Celpip.meCelpip.me
Speaking

Speaking Task 4 — Making Predictions

The follow-up to the picture: predict what happens next. Learn the future grammar that scores, with CLB 7, 9 and 11 answers.

5 min read
Key strategies
  • 1.This follows the same picture as Task 3 — now you predict what will happen NEXT, not describe what is there.
  • 2.Use future forms: 'is going to', 'will probably', 'is about to'. This is exactly what the task is testing.
  • 3.Base each prediction on a clue in the picture ('the sky is dark, so it's going to rain'). Reasoned guesses score higher.
  • 4.Soften with likelihood words: probably, most likely, I imagine, it looks like. Predictions aren't certainties.
  • 5.Make 2-3 connected predictions and develop them, rather than one bare sentence.

The task

Task 4 uses the same picture as Task 3, but now your job is to predict what will happen next. You get about 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. The whole point of this task is future tenses — so use them deliberately.

The grammar that scores

  • be going to for predictions based on evidence: "Those dark clouds mean it's going to rain."
  • will (probably) for general predictions: "The children will probably pack up their picnic."
  • be about to / be on the verge of for the immediate next moment: "The dog is about to catch the ball."

Predict from clues, not thin air

The strongest answers tie each prediction to something visible in the picture:

"The sky is getting darker on the left, so I think a storm is coming. People will most likely grab their things and head for shelter."

That cause-and-effect ("because X, then Y") is what lifts the response.

Soften your certainty

Predictions are guesses, so frame them that way: probably, most likely, I imagine, it looks as if, there's a good chance. This sounds natural and accurate.

Common mistakes

  • Describing the picture again instead of predicting (that was Task 3).
  • Using only present tense — the task is specifically about the future.
  • One-line answers — make several linked predictions and explain them.

Sample answers by CLB level

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

CLB 7 — Clear, reasoned
Prompt

Based on the park picture, predict what will happen next.

Model answer
I think a few things are going to happen next in this park.

First, the man is throwing the ball, so his dog is going to run and catch it. The dog looks very excited, so it will probably bring the ball back to play again.

Second, I can see some dark clouds coming in the sky. So I think it is going to rain soon. If it rains, the family on the picnic blanket will probably pack up their food quickly and go home. The people walking near the lake will also look for a place to stay dry.

So in a few minutes, the park will probably become much more quiet.
Why this is CLB 7: Uses future forms correctly (going to, will probably), ties predictions to clues in the picture, and develops more than one idea. Clean CLB 7.
CLB 9 — Developed, natural
Prompt

Based on the park picture, predict what will happen next.

Model answer
Looking at this scene, I'd say a few things are about to change.

The most immediate one is the dog — it's already mid-leap, so it's going to snatch that ball out of the air any second and almost certainly trot back for another throw. That game will probably keep going for a while.

The bigger change, though, is the weather. There are some heavy clouds rolling in from the left, so I imagine it's going to start raining fairly soon. Once it does, the family on the picnic blanket will most likely scramble to pack up their food, and the joggers by the lake will pick up the pace to get home. Within ten minutes or so, I'd expect this busy, sunny park to empty out quite a bit.
Why this is CLB 9: Confident future forms, likelihood softeners ('I imagine', 'most likely'), and clear cause-and-effect reasoning. Smooth and well developed.
CLB 11 — Fluent, nuanced
Prompt

Based on the park picture, predict what will happen next.

Model answer
If I read the scene correctly, things are on the verge of shifting in a couple of ways.

The trivial one first: that dog is frozen mid-leap, so it's a split second from snagging the ball, and I'd bet the pair will happily keep that game going for a good while yet.

The real story, though, is up in the sky. There's a bank of dark cloud creeping in from the left, which suggests a shower is probably minutes away. The moment the first drops fall, I'd expect a little wave of activity — the family hurriedly bundling up their picnic, the joggers breaking into a sprint, parents rounding up kids. Give it a quarter of an hour and this sun-soaked, bustling park will very likely be all but deserted, with just a few umbrellas dotting the paths.
Why this is CLB 11: Sophisticated future expressions ('on the verge of', 'a split second from'), vivid forecast detail, and graceful sequencing. Effortlessly fluent.

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 →