone.
Play Unit 4 – Track 2.1–2.5.

1. Track 2.1 a. depressed

2. Track 2.2 b. inquiring

3. Track 2.3 c. upset

4. Track 2.4 d. uncertain

5. Track 2.5 e. disbelieving

Word Choice

Word choice is another clue that helps listeners understand how someone feels about the topic
being discussed. For example, if someone describes a conversation as a “dispute” or a “spat,”
they may be feeling negative or argumentative. Therefore, you should try to understand the
emotional association of a word—and why the speaker chose to use that specific word instead of
another—when listening to conversations.

44
 Listening: Unit 4

Activity 4A
Read the words below and decide if they have a negative, neutral, or positive emotional meaning.
Write each word under the correct heading.

Quarrel Discussion Debate Sufficient Moderate Terrific Boring

Acceptable Terrible Intriguing Agreeable Forgettable Unreasonable Memorable

Negative Neutral Positive

@ Activity 4B
Watch the video clips and decide what type of emotion the speakers are demonstrating during
the discussion. Pay attention to each speaker’s tone, as well as their language. What do their
specific word choices say about their mood? Choose whether each video is positive, negative,
or neutral.
Play Unit 4 – Videos 1.1–1.5.

Video 1.1 Video 1.3 Video 1.5

positive
neutral
negative positive
neutral
negative positive
neutral
negative
Video 1.2 Video 1.4
positive
neutral
negative positive
neutral
negative

Note-Taking
Because Listening Part 5 is a conversation—like Parts 1, 2, and 3—it’s easy to use the same
note-taking style for this part. The only difference is that rather than having two columns (one
for the man and one for the woman), there are three. Label the columns with the speakers’
names, which will be displayed at the beginning of the video. See Unit 2 for more about taking
notes on conversations.

45
 Listening: Unit 4

@ Activity 5
Watch the video and write your notes in the space below, or make a template on paper and take
notes with a pen.
Play Unit 4 – Video 2.

WH Word ANGELA JED RONALDO

Who

What

When

Where

Why

@ Test Practice
Using everything you have learned, watch the video and choose the best answer for each
question.
Play Unit 4 – Video 2.

Play Video 2 Watch the discussion.

1. Why is the conference a) The severe weather delayed travel plans.

postponed? b) The space was given to another conference.
c) Too few presenters expressed interest.
d) Not enough bookings were made.

2. Why are the employees a) The short notice is a huge inconvenience.

upset about the news? b) They cannot attend the rescheduled conference.
c) They wanted to take a holiday together.
d) They were excited about the presentations.
46
 Listening: Unit 4

3. Why does Angela have a) She already received an email notice.

more information than b) She received a call from the hotel about it.
the others?
c) She makes the staff travel arrangements.
d) She overheard the director talking about it.

4. What is Ronaldo a) attending the most interesting workshops

worried about? b) getting a full refund from the hotel
c) having enough time to change his schedule
d) running out of time for his workshop

5. What does Ronaldo say a) The workshops should be more interesting.

about the conference? b) The presentations are groundbreaking.
c) The conference is important for their careers.
d) The company should pay for everything.

6. Why does Angela think a) It gets a discount with group reservations.

the company will b) It knows the new time and location.
rebook everything?
c) It paid these expenses for employees.
d) It prefers everyone to travel together.

7. Which sentence best a) She enjoys going to conferences.

describes Angela? b) She is the company director.
c) She likes to fix problems.
d) She likes to share rumours.

8. What will likely happen a) No one will be required to attend the conference.
next? b) The company will plan a new conference.
c) Staff will be reimbursed for expenses.
d) Staff will be updated about the situation.

47
 5
UNIT
Listening for Viewpoints

• Recognizing reported speech

LEARNING FOCUS
• Identifying facts and opinions
• Recognizing inference questions
• Note-taking
• Test practice

Listening Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints features a report in which you

will hear multiple opinions about an issue. It tests your ability to combine
information from different parts of the Listening passage, identify opinions,
differentiate between opinions and facts, and make inferences. To answer
the multiple-choice questions, you will need to understand differing views
held by experts.

48
 Listening: Unit 5

1
2

4
5
6 7

1 The prelistening statement helps give the context before the audio starts.

2 Part 6 is a report by a single speaker.

3 As you listen, try to identify the different viewpoints that are mentioned.
4 Be aware of the time remaining and be sure to answer all the questions.

5 Part 6 contains sentence-completion questions.

6 There are six questions in Part 6. The questions appear as text, not audio.
7 Click on the box to see the answer choices. There will always be four choices.

49
 Listening: Unit 5

Recognizing Reported Speech

Since the speaker is talking about other people’s opinions, the speaker may not use their exact
words. Instead, the speaker will often use his or her own words to describe these viewpoints.
The speaker may use a phrase like, “The police chief declared that he was opposed to the new
parking regulations.” We don’t know the police chief’s exact words; we only hear the speaker’s
reported speech describing what the police chief said.

The speaker in Listening Part 6 will report speech from a variety of sources. To keep track of
these various sources, it is useful to note the names, job titles, or other descriptors of people
mentioned in the passage. However, it can also be useful to pay attention to words used to
report speech, as these will help you understand the general meaning of a person’s statement.
Phrases like “Davis questioned . . .” or “Patel counters . . .” suggest disagreement. A phrase like
“Zhang believes . . .” tells you that what comes next will be an opinion rather than a statement
of fact. In this next activity, you will learn about other words related to reported speech that
can help you better understand the various viewpoints expressed in Listening Part 6.

Activity 1
Listen to the audio, and write the missing reported speech verb in the blanks.

@
Play Unit 5 - Track 1.
Access audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

1. Chief of Police Andrew Smith that the maximum penalty of $5,000

does little to deter.

2. He not only for increased fines but also for time in prison.

3. However, legal philosopher Susan Bennett that foreseeable

consequences are not the only motivating factor.

4. She that many people consider illegal downloading to be a victimless

crime.

5. Bennett about another common justification that illegal downloading

provides free promotion for the aforementioned artists.

6. But as lawyer Ethan Miller , these companies were built on the backs of
internet pirates.

50
 Listening: Unit 5

Identifying Facts and Opinions

In Listening for Viewpoints, you will need to identify key facts, understand the experts’
opinions, and demonstrate that you can recognize the difference between facts and opinions.
One useful strategy is to watch out for key indicator words that introduce a statement that
is either a fact or opinion. Some words that indicate that a statement is a fact are “report,”
“state,” and “say.” Some words that indicate that a statement is an opinion are “believe,”
“argue,” and “consider.”

@ Activity 2

Listen to the following tracks, and identify whether each statement is a fact or an opinion.

1. Unit 5 - Track 2.1 5. Unit 5 - Track 2.5

opinion
fact opinion
fact
2. Unit 5 - Track 2.2 6. Unit 5 - Track 2.6
opinion
fact opinion
fact
3. Unit 5 - Track 2.3 7. Unit 5 - Track 2.7
opinion
fact opinion
fact
4. Unit 5 - Track 2.4 8. Unit 5 - Track 2.8
opinion
fact opinion
fact

@ Activity 3

Listen to the audio and answer the questions. Pay special attention to word choice as a way to
help identify viewpoints.
Play Unit 5– Track 1.

1. Which statement best summarizes Susan Bennett’s opinion?

a) Bennett disagrees that limited punishments are the sole reason for internet
piracy.
b) Bennett also believes that punishments help stop internet piracy.
c) Bennett thinks that adding a prison sentence to current fines will scare people
away from piracy.
d) Bennett argues that internet piracy is okay because it provides free advertising.

2. Which statement best summarizes Ethan Miller’s perspective?

a) Miller suggests that streaming companies were founded by criminals.
b) Miller states that authorized streaming companies and internet pirates have the
same source.
c) Miller believes that most Canadians are aware that asking a friend to send them a
song means breaking the law.
d) Miller argues that using streaming services does not reduce the legal risks its
users face.

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 Listening: Unit 5

Recognizing Inference Questions

On the Listening Test, the answers to some questions may not be explicitly mentioned in
the conversation or monologue. Instead, you will have to put pieces of information from the
passage together, and make logical connections to find the answer. To better understand how
to approach this type of question, known as inference questions, consider the following steps
used to answer a question about the passage related to internet piracy.

@ 1
Listen to the audio
Play Unit 5 - Track 1.
3
Remove unlikely answers
Option A doesn’t make sense because the
passage says, “most people understand . . . they are

2
indeed breaking Canadian law.”
Option C doesn’t make sense because the penalty is $5,000 and
the Chief of Police thinks the fines should be increased (“. . . he
Read the question argues not only for increased fines . . .”).
The presentation suggests that those Option D doesn’t make sense because while the passage
found guilty of illegal downloading says, “Theft is theft . . .,” there is no mention of people who
a) are unaware they’re doing steal digital content also stealing physical property.
anything wrong.
b) are not given a prison sentence.
c) can easily pay the substantial fine.
d) may also steal nondigital goods.

4 Select the most logical answer

Because Options A, C, and D do not make logical sense,
Option B must be the answer. This is also supported from the
passage.

Below is an excerpt that demonstrates how the answer is found.

Given Canada’s reputation as a The answer to the question is found

reasonably law-abiding society, one here. Because the worst penalty is
has to ask: why do so many people a fine, time in prison must not be a
knowingly break internet law? Chief current punishment.
of Police Andrew Smith claims that
the maximum penalty of $5,000 does
little to deter, and he argues not only
for increased fines but also for time in The answer is also supported by this
prison. Theft is theft, he says. phrase since it supports the idea that
currently there is no prison time.

@ Activity 4
Listen to the audio and complete the following sentences. In these questions, the answer will
not be explicitly stated—you will need to use the information presented in the audio passage
and make logical connections.
Play Unit 5 – Track 3.

52
 Listening: Unit 5

1. Vince Levin probably supports

a) fixed pricing for Canadian dairy products.
b) high interest rates on loans to new farmers.
c) tougher fines by federal food inspection agencies.
d) marketing training for new farmers starting up.

2. The people most likely to agree with Rebecca Hogue are

a) large companies producing pesticides for farmers.
b) specialty crop farmers on family-run farms.
c) international farmers exporting products to Canada.
d) financially struggling restaurant owners.

Note-Taking
In Units 2 and 3, two variations on note organization were introduced. This unit will introduce
a third variation that is best suited to Listening Part 6: viewpoint-focused organization. This
style focuses on arranging information around the different individuals or organizations that
are mentioned in the report. To create this layout, take a sheet of paper and create a table with
at least three columns. Below that, write “Topic.”

NOTES

VIEWPOINT 1 VIEWPOINT 2 VIEWPOINT 3

TOPIC:

As you listen to the audio, use each column to gather information about a different person
or organization. Remember, you do not need to write full ideas. Instead, write key words and
phrases. If you want, you can use the shorthand and symbols mentioned in Unit 2.

53
 Listening: Unit 5

@ Activity 5
Practice note-taking by listening to the audio and completing the chart on the previous page, or
make a template on paper and take notes with a pen.
Play Unit 5 – Track 4.
@ Test Practice
Using everything you have learned, and the notes you have made, choose the best answer to
complete each sentence.
Play Unit 5 – Track 4.

Play Unit 5 – Track 4 Listen to the conversation.

1. The presentation a) differences in how a professor’s time is used now and in the
mainly focuses on past.
the b) contrasts between learning in the pre-digital and digital age.
c) advantages of online learning for today’s university students.
d) benefits of traditional learning materials in the digital
classroom.

2. The use of computer a) has changed over time.

technology in b) is a very recent development.
education c) is the reason for digitizing books.
d) has not always been supported.

3. Professor Diamonti a) welcome educational technology.

seems to b) be hesitant toward new technology.
c) prefer traditional teaching methods.
d) see pros and cons to digitization.

4. Educational a) have better health overall than students in previous

psychologists would generations.
likely agree that b) lack the organizational skills to manage their course loads.
today’s students c) spend more time with their friends than in previous
generations.
d) have increased difficulty retaining what was learned in class.

5. The speaker suggests a) created problems for his staff.

that technology at b) made the students lazier about research.
the university has c) been an asset to his department.
d) caused professors to publish less research.

6. The speaker would a) libraries are no longer considered places of quiet study.
most likely agree b) print books are being replaced by more versatile resources.
that c) projection screens are valuable only to certain disciplines.
d) videoconferencing capabilities are most useful to
administrators.

54
 6
UNIT
Overview of the Speaking Test

• Format of the Speaking Test

LEARNING FOCUS
• Scoring
• Test-taking strategies for Speaking
• Improving your speaking

The Speaking Test measures your ability to communicate in day-to-day

situations. It is made up of eight tasks, each of which requires you to speak
in a common context, such as giving advice, expressing your opinion, and
talking about personal experiences. Some of these tasks include images
which are used to test a variety of skills, including describing situations, and
making predictions and comparisons.

The Speaking Test is entirely computer delivered. You will read instructions
on the screen and speak into the microphone of your headset. Your
responses will be recorded by the computer and then sent to a team of
human raters for assessment.

In this unit, you will become familiar with the overall format of the Speaking
Test. You will also learn about the four categories of performance standards
used by CELPIP Raters to assess your speaking.

55
 Speaking: Unit 6

1 2 3

4
5

1 The title reminds you where you are in the test.

2 The Preparation and Recording Times vary for each task.

3 Use the NEXT button to move to the next part before the timer reaches zero. You cannot move
back.
4 The task instructions will appear at the top of the page.

5 Use the Preparation Time to plan your response—do not speak yet.

6 Speak during the Recording Time. The progress bar indicates how much time is left.
7 Images appear in Tasks 3, 4, 5, and 8 only.

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 Speaking: Unit 6

Format of the Speaking Test

There are eight tasks in the Speaking Test, as well as an unscored practice task at the beginning.
You will have about 20 minutes to complete the Speaking Test.

SPEAKING TASK DESCRIPTION

Practice Task You will be asked a question in order to check that the
mic is working correctly and to see how the timers
work. Simply answer the question to get used to the
mic set-up. If there is a problem, ask an invigilator for
help.
Giving Advice Help someone to either make a decision or prepare
for something.
Talking about a Personal Experience Tell a story about an event from your past.

Describing a Scene Describe an image to someone who cannot see it.

Making Predictions Talk about what will happen next in the same image.

Comparing and Persuading Choose between two things and persuade someone to
agree with your choice.
Dealing with a Difficult Situation Choose between two solutions to a problem and
explain your choice to a friend, family member, or
member of the community.
Expressing Opinions Express your opinion about a common issue in
Canadian society.
Describing an Unusual Situation Describe an image of an unusual object or situation to
someone who cannot see the image.

TOTAL TIME About 20 minutes

Tip
• Read all instructions to the right of the “instructions” symbol i very carefully.
• Do your best to speak for the full duration of your Recording Time.
• Even if you are nervous, try not to speak too quickly—it can make your response
difficult to understand.
• Avoid lengthy pauses.

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 Speaking: Unit 6

Scoring
CELPIP Raters assess your Speaking responses using these four performance standards:

Content/Coherence: Quality of ideas and how well they flow together

Vocabulary: Selection and use of vocabulary, phrases, and idioms
Listenability: Understandability and fluency of your response
Task Fulfillment: Completion of all task requirements

The list below identifies the key features of each of these performance standards that
contribute to a high-scoring response.

Content/Coherence

• Ideas are strong and relevant.

• Ideas are clear, well organized, and easy to follow.
• Ideas have been combined effectively, with supporting details, to form a meaningful
and coherent response.

Vocabulary

• Vocabulary demonstrates a range of suitable words and phrases.

