CELPIP® Speaking Task 2 sample: Facing an Unfamiliar Dish

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 an occasion when someone offered you a food or dish you had never tried before and you weren't sure you wanted to eat it. Where were you, and why did you hesitate? What did you decide to do, and how did that moment affect the way you felt about the food or the person who offered it?

Model answers

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

Level 7 sample answer

134 words

So, two years ago I moved in an apartment in Grande Prairie, and my neighbour Sigrid invited me for coffee. She put a plate of pickled herring on the table, and she said it's from her grandmother's recipe. I never ate raw-looking fish before, and the smell was very strong, so I was nervous. But I didn't want to be rude, because she was so kind to me. So I took a small piece on a cracker. Um, the first taste was really sour and salty, and I was surprised. But after the second bite I actually liked it, especially with onion. Sigrid was very happy and she gave me a small jar to take home. After that we started having coffee every Sunday. I think trying her food helped us to become friends.

Why this answer is at level 7

This level 7 example tells a complete, easy-to-follow story, covering the hesitation, decision and resulting friendship. Compared with the higher-level answers, its language is simpler and its explanation of the speaker's changing feelings is less developed.

But after the second bite I actually liked it, especially with onion. — Content/Coherence: The change from hesitation to enjoyment is clear, and the onion adds a concrete detail. A higher-level answer would develop what changed the speaker's reaction, giving the turning point more depth.
the smell was very strong, so I was nervous. — Vocabulary: The language clearly connects the food's smell to the hesitation, but 'very strong' and 'nervous' are broad descriptions. A higher-level answer would describe the sensory experience and discomfort more precisely.
So, two years ago I moved in an apartment in Grande Prairie — Listenability: The conversational opening quickly establishes time and place. However, 'moved in an apartment' is awkward; 'moved into an apartment' would make the meaning smoother. The higher-level examples show more consistent control of phrasing.
I think trying her food helped us to become friends. — Task Fulfillment: This directly answers how the experience affected the relationship. The friendship outcome is clear, but a higher-level answer would also explain more specifically how the speaker's feelings toward Sigrid changed.

Level 9 sample answer

165 words

This was at a staff potluck at the warehouse where I work in Grande Prairie. My coworker Emeka brought egusi soup with pounded yam, which he'd made from his mom's recipe, and he was clearly proud of it. I'd honestly never even heard of it, and two things made me hesitate. First, I'm a bit of a wimp with spicy food, and I could see the chili oil on top. Second, I had no idea how to eat it, and I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone. I almost reached for the pasta salad instead, but Emeka caught my eye and offered to show me. He explained that you pinch off a bit of the yam, shape it with your fingers and scoop up the soup. It was spicy, sure, but rich and nutty, and I went back for more. Since then, he's been bringing me leftovers, and I've learned not to judge a dish before I've given it a fair shot.

Why this answer is at level 9

This level 9 example develops the hesitation through distinct concerns and shows how Emeka's help leads to a change of mind. Its conversational vocabulary and clear progression are stronger than the level 7 example, while its emotional reflection is less layered than the level 11 example.

Second, I had no idea how to eat it, and I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of everyone. — Content/Coherence: This adds a social concern alongside the worry about spice, making the hesitation more developed than simple dislike. A higher-level answer would explore the tension between personal discomfort and the host's feelings more deeply.
It was spicy, sure, but rich and nutty, and I went back for more. — Vocabulary: The sensory words distinguish heat from flavour, while 'went back for more' naturally demonstrates enjoyment. A higher-level answer would sustain similarly precise language across physical reactions, social awareness and reflection.
I almost reached for the pasta salad instead, but Emeka caught my eye and offered to show me. — Listenability: The sentence moves smoothly from an almost-made choice to the intervention that changes it. Its conversational phrasing is easy to follow. A higher-level answer would combine this ease with more nuanced explanations of the speaker's thinking.
Since then, he's been bringing me leftovers, and I've learned not to judge a dish before I've given it a fair shot. — Task Fulfillment: The ending addresses both the continuing relationship and a changed attitude toward unfamiliar food. A higher-level answer would make the personal meaning more specific to this encounter, beyond the broadly applicable lesson about giving food a chance.

Level 11 sample answer

189 words

A few winters ago, my friend Hiroshi invited a handful of us from our evening pottery class to his place in Grande Prairie for a Japanese-style breakfast. Alongside the rice and miso soup, he set out a small container of natto, which is fermented soybeans. I'd heard of it, mostly from people describing the stringy texture and the pungent smell, so when he stirred it and those sticky threads stretched up from the chopsticks, my stomach did a little flip. What made it awkward was that he'd clearly gone to a lot of trouble, and he'd mentioned that natto was what his grandmother ate every morning. I could have politely passed, and he probably wouldn't have minded, but it struck me that refusing without trying would've been a quiet kind of rudeness. So I mixed a spoonful into my rice with a little soy sauce and mustard, the way he suggested. The texture took some getting used to, yet the flavour was savoury and surprisingly mild. Hiroshi was so delighted that he sent me home with a pack, and that morning became one of the reasons we're still close.

Why this answer is at level 11

This level 11 example combines vivid sensory detail with a nuanced account of social hesitation and personal choice. Its controlled sentence variety connects the unfamiliar food, Hiroshi's family connection and the lasting friendship into a cohesive, reflective story.

but it struck me that refusing without trying would've been a quiet kind of rudeness. — Content/Coherence: This explains the speaker's personal reasoning at the turning point. Having acknowledged that Hiroshi probably would accept a refusal, the speaker makes a thoughtful choice that connects the hesitation to the decision to taste.
so when he stirred it and those sticky threads stretched up from the chopsticks, my stomach did a little flip. — Vocabulary: Concrete visual detail and a natural idiom make the hesitation vivid. The language shows exactly what unsettled the speaker, adding specificity beyond simply calling the dish unfamiliar or its smell strong.
The texture took some getting used to, yet the flavour was savoury and surprisingly mild. — Listenability: The balanced sentence clearly separates texture from flavour. The contrast introduced by 'yet' makes the mixed reaction easy to follow, while the concise phrasing gives the listener space after the longer explanation of the decision.
Hiroshi was so delighted that he sent me home with a pack, and that morning became one of the reasons we're still close. — Task Fulfillment: The ending shows Hiroshi's immediate response and the encounter's lasting effect on their friendship. Combined with the preceding taste description, it completes the requested account of how trying the food changed the experience and relationship.

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