CELPIP® Speaking Task 4 sample: Neighbourhood driveway sale

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

Consider the same scene and explain what will probably happen over the next few minutes. Support your predictions with details you can see. You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to respond.

From beside a garage, look over a driveway sale in Kingston on a breezy June morning. At the left foreground table, Solveig, a woman around 60 in blue, patiently holds up four fingers beside a lamp. Facing her in the centre foreground, Rashad, a man around 30 in green, frowns at three coins in his palm. On the right foreground, a girl around 14 in red enthusiastically pulls a wagon overflowing with books; its front wheel approaches a quilt corner hanging from the table onto the driveway. A worried man around 40 in grey reaches toward the wagon from the right centre. At the left centre, a woman around 35 in yellow carefully arranges empty plastic cups; a rubber ball rolls toward them. A boy around eight in orange stands behind the ball in the left background, looking embarrassed with both hands raised. In the centre background, a woman around 70 in purple anxiously reaches for an empty tote lifting in a gust at a table edge. In the right background, a man around 50 in brown smiles while unfolding a chair. Include no writing, signs, logos or identifiable landmarks.

Model answers

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

Level 7 sample answer

117 words

I think several people will have to react quickly. First, the man in grey will probably stop the wagon because its wheel is getting close to the quilt. He need to catch it before the girl pulls it farther. The woman arranging cups may also reach down for the ball, or some cups could get knocked over. The boy looks embarrassed, so he'll probably come forward to help. Um, the woman at back will try to grab her tote before the wind carries it away. Solveig and Rashad will probably keep discussing the lamp. She's showing four fingers, but he has only three coins visible, so I think he may ask her to accept what he's holding.

Why this answer is at level 7

This answer makes relevant predictions and supports them with visible details, but it mostly lists separate reactions. Compared with the higher-level answers, its event sequences are less developed, its vocabulary is more general, and a grammatical slip reduces smoothness.

The woman arranging cups may also reach down for the ball, or some cups could get knocked over. — Content/Coherence: This identifies a plausible interruption but leaves the alternatives loosely connected. A higher-level answer would link the rolling ball, the woman's response, and the embarrassed boy's likely action into a clearer sequence.
will try to grab her tote before the wind carries it away. — Vocabulary: The everyday wording communicates the prediction clearly. A higher-level answer would describe the tote's position and the urgency of the woman's movement more precisely.
He need to catch it before the girl pulls it farther. — Listenability: The missing verb ending in “He need” briefly interrupts otherwise understandable phrasing. A higher-level answer would maintain grammatical control while explaining how stopping the wagon prevents it from catching the quilt.
She's showing four fingers, but he has only three coins visible — Task Fulfillment: This grounds the predicted bargaining in observable details and correctly limits the claim to visible coins. A higher-level answer would distinguish the likely offer from the more uncertain outcome of the negotiation.

Level 9 sample answer

146 words

The wagon is probably going to be stopped quite soon. Its front wheel is approaching the quilt on the ground, and the man in grey is already reaching towards it. I expect he'll catch the wagon while the girl pauses, allowing them to move the quilt out of its path. On the left, the rolling ball could interrupt the woman arranging cups. Since the boy behind it looks embarrassed, he'll probably hurry over to retrieve it before it hits them. The breeze may cause another small scramble at the back: the woman in purple is reaching for a tote that's lifting off the table edge, so she'll likely grab it. Meanwhile, the lamp discussion may hold things up slightly. Rashad has three coins visible and looks unhappy, whereas Solveig is showing four fingers. They'll probably continue negotiating, although there's no guarantee they'll settle on an amount.

Why this answer is at level 9

This answer develops clear chains of cause and response, uses varied vocabulary, and handles uncertainty sensibly. Compared with the top answer, its framing is less purposeful and its final negotiation prediction is less specific about what each person might do.

I expect he'll catch the wagon while the girl pauses, allowing them to move the quilt out of its path. — Content/Coherence: The prediction develops beyond stopping the wagon into a coordinated response. The top answer makes the causal chain more explicit by identifying the wheel catching the fabric as the immediate problem.
The breeze may cause another small scramble at the back — Vocabulary: “Small scramble” vividly captures the likely disturbance, and “another” connects it to the earlier interruptions. The top answer adds greater physical precision through its description of the gust and the woman's urgent action.
Meanwhile, the lamp discussion may hold things up slightly. — Listenability: This short sentence provides a clear transition after the more detailed action sequences. The top answer uses this transition to signal a change in confidence as well, helping the listener distinguish urgent reactions from uncertain bargaining.
They'll probably continue negotiating, although there's no guarantee they'll settle on an amount. — Task Fulfillment: The answer sensibly avoids predicting a definite agreement from the fingers and coins. The top answer develops this further by identifying a possible offer and explaining that acceptance depends on the seller's flexibility.

Level 11 sample answer

159 words

Over the next few minutes, I'd expect three small interruptions to draw people's attention. The first concerns the wagon: because its front wheel is approaching the trailing quilt and the man in grey is already reaching out, he'll probably stop it before the wheel catches the fabric. The girl should then be able to continue once the quilt has been moved aside. On the left, the rubber ball is heading straight towards the cups. The embarrassed boy will likely retrieve it, perhaps after the woman interrupts her arranging to block its path. Meanwhile, the woman in purple will probably snatch the empty tote from the table edge; the gust has already lifted it, so her reaction seems particularly urgent. The lamp negotiation is less predictable. Solveig's four raised fingers and Rashad's three visible coins suggest a difference they're trying to resolve. He may offer those coins, but whether she accepts will depend on how flexible she's willing to be.

Why this answer is at level 11

This answer organizes the scene around urgent interruptions, develops plausible consequences, and distinguishes strong predictions from uncertain ones. Precise vocabulary and controlled sentence structures make the reasoning clear without presenting possible outcomes as facts.

I'd expect three small interruptions to draw people's attention. — Content/Coherence: This establishes a clear organizing idea for the wagon, ball, and tote incidents. The later shift to the lamp negotiation gives the answer a purposeful structure rather than a simple tour of the picture.
the woman in purple will probably snatch the empty tote from the table edge — Vocabulary: “Snatch” conveys a quick, urgent movement, while “empty tote” and “table edge” identify the object and its vulnerable position precisely. The vocabulary contributes directly to explaining the prediction.
He may offer those coins, but whether she accepts will depend on how flexible she's willing to be. — Listenability: The sentence moves clearly from a possible offer to a conditional response. Its controlled clauses make a nuanced prediction easy to follow and give the answer a natural, complete ending.
because its front wheel is approaching the trailing quilt and the man in grey is already reaching out — Task Fulfillment: The answer combines the approaching hazard with an action already underway to justify its prediction. It then explains the likely consequence: stopping the wheel before it catches the fabric and clearing the girl's path.

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