• Words and phrases have been combined effectively to express precise meaning.
• Selected words and phrases support easy understanding.

Listenability

• Response includes appropriate rhythm, pronunciation, and intonation.

• Response contains a variety of sentence types.
• Response demonstrates good control of grammar, pauses, interjections, and self-
correction.

Task Fulfillment

• Response addresses all parts of the task and follows the given instructions.
• Tone is appropriate for the situation.
• Overall purpose of the task has been achieved within the time limit.

58
 Speaking: Unit 6

Test-Taking Strategies for Speaking

Using the Preparation Time

Use the Preparation Time to read the instructions and consider what you will speak about.
Ensure that you fully understand these instructions, as this will make it easier to respond
thoroughly and accurately during the Recording Time. Be ready to speak as soon as the
Recording Time begins, and note that these times vary from task to task. The Preparation
Time may seem relatively short, but keep in mind that if somebody asks you a question in
everyday life, you won’t have time to tell that person to wait while you plan an answer. Instead,
you would try to quickly respond. Thus, the CELPIP Test reflects your ability to use English
naturally in everyday contexts.

Brainstorming Ideas

In case you have difficulty thinking of something to say during your Preparation Time, you
can use the notepaper provided to you during the official test. It may be helpful to brainstorm
(write rough notes about) some ideas. Start off by writing any ideas that seem connected to
the topic. The act of writing down a few words—any words—can help reduce anxiety and
focus your mind on the task. Once you have something down on paper, select your best ideas
and decide on the order in which you will speak about them. If you can come up with two or
three main ideas during the Preparation Time, you can focus on developing these ideas with
supporting details during the Recording Time.

Self-Correction

During the Speaking Test, if you make a small mistake when speaking, it’s okay to correct
yourself and move on. Try to do this quickly; don’t waste time explaining your self-correction.
For example, don’t say, “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean that. I mean . . .”

Avoiding Repetition

As much as possible, you should try to show the range of your English. Instead of repeating the
same words or phrases, do your best to find new ways to express yourself. That way, you will
show the raters the full extent of your vocabulary.

Volume and Speed

It’s best to speak at a normal volume, with the microphone close to your lips but not touching
them. There is no need to raise your voice, nor to whisper.

Try to use natural rhythm, pacing, and intonation. If you speak too quickly, it may be difficult
for raters to understand you. If you speak too slowly, long pauses between words may also
make it difficult to understand the flow of your response.

59
 Speaking: Unit 6

Tone

The word “tone” refers to the emotion expressed when speaking, both in terms of the sound of
your voice and the words you choose to express yourself. Ensure that your tone is appropriate
to the situation in each task.

Providing a Complete Response

There are often multiple instructions in each Speaking task. As you are speaking, make sure to
complete all these instructions and speak for the full time. Don’t worry too much if you get cut
off at the end—just focus on developing all your main ideas in the time that’s allotted to you.

Staying on Topic

Everything you say in your response should be related to the instructions of the Speaking task.
Talking about unrelated ideas could lower your score. If parts of your response are off topic, it
can become difficult for the raters to follow your ideas. It can also suggest that you do not fully
understand the instructions. You only have between 60 and 90 seconds to speak for each task,
so do your best to make everything you say count toward fully developing your response.

Improving Your Speaking

In preparing for the Speaking Test, there are various ways to improve your skills. Practice
speaking English as often as you can, whether it’s conversations with friends, family, or co-
workers; or even with acquaintances in clubs and hobby groups. You may want to regularly
record yourself as you study for the test, and play your responses back to find areas in which
you could improve. In addition, you may wish to keep a daily journal of new English words and
phrases that you’ve learned. Review these terms frequently and try to use them while speaking
whenever you can; this will help increase your range of vocabulary.

60
 7
UNIT
Giving Advice

• Using “advise” versus “advice”

LEARNING FOCUS
• Giving advice
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

In Speaking Task 1: Giving Advice, you will give advice to a person about a
common situation or event. Read the instructions thoroughly to make sure
that you understand the situation. You should consider who you are talking
to and try to come up with at least a few different pieces of advice that
would help him or her. You should also support your advice with reasons
and examples. Remember to directly address the listener in this task. For
example, if you needed to advise your friend Molly about preparing for
French class, you might say, “Hi Molly. So I hear you’re unsure about how
to get ready for class. I would suggest that . . .” You would not say, “I would
suggest that Molly . . .”

61
 Speaking: Unit 7

Using “Advise” Versus “Advice”

Test takers sometimes get confused about how to correctly use the words “advise” (əd'vʌɪz)
and “advice” (əd'vʌɪs). Here are some pointers:

• “Advise” is a verb. If directly advising someone about what action to take, you could say,
“I advise you to . . . (do something).”
• “Advice” is an uncountable noun. You cannot add “s” to the end of “advice.”
• You might make statements like, “My advice is . . .” or “If I can give you some advice . . .”
• If you want to use “advice” in a countable form, you will have to add the phrase “piece of,”
as in “I can give you a piece of advice . . .” or “Let me give you three pieces of advice . . .”

Activity 1
The following sentences are in response to the task at the top of the page. However, they
contain errors related to the use of “advise” and “advice.” Rewrite the sentences using the
correct forms of these words.

1. I advice you to review all the new words you learn each day.

2. I think you should take my advices about speaking French as much as you can outside of
class.

3. Listen carefully: I have an important advise for you.

4. My friends gave me a lot of advises when I first started learning a new language.

Continue

62
 Speaking: Unit 7

5. I have a friend who gave me some advices that I didn’t find useful, so I advice you to
study for this class in whatever way works for you!

Giving Advice
There are several different ways of giving advice. Here are five patterns that you could use on
the Speaking Test. These patterns sometimes include modals, which are verbs used to describe
ability, possibility, permission, or obligation—for example, “could,” “would,” “should,” “must,”
and “can.” Modals are always used in conjunction with another verb. Note that these patterns
are general concepts, and specific examples may vary slightly in word use.

Pattern 1: Subject + Modal + “not” (optional) + Base Verb + Object

This pattern is the simplest and most common. It is important that you do not say “to” before
the verb.

• You should call your friend when you get home.

• You could try going to the play tonight.
• You must ask for permission.

Pattern 2: Subject + “might/may want to” + Base Verb + Object

This has the same function as Pattern 1 but is more polite.

• You may want to ask if that’s okay.

• You might want to check with your boss to see if you can do that.

Pattern 3: Subject + “had better” + “not” (optional) + Base Verb + Object

This is more forceful than Patterns 1 and 2. It should not be used when speaking to people in
positions of authority—for example, your boss or teacher.

• She had better talk to her parents first.

• You had better not take that job; it’s too far away.

Pattern 4: “Why not” + Base Verb + Object?

Because this is phrased as a question, it is more polite than Pattern 3. However, since
there is no obvious subject, you can only use it when giving advice directly to a person. For
example, you can say, “Hi Debbie. Why not see if your sister is available to hang out this weekend?”

• Why not ask your teacher if you can hand in the assignment after the next class?
• Why not try the food first and then decide if you like it or not?

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 Speaking: Unit 7

Pattern 5: “Why don’t/doesn’t” + Subject + Base Verb + Object?

This is different than Pattern 4 because it does include a subject. When you use this, make sure
you choose the right form of “don’t/doesn’t” for your subject.

• Why doesn’t your cousin ask her neighbour for help?

• Why doesn’t he tell his boss what happened?

Activity 2
Read the context of each situation below and write one sentence with the given pattern. Then,
try saying the sentence out loud. Edit any awkward phrasing that you notice, and try saying it
once more.

1. Suggest to your co-worker that they should try to avoid being late after their lunch
break.

Why don’t

(Pattern 5)

2. A friend has told you that they want to spend less money on groceries each month.
Suggest some ways for them to reduce how much they spend.

You had better

(Pattern 3)

3. Suggest to your manager that the company could use more computer-related training
for workers using the internet.

You might want to

(Pattern 2)

4. Suggest to your cousin, who is shy around strangers, that she should come out to meet
new people more often.

Why not

(Pattern 4)

5. Explain to a friend how to meet people and make friends when moving to a new place.

You

(Pattern 1)

Continue

64
 Speaking: Unit 7

6. Your cousin is about to go to an important job interview dressed casually and without
knowing much about that company. Give advice on what to do.

You had better

(Pattern 3)

7. A friend is taking a class in a foreign language but has had difficulty making any
progress in the first 2 weeks. Suggest how she can deal with this issue.

You

(Pattern 1)

8. Your co-worker has designed a product logo that you know the managers don’t approve
of. Suggest how to change the logo.

Why don’t

(Pattern 5)

Identifying Common Errors

The following are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these
problems will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your
best on the Speaking Test.

1. Being Repetitive
Constantly repeating the same words in your response can suggest a lack of vocabulary.
Try to draw on the full range of your vocabulary and show the raters how much you
know.

2. Confusing “Advice” with “Advise”

As mentioned at the beginning of this unit, some test takers confuse “advice” with
“advise.” Remember, “advice” is a noun (“Let me give you some advice.”) and “advise”
is a verb (“He advised me to bring an umbrella.”). Do your best to avoid mixing up
these similar-sounding words.

3. Misusing Collocations
A collocation is a group of words that are commonly used together, such as “doing the
dishes” or “making the bed.” It would be incorrect to say “making the dishes” or “doing
the bed.” Collocations can be challenging because even a small mistake can result in
a very different meaning. Therefore, make sure that you use these correctly in your
response.

65
 Speaking: Unit 7

Activity 3
In the space provided below, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed in this
section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus on
these three types of errors.

@
Play Unit 7 - Track 1.
Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

Hello, I heard you got a new job. So I suggest that-that . . . you just take a bus from
the bus stop, near to our house. You can just buy a card that . . . um-reloadable. It will
cost you a little, but it-it will be faster than having a cab. And you can also use MRT,
it’s also the same card that you will use for . . . for the bus, it can—and it will also be
reloadable. From the bus stop, you just take the bus 305 and it will take around 15 to
20 minutes to your work. If in case you are not unsure, there will be a centre there
that you can ask, or there will be a representative that can answer your question. But
I am familiar with the job that you are going to transfer with, so I . . . I’ll advice you
to just take bus from house to work. So you can just reload your card from the MRT
stations nearby and you can just ask the staff there to help you and guide you how to
do. The earliest time of arrival of the bus will be 7 a.m., so I advise that you should be
15 minutes earlier prior to your departure.

1. Being Repetitive

Continue
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 Speaking: Unit 7

2. Confusing “Advice” with “Advise”

3. Misusing Collocations

Self-Assessment

The “Self-Assessment” section gives you the opportunity to answer a practice question and
record your response. You will then play back your response and use the CELPIP Speaking
Checklist to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your response. A self-assessment section
and checklist is included in each Speaking unit.

When you are checking your work, try to think like a CELPIP Rater. Remember the
Performance Standards in Unit 6, and look for problems in those areas. Select ( ) “Yes” on
the checklist if you think you have done something well, “Sometimes” if you have partially
achieved a requirement, and “No” if you have missed a requirement.

Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to the following task and then play
it back. Fill out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 1:
Giving Advice, give yourself 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak.

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 Speaking: Unit 7

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you address the listener directly?

2. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses

and hesitations?

3. Did you use appropriate rhythm,

pronunciation, and intonation?

4. Did you accurately use a variety of words?

5. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

6. Was your tone appropriate for the social

context?

7. Did you provide several different pieces of

advice?

8. Was your response clearly organized?

9. Was your response long enough?

10. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 7

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 7 – Track 2.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 7 – Track 2.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 7 – Track 2.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

69
 8
UNIT
Talking about a Personal Experience

• Organizing your ideas

LEARNING FOCUS
• Adding details to your response
• Using time sequencers
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

In Speaking Task 2: Talking about a Personal Experience, you will be asked

to describe an experience from your life. It is perfectly acceptable to make
up some of the details, if you like. You should choose a single experience and
try to provide as many descriptive details as possible. As you will be talking
about past events, be sure to use the past tense and include words and
phrases that will help the listener keep track of the order of events.

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 Speaking: Unit 8

Organizing Your Ideas

The Speaking Task 2 instructions include around three questions, and you can use these questions
to inform the main ideas of your response. Doing so will ensure that you completely fulfil the
tasks outlined in the instructions.

Writing a brief outline—as in the following activities—can help with this, but keep in mind that
you are not required to write anything during your Preparation Time. This is just a suggestion that
may help with your brainstorming.

Activity 1A
Read the task at the top of this page. Then listen to the audio and pay attention to how this test
taker’s response was structured. Make notes of their organization using the outline below. The
first one has been done for you.

@
Play Unit 8 - Track 1.
Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

Overview of the situation: changed opinion of a colleague

What was the

speaker’s opinion?

How did it change?

Why did it change?

Conclusion/Resolution:

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 Speaking: Unit 8

Adding Details to Your Response

Once you have your main points, it is important to consider how to develop these ideas using
details and examples. Adding depth to each point can make the reasoning and explanations
in your response easier to follow, and it further allows you to demonstrate your ability to use
descriptive language.

@ Activity 1B
Listen again to Unit 8 - Track 1 and, this time, note down the details the test taker used to support each
main point. The first one has been done for you.

Overview of the situation: colleague helped teach speaker at new job

What was the

speaker’s opinion?

How did it change?

Why did it change?

Conclusion/Resolution:

Activity 2A
Now you will have a chance to practice organizing your own response. Read the following task
and fill in the chart. Make sure to write in point form; even a single word may be sufficient in
some cases. Keep in mind that on the official test, you will have 30 seconds of Preparation Time
for Task 2.

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 Speaking: Unit 8

ORGANIZING YOUR IDEAS

Overview of the situation

Why were you at the airport?

Who were you with?

Why do you remember that time?

Conclusion/Resolution

@ Activity 2B
Now use a device to record your own response, using the notes you just made. Speak for 60 seconds. Play
back your response and check that you answered each point of the question and added some details for
each point.

For comparison, play Unit 8 - Track 2, which is a high-level response to this task.

Using Time Sequencers

Within your response, time sequencers can be a useful way of showing the progression of your
story. Once you begin speaking, consider ways in which you can use time sequencers to make it
easier for the raters to follow your response.

The following is a list of common time sequencers that you can use, but avoid repeating the
same ones throughout your response.

TIMELINE TIME SEQUENCER

First of all
At first
When this started/began
When I arrived
Beginning a story
We first met at/when
To start with
# hours/days/weeks ago
The other day

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 Speaking: Unit 8

TIMELINE TIME SEQUENCER

And then
And
Next
Directly following an action or event Which meant that
After/Afterwards
That/This caused to happen
Second/Third/Fourth, etc.
Later
# hours/days/weeks later
# hours/days/week earlier
Passing longer periods of time The following day/week/month
A few / several days/hours passed
Hours/Days/Weeks went by
When we went back / returned
In the end
Finally/Last
Concluding a story or ending an That’s why I
event Overall
As a result
Because of this / Thanks to this

@ Activity 3A
Read the task below and then listen to the audio. Fill in the blanks with the time sequencers that were
used.
Play Unit 8 – Track 3.

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 Speaking: Unit 8

1. , I went to have lunch with my husband, and the weather had

turned very cold, and I was trying to find my only pair of gloves. I could not find them

in the regular jacket pockets that I used to keep my gloves in, and so I felt worried that

I’d lost my only pair of gloves plus the fact that I was panicking because I was going to

be late. 2. , I remembered that I’d actually worn a different jacket

3. when it was cold at night, and I found those—my gloves.

And I was incredibly happy because I didn’t want my hands to be cold. And when I went

to the restaurant, I let my husband know that I had found my gloves and how it felt—I

felt relieved that I had found them because I didn’t want to have to buy a new pair.

