Caring for Someone Who Was Sick or Hurt

The task

Talk about a time when you took care of a family member, friend or roommate who was sick or injured. Describe what happened and how you helped.

• Read the task, prepare during the preparation time, then speak aloud for the speaking time.
• This is an original practice question written in a CELPIP-style format. It is not a real test question.
• The CLB level of each model answer was reviewed by a TESOL-certified instructor. It is not an official CELPIP score. This practice material is not affiliated with or endorsed by Paragon Testing Enterprises.
• CELPIP is a registered trademark of Paragon Testing Enterprises. This site is not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises.

Preparation

30 seconds

Speaking time

60 seconds

Question

21 of 30

Two years ago my father had a surgery on his knee. My mother was in India that time, so I took care of him for two weeks. The first days was very hard. He couldn't go up the stairs, so we put a bed in the living room. Every morning I help him with exercises and give him his medicine. Two times a week I drove him to physio. He was bored and a bit angry, so we watched hockey and played cards. When my mother came back, he can walk with a cane. I was tired, but I'm happy I did it.

Why this answer works

• Clear order from the surgery to the recovery, told mostly in the past tense.
• Simple words and slips ("had a surgery", "The first days was", "he can walk with a cane") that suit a CLB 7.
• A short personal ending, but no real reflection on what the experience meant.

A few years ago, my father had knee surgery, and since my mother was travelling, I ended up looking after him for about two weeks. The first few days were harder than I expected. He couldn't manage the stairs, so we set up a bed for him in the living room. Every morning I helped him with his exercises, made sure he took his medication on time, and drove him to physiotherapy twice a week. Honestly, the hardest part wasn't the physical work, it was keeping him patient, because he hates sitting still. By the time my mother came back, he was walking with a cane, and I think those two weeks brought us much closer.

Why this answer works

• Explains why the speaker became the caregiver ("since my mother was travelling"), which gives the story a clear start.
• Specific details ("physiotherapy twice a week", "walking with a cane") make it vivid.
• Adds a reflection on the hardest part, not just a list of tasks.

Last winter my roommate Jun slipped on black ice outside our building and badly sprained his ankle. I happened to be home, so I drove him to a walk-in clinic, and we spent most of the afternoon there. For the next ten days he could barely put weight on it, and since he's stubborn, I more or less became his nurse. I'd ice the ankle in the morning, cook something before heading to work, and keep the hallway clear so he wouldn't trip on his crutches. The tricky part was his pride. He kept insisting he was fine, so I'd turn it into a joke and bring him tea anyway. By the end of the second week he was hobbling around on his own. Oddly enough, we've been much closer ever since.

Why this answer works

• Sets the scene in one sentence, then spends most of the minute on how the speaker helped, exactly as the prompt asks.
• Precise, natural words: "black ice", "barely put weight on it", "hobbling around", "Oddly enough".
• Shows a relationship detail ("The tricky part was his pride") that lifts it above a list of tasks.