Celpip.meCelpip.me
Speaking

Speaking Task 3 — Describing a Scene

You get a picture and must describe it so a listener can picture it too. Learn to organize by location and hear CLB 7, 9 and 11 answers.

6 min read
Key strategies
  • 1.You describe a picture to someone who cannot see it — your job is to paint it with words, not to guess its story.
  • 2.Organize by location: foreground → background, or left → centre → right. A clear order stops you from rambling.
  • 3.Use present continuous for actions ('a man is carrying...') and there is/are for what exists in the scene.
  • 4.Use prepositions of place precisely: in the foreground, on the left, next to, behind, in the background.
  • 5.Keep moving — describe people, then objects, then setting — so you fill the full 60 seconds without repeating.

The task

In Task 3 you see a detailed picture and describe it to someone who cannot see it. You get about 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. You are not telling a story or guessing what will happen (that's Task 4) — you are describing what is there, right now.

Organize by location

The fastest way to sound clear and avoid rambling is to move through the picture in a fixed order:

  • Foreground → background, or
  • Left → centre → right.

Pick one and narrate as if your listener's eyes are following yours.

The grammar that fits

  • Present continuous for actions happening now: "A woman is pushing a stroller."
  • There is / there are for what exists: "There are several tables under a large tree."
  • Prepositions of place to locate everything: "In the foreground, on the left, behind them, in the distance."

Add detail, not guesses

Describe colours, clothing, weather, and the number of people — concrete, observable things. Avoid drifting into why people are there or what will happen; that isn't this task.

Common mistakes

  • Jumping around the picture with no order, then repeating yourself.
  • Telling a story instead of describing (save predictions for Task 4).
  • Running dry early — if you finish fast, go back and add detail: colours, positions, background.

Sample answers by CLB level

See what each band looks like — and what lifts an answer to the next level.

CLB 7 — Clear, organized
Prompt

Describe a picture of a busy park on a sunny day.

Model answer
In this picture, I can see a park on a sunny day. There are many people, and everyone looks happy.

In the foreground, on the left, a young family is having a picnic on the grass. There is a red blanket with food on it, and two children are sitting next to their parents. In the middle of the picture, a man is throwing a ball to his dog.

In the background, I can see some big green trees and a small lake. A few people are walking on the path near the water. The sky is blue with a few white clouds. It looks like a warm and relaxing day in the park.
Why this is CLB 7: Moves through the scene in a clear order (foreground to background), uses present continuous and there is/are correctly, and includes simple concrete detail. Solid CLB 7.
CLB 9 — Detailed, fluent
Prompt

Describe a picture of a busy park on a sunny day.

Model answer
This is a lively scene in a city park on what looks like a perfect summer afternoon. The whole place is buzzing with people enjoying the sunshine.

In the foreground on the left, a young family is having a picnic on a bright red blanket — the two kids are reaching for sandwiches while their parents chat. Just to the right, a man in a blue T-shirt is tossing a ball for his excited dog, which is mid-jump.

Further back, a paved path winds along the edge of a calm lake, and a couple of joggers are making their way around it. Tall leafy trees frame the background, and the sky above is a clear blue with just a few wispy clouds. Overall, it's a warm, cheerful, relaxed atmosphere.
Why this is CLB 9: Vivid, specific detail ('mid-jump', 'wispy clouds'), confident prepositions, and natural flow. The listener can clearly picture the scene.
CLB 11 — Rich, effortless
Prompt

Describe a picture of a busy park on a sunny day.

Model answer
What I'm looking at is a wonderfully lively city park on a flawless summer afternoon — the kind of day where it seems the whole neighbourhood has spilled outdoors.

Front and centre on the left, a young family is settled on a vivid red picnic blanket; the two children are leaning in toward a spread of food while their parents talk and laugh. A few steps to the right, a man in a blue T-shirt has just launched a ball, and his dog is caught in mid-air chasing after it — a great little moment frozen in the frame.

Beyond them, a winding paved path traces the shoreline of a still, glassy lake, where a couple of joggers are doing their loop. Leafy trees arch across the entire background, and overhead the sky is a clean, cloudless blue. The overall feel is warm, unhurried, and full of easy energy.
Why this is CLB 11: Effortless, image-rich description ('frozen in the frame', 'glassy lake', 'spilled outdoors') with precise spatial control and varied structure. Native-level fluency.

Grow your Speaking vocabulary

The right words lift your score. Study task-specific CELPIP word lists with definitions, examples and exam tips.

Speaking Task 1 advice vocabulary →All vocabulary bundles

Ready to practise for real?

Get exam-style questions, instant AI feedback on your Writing and Speaking, and a personalised path to your target CLB.

Create your free account →