Activity 3B
Read this test taker’s response and fill in each blank with one of the time sequencers from the
table on the previous page.

So, I actually just lost my backpack 1. at a Starbucks. I left to the

washroom and when I came back, it was missing. So, I thought it was the barista who

took it away 2. I went to ask them if they had saw my backpack,

and they said no. And so, I thought, “Oh, it must be someone else who took it away.”

3. I said, “Okay, if you happen to find it, would you please just give

me a call?” And I left them with my phone numbers and my name. And I didn’t expect

to find it anyways, however, 4. the Starbucks phoned me and said

they found my backpack! I was, well, surprised and really happy. I went back to pick it

up and it was still there, everything is inside, nothing’s missed. It was a really really good

experience to see how generous people are here in Canada. And, um, yeah, I love it!

@ Activity 3C
Listen to the audio of the sample response from the previous activity and compare the time sequencers
used by the test taker with your answers in Activity 3B.
Play Unit 8 - Track 4.

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 Speaking: Unit 8

Identifying Common Errors

The following are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these
problems will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your
best on the Speaking Test.

1. Failing to Use Time Sequencers

Make sure you include time sequencing words to connect ideas in your answer. For
Task 2, in particular, order the timing of events using a variety of sequencing words like
“last week,” “next,” “after that,” “then,” “later,” “finally,” etc. Time sequencers will help
raters follow the order of events in your response.

2. Using Flat Intonation

Intonation refers to the rising and falling sound of your voice. English depends on
variations in intonation to express meaning. Some test takers speak with little variation;
their voices rarely go up or down, making it difficult for the raters to fully understand
what they are saying. Do your best to use the rise and fall of your voice to express your
thoughts and emotions.

3. Using a Start-and-Stop Rhythm

Try to speak with a smooth rhythm. Avoid short, repetitive phrases—this can result in a
start-and-stop rhythm which can make your response harder to follow.

@ Activity 4
In the space provided on the next page, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed in this
section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus on these three
types of errors.
Play Unit 8 - Track 5.

Refer to the task in Activity 2A.

The most memorable for me at the airport is when we go to fetch my sister who travelled
for first time. She went to her summer camp at Morocco and we go there to fetch her
with my whole family. We’re happily waiting for her. Some doing things, some were doing
different things, some are chatting around, some are excited, while others are doing other
things. I see a lot of people around me and my family, that’s why they need to. And that’s
the most memorable for me.

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 Speaking: Unit 8

1. Failing to Use Time Sequencers

2. Using Flat Intonation

3. Using a Stop-and-Start Rhythm

Self-Assessment
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to this task and then play it back. Fill
out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 2: Talking about a
Personal Experience, give yourself 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

77
 Speaking: Unit 8

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses
and hesitations?

2. Did you use appropriate rhythm,

pronunciation, and intonation?

3. Did you accurately use a wide variety

of words?

4. Did you use time sequencers to show

progression in your response?

5. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

6. Was your tone appropriate for the social

context of the task?

7. Was your response clearly organized?

8. Was your response long enough?

9. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 8

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 8 – Track 6.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 8 – Track 6.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 8 – Track 6.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

79
 9
UNIT
Describing a Scene

• Providing an overview
LEARNING FOCUS
• Describing the scene
• Using prepositions of place
• Using adjectives
• Describing actions
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

In Speaking Task 3: Describing a Scene, you will describe an image that is on

the screen. One of the main challenges in this task is to describe the image
as accurately as you can—including the locations of the various people
and objects—and explain what you think is happening. Remember that the
person to whom you are speaking cannot see the image.

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 Speaking: Unit 9

Unit 9 – Image 1: This image is not displayed in full colour. See the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

Providing an Overview
In Speaking Task 3, you should begin your response with an overview (general description)
of what is happening in the scene before you mention specific details. For example, you could
mention the location, the main event, and the activity that most of the people are engaged in.

Activity 1

@
Access the Focus LS Resource Portal for a full-colour version of this image.

Look at the image above and choose all statements that should be part of the overview.

I see an office.

A woman is standing by the water cooler talking to a co-worker.

There are seven people working in the office.

One guy is sitting in the corner listening to music on his headphones.

They seem to be working on different tasks.

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 Speaking: Unit 9

Describing the Scene

Once you have given your overview of the image, it’s time to describe the details of what you
see. There are many ways to approach describing the scene, but three important methods are

1. using prepositions to describe where people are,

2. using adjectives to describe what the people and objects look like, and
3. describing what actions the people are taking.

Using Prepositions of Place

Because this Speaking task tells you “the person with whom you are speaking cannot see the
picture,” it is important to describe where people are in relation to places, objects, and each
other. Below is a list of some of the prepositions that can be used to help describe the location
of people or objects.

above behind close (to) in/inside next (to) overlooking

across (from) beneath distant (from) in front of on (top) surrounding

far
among beside in the middle opposite under
(away/from)
gathered
at between near/by over underneath
around

Activity 2
Look at Image 1 again, and complete the following response with suitable prepositions of place
from the chart above.

I can see a picture of an office with seven people doing different tasks. There’s a lady

leaning against a water cooler 1. (1 word) the left side of the image. Standing

2. (1 word) her is a blond guy in a red shirt who is holding a stack of papers.

3. (2 words) this man, 4. (1 word) the right side

of the image, are two women. One woman is wearing a purple and green shirt while the other

has a purple and yellow shirt. They look like they are talking about something important.

Sitting 5. (1 word) them and the window is a guy in a white collared shirt who

is talking on the phone. Directly 6. (2 words) him is a guy in a

grey hoodie. It looks like he is listening to music. 7. (1 word) him and sitting

8. (1 word) the blond guy with the papers is a red-haired woman who is working

on a report on her laptop.

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 Speaking: Unit 9

Using Adjectives
If you look back at Activity 2, you will notice that much of the response involves describing
people’s appearances. In addition to using prepositions of place, you should use adjectives to
identify the various people and objects in the image.

Refer to Image 1 once again. The phrase “the woman sitting at the desk” includes a preposition,
but it isn’t enough description to identify anyone in the image, since there are two women
sitting down. Ambiguity like this can confuse the listener, who cannot see the image. Using
adjectives helps clarify things.

One of the simplest ways to use adjectives is by describing people’s appearances. For example,
you could improve the above description and distinguish between the two women by doing the
following:

“the woman with the black hair and

purple and yellow shirt”

“the woman sitting at the desk” AND

“the woman with the shoulder-

length red hair, wearing a green
sweater over a white shirt”

Activity 3
Look at Image 1 again, then rewrite the following phrases by adding at least one adjective. Make
sure that you use different adjectives than those mentioned in Activity 2. The first one has been
done for you.

1. the woman in the business suit the woman in the light blue business suit

2. the man holding the papers

3. the man talking on the phone

4. the man wearing headphones

5. the woman in front of the whiteboard

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 Speaking: Unit 9

Describing Actions
Describing people’s actions is also an excellent way to describe the scene. When describing a
person’s actions, make sure you use the present progressive (is/are + verb-ing). The following
activity will focus on this method.

Activity 4
Look at the image below and write each activity in the word box into the appropriate blank.
The first one has been done for you.

1 2 3

5 7

4 6

8 9

Unit 9 – Image 2: This image is not displayed in full colour. See the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

WORD BOX
posing for photos playing with a truck racing each other
dancing together having a water fight leaning against a tree
doing a handstand sitting on the bench playing Frisbee

1. playing with a truck 6.

2. 7.

3. 8.

4. 9.

5.

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 Speaking: Unit 9

Activity 5
Using what you have learned in Activities 2–4, write full sentences describing each numbered
person/group in Image 2. Make sure to use prepositions, adjectives, and a description of the
activity in each sentence. For example:

adjectives preposition action adjective

1. The two short-haired boys in the sandbox are playing with a toy truck.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Identifying Common Errors

The following are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these
problems will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your
best on the Speaking Test.

1. Incorrect Word Choice

Be sure to use the correct words to describe the situation. For example, saying
“I had a bad cough so I went to the dentist” when you really meant “I had a bad
cough so I went to the doctor” could confuse the listener and possibly impact
their understanding of the situation. This is especially important in Speaking
tasks where the listener cannot see the image.

2. Misusing Verb Forms

The tense should be appropriate for the situation. For example, if you are talking about
an action that is happening right now, use the present progressive (“he is running”). For
Task 3, in particular, remember not to use the simple present (“he runs”).

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 Speaking: Unit 9

3. Using Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

Be aware of whether the nouns you are using in your response are singular or plural,
and make sure that you use the correct verb forms when referencing these nouns. For
example, “there are ten people at the bus stop” is correct, whereas “there is ten people
at the bus stop” is incorrect.

@ Activity 6
In the space provided below, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed in this
section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus on
these three types of errors. Play Unit 9 - Track 1.

Refer to Image 2 for the corresponding Speaking task.

Ok, seeing the picture, it’s a, it’s a park, and there are—so many kids are playing. And I
can see there two kids in the ground—they are, they are little boy and they playing with
a small car, and they trying to take from each other. There’s a girl sitting on the desk and
she looks very upset. There is a guy sitting under the tree. There is a guy jumping around,
and there is two little girl watching, and I think they are clapping. There is a—there is a
girl, and she’s trying to pulling bicycle off another girl. And there’s two girls sitting on the
mat, and another girl taking their—

1. Incorrect Word Choice

2. Misusing Verb Forms

3. Using Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

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 Speaking: Unit 9

Self-Assessment
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to this task and then play it back. Fill
out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 3: Describing a
Scene, give yourself 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Unit 9 – Image 3: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

87
 Speaking: Unit 9

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses
and hesitations?

2. Did you use appropriate rhythm,

pronunciation, and intonation?

3. Did you accurately use a wide variety

of words?

4. Did you begin by providing an overview of

the scene?

5. Did you use adjectives to accurately describe

elements of the image?

6. Did you accurately use prepositions of place

for people and objects?

7. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

8. Was your response clearly organized?

9. Was your response long enough?

10. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 9

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 9 – Track 2.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 9 – Track 2.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 9 – Track 2.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

89
 10
UNIT
Making Predictions

• Making predictions
LEARNING FOCUS
• Organizing your response
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

In Speaking Task 4: Making Predictions, you will see the same image as the
one that you saw in Task 3: Describing a Scene. However, this time, you will
be asked to predict what you think will happen next within the image. One
of the main areas of assessment in this task is your ability to use the proper
grammatical form when making these predictions.

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 Speaking: Unit 10

Unit 10 – Image 1: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

Making Predictions
When you want to make a prediction, you can express yourself in a variety of ways. The
following are three common grammar structures that you can use.
1. Subject + “will” + Verb These two structures can be used to show
• “He will begin working on a project.” that the action will happen sometime in
the future.
2. Subject + “is/are going to” + Verb
• “She is going to make a phone call.”
3. Subject + “is/are about to” + Verb This structure tells your listener that the
action will happen very soon.
• “They are about to start a meeting.”

Activity 1
Make a prediction about what each person in Image 1 will do next using “will,” “is going to,” or
“is about to.”

1. The man holding paper

2. The woman using a laptop

3. The woman sitting by the whiteboard

Continue

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 Speaking: Unit 10

4. The man on the phone

5. The man wearing headphones

Organizing Your Response

For Speaking Task 3, you have to focus on providing detailed descriptions of what you see and
how things and people are placed in the image. For Speaking Task 4, however, you only need to
describe their locations as a way of identifying who or what you are talking about. This means
you have a range of options for how to organize your response.

Some people like to organize their response by moving from left to right, top to bottom in
the image; others prefer to move in a circle/spiral around the image (starting anywhere). The
choice is yours.

Activity 2A
Look at the task below and complete the prediction for each person/activity using the left-to-
right, top-to-bottom method. For this exercise, start in the top left corner and use the arrows
as a guide. The first one has been done for you.

START HERE
st

nd

rd

Unit 10 – Image 2: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

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 Speaking: Unit 10

1. The kids in the sandbox will fight over the toy car.

2. The woman sitting on the bench

3. The man about to catch the Frisbee

4. The girls dancing

5. The man doing a handstand

6. The people taking pictures

7. The man leaning against the tree

8. The kids racing down the path

9. The man and woman having a water fight

Tip The predictions you make should seem possible, based on what you see in the
picture. Avoid making predictions that appear unrealistic.

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 Speaking: Unit 10

Activity 2B
Look at the task below and complete the prediction for each person/activity using the circle/
spiral method. Because this image is the same as in Activity 2A, do your best to come up with a
different prediction for each person/activity.

START HERE

Unit 10 – Image 3: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

1. The kids in the sandbox

2. The woman sitting on the bench

3. The man about to catch the Frisbee

4. The man leaning against the tree

5. The man and woman having a water fight

Continue

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 Speaking: Unit 10

6. The kids racing down the path

7. The girls dancing

8. The man doing a handstand

9. The people taking pictures

Identifying Common Errors

These are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these problems
will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your best on the
Speaking Test.

1. Making Unrealistic Predictions

Making a prediction that is unrealistic can negatively impact your score for Task 4. Your
predictions should be about events that could happen next, based on the information
within the image. For example, don’t predict what the people in the image would do the
next day or in a different location.

2. Pausing
Long and frequent pauses can make it difficult for the listener to understand what you
are saying. Such pauses can also make it seem like your vocabulary is limited, so, if
possible, try to continue speaking throughout the duration of your response time.

3. Interjecting
It is natural to use interjections (words like “um” and “ah”) while you are speaking, but
using these excessively can become distracting to the listener and make your speech
difficult to follow.

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 Speaking: Unit 10

Activity 3
In the space provided below, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed in this
@ section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus on
these three types of errors.

Refer to Image 3 for the corresponding Speaking task.

Play Unit 10 - Track 1.

Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

I-I-In this picture, like what I observe, I think uh the problem happen next is like uh,
they were going to have some dinner for the . . . during the session once they are done
with the playing and then the family comes and their kids, and then they will go for
dinner. Uh, it will . . . Because in the park, they were, they were, the kids will enter a
lot, and they go for some nice food in the restaurant. They can have any, like, order
what they can have in the restaurant. After that, they go they want to go—to bed. Uh,
most likely the picture is comes like ummm, uhh most probably happen next in the
picture, like uh, y’know, and then there were red ones, you know, injuring a lot in the
park. They will go, they going to . . .

1. Making Unrealistic Predictions

2. Pausing

3. Interjecting

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 Speaking: Unit 10

Self-Assessment
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to this task and then play it back.
Fill out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 4: Making
Predictions, give yourself 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Unit 10 – Image 4: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

97
 Speaking: Unit 10

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses
and hesitations?

2. Did you use appropriate rhythm,

pronunciation, and intonation?

3. Did you accurately use a wide variety of

words?

4. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

5. Did you use the correct grammatical

structure to make your predictions?

6. Were your predictions about events that

could logically happen?

7. Was your response clearly organized?

8. Was your response long enough?

9. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 10

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 10 – Track 2.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 10 – Track 2.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 10 – Track 2.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

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 11
UNIT
Comparing and Persuading

• Understanding the format of Task 5

LEARNING FOCUS
• Supporting your argument
• Brainstorming advantages and disadvantages
• Comparing advantages and disadvantages
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

In Speaking Task 5: Comparing and Persuading, you will compare different

options, decide which is best, and persuade someone else of your choice. You
will need to use descriptive language and comparative adjectives in order
to support your choice. In addition to providing as many details as you can,
it is essential to avoid only describing the options; you need to compare the
two options and persuade your listener that your choice is more suitable.
Remember to directly address the listener in this task.

