Speaking Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation

Neat and well organized.

“Please keep the shared space tidy.”

Often used: tidy up · keep tidy

CELPIP tip: Informal; great for scene descriptions—say 'the room looks tidy' or 'tidy up' as a natural verb collocation.

A light, gentle wind.

“A cool breeze made the heat bearable.”

Often used: gentle breeze · sea breeze

CELPIP tip: Use 'gentle breeze' when describing outdoor scenes; it adds sensory detail quickly and naturally.

A situation in which something is late.

“The flight delay lasted over two hours.”

Often used: flight delay · long delay · cause a delay

CELPIP tip: Use 'unexpected delay' for emphasis; in difficult-situation tasks, 'caused a significant delay' sounds stronger.

A piece of electronic equipment.

“Most people own several smart devices.”

Often used: mobile device · smart device

CELPIP tip: Neutral; use 'electronic device' or 'the device is malfunctioning' to sound specific and professional.

Food remaining after a meal.

“We packed the leftovers for lunch.”

Often used: eat leftovers

CELPIP tip: Informal and natural; perfect for personal experience stories—avoid in formal writing, use 'remaining food' instead.

The flat surface of a device that shows images.

“Too much screen time can tire your eyes.”

Often used: a cracked screen · screen time

CELPIP tip: In scene or unusual situation descriptions, use 'staring at the screen' or 'screen flickered' for vivid detail.

The act of leaving, especially on a trip.

“Our departure is scheduled for 8 a.m.”

Often used: departure time · departure gate

CELPIP tip: Use 'departure time/gate' for travel contexts; more formal than 'leaving'—ideal for emails and news items.

Having a lot of moisture in the air.

“Summers here are hot and humid.”

Often used: humid climate · humid air

CELPIP tip: Boost impact with 'oppressively humid' when describing uncomfortable or unusual weather scenes.

Covered with cloud; grey.

“It was overcast all day but it did not rain.”

Often used: overcast sky · overcast morning

CELPIP tip: More precise than 'cloudy'; use it when describing mood or atmosphere in a scene for higher scores.

To understand or solve something after thinking.

“It took me a while to figure out the new system.”

Often used: figure out a problem · figure out how

CELPIP tip: Informal but fluent-sounding; use when narrating how you solved a problem—shows natural spoken English.

To happen or end in a certain way.

“Everything turned out fine.”

Often used: turn out well · as it turned out

CELPIP tip: Neutral; perfect for concluding stories: 'it turned out better than expected' shows reflective language.

To sound familiar.

“That name rings a bell.”

CELPIP tip: Informal; use when recalling a memory or name—sounds natural and fluent in conversational speaking tasks.