Each CELPIP Speaking task gives you 60 or 90 seconds to speak, after 30 or 60 seconds of preparation. Task 5 has a first part in which you only choose between two options. Use the whole speaking time: CELPIP’s tips page says to speak as much as you can in the time allotted and to finish your last sentence before time is up. The times come from CELPIP’s Speaking study pack (as of November 4, 2026).
How much time does each Speaking task give?
The Speaking test takes about 15 minutes, and each task has its own preparation time and speaking time. The table lists those times and what CELPIP’s study pack says to include in them:
| Task | Preparation | Speaking | What CELPIP’s study pack says to include |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Giving Advice | 30 seconds | 90 seconds | At least three suggestions, each with a practical example or reason, in a helpful tone |
| 2: Talking about a Personal Experience | 30 seconds | 60 seconds | A story in past tenses with descriptive details; if no real experience comes to mind, make one up |
| 3: Describing a Scene | 30 seconds | 60 seconds | A general statement first, then some details, without describing everything |
| 4: Making Predictions | 30 seconds | 60 seconds | Predictions related to what the people in the picture are doing |
| 5: Comparing and Persuading | Part 1: 60 seconds; Part 2: 60 seconds | Part 1: none; Part 2: 60 seconds | Part 1 is a choice between two options; Part 2 persuades someone that your choice is better |
| 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation | 60 seconds | 60 seconds | A decision explained to someone, considerate but firm |
| 7: Expressing Opinions | 30 seconds | 90 seconds | Yes or no, then about three reasons, each with specific details |
| 8: Describing an Unusual Situation | 30 seconds | 60 seconds | Common words to express your meaning when the exact word is missing, and an ending that finishes the phone call |
Source: CELPIP’s Speaking study pack, read November 4, 2026.
All four sections are covered in sections, timing and tasks.
Why does the time limit matter in Speaking?
When the preparation time is up, the screen moves forward by itself, you hear “Start speaking now”, and the recording begins (CELPIP’s Speaking study pack, as of November 4, 2026). The recording does not wait until you are ready. In CELPIP’s General Overview study pack, a blue progress bar shows how much time is left, and when the bar is completely blue, time is up.
The time is the space you have for ideas and details. CELPIP rates Speaking in four dimensions. Content/Coherence looks at the number, quality and organization of ideas and at examples and supporting details, and Task Fulfillment includes relevance, completeness, tone and length (CELPIP, test results and scoring). Each Speaking performance is rated by three to five raters who work independently. How CELPIP turns ratings into a level is explained in how CELPIP scoring works.
How can you practise with a timer?
Practice goes further with a second listener. A friend can run the timers and listen: see practising with a friend. Express Prep (expressprep.ca), which offers preparation for the CELPIP test, publishes CELPIP videos on a YouTube channel, and its terms let members of a program with live sessions send Speaking responses in for feedback (terms read November 4, 2026).
CELPIP’s Speaking study pack suggests practising speaking every day, recording your own responses and checking each recording against the performance standards. Here is one way to run a round, with CELPIP’s tips page as the guide for the preparation time:
- Set two timers for the task: one for the preparation time and one for the speaking time, using the table above.
- Spend the preparation time on notes of three or four words per idea, not on sentences: your position or story first, then the ideas that support it. The tips page says to use preparation time to understand the prompt, brainstorm ideas and organize what you want to say.
- When the preparation timer ends, start recording and speak at your normal volume and a natural pace.
- Keep going until the speaking timer ends, and try to finish your last sentence as it does.
- Listen to the recording once and check it against the four dimensions, then write down one thing to fix.
- Repeat with a different prompt. When your responses feel steady, shorten your preparation time gradually: the study pack suggests starting with more than the 30 to 60 seconds of preparation that the test gives and cutting it down.
For the tasks that offer a choice (Tasks 5, 6 and 7), record one response for each option, as the study pack suggests.
A pacing check helps once the rounds are steady. In the 90-second tasks, the study pack asks for at least three suggestions in Task 1 and about three reasons in Task 7. With three ideas, that is about 30 seconds for each idea and its detail, so one sentence for the idea and one or two for the detail is a pace to test. Record a round, note which idea ran long, and adjust from there.
What does sounding natural mean for the raters?
In CELPIP’s Speaking dimensions, the factors closest to sounding natural sit under Listenability: rhythm, pronunciation and intonation; pauses, interjections and self-correction; grammar and sentence structure; and variety of sentence structure. The study pack’s guiding question for that dimension is how easy your response is to listen to and understand.
The tips page adds practical advice. Speak clearly and at a natural pace. Before the test begins you get a chance to test the recording device and hear how your voice sounds, so use it to check your volume and pace. Try not to repeat words. When you can, draw on your own life, because the tips page says that something personal is much easier to talk about than something invented.
A text written for another prompt will not fit this one, so keep a skeleton instead of a script: your position or story, your reasons and one example, then say the sentences as they come. Pauses, interjections and self-correction are on the Listenability list too, so practise correcting a word inside the sentence and moving on instead of restarting. When you listen to a recording, mark every filler word and every restarted sentence, then record the same prompt again and see whether the marks drop.
If a result already shows a gap in Speaking, what to change before a retake covers where to start.
FAQ
Do I have to speak for the whole time?
Aim to, because CELPIP’s tips page says to speak as much as you can in the time allotted. The overview pack describes a blue progress bar that shows how much time is left, and when the bar is full, time is up. Plan your ideas so the last sentence lands with the timer rather than being cut off in the middle.
Can I stop and start again if I make a mistake?
Plan to carry on rather than restart. The speaking time is fixed, and self-correction is one of the Listenability factors CELPIP lists, along with pauses and interjections. Practise fixing a word inside the same sentence and moving on, because restarting a whole sentence spends seconds you need for your next idea.
Will my accent lower my score?
CELPIP’s tips page tells test takers not to worry about their accent unless it prevents them from being understood. It points to grammar, accurate and varied vocabulary, and a thorough response to the prompt as the better use of your attention. Clear pronunciation matters because it is part of how easy the response is to understand.
What if I cannot think of an example?
In Task 2, the study pack says that if you cannot think of a real experience, you can make one up. CELPIP’s tips page adds that drawing on your own life is easier when you can, because something personal is easier to talk about than something invented. Keep a few real stories ready for the tasks that ask for one.
How do I practise Task 5, which has two parts?
Treat the parts separately. In Part 1 you choose between two options and do not speak, after 60 seconds of preparation. In Part 2 you get another 60 seconds to prepare and then speak for 60 seconds to persuade someone that your choice is better. Record one response for each option, as the study pack suggests.
The bottom line
- Each Speaking task gives 60 or 90 seconds of speaking time after 30 or 60 seconds of preparation; Task 5 has a first part with no speaking (CELPIP’s Speaking study pack, as of November 4, 2026).
- The recording starts by itself when preparation ends, so plan your first sentence during preparation.
- CELPIP’s tips page says to speak as much as you can in the time allotted and to finish your last sentence before time is up.
- Sounding natural is read through Listenability: rhythm, pronunciation and intonation; pauses, interjections and self-correction; grammar and variety of sentence structure.
- Practise with a timer and a recording, check each response against the four dimensions, and shorten your preparation gradually.
Express Prep offers preparation for the CELPIP test, including a 7-day trial of its simulator. The trial becomes a paid monthly subscription unless you cancel before day 7; current price and terms: Express Prep trial page.
Published by Express Prep, which offers preparation for the CELPIP test. Last updated November 4, 2026.