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Unit 11 – Image 1: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

Unit 11 – Image 2: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

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Understanding the Format of Task 5

Speaking Task 5 is slightly different from other tasks in the Speaking Test because it takes place
across two screens.

For the first screen, you will not speak; you will instead have 60 seconds to choose between
two options. To make your selection, click on the option you want. It doesn’t matter which
option you choose, and the computer will select one for you if you do not click on an option.

For the second screen, you will need to compare your choice—which you clicked on in the
first screen—with a new option and persuade your listener that your choice is better. For this
screen, you will have 60 seconds to prepare your response, and 60 seconds to speak. Keep this
format in mind while you practice for this task.

Supporting Your Argument

Speaking Task 5 draws upon your ability to compare and contrast ideas, so it’s important to
provide a logical explanation to support each point that you mention.

Imagine that you were trying to persuade your boss to purchase a new printer instead of new
office chairs. Simply stating your preference, without supporting it with any reasons, is unlikely
to convince her.

EXAMPLE: I think that we should buy a new printer for the office instead of new
office chairs.

However, if you back up your choice with logical points of comparison, this can be much more
persuasive.

EXAMPLE: I think that we should buy a new printer for the office. Our current
printer is almost 5 years old and doesn’t work half the time, but we just
got new office chairs last year. In addition, purchasing a new printer
would be slightly cheaper than buying new chairs.

Tip It is fine to make up a name for the person to whom you are speaking. They do not
need to be based on a real-life person.

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Activity 1A
Identify whether each of the following is a weak or strong argument.

ARGUMENT WEAK STRONG

1. We should choose the typing workshop as we’ll gain a
skill that’s useful not just in this job, but also for other
activities outside of work.
2. I think we should buy the red jacket for Susan. It is made
of leather and costs $129.99.

3. The French restaurant has a party room big enough to

host our parents’ wedding anniversary, so let’s make a
reservation there.
4. Although the house in the suburbs is bigger, let’s go with
the seaside condo because it would allow us to jog and
take long walks on the beach.
5. I suggest that we stay at the hotel on Broadway. I’ve
stayed there before. They have a restaurant in the lobby.

Activity 1B
These two statements express opinions but are not supported by reasons. Rewrite these
sentences by adding reasons that would help persuade someone to your point of view.

1. I recommend that you rent the apartment instead of the basement suite.

2. We should definitely take the shuttle bus from the airport.

Brainstorming Advantages and Disadvantages

One way to prepare your answer for Speaking Task 5 is to make a list of advantages that
support your choice, and disadvantages that show why the other person’s choice is either worse
or not suitable.
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 Speaking: Unit 11

Activity 2
Look at Image 1 and choose one of the two options being presented. You can spend about 1
minute making your choice.

Now look at Image 2. Spend a few minutes writing down the advantages of your choice from
Image 1, and the disadvantages of the other option in Image 2 (your fiancé’s father’s choice).
Write three or four points for each in the table below. Note that in the official test, you will
have 1 minute to prepare.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
(YOUR CHOICE) (FIANCÉ’S FATHER’S CHOICE)

Comparing Advantages and Disadvantages

Once you have listed the advantages and disadvantages of the options, you will need to
compare them. To do this, you will need to use a range of grammar structures. For example:

1. “X is” + Comparative Adjective + “than Y”

• Today is hotter than yesterday.
• This TV is more expensive than that one.

2. “X is not as” + Adjective + “as Y”

• The Falcon Lodge Motel is not as well-known as the Blueberry Hill Hotel.
• This summer’s weather forecast is not as extreme as last year’s.

When you want to use the first grammar structure above, make sure to use the correct form of
the adjective. The following table covers most rules for comparative adjectives.

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 Speaking: Unit 11

ADJECTIVE RULES

ADJECTIVE RULE EXAMPLE

1 syllable Add “-er” to the end of Fast → Faster
the word.
1–2 syllables ending in Add “-r” to the end of the Large → Larger
“e” word.
Other adjectives with 2 Add “more” or “less” in Boring → More boring
or more syllables front of the adjective. Expensive → Less expensive
Adjectives ending in “y” Change “y” to “i” and add Happy → Happier
“-er.”
Irregular Use the irregular form of Good → Better
the adjective.

Activity 3
The following response uses the Speaking Task 5 at the beginning of this unit. Listen to the
response and fill in the missing comparative adjectives in the spaces provided.

@
Play Unit 11 - Track 1.
Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

Father, I understand that you want to have a wedding in the back garden. However, my

choice would be to have the wedding in Prince Edward Gardens for the following reason.

Firstly, the gardens are much, much 1. the backyard. More space

actually is a benefit because the location includes free parking. That means we can invite all

of the guests that we want to on our guest list and not worry about having to un-invite or not

invite somebody. The other thing is that the location is a lot 2. .

It’s going to be a great setting for the photographs. The gardens include lots of different

plants, shrubbery, and this will make for a much 3. series of

photographs after the wedding. Finally, the garden is so spacious you could also set up a

tent that would accommodate people indoors if the weather wasn’t as great. Although it’s a

little bit 4. , it would be a 5. option

than trying to squeeze everybody into the house if the weather was bad.

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 Speaking: Unit 11

Identifying Common Errors

The following are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these
problems will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your
best on the Speaking Test.

1. Using Empty Phrases

Test takers sometimes use words and phrases that do not help to express their ideas,
that is, they are “empty” of meaning. Often, these words and phrases are repeated
whenever the test taker is not certain what to say. If used too frequently, this can
prevent the test taker from having enough time to fully develop their response. These
words and phrases can also distract the listener from the purpose of the response. The
following sentence illustrates this problem. “I, like, think we should, like, take the train
because, like, it’s much cheaper, you know what I mean?” Note that the underlined
words and phrases do not make this sentence any more persuasive, and they are also
quite distracting.

2. Failing to Compare the Two Options

Remember that, in Task 5, you are attempting to persuade someone else that your
choice is the best option. Some test takers describe each option without using
comparative language to show how their choice is better. For example, if comparing two
houses, it would not be enough to say, “This house costs $200,000 and has two garages.
It has three bedrooms. The other house costs $20,000 and has no garage. There is one
bedroom.” It would be better to use comparative language to explain the difference
between the two. For example, “Even though this house is more expensive, at $200,000,
it is much bigger—it has three bedrooms rather than just one. It will also be much more
convenient for us as it has two garages, which will be great since we both have cars. The
other house doesn’t even have one garage.”

3. Lacking Organized Structure

To effectively persuade your listener, it’s important to structure your response in a

logical way. It may be helpful, therefore, to briefly plan your response by selecting the
main ideas you will be discussing before you start to speak. You could then begin your
response by stating which option you chose, and follow up with a few reasons, based on
the ideas you selected, to support your choice.

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 Speaking: Unit 11

@ Activity 4
In the space provided below, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed in this
section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus on
these three types of errors.
Play Unit 11 - Track 2.

Refer to Images 1 and 2 for the corresponding Speaking task.

Uhh, I can choice uhh, the Sun Garden uh 800 for the day includes Chinese cakes,
something like that, two acres include house and garden. It’s good for me and quiet
and nice. Uhhhhm. And good, everybody’s gonna be okay. And I like so much noising
and something like that. It’s gonna be fun, uh the sun garden’s is nice, I think so, for us.
Very nice, location is good and everybody wants to see the uhh small lakes, something
like that. It’s better for us, I like that. We can choice, yeah. We can choose this.

1. Using Empty Phrases

2. Failing to Compare the Two Options

3. Lacking Organized Structure

Self-Assessment
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to this task and then play it back.
Fill out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 5: Comparing
and Persuading, give yourself 60 seconds to make a choice between the first two options, 60
seconds to prepare your response, and 60 seconds to speak.

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 Speaking: Unit 11

Unit 11 – Image 3: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

Unit 11 – Image 4: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

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 Speaking: Unit 11

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you address the listener directly?

2. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses

and hesitations?

3. Did you use appropriate rhythm,

pronunciation, and intonation?

4. Did you accurately use a wide variety

of words?

5. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

6. Was your tone appropriate for the social

context?

7. Did you compare and contrast your choice

with the other person’s?

8. Was your response clearly organized?

9. Was your response long enough?

10. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 11

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 11 – Track 3.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 11 – Track 3.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 11 – Track 3.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

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 12
UNIT
Dealing with a Difficult Situation

• Making polite statements/requests

LEARNING FOCUS
• Supporting your statement/request with reasons
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation presents you with a

challenging scenario and two options for how to try to resolve it. You will
choose one of these solutions and explain why you think it is the best choice.
Two main areas of assessment in this task are your ability to provide reasons
for your answer and your ability to change your word choice and tone
depending on the context of the situation. Remember to directly address the
listener in this task.

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 Speaking: Unit 12

Making Polite Statements/Requests

Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation often involves convincing someone to
change their mind or make a sudden change of plan. In such situations, you have a better
chance of getting the outcome you want by expressing yourself in a polite way. Below is a list of
some of the polite openings that you could use, as well as some examples of how to complete
the statement or question.

POLITE OPENINGS EXAMPLE

Excuse me . . . . . . but could you please take shorter lunch breaks?
I feel really bad about this, but . . . . . . I’d prefer it if you could take shorter lunch breaks.
I’m afraid to tell you this, but . . . . . . I’d like it if you could take shorter lunch breaks.
I’m sorry to bring this up, but . . . . . . you will need to take shorter lunch breaks.
It would mean a lot to me if . . . . . . you took shorter lunch breaks.
I was hoping . . . . . . that you could take shorter lunch breaks.
I wish you would . . . . . . take shorter lunch breaks.
Maybe we could . . . . . . discuss how long lunch breaks should be.
My suggestion is . . . . . . that you should take shorter lunch breaks.
Sorry for the inconvenience, . . . I’d like you to take shorter lunch breaks.
but . . .
Unfortunately, . . . . . . I’d prefer it if you could take shorter lunch breaks.
Would you be willing to . . . . . . take shorter lunch breaks?
Would you consider . . . . . . taking shorter lunch breaks?

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Supporting Your Statement/Request with Reasons

If you make a demand or request without explaining yourself, people may feel confused or even
a little upset. So, it is important to support your position with logical reasons.

Example:

SITUATION: Your roommate refuses to help clean the apartment and is often
quite loud. You are trying to get them to move out.
DIRECT STATEMENT: Move out!
POLITE STATEMENT: I wish you would consider finding somewhere else to live.
REASON: I’ve talked to you so many times about helping clean the
apartment, but you don’t seem to have made an effort. In
addition, our neighbours have complained several times about the
volume of your music.

Activity 1
Rewrite each of the following sentences so that they are phrased more politely and then
include at least one supporting reason.

1. Direct Statement: You must return the dog to the pet shop.
a) Polite Statement: I’m sorry ,

but
b) Reason:

2. Direct Statement: You have to sell your car.

a) Polite Statement: I feel ,

but

b) Reason:

3. Direct Statement: You must quit your job.

a) Polite Statement: I’m afraid ,

but

b) Reason:

Continue

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4. Direct Statement: You can’t go to work next week.

a) Polite Statement: Would you consider

b) Reason:

5. Direct Statement: You have to sign up for an exercise class.

a) Polite Statement: Would you be willing

b) Reason:

6. Direct Statement: I’m quitting your yoga class.

a) Polite Statement: Sorry for ,

but

b) Reason:

Activity 2A
Read the following task and highlight three specific details that you can reference in your
response. Note: In the Speaking Test, you should look for as many details as possible.

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 Speaking: Unit 12

Activity 2B
Think about how you can expand the response below by adding specific details and/or reasons
to complete each idea. (Keep in mind that this exercise is focused on the first choice from the
task on the previous page. On the official test, it does not matter which option you choose, as
long as you discuss it convincingly.)

Excuse me, I was wondering if we could talk about the planned departmental move. I’m not

sure moving is the best idea...

Also, if we move...

Finally, I believe it’s best if we...

Activity 2C
List three specific details this test taker used to help develop their response.

@
Play Unit 12 - Track 1.
Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

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 Speaking: Unit 12

Identifying Common Errors

The following are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these
problems will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your
best on the Speaking Test.

1. Failing to Address the Listener Directly

As mentioned at the beginning of this unit, it is important to directly address the listener
in Task 6. For example, it would be correct to say, “Listen, Tom, I understand how much
you care about your dog, but it’s just making too much noise.” It would be incorrect to
say, “I would tell Tom that I understand how much he cares about his dog, but it is just
making too much noise.”

2. Expressing Incomplete Ideas

Make sure to fully explain each idea that you introduce. If you begin talking about
one idea but don’t fully explain it before moving to the next idea, this may make your
response hard to follow. For example, it may confuse the listener if you said, “I have
three ideas for the renovation. First, I really think we should . . . hmm . . . and it would
also be good to add more parking spots . . .” It would be better to say, “I have three ideas
for the renovation. First, I really think we should expand the lunch room. It would also
be a good idea to add more parking spots. And lastly . . .”

3. Using Words in the Wrong Order

In English, it is necessary to make sure that the words in your phrases and sentences are
in the correct order. If some words are out of order, this can be confusing to the listener
and may make your response harder to follow. For instance, “I the took train work to
this morning” is incorrect, and the listener would have to work harder to figure out the
meaning. “I took the train to work this morning” is correct.

@ Activity 3
In the space provided on the next page, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed
in this section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus
on these three types of errors.
Play Unit 12 - Track 2.

Refer to the task in Activity 2A.

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 Speaking: Unit 12

I think my co-worker, um, shouldn’t be quit because, um, I try to convince him
because the to work with this company it has a great benefits, and the bosses are
good from here, and the same as all that like the employ the co-workers. And the
most probably thing that I like it’s like working with team together. They never leave
you alone with any other problems that you have it, so I think that’s what the people
like it about this company, and the peoples are nice with the same nice age. They got
big good and then this is the growest growing company at this point, so I think you
shouldn’t be quitting this job. I will try to talk with my boss together—

1. Failing to Address the Listener Directly

2. Expressing Incomplete Ideas

3. Using Words in the Wrong Order

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 Speaking: Unit 12

Self-Assessment
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to this prompt and then play it back.
Fill out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 6: Dealing
with a Difficult Situation, give yourself 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

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 Speaking: Unit 12

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you address the listener directly?

2. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses

and hesitations?

3. Did you use appropriate rhythm,

pronunciation, and intonation?

4. Did you accurately use a wide variety

of words?

5. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

6. Was your tone appropriate for the social

context?

7. Was your response clearly organized?

8. Did you use tactful words and phrases?

9. Was your response long enough?

10. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 12

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 12 – Track 3.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 12 – Track 3.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 12 – Track 3.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

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 13
UNIT
Expressing Opinions

• Expressing an opinion
LEARNING FOCUS
• Developing your response using transitions
• Developing your response using word forms
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

In Speaking Task 7: Expressing Opinions, you will read a question about a

common issue in society and then state your opinion about it. You are free
to express any opinion that you like. You will be assessed on your ability to
develop your response by providing supporting details and examples for
your point of view.

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 Speaking: Unit 13

Expressing an Opinion
In this Speaking task, you should do your best to state your position as clearly as possible at the
beginning of your Recording Time. Here are some phrases that you could use to introduce your
opinions:

• In my opinion . . .
• As far as I’m concerned . . .
• Personally, I think / I think that . . .
• I’d say that . . .
• I believe that . . .
• In my experience . . .

Sometimes test takers make small errors when using these expressions. In this activity, you will
practice your ability to identify these common errors.

Activity 1
Read each of these statements in response to the task above. Then, highlight the error(s) in the
opinion phrase and rewrite it so that each is correct. The first question has been completed for
you.

