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Speaking Task 1: Giving Advice

Speaking Task 1: Giving Advice is part of the Speaking section of the CELPIP General test. You get 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak. It is scored on Content / Coherence, Vocabulary, Listenability, Task Fulfillment.

Preparation
30 seconds
Speaking time
90 seconds
Prompts here
25 published

The three-move advice

  1. 1

    Acknowledge the feeling before you advise

    One sentence. Our CLB 11 answer begins by naming what moving actually costs someone; the CLB 5 goes straight to "you need to go outside."

  2. 2

    Give two or three pieces of advice, each with the reason it works

    The reason is the part that gets scored. "Join a class" is a suggestion; "join a class, because conversation comes free with a shared activity" is advice.

  3. 3

    Close by handing it back to them

    A short encouraging line uses the last seconds well and keeps the register friendly, which is what this task is set in.

Advice without a reason is just a list.

Two developed suggestions score above five bare ones.

Master the verbs, phrases and expressions you need to give clear, structured advice in CELPIP Speaking Task 1. These words help you sound natural, empathetic and organised — exactly what raters reward when they score your response.

In Task 1 you advise a friend or family member on a problem. Open with an empathy phrase, then use advice verbs (suggest, recommend, consider) and conditional structures to lay out options clearly within the 90-second limit.

What raters reward here
  • Give 2–3 clear pieces of advice.
  • Add a short reason or example for each.
  • Speak warmly, as if talking to a real friend.
  • Use phrases like "I would suggest..." or "It might help to...".
Three mistakes that cost points heremost common first
  1. 1Speaking to the examiner instead of to the friend in the prompt.
  2. 2Running out of things to say at 40 seconds because each suggestion had no reason attached.
  3. 3Using formal language for a conversation the prompt describes as personal.
How Speaking is scored
Content / Coherence
Whether your ideas are relevant, developed and logically ordered.
Vocabulary
The range and accuracy of your word choice under time pressure.
Listenability
How easy you are to follow as speech: grammar, flow, pacing, pauses and fillers.
Task Fulfillment
Whether you answered the actual question and covered what was asked.
Model answersthe same prompt, four levels

These are the answers our scorer was calibrated against. Reading a CLB 5 beside a CLB 11 for the same prompt is the fastest way to see what a level actually means. CLB 9 is marked as the target because it is the level that earns maximum language points for Express Entry.

CLB 5132 words

Okay, um... so, my friend is lonely in new city. Uh... I think you need to go outside. Like, go to park or, uh, coffee shop. And talk to people there. Because you can meet people. And you feel less lonely. Um... also you can join group. Like, sport group or something. And you meet people there. Same interest people. Um, I think that is good. And, uh, you can use phone. Like, there is, uh, app for meeting people. And you can find people near you. And meet them. Um... yeah, that is also good. So, uh... I think, um... most important thing is go outside. Don't stay home all time. Because if you go outside, you meet people. And then you not lonely more. Um... okay, good luck to you!

CLB 7173 words

Hey, um, so I know it's really hard when you move to a new city. When you don't know anyone, it can feel very lonely. Um, so I think a good thing you can do is join a class. Like, a cooking class or a yoga class or something like that. You can meet people there. It's good because everyone is doing the same thing, so you have something to talk about. And also, I think you should try to go out more. Like, go to parks or markets on weekends. There are free things to do in most cities. You can see people there and maybe talk to someone. And, um, try not to stay home all the time. I know it feels hard but you have to go out and try to meet people. Um, yeah. I know it's lonely right now but things will get better. Just keep going out and talking to people. I'm sure you will make friends soon. It takes some time but you will be okay.

CLB 9target214 words

Hey, I totally get how you're feeling right now — moving to a new city is, um, it can be really hard when you don't know anyone yet. But I think the most important thing is to just put yourself out there. So, one thing I'd really recommend is joining some kind of group based on your interests. Like, if you enjoy fitness, you could try a gym class, or maybe a book club if you like reading. The good thing is you already have something in common with the people there, so starting conversations feels a lot more natural. And I also think volunteering is a great idea. A lot of people find that it helps them connect to the community, and you're also meeting people at the same time, so that's kind of two things at once, you know? Also, don't forget about social media. There are local Facebook groups and apps that are, uh, made for people who are new to an area, and they can help you find events and meet people nearby. And the last thing I'd say is just be patient with yourself. It takes time to feel settled, and that's completely normal. But if you keep putting in the effort, you'll definitely start to build real friendships.

CLB 11234 words

Hey, I completely understand that feeling — relocating strips away the social fabric you'd built over years, and rebuilding it from scratch takes real intention, not just luck. My strongest piece of advice is to join activity-based groups aligned with your interests. The reason this works so well is that shared purpose dissolves the awkwardness of meeting strangers — you're not forced to make small talk; the activity does that work for you. Whether it's a hiking club, a language exchange, or a pottery class, those repeated encounters naturally deepen into friendships over time. Alongside that, I'd encourage you to invest in your neighbourhood rather than just living in it — introduce yourself to neighbours, become a regular at a local café, get involved in a community event. Familiarity breeds connection, and those casual, everyday interactions add up in ways you might not expect. That said, I think it's equally important to balance outward effort with some self-compassion. If you treat every outing as a high-stakes social test, it becomes exhausting. Give yourself permission to have quiet evenings too — a settled inner life actually makes you more present and appealing when you do engage with people. Genuine belonging rarely arrives on a fixed timeline, but as long as you're showing up consistently and staying open, it will come. Trust the process, and remember — connection finds the people who make room for it.

Now do it yourself and find out where you land

A model answer shows you the target. It cannot tell you whether your own response hits it — that is a CLB level for each criterion, with the sentences that earned it.

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Questions people ask
How many words should I use to give advice in CELPIP Speaking Task 1?
Aim to use three to five advice-specific expressions across your response — enough to sound varied without forcing vocabulary. Quality and natural delivery matter far more than quantity.
Are these advice words formal or informal?
Task 1 is a friendly, conversational scenario, so a neutral-to-informal register works best. Each entry below is tagged with its register so you can match the tone of the prompt.
The other 24 Giving Advice prompts2 free
  • ·Staying Productive While Working from Home
  • ·Preparing for the Driver's Knowledge Test and Road Test
  • ·Saving Money and Controlling Spending
  • ·Choosing Between a House and an Apartment
  • ·Choosing the Right Online Course
  • ·Finding a Family Doctor
  • ·Organizing a Small Apartment
  • ·Deciding Whether to Accept a New Job
  • ·Choosing a University Major
  • ·Leasing or Financing a First Car
  • ·A Job Offer in Another City
  • ·Sharing an Apartment with Roommates
  • ·Buying a House with a Friend
  • ·Advice on Saving Moneyfree
  • ·Balancing Studies and a Part-Time Job
  • ·Advice on Improving English
  • ·Downsizing the Family Home
  • ·Advice on a Job Offer
  • ·Advice on Reducing Screen Time
  • ·Advice on Making Friends at Work
  • ·Advice on Starting a Healthy Routine
  • ·Advice on Managing Your Time
  • ·Adopting a Shelter Dog
  • ·Cycling to Work
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