Before you study for CELPIP, it helps to know exactly what's on the test. When you know how many parts there are, how long each one takes and what the questions look like, nothing on test day will surprise you, and you can spend your study time where it counts.
This guide walks you through the whole CELPIP-General test, section by section, in the order you'll take it.
CELPIP-General at a glance
CELPIP-General tests your English in four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The whole test is taken on a computer, in one sitting, in about three hours. There is no examiner in the room with you, and you don't speak to a person. Your Speaking answers are recorded by the computer.
The situations on the test come from everyday life in Canada: talking to a neighbour, reading a notice at work, writing to a landlord, giving advice to a friend. You don't need academic or technical English.
| Section | What you do | Parts or tasks | About how long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Listen to recordings and answer multiple-choice questions | 6 parts, 38 questions | 47–55 minutes |
| Reading | Read texts and answer multiple-choice questions | 4 parts, 38 questions | 55–60 minutes |
| Writing | Type an email and a survey response | 2 tasks | 53–60 minutes |
| Speaking | Record answers to 8 short tasks | 8 tasks | 15–20 minutes |
The sections always come in this order: Listening first, then Reading, then Writing, and Speaking last. Each part has its own time limit, and the test moves on by itself when the time runs out. You can't go back to an earlier part.
Listening: 6 parts, 38 questions
In Listening, you hear conversations and talks about everyday situations. You hear each recording only once. After each recording, the questions appear on the screen, and you choose the best answer from four options. You can take notes on the paper you're given.
| Part | What you hear | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Listening to Problem Solving | A conversation in three sections, where two people solve a problem | 8 |
| 2. Listening to a Daily Life Conversation | An everyday conversation, for example between co-workers or a customer and a clerk | 5 |
| 3. Listening for Information | One person explaining information to another, like instructions or a service | 6 |
| 4. Listening to a News Item | A short local news report | 5 |
| 5. Listening to a Discussion | A video of three people discussing something | 8 |
| 6. Listening to Viewpoints | A report or talk that presents different opinions on an issue | 6 |
The questions ask about details (what, when, where), reasons (why), feelings and opinions, and what will probably happen next. Part 5 is the only video in the test, so you also see who is speaking.
Learn more in our overview of the Listening test.
Reading: 4 parts, 38 questions
In Reading, you read four kinds of texts and answer multiple-choice questions. Some questions ask you to complete a reply or a comment by choosing words from a drop-down menu inside the text. Each part has its own time limit, and the parts get harder from Part 1 to Part 4.
| Part | What you read | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Reading Correspondence | A personal message, then a reply with blanks to fill | 11 | 11 minutes |
| 2. Reading to Apply a Diagram | A diagram, like a schedule or price list, and an email with blanks | 8 | 9 minutes |
| 3. Reading for Information | An article in four paragraphs. You match statements to paragraphs | 9 | 10 minutes |
| 4. Reading for Viewpoints | An opinion article, then a reader's comment with blanks | 10 | 13 minutes |
There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so answer every question, even if you have to guess.
Writing: 2 tasks
In Writing, you type two answers on the computer. The screen has a word counter and spell check.
| Task | What you write | Time | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Writing an Email | An email about a situation, covering three points | 27 minutes | 150–200 words |
| 2. Responding to Survey Questions | Choose one of two options and explain why | 26 minutes | 150–200 words |
Raters score your writing in four areas: content and coherence, vocabulary, readability, and task fulfillment. Task fulfillment means you did everything the task asked, with the right tone and length. It is easy to lose points here by forgetting one of the three points in the email.
See every part of the test for yourself
Try timed, test-style practice for each section of CELPIP, with the same parts and time limits as the real test.
Speaking: 8 tasks
In Speaking, you read a situation on the screen, prepare for 30 to 60 seconds, and then speak for 60 to 90 seconds. The recording starts and stops by itself. You can't pause, and you can't record your answer again.
| Task | What you do | Speaking time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Giving Advice | Give advice to someone about a problem | 90 seconds |
| 2. Talking about a Personal Experience | Tell a story from your life | 60 seconds |
| 3. Describing a Scene | Describe a picture | 60 seconds |
| 4. Making Predictions | Say what will probably happen next in the same picture | 60 seconds |
| 5. Comparing and Persuading | Choose an option, then persuade someone that it's better than theirs | 60 seconds |
| 6. Dealing with a Difficult Situation | Choose how to handle an awkward situation and explain it to someone | 60 seconds |
| 7. Expressing Opinions | Give and support your opinion on a question | 90 seconds |
| 8. Describing an Unusual Situation | Describe a strange object or situation to someone who can't see it | 60 seconds |
Speaking is scored in four areas: content and coherence, vocabulary, listenability (how easy you are to follow), and task fulfillment. Your level comes from all eight tasks together, so one weaker answer won't ruin your score.
How CELPIP is scored
You get a level from 1 to 12 in each of the four skills. These levels match the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) one to one, so a CELPIP 7 is CLB 7. Listening and Reading are marked by computer. Writing and Speaking are scored by trained raters. For the full details, read our guide to CELPIP scores and CLB levels.
CELPIP-General or CELPIP-General LS?
There are two versions of the test for immigration and citizenship:
- CELPIP-General tests all four skills. This is the version you need for permanent residence, including Express Entry.
- CELPIP-General LS tests only Listening and Speaking. It is shorter, and it is accepted for Canadian citizenship, where you need Listening and Speaking only. See our guide to CELPIP for citizenship.
How to use this to plan your studying
Now that you know the format, you can study the smart way:
- Learn every task type. Our free lessons explain each one in simple English, with sample answers.
- Practice with the real time limits. Most people lose points because of time, not because of their English.
- Find your weakest skill and spend the most time there. IRCC looks at each skill on its own.
- Do at least one full practice session before test day, so you know how it feels to stay focused for three hours.
Not sure how long you need? Read how long to study for CELPIP. When you're ready to practice, create a free StudyPIP account and try timed Reading sets, and get a Writing and a Speaking answer scored.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the CELPIP-General test?
About three hours, all in one sitting. Listening takes about 47–55 minutes, Reading 55–60 minutes, Writing 53–60 minutes and Speaking 15–20 minutes.
Is CELPIP on paper or on a computer?
On a computer. You click to answer Listening and Reading questions, type your Writing answers and record your Speaking answers with a headset.
Can I go back to a question in CELPIP?
Within a part, you can change your answers until the time for that part runs out. Once the test moves to the next part, you can't go back.
Do I speak to a person in the CELPIP Speaking test?
No. You speak into a microphone, and the computer records your answers. Trained raters listen to the recordings later.
What order are the CELPIP sections in?
Listening, Reading, Writing, then Speaking.