1. I am believing that a country citizens should also help reduce their nation’s pollution.

I believe that

2. As far I’m concern, the government shouldn’t be the only institution that’s responsible
for pollution control.

3. With my opinion, if everyone in the country tried their best to reduce how much they
pollute, the environment would become much healthier.

Continue

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 Speaking: Unit 13

4. On my experience, the government can only do so much to reduce pollution; you and I
have to help with this as well.

5. I do say that government restrictions on pollution is the most effective way to help a
country’s air and water quality.

6. Personally, the only way to reduce the amount of pollution a country makes is if
everyone takes responsibility for the pollution they create.

Developing Your Response Using Transitions

Using clear transitions between your ideas will help the raters follow the flow of your response.
Being able to correctly use a variety of transitions can help improve the overall quality of
your performance on the Speaking Test. The transitions that you use can be grouped by their
purpose. Some of the most useful transitions and their categories appear in the activity below.

Activity 2A
Sort the transition words in the table into the correct categories on the next page. Check your
answers in the Answer Key before proceeding to the next activity.

Transitions

since in comparison therefore

specifically yet not only . . . but also

for example if . . . then both . . . and

moreover consequently while

similarly however to begin with

on one hand . . . on the

whereas first
other hand

but because for instance

finally in other words hence

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 Speaking: Unit 13

CATEGORY TRANSITIONS
GIVING
EXAMPLES/
CLARIFYING

SEQUENCING

CAUSE/EFFECT

ADDING
INFORMATION

EXPRESSING
SIMILARITY

CONTRAST

Activity 2B
Complete the sentences by filling in the blanks with transition words/phrases from the table.
Note that not all transitions in the table will be used, and some questions may have more than
one possible answer.

1. It may be difficult to fund university degrees for every citizen it would

require increasing taxes by a large percentage.

2. Some parents think that they always know what is best for their

children don’t listen to their children or respect their independence.

3. Since it is so easy for people to hide their identities online, I think that

the teachers the parents at my old school would not

feel comfortable with the students having online-only friends.

Continue

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4. Parents strongly believe that they have their children’s best interests in mind;

, their children believe that they have the right to choose how they

wish to spend their free time.

5. , having friends online may allow someone who feels shy to socialize

with other people; , face-to-face interaction is an important part of

conversation because we communicate through body language as well.

Developing Your Response Using Word Forms

When you answer a Speaking question, it is important to demonstrate the full range of your
vocabulary and avoid repetition. Although you should try not to repeat the same words, it can
be an effective way of showing connections between your ideas to mention the same key word
using different forms of that word. For example, in this paragraph, the word “repetition,” a
noun, is followed by the word “repeat,” a verb, in the next sentence. These are different forms
of the same word and, by using them together, it is possible to smoothly join ideas across
two sentences. When using this strategy, consider the parts of speech that can be used with a
particular word.
For example:
Creativity/Creativeness/Creation Creative Create Creatively
(noun) (adjective) (verb) (adverb)
Different forms of a word can be used to develop your ideas in a group of sentences.

Personally, I think learning some form of art is important for fostering creativity in a

child. Music, painting, and dance are some artistic activities that children especially enjoy.

Being creative allows people to come up with unorthodox ideas. Moreover, if someone can

approach problems creatively, they will enjoy greater success in their careers.

Activity 3
Complete the response using the key word below. You will need to change the word form in
each sentence so that it is grammatically correct.
KEY WORD: Know

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 Speaking: Unit 13

I’d have to say that parents 1. their children best. This 2.

comes from parents being able to watch their children grow and develop. Moreover, since

parents have more life experience, they understand that children have only

3. themselves for the short time they have been alive. What I mean is, if

children are young, they do not have a wide range of experiences that they can draw from.

This makes 4. themselves almost impossible.

Activity 4
Now create your own response to the following Speaking task. Choose two (or more) of the
key words below, and include at least two word forms of each in your response. Feel free to
include more key words as well.

For the purpose of this activity, spend a few minutes brainstorming which key words and word
forms you will include. Remember the Preparation Time for Task 7 is 30 seconds.

KEY WORDS WORD FORMS

Pay

Education

Cost

Attend

Now, using a recording device (phone, laptop, etc.), record yourself speaking for 90 seconds
and then play it back. How many different key words/word forms were you able to use?

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 Speaking: Unit 13

Identifying Common Errors

The following are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these
problems will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your
best on the Speaking Test.

1. Misusing Uncountable Nouns

In English, nouns can be either countable or uncountable. Countable nouns have

a singular and plural form and can be counted using numbers (one pen, five pens).
Uncountable nouns are used for things that cannot be counted, such as liquids (milk)
or abstract ideas (knowledge). These nouns do not have a plural form. For example,
it is incorrect to say “I bought two milks yesterday” or “he has three knowledges.”
To express quantity in these cases, you will have to add a countable noun, such as
“two cartons of milk,” or an expression, like “a lot of knowledge.” Make sure you use
uncountable nouns correctly in your response.

2. Failing to Provide Strong Reasons for Opinion

Whenever you are required to give your opinion, be sure to provide a few reasons
supporting this opinion. Explain why you feel the way you do. It can also be helpful to
explain why you do not feel a different way about the topic. If you do not provide any
reasons for your opinion, or if your reasons are weak and unclear, this may make your
response hard to follow.

3. Failing to Follow All Directions

Read the instructions carefully. Note that some tasks will ask you to do more than one
thing. Make sure that you have fully addressed the task.

Activity 5
In the space provided on the next page, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed
in this section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus
on these three types of errors.

@
Play Unit 13 - Track 1.
Access the audio via the Focus LS Resource Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

Refer to the Speaking task at the beginning of this unit.

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 Speaking: Unit 13

Ah, no, I disagree that it’s not only the government’s responsibility, but it’s our
responsibility too, as a people, as a responsible citizen because we can, we can,
ah, keep our environment clean by cleaning up our houses . . . by cleaning up our
neighbours’ . . . putting garbages in the right places, and also using energy-efficient
appliances in our houses. It will also reduce the pollution in the environment. Not
using too much of a, uh, uh, uh, things that will cause the noise pollution. For example,
not honking too much during driving, and also not listening to the loud music, mmm,
uh, keeping everything, uh, keeping everything clean will help to grow a better clean
environment.

1. Misusing Uncountable Nouns

2. Failing to Provide Strong Reasons for Opinion

3. Failing to Follow All Directions

Self-Assessment
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to this task and then play it back.
Fill out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 7: Expressing
Opinions, give yourself 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak.

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 Speaking: Unit 13

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you clearly state your opinion at the
beginning of your response?

2. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses

and hesitations?

3. Did you use appropriate rhythm,

pronunciation, and intonation?

4. Did you accurately use a wide variety

of words?

5. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

6. Was your tone appropriate for the social

context?

7. Did you use appropriate transitions to

develop your response?

8. Was your response long enough?

9. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 13

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 13 – Track 2.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 13 – Track 2.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 13 – Track 2.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

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 14
UNIT
Describing an Unusual Situation

• Using descriptive vocabulary

LEARNING FOCUS
• Developing your response
• Describing unfamiliar elements in the scene
• Identifying common errors
• Self-assessment
• Rate the response

In Speaking Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation, you will describe

an image of something unfamiliar. The person to whom you are speaking
cannot see the image. One of the main challenges of this task is to adapt your
vocabulary to describe a scene that may seem surprising or strange to you.
Make full use of descriptive language to complete this task. It is essential to
pay attention to the instructions because there are two parts. In the first part
you will describe an image. In the second part there will be a follow-up task,
such as inviting someone to join you in an activity that is depicted in the
image. Remember to directly address the listener in this task.

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 Speaking: Unit 14

Unit 14 – Image 1: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

Using Descriptive Vocabulary

In Speaking Task 8, it is important to be descriptive and precise in order to effectively convey
important details in the image. If you have a basic vocabulary, you can combine simple words
and phrases to express higher-level meaning. For example, if you don’t know the word “yacht,”
this could be described in simple language as a “large sailing boat.”

Those with a broader range of vocabulary can use more specific words to express precise
meaning. For the example from the previous paragraph, you could add more details about the
yacht, and describe it as “a luxury sailing yacht with a prominent open upper deck featuring
dining tables and lounge chairs.”

Activity 1
Use the image above to practice different ways of describing important things in the image. For
each item, use descriptive phrases to give both a simple and a detailed description of that item.
The first question has been completed for you.

@
Remember to access the full-colour version of this image in the Focus LS Portal.

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 Speaking: Unit 14

1. Street Lamp
Simple Description: large light on a metal pole

Detailed Description: street lamp with a fluted bottom and a large bulb in a decorative

casing
2. Cart/Carriage
Simple Description:

Detailed Description:

3. Cart roof/top
Simple Description:

Detailed Description:

4. Driver
Simple Description:

Detailed Description:

5. Megaphone
Simple Description:

Detailed Description:

6. Saddles
Simple Description:
Detailed Description:

Activity 2A
In order to improve your performance on the Speaking Test, it is useful to consider things from
the listener’s perspective. Remember that in Task 8, the person with whom you are speaking
cannot see the image, so you should make it as easy as possible for them to visualize the scene.

Listen to the following sample responses. Response 1 has a CELPIP Level range of 4–5, and
Response 2 has a CELPIP Level range of 10–12. For the purpose of this exercise, you won’t see
the image, so as you listen, pay close attention to how it is described. You could even close your
eyes to help you imagine what is being described.

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 Speaking: Unit 14

@ Play Response 1 (Unit 14 – Track 1) and Response 2 (Unit 14 – Track 2).

Access the audio via the Focus LS Portal; the link is found in the Introduction.

Which response did you find easier to visualize?

Response 2
1

@
Activity 2B
Listen to the tracks and add the missing information to the following chart, which compares the
level of detail used in each response.
Play Unit 14 – Tracks 1 and 2.

TRACK 1 TRACK 2
• corner store has vegetable and fruits • a corner store that basically sell fresh
produce like fruit and vegetables
• some of the vendors, the people selling
the fruit and the vegetables
• outside the city street
•

• a place where farmers would live
• a big banner that says “Fresh Fruits” on
•
my left-hand side

• another building in front of the corner

•
store
• with red roof

Both responses generally mention the same points, but Response 2 uses a wider and more
precise range of vocabulary to describe the scene. Note that there were many other factors that
contributed to the score of each response, but the use of descriptive language was certainly one of
them.

Developing Your Response

Remember that to score well in Speaking Task 8, you need to include a wide range of details to
make your response as descriptive and as well developed as possible. To do that, it is helpful to
ask yourself questions to plan your response. The following list is a good starting point but does
not contain all possible questions. It is not necessary to answer all of these questions, and some
might not be useful in every situation.

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 Speaking: Unit 14

• Who am I talking to? • Are there any people?

• Is the scene inside or outside? • What is the season?
• What is the time of day in the picture? • What is/are the main object(s) used for?
• What is/are the main object(s)? • What colour(s) is/are the main object(s)?
• What shape(s) is/are the main object(s)? • What is/are the material(s)?

Activity 3A
Look at the task below and create notes, using the “Questions to Ask Yourself” column in the
following chart as a guide. Remember, not all of the questions will be applicable to this activity.
The first row has been completed for you.

Unit 14 – Image 2: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

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 Speaking: Unit 14

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF NOTES

Who am I talking to? Jamie, niece

Are there any people?

Is the scene inside or outside?

What is the season?

What is the time of day in the picture?

What is/are the main object(s) used for?

What shape(s) is/are the main object(s)?

What colour(s) is/are the main object(s)?

What is/are the main object(s)?

What is/are the material(s)?

Describing Unfamiliar Elements in the Scene

Task 8 is similar to Task 3 in that you are asked to describe an image. However, rather than
being presented with a familiar image, such as a classroom or a park, you will be presented with
an unusual scene. Although it may be unfamiliar, there may be parts that resemble something
that is familiar to you. Therefore, it is a useful strategy to compare aspects of the image to
something else. This can be particularly helpful if you can’t find the vocabulary to precisely
describe the image.

@ Activity 3B
Look at the image in Activity 3A once more. What does the image look like to you? What is a
similar object or situation that you can compare it to?

Now play the following two excerpts from high-level responses. Each response describes the
image by comparing it to something else. Listen to each response and then write down what
the test taker is comparing the image to.

1. Play Unit 14 – Track 3. What is the image being compared to? (Hint: furniture and theme
park)

Continue
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 Speaking: Unit 14

2. Play Unit 14 – Track 4. What is the image being compared to? (Hint: hanging bed)

@ Activity 3C
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to the task in Activity 3A using
the descriptive notes you have written. Remember to make comparisons to other objects or
situations if you are struggling to describe the image. Try to speak for 60 seconds.

Then, play back your response and consider the following: Did you use detailed descriptive
language? Did your response include answers to some of the questions from Activity 3A? Did
you compare the scene to anything that was more familiar to you? If so, did you find it easier to
describe things that way?

Play Unit 14 – Track 5 for a high-level response to this task (CELPIP Level range 10–12).

Identifying Common Errors

The following are common errors that you should try to avoid when speaking. Avoiding these
problems will make it easier for others to understand you and will help you perform at your
best on the Speaking Test.

1. Misusing Prepositions

There are numerous prepositions in English, even just to describe location. Many test takers
struggle with using the correct prepositions when describing elements of an image. Using
an incorrect preposition may cause the listener to misunderstand your description. For
example, “the dog in the car” and “the dog on the car” describe two very different situations.

2. Going Off Topic

It’s important to stay focused on exactly what you are being asked to do in each
Speaking task. Make sure everything you say contributes to the development of your
response. Avoid talking about things that are not related to the task. Remember that
whenever you go off topic, you are losing time in which you could be developing your
main ideas.

3. Using Imprecise Language

Using precise language in your response will make it easier for the listener to
understand what you are discussing. For example, saying “there’s this colourful thing
stuck in a tree” would make it very hard for the listener to understand what you are
describing. “There’s a red, purple, and blue rectangular object stuck in a tree—I think
it’s a kite” would be much easier to understand because the language is more precise.
This is especially important in Task 8 because you will need to use very precise language
in order for the listener to imagine this unusual situation.

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 Speaking: Unit 14

@ Activity 4
In the space provided below, identify examples of the three types of errors discussed in this
section. This response may contain other types of errors, but for this activity, only focus on
these three types of errors.
Play Unit 14 - Track 6.

Refer to Image 2 for the corresponding Speaking task.

Hello Janie—Hello Jamie (sorry). Uh, I was running on the park, and I saw, I
remember, I just remembered you at the moment I saw what is a quite big equipment.
The, the municipal put it on the park, which let you have some exercise. It’s very
common, I think it’s very common in this area and you saw more frequently. It’s
quite the oval, it’s look like what we would sit on, what we play in, of this jumpings,
you remember? I remember that was accident. And so it’s very similar to this—of a
full structure, a wall structure to do it. And you can sweep it, and you can hold it in
different ways. But I think it’s, you’re going to enjoy it. If you, at the moment you see
it, you’re start to remember what was kid—

1. Misusing Prepositions

2. Going Off Topic

3. Using Imprecise Language

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 Speaking: Unit 14

Self-Assessment
Use a device (phone, laptop, etc.) to record your response to this prompt and then play it back.
Fill out the checklist as you listen. To practice timed responses for Speaking Task 8: Describing
an Unusual Situation, give yourself 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Unit 14 – Image 3: This image is not displayed in full colour. Access the original image online in the Focus LS Resource Portal.

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 Speaking: Unit 14

CELPIP SPEAKING CHECKLIST

Yes Sometimes No
1. Did you address the listener directly?

