CELPIP® Speaking Task 2 sample: Buying or Selling Something Used

Talking about a Personal Experience · Preparation: 30 seconds · Response: 60 seconds · Published 23 October 2026

Original practice questions in CELPIP® task formats, created independently by CELPIP Study.

Practice question

Tell me about a time when you bought or sold something used — through an online listing, a yard sale, a thrift store or a friend of a friend — and it didn't go quite as smoothly as you'd hoped. What was the item, and what went wrong or surprised you? How did you feel and what did you do? Would you do anything differently now?

Model answers

These are transcripts of a model response, provided for comparison with your own recording.

Level 7 sample answer

142 words

Last summer in Lethbridge, I wanted a bike to ride to work, so I looked at online listings. I found one for $150, and the photos looked really good. The seller, Alejandro, lived across town, so I took the bus to there. When I saw the bike, I was surprised, because the chain was rusty and the back tire was flat. I felt a bit disappointed and, uh, I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to waste my trip, but I also didn't want to pay too much. So I told him politely that the bike needed some repairs. He agreed and he lowered the price to $100. Then I spent $35 at bike shop to fix it, so it was still a good deal. Next time I will ask for more photos and ask more questions before I go.

Why this answer is at level 7

This level 7 example tells a clear, complete story about a disappointing bike purchase and a practical solution. Compared with the higher examples, it uses simpler emotional language, develops its reflection less, and has a few awkward phrases.

I didn't want to waste my trip, but I also didn't want to pay too much. — Content/Coherence: This explains the dilemma behind the negotiation, connecting the disappointing inspection to the decision to bargain. A higher-level answer would develop the change in the speaker's thinking more fully, as the table seller does when reconsidering the buyer's complaint.
I felt a bit disappointed — Vocabulary: The emotion is clear and appropriate, but the wording is broad. The higher examples distinguish more specific reactions and emotional changes, helping explain why the unexpected problem mattered to the speaker.
Then I spent $35 at bike shop to fix it, so it was still a good deal. — Listenability: The straightforward sentence makes the final cost and outcome easy to follow. However, the missing article before 'bike shop' makes the phrasing less natural; a higher-level version would retain the clarity with smoother grammar.
Next time I will ask for more photos and ask more questions before I go. — Task Fulfillment: This directly answers what the speaker would do differently and connects to the misleading impression from the listing. A higher-level response would specify asking for close-ups of the chain and confirmation that the tires hold air.

Level 9 sample answer

174 words

A while ago, when I was moving out of my apartment in Thunder Bay, I decided to sell my wooden dining table online rather than haul it to the new place. I listed it for $250, and within an hour a woman named Yasmin messaged me, asking if it was still available and agreeing to the price. Great, I thought, that was easy. But when she arrived that evening and ran her hand across the top, she found a long scratch I'd forgotten about, since it was usually hidden under a tablecloth. She offered me $180 instead. My first reaction was irritation, because I felt she'd already committed, but then I realized it was a fair point; my photos hadn't shown the damage. So we met in the middle at $215, and I threw in the matching placemats to make up for it. She left happy and so did I. These days, whenever I sell anything, I photograph every flaw and mention it upfront, because honesty saves everyone an awkward conversation at the door.

Why this answer is at level 9

This level 9 example combines a well-organized selling experience with natural expressions, a credible change of perspective, and a relevant lesson. Compared with the strongest example, its emotional development and closing reflection are more straightforward.

My first reaction was irritation, because I felt she'd already committed — Content/Coherence: This establishes the seller's initial reasoning before the admission that the complaint was fair. That change makes the compromise convincing. The strongest example develops its emotional reversal further by showing how the discovery changes the meaning of the purchase.
I threw in the matching placemats to make up for it. — Vocabulary: The expressions 'threw in' and 'make up for it' naturally describe an extra offered to resolve the disagreement. The strongest example adds more precise descriptive and emotional language while keeping it connected to the experience.
Great, I thought, that was easy. — Listenability: This brief internal comment creates a conversational pause and sets up the later complication clearly. The strongest example sustains that expressive variety through longer emotional developments and a compact conditional reflection near the end.
I photograph every flaw and mention it upfront — Task Fulfillment: The new habit directly addresses the hidden scratch and incomplete listing photos, making the lesson specific and useful. The strongest example also considers how a different choice would have affected the speaker's enjoyment afterward, adding personal depth.

Level 11 sample answer

189 words

A couple of winters ago in Sherbrooke, I was browsing a charity thrift shop called Second Stitch, hoping to find a wool coat for under fifty dollars. I found a gorgeous charcoal one for $38 that fit as though it had been tailored for me, so I bought it on the spot. That night, as I was emptying the pockets, I felt something stiff sewn into the lining. When I unpicked the seam, out came an envelope holding $400 in fifty-dollar bills and a handwritten note that said, 'For Lucía's graduation.' My first thought was that I'd had an incredible stroke of luck, but within a minute that gave way to a sinking feeling, because clearly someone had been saving that money for years. The next morning I took it back to the shop, where a volunteer named Rémi checked the donation records and managed to track down the family who'd dropped off the bag while downsizing. They were astonished, and Lucía sent me a thank-you card. If I'd kept it, I doubt I'd have enjoyed the coat half as much. Nowadays, I check every lining before I pay.

Why this answer is at level 11

This level 11 example turns an unexpected thrift-shop discovery into a vivid, coherent personal story. Precise description, layered feelings, clear follow-through, and a thoughtful conditional reflection give it greater expressive depth than the other examples.

but within a minute that gave way to a sinking feeling — Content/Coherence: The emotional reversal connects finding the money to deciding to return it. Rather than simply naming an emotion, the story traces how initial excitement becomes concern about the family, giving the action a clear personal motivation.
fit as though it had been tailored for me — Vocabulary: This precise comparison explains the coat's appeal more vividly than simply calling it attractive or comfortable. It establishes why the speaker bought it immediately and why the later reflection about enjoying the coat carries weight.
If I'd kept it, I doubt I'd have enjoyed the coat half as much. — Listenability: The compact conditional sentence expresses a complex reflection in conversational language. After the detailed discovery and return, it gives the listener a clear emotional conclusion without a lengthy explanation.
The next morning I took it back to the shop — Task Fulfillment: This gives a concrete response to the surprising discovery, followed by the volunteer tracing the family and the thank-you card. Together with the feelings and final habit of checking linings, the account covers the prompt's requested elements.

What moves an answer from 7 to 9 to 11

These are model answers written to show each level. The labels are practice estimates, not examiner scores.

Tell a specific personal experience in a clear sequence. Explain what happened, how you reacted and why it mattered, using details that help the listener follow the story.

Content/Coherence: Level 7 models communicate the main ideas; level 9 models develop relevant details with clear connections; level 11 models sustain precise, well-integrated development.
Vocabulary: Compare adequate everyday wording with more varied, accurate choices at level 9 and flexible, precise expression at level 11.
Listenability: Higher-level delivery needs clear pronunciation, rhythm, intonation and controlled pauses. Transcripts suggest phrasing and organisation, but cannot demonstrate these audio features; a recording is needed.
Task Fulfillment: Compare how fully the response addresses the request, develops enough relevant detail and maintains an appropriate tone for the audience within the task limits.

Assess the criteria together. A longer answer or rarer words alone do not establish a higher level.

Answer this question and get your level