Task objective
You describe a personal experience related to the prompt (a moment, a place, an important person). It's a mini-story told in the first person.
How to complete the task
- 1
In prep, pick a concrete, easy-to-tell experience.
- 2
Set the scene for the listener: when, where and who was there.
- 3
Tell what happened in order and how you felt.
- 4
Close with why it mattered or what you learned.
Tips & tricks
Use past tenses confidently: that's what's assessed here.
Add sensory details and emotions so it sounds real.
Choose a story you can already tell, not a 'perfect' but complicated one.
60 s go fast: get to the point after one sentence of context.
How it's scored
Your recording is assessed on four equally weighted dimensions, and the result is reported on the CLB 1–12 scale. Isolated mistakes aren't deducted: what counts is the overall impression of your full response.
Content & Coherence
They look at how many ideas you give, how good they are, how you organize them and whether you back them up with examples or details. Two well-developed, connected ideas score higher than five loose ideas rattled off in a hurry. A clear order (opening → development → close) makes your answer feel complete.
Vocabulary
They assess the range of words and phrases, whether you use them naturally, and whether they're precise for the context. Repeating the same word or falling back on vague terms ('thing', 'good', 'nice') lowers your score; synonyms, natural collocations and topic-specific vocabulary raise it. It's not about rare words — it's about the exact word.
Listenability
This measures how much effort it takes the listener to understand you: rhythm, pronunciation and intonation; pauses, fillers and self-corrections; plus grammar and variety of sentence structures. You don't need a native accent — you need clarity and a steady flow. Mixing short and long sentences sounds far better than a monotone rhythm.
Task Fulfillment
They check four things: relevance (you answer what's asked), completeness (you cover everything requested), tone (the register fits the person you're addressing) and length (you use the time without trailing off or getting cut short). Here that means telling a specific personal experience — not talking about the topic in general.
Most lost points don't come from your English — they come from not fulfilling the task: answering something else, falling short, or using a tone that doesn't fit. Before you record, repeat to yourself exactly what's being asked.
Ready to try it?
Practice this task with a real question.
Keep reading
Speaking skill and its tasks
CELPIP Speaking has 8 tasks that simulate real Canadian conversations. Learn what each task asks, how much time you get, and what examiners look for.
Task 1. Giving Advice
Someone has a problem. You give clear, convincing advice.
Task 3. Describing a Scene
You see an image and describe it in detail for someone who can't see it.
Task 4. Making Predictions
From the same scene, you predict what will happen next.
Task 5. Comparing and Persuading
You choose between two options and convince someone of your choice.
Task 6. Dealing With a Difficult Situation
An awkward scenario with two ways out. You pick one and explain it with tact.
Task 7. Expressing Opinions
You state your stance on a topic and defend it with arguments.
Task 8. Describing an Unusual Situation
You see something odd or unexpected and explain it to get help or clarify.