2. Did you speak clearly with minimal pauses

and hesitations?

3. Did you appropriate rhythm, pronunciation,

and intonation?

4. Did you accurately use a wide variety

of words?

5. Did you avoid repeating ideas?

6. Was your tone appropriate for the social

context?

7. Was your response clearly organized?

8. Was your response long enough?

9. Did you fully address the task?

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 Speaking: Unit 14

@ Rate the Response

The following are sample responses to the task from the Self-Assessment activity.

1. Play each response and choose the appropriate CELPIP Level range from the given
choices.
2. Write down some of the strengths and weaknesses of each response.
• You may wish to refer to the Performance Standards in Unit 6 to help you.
3. Check the Answer Key for an explanation of each response’s level range.

Play Unit 14 – Track 7.1.

LEVEL M LEVELS 3–4 LEVELS 5–6

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 14 – Track 7.2.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Play Unit 14 – Track 7.3.

LEVELS 7–8 LEVELS 9–10 LEVELS 11–12

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

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 Answer Key

LISTENING – UNIT 1
Activity 1
1. General Meaning
Explanation: This question requires an overall understanding of the passage, so it is general meaning.
2. Inference
Explanation: The woman does not specifically state why she is finding the cab, so this is an inference.
3. Specific Details
Explanation: The woman explains that she really liked the coat; this is a specific detail from the passage.

Activity 2
1. a) A conversation
Explanation: The passage is a conversation, since three of the screens say, “You will hear a
conversation.”
b) Two speakers
Explanation: There are two speakers, because the instructions that describe the Listening part say,
“You will hear a conversation between a woman and a man.”
c) In a store
Explanation: The conversation takes place in a store, since the instructions say, “The man is an
employee at a store and the woman is a customer.”
d) Three sections
Explanation: The first instruction screen says, “You will hear a conversation in 3 sections.”
e) About 1 to 1.5 minutes
Explanation: The listening passage is 1 to 1.5 minutes long, since the information above the audio
recording says, “It is about 1 to 1.5 minutes long.”

2. a) A conversation
Explanation: The passage is a conversation, since three of the screens say, “You will hear a conversation.”
b) Two speakers
Explanation: There are two speakers, because the instructions that describe the audio say, “The
conversation is between two co-workers.”
c) N/A
Explanation: This is not answerable from the given information. However, this is still a good question to
keep in mind when previewing.
d) One section
Explanation: The first instruction screen says, “You will hear a conversation followed by 5 questions.” This
means there is only one section in the audio.
e) About 1.5 to 2 minutes
Explanation: The listening passage is 1.5 to 2 minutes long, since the information above the audio
recording says, “It is about 1.5 to 2 minutes long.”

3. a) A discussion
Explanation: The passage is a discussion, since the instructions say, “You will watch a discussion.”
b) Three speakers
Explanation: There are three speakers, because the instructions that describe the video say, “You will
watch a discussion between three co-workers.”
c) At a rollerblade rental shop
Explanation: The conversation takes place in a rollerblade rental shop since the instructions say, “They
are colleagues at a rollerblade rental shop.”
d) One section
Explanation: The first instruction screen says, “You will watch a 2-minute video. Then 8 questions will
appear.”
e) About 2 minutes
Explanation: The video is 2 minutes long, since the information in the introduction says, “You will watch
a 2-minute video.”

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 Answer Key

LISTENING – UNIT 2
Activity 1
1. Two
Explanation: The fact that there are two speakers can be found by listening to the passage.
2. D
Explanation: There are no specific details that provide the answer in the passage. However, the other
choices do not make sense from the dialogue. The speakers are not strangers because the man uses the
woman’s first name. The speakers are not necessarily co-workers because the man hasn’t worked in a dance
company before, while the woman has experience in this area. The speakers are not necessarily classmates
because the conversation does not include references to classes or schools. Therefore, the speakers are
probably friends.
3. A
Explanation: The speakers are familiar with each other, as demonstrated through the use of the woman’s
first name and their informal use of language, such as, “I mean, what do they want to see” and “I wouldn’t.”

Activity 2
1. the woman’s disappointment about the performance
Explanation: “That” refers not to a specific object, but to the concept the woman is conveying: that she was
disappointed in the performance.
2. the coat check number
Explanation: This is the correct answer because the man asks, “Could I have your number please?” prior to
the woman’s statement.
3. the coat
Explanation: “It” is referring to the woman’s coat, as mentioned by the man in the previous statement in
the conversation.

Activity 3A
1. B
Explanation: In the audio, the woman asks, “could you please look again?” in reference to the coat. In
Option B, when the man says, “yes, I will,” he is directly responding to the woman’s request. In support of
this, when he says, “I’m sure I’ll be able to find it,” the “it” refers to the woman’s coat, since she previously
said, “I really like that coat.”
2. A
Explanation: The man returned the woman’s coat to her during the audio—in Option A, the woman is
expressing relief because she’s happy to have the coat back. “Where was it” again refers to her coat, which
the man mentioned previously.
3. A
Explanation: In the audio, the man explains that there was a mix-up since “the other attendant must have
mistaken” her coat for a similar one. In Option A, the woman is expressing her disappointment at the
problem caused by the attendant because she really likes her coat, and she wishes to complain about the
inconvenience.
4. B
Explanation: In the audio, the woman mentions that she will be more understanding about the attendant’s
mistake, but she also mentions, “I missed my cab.” In Option B, the attendant uses the opportunity to help
her and to satisfy her as a customer. When he says, “I’ll call you another one,” “one” refers to another cab.

Activity 3B
1. A 3. B 5. B 7. C
2. D 4. C 6. A 8. D

Activity 3C
1. Closing 2. Opening

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 Answer Key

Activity 3D
OPENING CLOSING
Track 5.1 Track 5.4
Track 5.2 Track 5.3

Activity 3E
OPENING CLOSING
Track 6.1 Track 6.5
Track 6.6 Track 6.3
Track 6.2 Track 6.4

Activity 4
CONTRACTION FULL FORM
1. What’s What is
2. It’s It is
3. Doesn’t Does not
4. Wouldn’t Would not
5. You’re You are
6. Isn’t Is not
7. Don’t Do not
8. Don’t Do not
9. They’re They are
10. You’re You are
11. I’ll I will
12. Aren’t Are not
13. I’m I am
14. Aren’t Are not
15. There’s There is*
16. They’re They are
17. I’m I am
18. Don’t Do not
19. Wouldn’t Would not
20. Don’t Do not
21. Doesn’t Does not
22. That’s That is
23. Don’t Do not
24. That’s That is

* The contraction in this instance (“when there’s kids”) is grammatically incorrect; it should be “where
there’re kids” or simply “when there are kids.” Errors like this are fairly common in informal speech,
however, and the purpose of this activity is to practice recognizing contractions—regardless of their use.
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 Answer Key

Activity 5
Example notes; answers may vary.
SPEAKER 1: MAN SPEAKER 2: WOMAN

Who: Who:
man = employee woman = co-worker

What: What:
Wants to ask quest’n Quest’n about rltnshps?
Wants to buy someth’g special Get gift card?
Maybe hockey tix Go 2 theatre?
Boss ≠ like theatre Tix 2 cooking event w/ famous chef
Likes cook’g, cards, swim’g
Agrees, will buy tix to cook’g event
Keep flyer?

When: ? When: ?

Where: Where:
@ office? @ office?

Why: Why:
Boss will retire, and wants to buy him gift Y buy gift if employees will buy together?

Test Practice
Track 9
1. A 3. A 5. A 7. B
2. D 4. C 6. D 8. B

Track 10
1. B 3. A 5. A
2. C 4. B

Track 11
1. C 3. D 5. A
2. C 4. D 6. B

LISTENING – UNIT 3
Activity 1A
1. A (separate ideas)
Explanation: This pause is separating the idea of when the event occurred (“on Friday”) from what happened
(“instead of getting a bag of hot chicken . . .”). In writing, this would be shown with a comma.

2. C (emphasize important words)

Explanation: There is a pause separating each word in the phrase “cold hard cash.” This shows that these
three words are being emphasized.

3. B (indicate extra information)

Explanation: The pauses separating “a third-year law student at the University of Toronto” from the rest
of the audio show that this is extra information, and that the sentence can be understood without it. For
example, “Richard Coleman pulled up to the drive-thru window of the popular Charlie’s Chicken
restaurant . . .”

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 Answer Key

4. A (separate ideas)
Explanation: The pause here is separating two ideas and is acting like a period in writing.

5. A (separate ideas)
Explanation: The pause here is separating the explanation of what happened (“. . . bundle of cash instead”)
from Coleman’s words (“I couldn’t believe it!”).

Activity 1B
1. Excuse me, which way is the train station? ↘ 4. I think we should go that way. ↘
2. We have a meeting today, right? ↘↗ 5. Have you ever been to the theatre? ↘↗
3. Are you going to Sasha’s graduation? ↗ 6. Have you seen the Celebration of Lights? ↗

Activity 1C
If we want to make it for the 4 o’clock ferry to Vancouver Island, we will need to arrive at the terminal
before 3 o’clock. So, please try to be ready to leave by 2.

Last Friday, visitors to the Bridal Falls park received a welcome surprise. Actors in Victorian costumes
presented a traditional travelling tea service. Guests were treated to fresh pastries, sandwiches, and
three varieties of local tea.

Activity 2
See bolded words; answers may vary slightly. The idea of “Ontario resident” occurs at other times in the
form of “he,” “Richard Coleman,” and “Coleman.” The idea of fast food appears numerous times by being
referred to as “a bag of hot chicken,” “chicken burger and french fries,” and “chicken burger.” The ideas of a
bag and cash are also very important since “bag” appears three times, and “cash” appears twice.

The repetition of these terms suggests that the general topic of this passage is about Richard Coleman and a
bag of money at a fast food restaurant.

An Ontario resident ordered some fast food on Friday, but instead of getting a bag of hot chicken,
he got a bag of cold hard cash. Richard Coleman, a third-year law student at the University of
Toronto, pulled up to the drive-thru window of the popular Charlie’s Chicken restaurant on
Broadway and ordered a chicken burger and french fries to go. At the first stoplight on his way
home, Coleman reached inside the take-out bag for his chicken burger and pulled out a bundle of
cash instead.

Activity 3
1. General Meaning
C
Explanation: The answer is “a scam targeting the elderly.” We know this because the passage includes the
following information:
• “The bank issued a statement after a clerk discovered suspicious charges against the account of Mary
Bryce . . .”
• “It turned out she had been paying a bill of $20 to an unknown payee every month for 4 years without
being aware of it.”
• “Mary suspects that her husband might have been contacted over the phone years ago and convinced
to sign up for the service.”
• “However, seniors remain highly susceptible to financial scams due to lack of up-to-date knowledge.”
This question requires you to listen for general meaning and identify which ideas are part of the
main topic, and which are details.

2. Specific Detail
A
Explanation: The answer is “help seniors become more vigilant.” We know this because the passage includes

146
 Answer Key

the following information:

• “Free workshops educate older citizens on financial abuse, fraud, and cash management during
retirement.”
This question requires you to listen for specific details and identify the answer that says the same thing
using different words.

3. Specific Detail
B
Explanation: The answer is “was incredibly beneficial.” We know this because the passage includes the
following information:
• “Mary Bryce already took the course and found it extremely informative and practical.”
This question requires you to listen for specific details and identify the answer that says the same thing
using different words.

4. General Meaning
C
Explanation: The answer is “dishonest phone marketing.” We know this because the passage includes the
following information:
• “discovered suspicious charges”
• “an unknown payee”
• “husband might have been contacted over the phone years ago”
What’s important here is to recognize that you need to pull ideas from more than one place in the passage
to find the right answer. The three ideas mentioned above need to be added together to be able to choose
the correct answer.

Activity 4A
Specific lengths of answers may vary.
1. Earlier today
2. As Monica LeBlanc was monitoring the security cameras at Mason’s Department Store
3. Two hours later
4. earlier
5. Within the hour
6. now

Activity 4B
5 a. Authorities are now trying to determine the motive for the crime.
2 b. As Monica LeBlanc was monitoring the security cameras at Mason’s Department Store, she
noticed a man behaving erratically in one of the aisles.
1 c. Earlier today, a security guard thwarted a kidnapping attempt by providing police with
information that led to the rescue of a young girl.
3 d. Two hours later, police put out an amber alert that a seven-year-old girl had been abducted
4 e. Within the hour, police apprehended the man as he was speeding out of the city

Activity 6
Example notes; answers may vary.
Who? Alan Cameron = driver Samantha Park = city spokesperson
No one ready City
1st snowfall City = prepared 4 snowstorms ♀
What? Chaos on roads 30 trucks on road ♀
Blizzard Stuck on road 4 2hrs ♂
Afraid of being hit ♂
When? Nov 19 Morn’g commute
Where? Halifax, Nova Scotia
Black ice common
Why? Cars were slid’g on road ♂ Salt trucks ≠ drive ∵ traffic ♀

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 Answer Key

Test Practice
1. B 3. A 5. C
2. A 4. D

LISTENING – UNIT 4
Activity 1
1. C
Explanation: “in a kitchen” is correct because of the dishwasher and other kitchen appliances in the
background.

Activity 2
1. C 2. B 3. B

Activity 3
1. D 3. C 5. B
2. A 4. E

Activity 4A

Negative Neutral Positive

Quarrel Discussion Agreeable
Terrible Debate Terrific
Boring Sufficient Intriguing
Forgettable Moderate Memorable
Unreasonable Acceptable

Activity 4B
1. Video 1.1 Positive 3. Video 1.3 Negative 5. Video 1.5 Neutral
2. Video 1.2 Negative 4. Video 1.4 Negative

Activity 5
Example notes; answers may vary.
WH Word ANGELA (SPEAKER 1) JED (SPEAKER 2) RONALDO (SPEAKER 3)
Who Worker Worker Worker
NA Ins Conf = postp’n’d Trvl early C’mp’y made resv
Cmpy 2 chng resv Why learn late > 1000 ppl attending conf
Schedule emerg meeting Cancel conf? Taking fam 4 Easter, 1wk
What
Wants more info Reschedl clients
Make conf optional?
Thinks sessions = boring
When Afternoon 3 wks away
Where Florida
Big --> need --> space Give prsntn Wants warm Easter, not
Hotel = mistake Wants = relaxed cold
Why Knows b/c outside mngr
office

Test Practice
1. B 4. C 7. D
2. A 5. A 8. D
3. D 6. C

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 Answer Key

LISTENING – UNIT 5
Activity 1
1. claims 3. believes 5. talks
2. argues 4. suggests 6. points out

Activity 2
1. fact 4. fact 7. opinion
2. opinion 5. opinion 8. fact
3. opinion 6. opinion

Activity 3
1. A
Explanation: According to the passage, Bennett thinks “that foreseeable consequences are not the only
motivating factor. She suggests that many people consider illegal downloading to be a victimless crime.”
Therefore, A is correct.

2. B
Explanation: According to the passage, “Ethan Miller points out [that] these companies were built on
the backs of internet pirates. They take our basic desire for immediate entertainment and allow us to
circumvent the risk of potential fines and lawsuits.” Thus, B is correct.

Activity 4
1. D
Explanation: According to the passage, there is a government marketing board that takes care of selling
the crops; this means that farmers might not know how to market their product. Furthermore, Levin
argues that “the only way forward is an immediate halt to government-led price fixing.” If Levin supports
this action, it is logical that he would support training farmers to perform tasks that were handled by the
government boards.

