Task objective
You read a text where one or more people express opinions on a topic, then a reader comment with blanks. You must identify viewpoints, attitudes and nuance, and complete the comment coherently.
How to complete the task
- 1
Identify the topic and the different viewpoints: who thinks what.
- 2
Mark attitude words: 'fortunately', 'however', 'concerning'.
- 3
Answer the opinion questions by locating the phrase that supports each stance.
- 4
In the comment with blanks, pick options that keep a consistent viewpoint.
- 5
Reread the full comment: it should reflect one coherent opinion throughout.
Tips & tricks
Separate fact from opinion: Part 4 lives on nuance and attitude.
Watch connectors (although, whereas, despite): they flip a sentence's meaning.
It's the most vocabulary-heavy part; review opinion and tone words.
Reserve enough time: it's usually the last and densest part.
How it's scored
Reading is computer-scored: 1 point per correct answer out of 38 questions across all 4 parts. That raw score converts to a CELPIP level from M to 12, which maps 1:1 to your CLB level (a CELPIP 9 is a CLB 9).
What this part measures
Viewpoint comprehension: separating fact from opinion, identifying each person's stance and catching shades of attitude. It's the most vocabulary-demanding part, and where connectors flip a sentence's meaning entirely.
Raw score → CLB level
Each correct answer adds one point. The conversion isn't a linear percentage: it's adjusted for the difficulty of each test version. As a rough guide, 24–28 correct lands around CLB 7, 31–33 around CLB 9, and 33 or more points to CLB 10–12.
No penalty for wrong answers
A wrong answer is worth exactly the same as a blank one: zero. Never leave a question unmarked, even if you're guessing between two options — a 50% chance always beats a guaranteed zero.
Not all questions weigh the same
The harder parts (2 and 4) tend to contribute more to your final level. Reserving enough time for them pays off more than rushing Part 1 to save a few minutes.
The clock is part of the assessment: questions you don't reach count as wrong. If one blocks you, mark your best option and move on.
Ready to try it?
Practice this task with a real question.
Keep reading
Reading skill and its tasks
CELPIP Reading tests you on four types of text: correspondence, visual documents, informational articles, and opinion passages. Learn what each part asks and how to approach it.
Part 1. Reading Correspondence
A personal message and a reply with blanks. Your job: get the point and complete the reply so it makes sense.
Part 2. Reading to Apply a Diagram
A diagram (schedule, map, flyer) plus an email. You connect the visual info with the text.
Part 3. Reading for Information
A multi-paragraph informational text. You identify main ideas and supporting details.