Studying for a School or Work Exam

The task

Talk about a time when you studied for an important exam for school or for your job. Describe how you studied and how you felt when you got the result.

• 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

28 of 30

In my second year of college I had a final exam in accounting. If I fail, I have to take the course again and pay again. I was working part-time, so I don't have much time. I studied every night after dinner, maybe two hours, and on Sunday the whole day. My friend and I did old exams together, that was very helpful. But one week before the exam I got sick, and I was so scared. I rested and studied only the difficult parts. In the exam I was nervous, but I knew most of the answers. I passed with seventy-eight. I was so relieved.

Why this answer works

• Covers why it mattered, how the speaker studied, a problem and the result.
• Simple words and tense slips ("If I fail, I have to", "so I don't have much time") typical of a CLB 7.
• Ends with a clear result and feeling, though briefly.

A few years ago, I had to write a licensing exam to work as a pharmacy technician, and it was easily the most stressful test of my life. I was working full-time, so finding time to study was the biggest challenge. I studied for an hour every morning before work and longer on weekends. Instead of just rereading my notes, I did lots of practice questions under time limits. I also joined an online study group, which kept me motivated when I felt like giving up. A week before the test, I caught a cold, but I focused on my weak areas. On exam day I felt surprisingly calm, and a month later I found out I'd passed, and I was so relieved I cried in the parking lot.

Why this answer works

• Names the main challenge (working full-time) and how each method answered it.
• The contrast "Instead of just rereading my notes" shows thoughtful study choices.
• Includes a setback (a cold), the result and how it felt.

The exam that really mattered to me was my apprenticeship exam for electrical work, because without it I couldn't move on to the next stage of my training. I'd failed a practice version by quite a margin, which was a real wake-up call. So I stopped rereading the code book and started teaching the material to myself out loud, as if I were explaining it to a new apprentice. Whenever I couldn't explain something simply, I knew I didn't really understand it. My partner quizzed me over dinner, which was annoying but incredibly effective. On the day, there was a question on grounding that I'd literally rehearsed the night before. I passed comfortably, and the relief was huge. Honestly, that method has changed how I study anything.

Why this answer works

• A turning point ("a real wake-up call") explains why the study method changed.
• Natural, precise language: "by quite a margin", "quizzed me", "literally rehearsed", "passed comfortably".
• Ends with a lesson that reaches beyond this one exam.