2. B
Explanation: Hogue “thinks that forcing Canadian farmers to compete with major players on the
international open market discourages family farms, especially ones producing specialty crops or livestock
varieties.” Because of this, it’s possible to turn this idea around and assume that specialty farmers would
agree with Hogue.

Activity 5
Example notes; answers may vary.
VIEWPOINT 1 VIEWPOINT 2 EXTRA VIEWPOINT
(TIM DIAMONTI) (EDU PSYC) (SPEAKER)
Formats good 4 learners Concerned ⟶ effects Space need ↓
No more paper materials Eye strain E-book, journal enough
Learner needs internet Lazy E-journal helpful
Computer = tutor Note-taking import. 4 Meeting rooms = tech tools
↑ communication/prof understanding
Interpersonal skill ↓
TOPIC: Computers in education

Test Practice
1. B 3. A 5. C
2. A 4. D 6. B

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SPEAKING – UNIT 7
Activity 1
1. I advise you to review all the new words you learn each day.
2. I think you should take my advice about speaking French as much as you can outside of class.
3. Listen carefully: I have an important piece of advice for you.
4. My friends gave me a lot of advice when I first started learning a new language.
5. I have a friend who gave me some advice that I didn’t find useful, so I advise you to study for this class
in whatever way works for you!

Activity 2
Possible Answers
1. Why don’t you finish eating a little before your break ends so you’re not late getting back to work?
2. You had better check the flyers for sales and go shopping when there are good discounts.
3. You might want to offer computer skills training to the team.
4. Why not come out with me next week and meet some new people?
5. You should try to find a group that shares your hobbies or interests.
6. You had better not wear casual clothes when you go to the interview.
7. You could try making a list of new words and put them on your fridge.
8. Why don’t you try changing the image in the logo?

Activity 3
Possible Answers
1. Being Repetitive
• The test taker uses the word “just” six times. It would have been better for her to include other
ways of expressing the same idea, such as “you only have to” or “simply.”

2. Confusing “Advice” with “Advise”

• The test taker said, “I’ll advice you to just take bus from house to work.” “Advice” is a noun. She
should have used the verb “advise.”

3. Misusing Collocations
• The test taker said, “it will be faster than having a cab.” The correct collocation is “taking a cab.”
• Later, the test taker said, “the job that you are going to transfer with.” The correct collocation is to
transfer to.”

CELPIP Level Range: 7–8. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 5–6
Strengths
• Presents one solid piece of advice and includes some extra detail (“a toy store,” “restaurant,” stationery store,” and
“theatre”).
• The vocabulary is general but is understandable. “Toy store,” “famous restaurant,” and “stationary” are accurate and
support the message.
Weaknesses
• The stationary store and theatre ideas could have been better developed.
• Some of the vocabulary is simple and could have been better expressed (“the mall is very big”).
• The phrase “her daughter” is repeated.
• There are errors in grammar (“there’s a mall near in a apartment”).
• Pauses and interjections break up the response and do not occur at natural points.

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SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 11–12
Strengths
• The response begins with more general ideas and then focuses on specific ideas and details.
• The transition from biking to activities on Toronto island is natural.
• Statements are well supported with extra details. For example, the expression “there’s so many wonderful
restaurants down Queen Street” is further supported by two extra pieces of information: “which is near where we
live” and “where you are staying.”
• Vocabulary is rich and accurate, which refine the meaning of the message.
Weaknesses
• None.

SAMPLE RESPONSE 3

LEVELS: 7–8
Strengths
• The response includes three suggestions.
• Suggestion about the CN Tower is well developed.
• The use of “food enthusiast” is extremely natural and contributes to the message.
• Word stress used for emphasis of important points.
Weaknesses
• The first two suggestions are under-developed compared to the third.
• Pauses detract slightly from coherence of the message.

SPEAKING – UNIT 8
Activity 1A
Possible Answers

Overview of the situation: changed opinion of colleague

What was the speaker’s opinion? didn’t like her
How did it change? colleague confided in her
Why did it change? realized colleague was going through personal issues
Resolution/Conclusion: good friends now

Activity 1B
Possible Answers

Overview of the situation: colleague helped teach speaker at new job

What was the speaker’s opinion? (supporting detail): unapproachable, not nice, rude
How did it change? (supporting detail): colleague decided she could trust and talk to speaker
Why did it change? (supporting detail): got along better after discussing colleague’s problems
Resolution/Conclusion: have coffee, lunch, dinner together now

Activity 2A
Answers will vary.
Note that the answers in this chart correspond to the high-level response in Unit 8 – Track 2.
Overview of the situation seeing family again after 9 years abroad
Why were you at the airport? returning home to visit family
Who were you with? friend
Why do you remember that time? best moment of life; excited to travel and see family again
Resolution/Conclusion successfully travelled to see family

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Activity 3A
1. The other day,
2. And then
3. a couple of days earlier

Activity 3B/3C
Note that the following time sequencers are accurate to this test taker’s response. However, your answers
for Activity 3B may be slightly different.
1. a couple of weeks ago
2. And then
3. Then
4. a couple of days later

Activity 4
Possible Answers
1. Failing to Use Time Sequencers
• The test taker did not use time sequencers to help connect ideas in the response. For example, this
makes it hard to know if the test taker was “happily waiting for her” at home while the sister was at
camp, or while they were in the airport. To be more clear, the test taker could have said something
like, “while my sister was collecting her luggage, we were happily waiting for her.”

2. Using Flat Intonation

• The response does not include a wide range of intonation. This makes it harder for the listener to
understand how the speaker feels about his experience.
• Since the response is generally flat, it is challenging to listen for key words as they have the same
intonation as everything else. In comparison, higher-level speech has differences in intonation that
make it easier to listen for important words and ideas.

3. Using a Stop-and-Start Rhythm

• There are continuous starts and stops throughout the response. This makes it hard for the listener
to follow the response, and they need to use more effort to understand what is being said.

CELPIP Level Range: 5–6. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 5–6
Strengths
• Speaker clearly states her decision at beginning of response.
• Response includes plenty of details and reasons for why the choice was difficult (hard to see parents; what if there
was an emergency; etc.).
• Speaker attempts to use longer sentence structures.
• Speaker clearly addresses each aspect of the instructions.
Weaknesses
• Speaker repeatedly mistakes verb tense (“when I graduate high school” instead of “when I graduated high school”;
“my parents will missing me” instead of “my parents would miss me”).
• Response contains errors with article use (“come to the Canada” instead of “come to Canada”).
• Response contains multiple instances of repetition which may detract from listenability (“I’m 18 years old . . . I’m 18
years old”; “when I . . . when I graduate high school”).

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SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 7–8
Strengths
• Speaker clearly states his decision at beginning of response.
• Speaker uses logical transitions and sequencing in response.
• Speaker uses advanced sentence structures.
Weaknesses
• Speaker’s use of tense is often confusing (“right now, I’m finishing high school and I needed to decide . . .”; “I was
thinking about it for 2 years now”—is he speaking about something in the past or the present?).
• Response includes some issues with word choice (“my mom suggested me something” instead of “my mom
recommended that”).
• Some imprecise word choices suggest speaker has limited vocabulary (“like, I never had a dream job or something”).
• Speaker does not fully address instructions (did his decision turn out well?).

SAMPLE RESPONSE 3
LEVELS: 9–10
Strengths
• Speaker uses complex sentence structures.
• Speaker speaks for full time with very few pauses or interjections.
• Response includes numerous details to support why the decision was easy to make.
• Speaker fully addresses all aspects of task.
Weaknesses
• Meaning is sometimes unclear (“because the salary was much higher . . . there was a better standard of living”—can
she clarify that this was on the new island, and not where she currently lived?).
• Speaker includes some repetition (“make the change easier” and “made the decision much easier”; “in the end, I
have now been there 10 years, and in the end, I am very happy . . .”).

SPEAKING – UNIT 9
Activity 1
9 I see an office.
9 There are seven people working in the office.
9 They seem to be working on different tasks.

Activity 2
Possible Answers
1. on 4. on 7. Beside
2. beside 5. between 8. opposite
3. Next to 6. across from

Activity 3
Possible Answers
1. the woman in the light blue business suit
2. the tall man in the burgundy sweater holding the papers
3. the man with spiky black hair talking on the phone
4. the man wearing blue headphones
5. the blond woman in front of the large whiteboard

Activity 4
1. playing with a truck 4. dancing together 7. leaning against a tree
2. sitting on the bench 5. doing a handstand 8. racing each other
3. playing Frisbee 6. posing for photos 9. having a water fight

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Activity 5
Possible Answers
1. The two short-haired boys in the sandbox are playing with a toy truck.
2. The woman in the green shirt sitting on the bench is talking on the phone.
3. The man in the yellow shirt is playing Frisbee with the red-haired man.
4. The two young girls between the sandbox and the path are dancing together.
5. The tall man next to the two girls is doing a handstand.
6. The people on the checkered picnic blanket are posing for photos.
7. The man in the grey vest leaning against a tree is taking a selfie.
8. The cyclist in the black and green shirt and the woman in rollerblades are racing each other on the path.
9. The man and woman beside the path are having a water fight with colourful plastic guns.

Activity 6
Possible Answers
1. Incorrect Word Choice
• The response includes a few instances of unclear word choice. For example, the speaker says “two
kids in the ground” instead of “dirt” or “sandbox.” Also, the speaker describes a girl “sitting on a
desk” instead of a “bench.” These incorrect word choices could confuse the listener, who cannot
see the image.

2. Misusing Verb Forms

• The speaker attempts to use present progressive tense, but they sometimes leave out the “be” verb,
making the response more difficult to follow. For example, “they playing with a small car” instead
of “they are playing with a small car” and “they trying to take from each other” instead of “they are
trying to take [it] from each other.”

3. Using Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

• Many verbs in this response do not agree with the singular/plural nouns that they are referencing.
This makes the number of people in the image less clear to the listener. For example, “there is two
little girl” should be “there are two little girls”; “there’s two girls” should be “there are two girls”;
and “they are little boy” should be “they are little boys.”

CELPIP Level Range: 5–6. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 5–6
Strengths
• The response covers the main elements in the image.
• The opening statement provides a clear overview of the image.
• Vocabulary is simple, but communicates the message.
Weaknesses
• The tense (past, present, future) is not well maintained throughout the response.
• The response demonstrates difficulties selecting the correct vocabulary, park -> backyard, naked -> shirtless.
• Pauses reduce cohesion and detract from listenability.

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SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 8–9
Strengths
• Good vocabulary (“skipping,” “game on the sidewalk,” “sun bath”).
• Addresses all elements in the image.
• Pronunciation is clear and does not detract from the message.
• The rate of speech is neither too fast nor too slow.
Weaknesses
• The response lacks transitions between ideas.
• Pauses are not in natural positions as the speaker hunts for vocabulary.
• There is a lack of sentence variety in the response.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 3
LEVELS: 11–12
Strengths
• Good overview of the image.
• Vocabulary is well suited to the task (“get together,” “collection”).
• Grammar is accurate and varied.
• Pronunciation and intonation is natural.
Weaknesses
• None.

SPEAKING – UNIT 10
Activity 1
Possible Answers
1. The man holding the paper will probably place it back down.
2. The woman using a laptop is going to continue working on a graph.
3. The woman sitting by the whiteboard is going to make a plan with her colleague.
4. The man on the phone is about to make an important business deal.
5. The man wearing headphones will continue listening to his music.

Activity 2A
Possible Answers
1. The kids in the sandbox will fight over the toy car.
2. The woman sitting on the bench will finish her conversation on the phone.
3. The man about to catch the Frisbee is about to trip and fall over.
4. The girls dancing are going to continue to dance.
5. The man doing a handstand will land on his feet and smile proudly.
6. The people taking pictures are going to change their position for a new photo.
7. The man leaning against the tree is going to take a picture of himself with a phone.
8. The kids racing down the path are going to stop and catch their breath.
9. The man and woman having a water fight are going to splash the woman taking photos of her friends.

Activity 2B
Possible Answers
1. The kids in the sandbox are going to drive the car into the sandcastle.
2. The woman sitting on the bench will stand up and walk away.
3. The man about to catch the Frisbee will catch it and quickly throw it back to his friend.
4. The man leaning against the tree will eventually fall asleep.
5. The man and woman having a water fight will get very wet.
6. The kids racing down the path will crash into each other and fall on the grass.
7. The girls dancing will stop and begin playing tag.
8. The man doing a handstand will fall over and start laughing.
9. The people taking pictures will finish and leave.

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Activity 3
Possible Answers
1. Making Unrealistic Predictions
• The response focuses too much on “nice food in the restaurant” and what will happen after leaving
the park. This is not directly based on information within the image. There is nothing in the image
to suggest what might happen after the people leave the park, yet most of the response is focused
on dinner, restaurants, and going home.

2. Pausing
• The response includes numerous pauses. This frequency detracts from the clarity of the response.
In particular, it is sometimes unclear whether these pauses indicate the end of an idea, or whether
the speaker is continuing with the idea after each pause.

3. Interjecting
• The speaker uses so many interjections that they sometimes impact the clarity of the response. It is
harder to follow the logic of the speaker’s ideas when his thoughts are interrupted by interjections.

CELPIP Level Range: 5–6. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 5–6
Strengths
• Good use of sentence variety (“the girl that is jumping on the street will lose her balance”).
• The response provides reasons and details for each prediction.
• The response is generally delivered at a good rate of speech.
Weaknesses
• The response does not last the whole time.
• Long pauses detract from cohesion.
• Grammar errors are common, but do not cause problems with communicating the message.
• There is a lack of explanation to support the predictions in the response.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 11–12
Strengths
• Good use of “I suspect” to indicate predictions.
• Good use of prepositions to show where people are in the image.
• Natural pace and pauses increase understandability of the response.
Weaknesses
• None.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 3
LEVELS: 9–10
Strengths
• There are no grammatical errors in the response.
• The pace and intonation are natural and enhance the response.
• All major elements in the image are addressed.
Weaknesses
• Only one reason for the predictions is presented in the response.
• The response provides a basic message focusing on one event rather than many events.
• Ideas are presented in a list with a small range of connecting words (“and,” “and then,” “and so,” “but then”).

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SPEAKING – UNIT 11
Activity 1A
1. Strong
Explanation: This is a strong argument because it provides reasons to support the choice.
2. Weak
Explanation: This argument is weak because it is not clear what the advantage of the material (leather) is
or whether the price is favourable. The following is an example of an improved version: I think we should
buy the red jacket for Susan. It’s made of leather, so it will last a long time, and $129.99 is a good price for a
jacket of that quality; I’ve seen a similar jacket for much more.
3. Strong
Explanation: This is a strong argument because it provides reasons to support the choice.
4. Strong
Explanation: This is a strong argument because it provides reasons to support the choice.
5. Weak
Explanation: This argument is weak because it is not supported by any reasons—just factual statements.
The following is an example of an improved version: I suggest that we stay at the hotel on Broadway. I’ve
stayed there before, and it was quite comfortable and conveniently located. Also, there’s a great restaurant
in the lobby that makes delicious burgers!

Activity 1B
Possible Answers
1. I recommend that you rent the apartment instead of the basement suite because, even though the cost
is the same, the apartment looks much nicer and it’s located in a quieter neighbourhood.
2. We should definitely take the shuttle bus from the airport since it comes much more frequently than
the train, and it’s way cheaper than taking a taxi.

