CELPIP® Speaking Task 4 sample: Family Portrait in a Townhouse Hall

Making Predictions · Preparation: 30 seconds · Response: 60 seconds · Published 23 October 2026

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

Practice question

What will most probably happen before this family gets a settled portrait? Explain your predictions from the visible actions and clues. You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Elevated corner view of a compact Hamilton townhouse hall on a snowy January morning; snow collects outside a side window. Seven people prepare a family portrait. A plain fabric backdrop hangs against the rear wall, facing the viewer. In the left foreground, Ikaika, a focused male photographer around forty in navy, peers through a tripod-mounted camera aimed diagonally toward the backdrop; his finger hovers over the shutter. Centre background: Ronan, a grandfather around seventy in brown, sits smiling on a stool in front of the backdrop, facing the camera. Left middle ground: his restless five-year-old granddaughter in yellow grips a balloon ribbon whose wrist knot is opening. Beside her, her patient mother, around thirty in purple, reaches to fasten a hair clip while the child turns away. Centre middle ground: an excited ten-year-old boy in green holds a treat above a dog whose front paws are lifting. Right middle ground: a surprised female relative around fifty in blue holds its taut leash. Right foreground: a flustered male relative around twenty in orange struggles into a jacket, one arm through a sleeve. No text, logos or symbols.

Model answers

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

Level 7 sample answer

119 words

The photographer might take a picture before everyone is ready, because his finger is already near the shutter. He'll probably need another try. The young man in orange will finish putting on his jacket, but he may need help with other sleeve. Um, the mother will keep trying to fix the little girl's hair. The balloon might float away from the girl's wrist because the knot is opening. Someone could catch the ribbon before it goes higher. The dog will probably lift itself toward the treat, and the woman holding its leash will try to settle it. The boy might lower the treat to help. Ronan will probably stay on his stool and wait while the others gets ready.

Why this answer is at level 7

This answer makes relevant predictions about the family's preparations and gives some clear reasons. Compared with the higher-level answers, it relies more on separate observations, uses less precise wording, and contains grammatical slips that interrupt otherwise understandable sentences.

The photographer might take a picture before everyone is ready, because his finger is already near the shutter. — Task Fulfillment: This directly predicts an event and supports it with a visible clue. A higher-level answer would develop the likely consequence more clearly by connecting the early photograph to the unfinished jacket and unsettled dog.
the mother will keep trying to fix the little girl's hair. — Content/Coherence: This follows the mother's visible action, but the prediction stops at continued effort. A higher-level answer would explain how the child's turning away or the loosening balloon ribbon could interrupt that effort.
The boy might lower the treat to help. — Vocabulary: The action is relevant, but 'to help' leaves its purpose vague. A higher-level answer would specify that lowering the treat could encourage the dog to settle, making the prediction more precise.
Ronan will probably stay on his stool and wait while the others gets ready. — Listenability: The sentence provides an easy contrast between the settled grandfather and the busy family. However, 'the others gets ready' contains an agreement error; the higher-level answers express this contrast with smoother grammatical control.

Level 9 sample answer

156 words

I think the photographer may capture an informal moment before the family settles, since his finger is already hovering over the shutter. However, he'll probably wait for another attempt once the young man has both arms inside his jacket. On the left, the mother will likely ask the little girl to face her long enough to secure the hair clip. She may also notice the opening knot around the child's wrist and retie the balloon ribbon. If she doesn't, the balloon could float upward and become another distraction. Near the centre, the dog seems likely to rise toward the raised treat because its front paws are already lifting. The woman with the taut leash will probably hold it back while the boy lowers the treat. Ronan appears settled, so he'll likely remain seated and smiling. Once the balloon, dog and jacket are sorted out, the photographer should have a better chance of getting everyone ready together.

Why this answer is at level 9

This answer develops clear predictions through visible evidence, conditional outcomes, and a useful closing connection to the portrait. Compared with the level 11 answer, its organization follows the people more than the competing problems, and some phrasing is less direct.

Once the balloon, dog and jacket are sorted out, the photographer should have a better chance of getting everyone ready together. — Content/Coherence: The ending brings separate predictions together around the goal of a settled portrait. The higher-level answer also builds connections within the discussion, particularly by explaining why the mother may need to secure the balloon before finishing the hair.
capture an informal moment before the family settles — Vocabulary: This describes the likely photograph more precisely than simply saying another try will be needed. The higher-level answer sharpens the description further by specifying that the photograph will capture preparations and linking that result to unfinished actions.
However, he'll probably wait for another attempt once the young man has both arms inside his jacket. — Listenability: The jacket gives a concrete condition for another photograph, but 'wait for another attempt' is slightly awkward. The higher-level answer states the photographer's next attempt more directly, making the sequence easier to follow.
the dog seems likely to rise toward the raised treat because its front paws are already lifting. — Task Fulfillment: This explicitly connects a prediction to the dog's visible movement and the treat's position. The higher-level answer integrates those clues into a more compact sequence of responses involving the leash holder and the boy.

Level 11 sample answer

166 words

The photographer may press the shutter almost immediately, but the result will probably capture the family's preparations rather than a settled pose. His finger is poised, while the young man's jacket is still only half on and the dog is lifting its front paws toward the treat. I expect the woman holding the leash to restrain the dog as the boy brings the treat lower, encouraging it to settle. On the left, the mother faces two competing distractions: fastening the hair clip and keeping the balloon from escaping. Since the knot is already opening around the girl's wrist, she'll probably need to secure the ribbon before returning to the child's hair. Otherwise, the balloon may rise out of reach. The young man should finish dressing within the next minute, possibly after adjusting the jacket to find the second sleeve. Ronan, already smiling on his stool, will most likely wait patiently. After these interruptions, Ikaika will probably make another attempt, once the family is looking more composed.

Why this answer is at level 11

This answer combines precise language with connected predictions about what must happen before the portrait settles. It explains likely reactions, identifies competing demands on the mother, and maintains a clear sequence while expressing uncertainty appropriately.

On the left, the mother faces two competing distractions: fastening the hair clip and keeping the balloon from escaping. — Content/Coherence: This connects the hair clip and balloon as demands on the same person. That relationship gives the following prediction a clear purpose and creates stronger organization than treating each visible action separately.
capture the family's preparations rather than a settled pose. — Vocabulary: This precisely describes the likely result of pressing the shutter immediately. The distinction between preparations and a settled pose captures the central problem of the scene in concise, natural language.
Ronan, already smiling on his stool, will most likely wait patiently. — Listenability: The sentence smoothly combines Ronan's current appearance with his predicted behaviour. Its compact structure makes the contrast with the family's activity easy to follow without adding another lengthy explanation.
Since the knot is already opening around the girl's wrist, she'll probably need to secure the ribbon before returning to the child's hair. — Task Fulfillment: This uses the opening knot to justify both a prediction and an order of action. It explains how the mother will probably respond before the portrait can proceed, while 'probably' keeps the prediction appropriately tentative.

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.

Connect each prediction to visible evidence. Explain plausible next events and use language of likelihood instead of presenting guesses as facts.

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