Speaking — The 8 Tasks & the Timer

The eight tasks

CELPIP Speaking is short — about 15–20 minutes — but intense, because the timer is automatic. The eight tasks are:

1. Giving Advice — advise someone on a situation.
2. Talking about a Personal Experience — tell a story from your life.
3. Describing a Scene — describe a picture in detail.
4. Making Predictions — predict what happens next in that picture.
5. Comparing and Persuading — choose between options and persuade someone.
6. Dealing with a Difficult Situation — navigate an awkward real-life problem.
7. Expressing Opinions — give and defend an opinion.
8. Describing an Unusual Situation — describe something odd to someone who can't see it.

Tasks 1 and 7 give you only 30 seconds to prepare but 90 seconds to speak — the tightest squeeze on the test.

Beating the timer

The timer is what rattles people. Two habits fix it:

• Plan in keywords, not sentences. In 30 seconds you can write "1) bus cheaper 2) meet people 3) safer at night." You cannot write a paragraph. Those three keywords are enough to talk for 90 seconds.
• Have a default opening. Begin with a sentence that buys thinking time, e.g. "That's a great question — let me share what I'd suggest." Then launch into idea one.

Fill the time, but don't rush

A short answer with 20 seconds of silence at the end scores lower than a full one. Equally, racing through your points and finishing at 40 seconds leaves the recording thin. Aim to fill most of the speaking window at a steady pace, expanding each idea with a quick example.

Mistakes are normal

Examiners are not hunting for a flawless accent. They reward clear communication: organized ideas, a natural flow, and staying on task. If you misspeak, correct yourself briefly and keep moving — self-correction is a sign of competence, not weakness.