CELPIP Speaking Task 6 · Dealing with a Difficult Situation · question 2 of 10
A Truck Blocking the Shared Driveway
A CELPIP Speaking Task 6 practice question (Dealing with a Difficult Situation), with a model answer below. No sign-up needed. Read the task, take 60 seconds to prepare, then speak for 60 seconds, out loud, as you would on the test.
The task
You live in a semi-detached house in Saskatoon and share a narrow driveway with your neighbour, Mr. Okafor. His adult son has started parking his pickup truck at the end of the driveway overnight, and twice this week you could not get your car out in time for work. Your partner wants to call a towing company the next time it happens.
- Choose ONE option.
- EITHER Talk to Mr. Okafor. Tell him you will have the truck towed if it blocks the driveway again.
- OR Talk to your partner. Explain why you do not want to call a towing company.
Original CELPIP-style practice question, not an official CELPIP test item. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Paragon Testing Enterprises. The CLB level of each sample answer was reviewed by a TESOL-certified instructor. It is not an official CELPIP score.
- Preparation
- 60 seconds
- Speaking time
- 60 seconds
- Question
- 2 of 10
How to structure it
- To Mr. Okafor: describe the two late mornings calmly, then say clearly what will happen next time. To your partner: agree the situation is unfair before you say no to towing.
- Give a reason the listener cares about: the neighbour's son can easily avoid a tow; your partner wants a solution that lasts.
- End with a next step: a simple way for the son to avoid the tow, such as parking on the street, or a talk with the neighbour tonight and a joint decision if it happens again.
Model answer · CLB 7
101 words · no sign-upHello Mr. Okafor, sorry to bother you. It's about your son's truck. He is parking it at end of the driveway at night, and two times this week I couldn't take out my car. I was late to work both days, you know, and my boss, he was not happy. My partner is very angry, very angry. So we decided, if it happens again, we will call the towing company. I don't want to do this, I really don't want. But I have to leave at seven in the morning. Maybe he can park on the street? Thank you for understanding.
Why this answer works
- Option chosen: talking to Mr. Okafor. Content/Coherence: the problem, the effect and the warning come in a simple order; the suggestion about the street is added at the end as a question.
- Vocabulary: basic but adequate ("park on the street", "call the towing company"); no precise words for the situation.
- Listenability: a filler ("you know"), a repeated subject ("my boss, he was not happy") and a missing article ("at end of the driveway"); easy to follow.
- Task Fulfillment: the warning is clear and polite; it gives the neighbour a way to avoid it but no time frame.
Model answer · CLB 9
110 words · no sign-upI know you're frustrated, and honestly, so am I; being late twice in one week isn't okay. But I don't want to call a tow truck, at least not yet. We'll be sharing this driveway with the Okafors for years, and if their son wakes up to find his truck gone, they'll stop talking to us, and every small problem after that will be harder. I'd rather try one direct conversation first. So how about this: I'll go over tonight and ask him to leave the truck on the road instead. If it happens again after that, we'll sit down together and decide what to do next. Is that fair?
Why this answer works
- Option chosen: talking to your partner. Content/Coherence: acknowledges the partner's feelings, gives one developed reason (the long-term relationship) and a compromise.
- Vocabulary: "at least not yet" and "one direct conversation" show good control of everyday expressions.
- Listenability: the picture of the son who "wakes up to find his truck gone" makes the reason easy to hear, and "So how about this" turns clearly to the plan.
- Task Fulfillment: the refusal is clear but shared; the plan has a next step and a fallback agreed together.
Model answer · CLB 11
117 words · no sign-upMr. Okafor, it's about the driveway, and I'd rather you heard this from me than found out the hard way. Twice this week your son's pickup was parked across the end overnight, and I couldn't get my car out in time for work. I'm sure he doesn't mean it; it's dark when he gets home. But my partner and I have agreed that if it happens again, we'll have it towed. I'd hate for him to wake up to that over something so easy to avoid. If he parks on the street on weeknights, that's the end of it. Could you pass that on to him? And he's welcome to text me if there's ever no space.
Why this answer works
- Option chosen: talking to Mr. Okafor. Content/Coherence: gives the son the benefit of the doubt ("I'm sure he doesn't mean it") before stating the consequence, then shows exactly how to avoid it.
- Vocabulary: "found out the hard way", "pass that on" and "that's the end of it" are natural and precise.
- Listenability: the warning sits in one plain sentence ("if it happens again, we'll have it towed") between softer lines, so it cannot be missed.
- Task Fulfillment: a firm warning that stays neighbourly: a simple fix, a request to pass it on and an open offer to text.
Level reviewed by a TESOL-certified instructor. Not an official CELPIP score.
The most common mistake
Talking about Mr. Okafor as if he were listening; if you choose your partner, speak to your partner the whole time.
Get your own answer scored by AI: free account, no card
The model answer shows the target. To find out where your own recording lands, answer this question in the practice runner and get a CLB level for each criterion. A free account includes 3 AI-scored answers every 30 days.