Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram — How to Match Information
Learn how to read a CELPIP diagram and match its details to a short message so you can fill blanks quickly and accurately in the 8-question Reading to Apply a Diagram task.
- 1.Study the diagram first and note headings, categories, labels, dates, prices, and any small print before reading the message.
- 2.Read the message to identify exactly what the writer wants, needs, or misunderstands, then hunt for the matching detail in the diagram.
- 3.For each blank, predict the type of answer expected (a name, place, time, option, or yes/no) before checking the choices.
- 4.Watch for paraphrasing — the message rarely uses the diagram's exact words, so match meaning, not vocabulary.
- 5.Eliminate options that contradict the diagram, then choose the one fully supported by it.
- 6.Pace yourself: this part has 8 questions, so spend roughly a minute per blank and don't get stuck.
What This Part Tests
Reading Part 2, Reading to Apply a Diagram, contains 8 questions. You see a visual — such as an event schedule, floor plan, brochure, or comparison chart — alongside a short piece of correspondence (often an email or a reply). Your job is to apply information from the diagram to complete blanks in the message, choosing the best option from a drop-down list. This is the second of four Reading parts in the 55–60 minute Reading test.
Read the Diagram Before the Message
Don't rush to the message. First, scan the diagram and build a mental map: What are the column or section headings? What categories, names, times, prices, or conditions appear? Notice footnotes and small details ("members only," "weekends excluded"), because that is exactly where correct answers hide. Spending 30–45 seconds here saves time later.
Understand the Writer's Need
The message usually responds to the diagram — confirming a booking, recommending an option, correcting a mistake, or answering a question. Read it to find the writer's purpose. Each blank asks you to insert a detail that fits both the sentence and the diagram. Ask: What is this person trying to do, and which part of the diagram answers it?
Match Meaning, Not Words
CELPIP almost always paraphrases. If the diagram says "complimentary parking," the message might say "you won't be charged to park." Don't look for identical words — look for matching meaning. Before opening a drop-down, predict the answer type: a place, a time, a name, a yes/no, or a specific option. Then check which choice your prediction supports.
Eliminate and Confirm
For each blank, cross out options that clearly contradict the diagram. Often two or three choices are close, so confirm your answer by re-checking the exact cell, row, or label that supports it. If two options seem possible, the correct one will be fully consistent with the diagram — the other will miss one detail.
Manage Your Time
With 8 questions, aim for about a minute each. If a blank stumps you, make your best supported guess, flag it mentally, and move on. Accuracy plus steady pace wins this section.
Try a real question
A genuine CELPIP-style Reading question. This is a self-check to learn from — it isn't graded.
Priya is planning a weekday family day trip to Maple Bay and emails her friend Dana with the ferry details. Read the schedule and fares below, then use the table to complete her message.
Hi Dana, Here are the details for our trip on the Harbour Crossing Ferry this Thursday. I want to catch the early sailing that leaves Riverside Terminal at a.m. so we arrive with time to spare. That crossing takes only minutes, quicker than the midday ones. For the grown-ups, an adult ticket on that sailing is each. Our seven-year-old counts as a child, but little Sam is only three, so he travels . Since we're bringing the car, we'll also pay the vehicle fee of on top of our passenger tickets. Can't wait to see the bay! Priya
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