CELPIP® Speaking Task 1 sample: A Neighbour Wary of Online Banking

Level 7 sample answer

201 words

Hi Lucien. I know this change at the bank is annoying for you, so I want to give you some advice. First, I think you shouldn't stop going to the branch completely. It's still open three days a week, so you can go there for important things or when you have questions.

Also, you don't need to buy a new phone right away. Maybe you can ask your daughter if she has an old tablet she can send you, because the screen is bigger and easier to read. Then you don't spend any money.

About the scams, I understand you are worried. My advice is to never click a link in a text message that says it's from the bank. Real bank will never ask for your password like that. You can also ask the staff at the branch to help you set up your account safely, step by step.

Finally, you can discuss about it with your daughter on a video call. She can show you how to pay one bill, and then, um, you try the next one by yourself. So you don't have to learn everything in one day. Just start slowly and I think you'll be fine.

Why this answer is at level 7

This answer addresses Lucien’s concerns with practical advice and a clear sequence, using mostly straightforward language. Repetitive signposting, occasional awkward grammar, and less developed reasoning hold it below the more flexible and nuanced answers.

• First, I think you shouldn't stop going to the branch completely. — Content/Coherence: The opening recommendation gives Lucien a clear starting point and preserves his familiar routine. However, the advice mostly develops as a list; the stronger answers connect branch visits and online practice into a more deliberate transition.
• I want to give you some advice. — Vocabulary: The wording is clear but general, mainly announcing the purpose of the response. The stronger answers use more specific expressions to frame Lucien’s choice and acknowledge his need for control.
• Finally, you can discuss about it with your daughter on a video call. — Listenability: The transition and concrete suggestion make the sentence easy to follow, but “discuss about it” is awkward phrasing. The stronger answers use smoother expressions for the daughter’s help, making the imagined conversation flow more naturally.
• Maybe you can ask your daughter if she has an old tablet she can send you, — Task Fulfillment: This suggestion directly addresses both the small screen and Lucien’s reluctance to spend money. Its usefulness depends on his daughter having a spare device; the stronger answers develop the device choice or the learning arrangement more fully.

Level 9 sample answer

237 words

Lucien, I've been thinking about what you told me, and honestly, I don't think you have to choose between the old way and the new way. Let me explain what I mean.

To start with, keep using the branch on the days it's open, at least for now. Paying your bills in person has worked for you for years, so there's no reason to drop it overnight. What I'd do is pick just one bill, maybe the hydro bill, and learn to pay that one online. Once you're comfortable, you can add another.

As for the phone, please don't rush out and spend five or six hundred dollars. When an older neighbour in my last building started banking online, he used a tablet instead, and he could make the text nice and large. You could probably find a basic one for much less than a new phone, or your daughter might have an old one lying around.

Now, the scams — that's a fair worry, and it shows good sense. The golden rule is simple: your bank will never text you asking for your password. If something feels off, hang up and call the number on the back of your card.

Finally, why not let your daughter walk you through it on a video call? That way she'll feel less worried, and you'll have someone patient to ask. And of course, you can always knock on my door.

Why this answer is at level 9

This answer combines relevant advice with explanations, a supporting example, and a warm conversational tone. It develops Lucien’s options more fully than the simpler answer, although its learning plan and treatment of his independence are less nuanced than the top answer.

• Once you're comfortable, you can add another. — Content/Coherence: This creates a clear progression from practising a familiar bill to expanding gradually. It develops the simpler answer’s advice to start slowly. The top answer stages the transition more cautiously by suggesting balance checking before moving money.
• there's no reason to drop it overnight. — Vocabulary: The natural expression “drop it overnight” communicates that Lucien need not abandon his established habit suddenly. This is more conversationally flexible than basic advice wording, while the top answer uses a wider range of precise expressions about trust and independence.
• Now, the scams — that's a fair worry, and it shows good sense. — Listenability: The topic shift and direct reassurance read naturally aloud and acknowledge Lucien’s feelings before giving advice. The top answer adds more varied sentence structures and concessions while maintaining this conversational ease.
• Finally, why not let your daughter walk you through it on a video call? — Task Fulfillment: This turns the daughter’s distance into a workable source of support, and the gentle question avoids sounding bossy. The top answer makes that support more concrete by proposing a weekly call focused on a particular task.

Level 11 sample answer

255 words

Lucien, I've been mulling over what you said the other day, and I think the trick is to make this change on your own terms rather than letting the bank or anyone else rush you.

First of all, there's no need to abandon the branch. Three days a week is less convenient, granted, but it's still plenty for anything that genuinely needs a face-to-face conversation. If I were you, I'd treat online banking as a backup that gradually earns your trust, starting with something low-stakes, like checking your balance, before you ever move money.

Second, I'd hold off on buying a phone altogether. Smartphone screens are tiny, and squinting at them is exactly what would put you off for good. A tablet, which lets you enlarge the text to whatever size suits you, would make far more sense, and a decent one can be had for around two hundred dollars — or your daughter may well have an old one gathering dust.

As for scams, your caution is an asset, not a weakness. Most fraud relies on people reacting in a panic, so just remember that the bank will never ask for your password by text or phone. When in doubt, hang up and call the branch yourself.

And finally, let your daughter be your coach. A weekly video call where she guides you through one task would put her mind at ease and spare you the frustration of figuring it all out alone. Honestly, I suspect you'll be paying bills from your armchair by spring.

Why this answer is at level 11

This answer organizes its advice around Lucien’s independence and gradually building trust. Precise vocabulary, varied conversational phrasing, and a carefully staged learning plan make the response persuasive and closely suited to his concerns.

• starting with something low-stakes, like checking your balance, before you ever move money. — Content/Coherence: The sequence explains how Lucien can gain familiarity before attempting a transaction. It gives a concrete foundation to the earlier idea of letting online banking gradually earn his trust, making the recommendations feel connected.
• your caution is an asset, not a weakness. — Vocabulary: The concise contrast reframes Lucien’s fear respectfully. “Asset” conveys that his caution can help him, adding precision and emotional sensitivity without requiring complicated wording.
• Three days a week is less convenient, granted, — Listenability: The brief concession acknowledges the inconvenience before explaining the branch’s continuing usefulness. The placement of “granted” creates a natural spoken pause and gives the advice a measured, conversational rhythm.
• A weekly video call where she guides you through one task — Task Fulfillment: This specifies both a routine and a manageable learning focus. It makes the daughter’s remote help practical while allowing Lucien to learn gradually, directly addressing the family situation and his likely frustration with unfamiliar technology.