Activity 2
Answers will vary. The following notes are based on the assumption that the test taker has chosen the Sun
Garden. However, Prince Edward Gardens is equally valid.
ADVANTAGES (YOUR CHOICE) DISADVANTAGES (FIANCÉ’S FATHER’S CHOICE)
1. 2 acres– it’s a large wedding, so plenty of • ¼ acre– it’s a large wedding, so maybe not
room to wander around enough room to hold everyone
2. Includes tea and Chinese cakes (maybe • Family needs to cook—too much work—
additional food for a fee?); this is all no one wants to cook on wedding day
catered, so it should be really good • It’s only the backyard of a house, so it’s
3. Sun Garden has beautiful gardens—great not very elegant—not great for a wedding
setting for wedding • If it rains, house probably won’t be big
4. If it rains, Sun Garden includes use of enough to hold everyone, and it may not
indoor housing; definitely large enough to be clean . . .
accommodate everyone

Activity 3
1. more spacious than
2. more scenic
3. nicer
4. more expensive
5. better

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Activity 4
Possible Answers
1. Using Empty Phrases
• The test taker says “something like that” multiple times. This phrase is vague and does not
contribute any useful information to his response. If he had avoided using this empty phrase, he
would have had more time to support his choice with more meaningful phrases.

2. Failing to Compare the Two Options

• The test taker does choose an option near the beginning of his response (“I can choice uhh, the
Sun Garden”), but he never addresses what his fiancé’s father wants, nor does he compare the two
options against each other.

3. Lacking Organized Structure

• The response switches between different examples (“quiet,” “noisy,” “Sun Garden’s nice,” “location
is good”) without explaining the reasons in much detail. This makes it difficult to follow the
organization of ideas.

CELPIP Level Range: 5–6. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 5–6
Strengths
• The response presents a clear opinion.
• Comparisons between cost and travel time are made.
• There is a concluding statement.
Weaknesses
• The grammar has small errors such as “it’s more expensive, it’s 306 dollars, than the gas is . . . is 206 dollars.”
• There are some issues with word choice such as “It will less the body ache.”
• Pauses disrupt the flow of ideas when talking about the cost.
• No reference to departure time was made.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 11–12
Strengths
• Good use of vocabulary (“gruelling”).
• Natural rate of speech and intonation.
• The position is well explained and there are comparisons between all three points.
Weaknesses
• Some pauses, but they do not impact the message.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 3
LEVELS: 7–8
Strengths
• Natural comparisons of the information with good reasons (“I am not willing to sit 7 hours in a car”).
• Spoke for the full time.
• Natural transitions and connections between ideas.
• The position is well expressed and is clear.
Weaknesses
• Did not make a concluding sentence.
• Some awkward phrases (“I think my choice to go”).
• Repetition of words sometimes make it hard to understand the message.

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SPEAKING – UNIT 12
Activity 1
1. Direct Statement: You must return the dog to the pet shop.
a) Polite Statement: I’m sorry to bring this up, but you will need to return the dog to the pet shop.
b) Reason: I have serious allergies to pets and can’t breathe through my nose.

2. Direct Statement: You have to sell your car.

a) Polite Statement: I feel really bad about this, but I think you should consider selling your car.
b) Reason: The car insurance is quite expensive, and neither of us drives the car enough to justify the
cost.

3. Direct Statement: You must quit your job.

a) Polite Statement: I’m afraid to tell you this, but I think you should leave your job.
b) Reason: It’s really been stressing you out lately, and I think that’s causing the health problems you’ve
had these past few months.

4. Direct Statement: You can’t go to work next week.

a) Polite Statement: Would you consider taking next week off?
b) Reason: I have to travel for my work, and there’s no one else who can take care of the kids during
that time.

5. Direct Statement: You have to sign up for an exercise class.

a) Polite Statement: Would you be willing to join an exercise class?
b) Reason: You’ve been so tired lately, and I think more exercise would help to boost your energy.

6. Direct Statement: I’m quitting your yoga class.

a) Polite Statement: Sorry for the inconvenience, but I need to leave your yoga class.
b) Reason: I will be moving to a new city at the end of the week and won’t be able to attend anymore.

Activity 2A
Answers will vary.
• Big company • Your department • Other side of the office
• New employees • Smaller • Colder
• Very upset
Activity 2B
Answers will vary.

Excuse me, I was wondering if we could talk about the planned departmental move. I’m not sure
moving is the best idea because the space on the other side of the office is much smaller than our current
space, and it’s also way too cold over there all the time. If we have to work in cramped conditions, this may
lead to interpersonal conflict, and being too cold may even negatively impact our health. In fact, one of my
colleagues is so upset by this that he’s considering quitting.

Also, if we move, this may disrupt our productivity. Sure, it may only take a day or two to move our desks
and office supplies and so on, but this is still time that we could better spend finishing our various projects.
In comparison, if the new employees were put on the other side of the office, they’d still be going through
orientation and training anyway, so there would be no loss in productivity.

Finally, I believe it’s best if we stay where we are because this would help with morale. Everyone in our
department has been with the company for quite a while, and moving us may imply that we are not very
important to the company. But if we remain where we are, this will demonstrate that we are important to
the company, and everyone will be happy! Thank you!

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Activity 2C
Possible Answers
• There are ways to stay warm: USB heated seat, quilt
• Bigger windows, good view, more sunlight
• Get more comfortable chairs
• The job market is not great

Activity 3
Possible Answers
1. Failing to Address the Listener Directly
• The speaker begins her response by talking about her co-worker, rather than to her co-worker (“I
think my co-worker . . . shouldn’t . . . quit because . . . I try to convince him.”).
• The speaker does not directly address her co-worker (the listener, in this case) until the end of the
response.
• This shift from talking about the listener to talking to the listener could be confusing, and her
introduction is not a good use of time. If the speaker had immediately addressed her co-worker
directly, she could have saved time.

2. Expressing Incomplete Ideas

• The response contains many instances of incomplete ideas. For instance, the speaker begins with
“I think my co-worker, um, shouldn’t be quit because, um I try to convince him because . . .” This
could be confusing to the listener, as the first “because” leads us to expect a reason, which we don’t
get. Instead, it is unclear if the speaker attempts to rephrase her statement, or whether she moves
straight on to a new idea.
• The statement “The bosses are good from here, and the same as all that like the employ the co-
workers . . .” would likely be very confusing to the listener. It is unclear what the speaker means
about the bosses, and the shift from “employ” (possibly “employees”) to “co-workers” is also
confusing. It seems that multiple ideas are being discussed here, but none of them appear to be fully
developed.

3. Using Words in the Wrong Order

• The speaker sometimes mistakes the order of words in her response.
• For example, the speaker says “and the most probably thing that I like” instead of “and probably the
thing that I like the most . . .”

CELPIP Level Range: 7–8. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 3–4
Strengths
• The position in the response is clear.
• Good details are used to support ideas.
• The response uses an appropriate tone for the audience.
Weaknesses
• Struggles with pronunciation (“suggestion”).
• Grammar contains errors (“can you notice your voice”).
• The response confuses the task because it implies that Albert is the neighbour, not the roommate.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 7–8
Strengths
• The position is very clear.
• Suggestions such as “use ear plugs” provide detail.
• Stress and intonation are natural and support the message.
Weaknesses
• Expressions such as “okay Bonnie, you need to understand” and “you have to deal with the problems” are aggressive.
• Some grammatical errors such as “natural loud voice” and “in a good manner” detract from the message.

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SAMPLE RESPONSE 3
LEVELS: 11–12
Strengths
• The response contains strong details such as “Natural feature of his personality.”
• Pronunciation is natural and enhances the message.
• The position in the response is clear and all details focus on the message.
• The tone of the response is appropriate to the task.
Weaknesses
• The response lacks a summarizing statement or conclusion.

SPEAKING – UNIT 13
Activity 1
1. I believe that 3. In my opinion 5. I’d say that
2. As far as I’m concerned 4. In my experience 6. Personally, I think that
Activity 2A
GIVING EXAMPLES/ for instance in other words for example specifically
CLARIFYING
yet finally first to begin with
SEQUENCING
while
since therefore consequently if . . . then
CAUSE/EFFECT
because hence

ADDING INFORMATION not only . . . but also moreover

EXPRESSING both . . . and similarly

SIMILARITY
however but whereas in comparison
CONTRAST
on the one hand . . . on the other hand

Activity 2B
Answers will vary.
1. because/since 4. however / in comparison
2. not only . . . but also 5. On the one hand . . . on the other hand
3. both . . . and

Activity 3
1. know 2. knowledge 3. known 4. knowing
Activity 4
Answers will vary. This response demonstrates multiple forms of each key word presented in the activity.

I think that governments should pay for free post-secondary education for all their citizens. In many
countries, tuition at colleges and universities is very costly , and let’s face it . . . most students don’t have
much in their bank accounts. When you add in the cost of textbooks, and other educational materials, and
accommodations if you’re from out of town, many students just can’t afford to pursue higher learning.

If you talk to someone who is attending university or college, they will often tell you that the only way they
can afford it is by taking out student loans for which they will be making payments for years after they
graduate. But if the government paid for everyone’s tuition, I think this would allow more students to
attend . And the higher the attendance rate at colleges and universities, the more highly educated
graduates will enter the workforce, and the nation’s economy will benefit a lot. At first glance, free tuition
might seem like it will end up costing a lot for the government, but I believe that this increase to the
workforce would more than balance whatever the government spends on funding post-secondary studies.
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Activity 5
Possible Answers
1. Missing Uncountable Nouns
• The test taker says “putting garbages” instead of “garbage.” “Garbage” is an uncountable noun
and, as such, does not have a plural form.

2. Failing to Provide Strong Reasons for Opinion

• The test taker mainly discusses how individual citizens can help reduce pollution, but some of these
examples do not make complete sense. For example, she does not fully explain how “cleaning up
our houses” or cleaning up garbage will directly impact air or water pollution.
• These examples also do not fully explain why the test taker has the opinion that citizens should help
reduce pollution; they mainly explain how it can be reduced.

3. Failing to Follow All Instructions

• The test taker spends much of the response discussing how to reduce noise pollution. However,
noise pollution was not mentioned in the task instructions. Instead, the test taker should have
read the instructions more carefully and focused on why citizens should help reduce air and water
pollution (these are mentioned in the instructions, but they are not specifically mentioned in the
response).

CELPIP Level Range: 5–6. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 5–6
Strengths
• Clear opening statement that provides a position.
• Ideas and supporting details are on topic.
• Good use of vocabulary such as “appropriate.”
Weaknesses
• Some phrases are awkward (“it depends from where they are,” “especially through online”).
• Pauses reduce cohesion.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 11–12
Strengths
• Strong use of details and reasons to support position.
• Ideas connect logically to each other.
• Effective vocabulary selection contributes to the development of the message.
Weaknesses
• Errors in grammar occur, especially subject/verb agreement (“afterward we become friend”).
• Use of varied and figurative language is not sustained throughout the response.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 3
LEVELS: 9–10
Strengths
• Good use of rhetorical questions (“do I think he is a very good man?”).
• Good use of details (5 specific details/examples).
• Speaks for the entire time.
• Pronunciation is clear and supports the message.
Weaknesses
• Errors in grammar occur, but do not detract from understanding the message.

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 Answer Key

SPEAKING – UNIT 14
Activity 1
Possible Answers
1. Street lamp
a) Simple Description: large light on a metal pole
b) Detailed Description: street lamp with a fluted bottom and a large bulb in a decorative casing
2. Cart/Carriage
a) Simple Description: open car with benches on wheels
b) Detailed Description: bright green carriage with open sides and four grey benches
3. Cart roof/top
a) Simple Description: green and white roof/top
b) Detailed Description: cheerful green-, red-, and white-striped top with scalloped edges
4. Driver
a) Simple Description: the man in the open car
b) Detailed Description: costumed driver with a moustache, wearing a green cap and red tie
5. Megaphone
a) Simple Description: thing that makes your voice louder
b) Detailed Description: medium-sized white megaphone with a red handle
6. Saddles
a) Simple Description: red seat on the horses
b) Detailed Description: simple red saddle with a grey pommel

Activity 2B
TRACK 1 TRACK 2
• corner store has vegetable and fruits • a corner store that basically sell fresh produce like
fruit and vegetables
• some of the vendors, the people selling the fruit and
the vegetables
• outside the city street • a farm, like rural area
• a place where farmers would live
• the sign “Fresh Fruits” • a big banner that says “Fresh Fruits” on my left-hand
side
• another building in front of the corner store • another place that looks like a diner or a
• with red roof restaurant

Activity 3A
Possible notes
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF NOTES
Who am I talking to? Jamie, niece

Are there any people? No

Is the scene inside or outside? Outside

What is the season? Spring/Summer

What is the time of day in the picture? Daytime

What is/are the main object(s) used for? Exercise Entertainment Playground equipment

What shape(s) is/are the main object(s)? Curves Lots of shapes

What colour(s) is/are the main object(s)? Black Grey Silver Orange (handholds) Green (steps)

What is/are the main object(s)? Two standing areas on rails with handles Standing area with ring

What is/are the material(s)? Metal - rails Rubber – rings to stand on at ends of device

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Activity 3B
1. “it looks like a couple of chairs”; “almost like a little roller coaster”
2. “picture, like, a hammock that’s supported by two poles”

Activity 4
Possible Answers
1. Misusing Prepositions
• The response contains multiple instances of incorrect prepositions. Frequent misuse of
prepositions can slow down the listener’s ability to follow the response.
• “I was running on the park” instead of “I was running in the park”
• the [municipality] put it on the park” instead of “the [municipality] put it in the park”
• “what we play in” instead of “what we play on”

2. Going Off Topic

• The test taker says “It’s very common, I think it’s very common in this area and you saw more
frequently.” This statement does not satisfy the task instructions because it does not contribute to
a physical description of the playground equipment. If the test taker had avoided going off topic like
this, they would have had a bit more time to more accurately describe the equipment.
• It is okay to use your imagination to help describe the situation, but only if this helps to address the
task instructions. In this instance, the test taker’s explanation does not help.

3. Using Imprecise Language

• The test taker gives only vague descriptions of the playground equipment (“quite big equipment,”
“quite the oval,” “it looks like something you would jump on,” etc.). There is little to no description
of specific aspects of the equipment. Using more precise language would have helped clarify this
description for the listener.
• For example, instead of “quite the oval,” the test taker could have said, “This playground equipment
looks like a set of monkey bars, some of which are shaped in an oval pattern.”

CELPIP Level Range: 5–6. This response may contain other types of errors, but this activity only focuses on the
three types of errors mentioned in this section.

Rate the Response

SAMPLE RESPONSE 1
LEVELS: 5–6
Strengths
• Provides good explanation of some parts of the umbrella.
• The response addressed both parts of the task.
• Delivery of message was natural and easy to understand.
Weaknesses
• Some grammatical errors such as “the picture of the whale and it’s sprinkle the water on top” can lead to
comprehension issues.
• The response did not describe all parts of the umbrella equally.
SAMPLE RESPONSE 2
LEVELS: 11–12
Strengths
• Good attempt at describing the umbrella without knowing the right word “Just like the glass mirrors on the
church . . .”
• Pauses are natural and provide emphasis which enhances meaning.
• The description of each umbrella is complete and well presented.
Weaknesses
• Vocabulary is imprecise at times (“glass mirror” instead of “glass window,” “dolphin” instead of “whale”).
• Some grammar is inaccurate (“I know you like the yellow colour”).

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SAMPLE RESPONSE 3
LEVELS: 7–8
Strengths
• The response addressed both parts of the task.
• Good description of four of the umbrellas.
• Some good vocabulary like “rainbow,” “monkey,” “cartoon,” and “characteristics.”
Weaknesses
• Grammar issues detract slightly from the message (“one of the umbrella on the left is a blue one with whale on it”).
• Pauses and repetition detract from the clarity of the message.

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