CELPIP® Speaking Task 5 sample: Booking a Family Camping Weekend

Level 7 sample answer

140 words

Fiona, I understand. A cabin with real beds and a kitchen is more comfortable, and if it rains we don't have to stay in the tent. But I still want to book Hollins Lake.

The big problem is the money. The cabin is $165 a night, so for two nights it's $330. That's more than our budget of $250. Hollins Lake is only $46 a night, so we save a lot, and we can use the extra for food and the gas.

Also, the kids love swimming. The cabin has a dock but there is no lifeguard, and um, I'd be worried with the six-year-old. Hollins Lake has a supervised beach. And it's quiet after 9 p.m., so the kids can sleep. Yes, the drive is two hours, but it's only a little longer than cabin. What do you say?

Why this answer is at level 7

This level 7 answer makes a clear choice and supports it with relevant points about cost, swimming and bedtime. Compared with the higher levels, its financial comparison is less complete, its vocabulary is simpler, and its phrasing occasionally interrupts the flow.

• The cabin is $165 a night, so for two nights it's $330. — Content/Coherence: The calculation gives Fiona a concrete reason to reconsider the cabin. The higher-level answers strengthen this comparison by also stating Hollins Lake's total cost and explaining the size of the budget difference.
• so we save a lot, and we can use the extra for food and the gas. — Vocabulary: The meaning is clear, but “save a lot” is broad and “the gas” sounds slightly awkward here. The higher-level answers describe the savings more precisely and use more natural wording for trip expenses.
• The cabin has a dock but there is no lifeguard, and um, I'd be worried with the six-year-old. — Listenability: Mentioning the younger child makes the concern personal and relevant. However, the hesitation and loosely joined clauses make the point less smooth than the higher-level answers, which separate the swimming risk from the supervision advantage.
• And it's quiet after 9 p.m., so the kids can sleep. — Task Fulfillment: This directly addresses Fiona's bedtime priority and supports the chosen campground. The higher-level answers weave this benefit into a more developed case about supervision, rest and the extra drive.

Level 9 sample answer

170 words

Fiona, you're right that the cabin sounds like a treat. Beds, a kitchen, a washroom inside, and if we get a rainy weekend, I know which one I'd rather be in. But I think Hollins Lake is still the smarter pick, and here's why.

First off, the cabin simply doesn't fit what we agreed to spend. At $165 a night, two nights comes to $330, which is eighty dollars over our limit. Hollins Lake would cost us $92 in total, leaving plenty for groceries, gas and a few treats for the kids.

More importantly, think about the kids in the water. That private dock looks gorgeous, but there's no lifeguard, so we'd be the only ones watching. At Hollins Lake, the beach is supervised. We'd still watch them closely, but a lifeguard makes a real difference. And with quiet hours at nine, the kids will get some proper sleep.

As for the drive, it's only half an hour longer. If rain is the worry, I'll bring a big tarp. Deal?

Why this answer is at level 9

This level 9 answer develops a persuasive comparison with precise costs, a fair concession about comfort and a responsible explanation of swimming supervision. Compared with level 11, its transitions are more routine, and the brief tarp solution feels less developed than its other arguments.

• At $165 a night, two nights comes to $330, which is eighty dollars over our limit. — Content/Coherence: This connects the calculation directly to the agreed spending limit, making the objection stronger than at level 7. Level 11 develops the comparison further by explicitly stating the savings relative to the cabin.
• Fiona, you're right that the cabin sounds like a treat. — Vocabulary: “Sounds like a treat” is natural, conversational language that acknowledges Fiona's preference warmly. Level 11 makes this concession more vivid by describing the discomfort of camping in rain.
• If rain is the worry, I'll bring a big tarp. — Listenability: The short sentence is easy to follow and provides a practical response to Fiona's concern. However, it arrives abruptly after the drive comparison; a stronger answer would connect the weather response more smoothly to the earlier acknowledgment of cabin comfort.
• We'd still watch them closely, but a lifeguard makes a real difference. — Task Fulfillment: This improves on level 7 by explicitly retaining adult responsibility while explaining the supervised beach's advantage. Level 11 makes the same reasoning more personal and carries it through to the final trade-off about peace of mind.

Level 11 sample answer

185 words

Fiona, I honestly see why the cabin appeals to you. Real beds, a kitchen and a washroom a few steps away, and if the forecast turns, we're not huddled under a dripping tarp at two in the morning. That's a genuine advantage, no question.

That said, I keep coming back to two things. The first is money: at $165 a night, the cabin would run us $330, which blows past the $250 we agreed on, whereas Hollins Lake comes to just $92 for both nights. That's over two hundred dollars less than the cabin, and it leaves room for food, gas, or a rainy-day trip into town.

The second, and frankly the bigger one for me, is the water. With a private dock and no lifeguard, we'd be the only safety net whenever the kids are swimming. At Hollins Lake we'd still keep a close eye on them, of course, but a trained lifeguard would be watching too. And with quiet hours from nine, they'd actually get a proper night's sleep. Yes, it's thirty minutes further, but I'd happily trade that for peace of mind.

Why this answer is at level 11

This level 11 answer combines a generous acknowledgment of Fiona's concerns with a focused argument about money and swimming supervision. Its vivid language, clear prioritization and final trade-off make the choice feel considered and persuasive.

• whereas Hollins Lake comes to just $92 for both nights. — Content/Coherence: The direct contrast places both accommodation costs within the same argument. The following explanation of savings and possible uses gives the figures a clear purpose in the family's decision.
• we're not huddled under a dripping tarp at two in the morning. — Vocabulary: This concrete image makes Fiona's concern about rain easy to imagine. It develops the simpler acknowledgment in the other answers and shows that the speaker understands the cabin's practical appeal.
• The second, and frankly the bigger one for me, is the water. — Listenability: The signposting makes the argument easy to follow, while the conversational aside establishes a personal priority. It guides the listener from the cost comparison into the swimming concern without sounding like a bare list.
• Yes, it's thirty minutes further, but I'd happily trade that for peace of mind. — Task Fulfillment: The ending acknowledges Hollins Lake's travel disadvantage and explains why the speaker accepts it. “Peace of mind” brings the earlier supervision and bedtime arguments together into a clear reason to book the campground.