CELPIP® Speaking Task 6 sample: Two Requests, One Small Budget

Level 7 sample answer

134 words

Hi Mahina, do you have a minute? I want to talk about the budget. Um, I know you really want the snowshoes, and I think it's a great idea. But I decided to use the money for reading tutor for Bridget's group. Some Grade 5 kids are falling behind in reading, and their parents asked us for help, so I think it is more urgent right now. I'm really sorry, because I know you work very hard with the outdoor club. But maybe we can find another way. I can ask the parents if anyone has old snowshoes to donate. Also, we can go outside for short walk on days when the snow is not too deep. And next year I will put the snowshoes first in the list. Is that okay with you?

Why this answer is at level 7

This level 7 example clearly rejects the snowshoe request, explains why reading support takes priority, and offers alternatives. Compared with the higher-level examples, its reasoning is less developed, its vocabulary is more general, and some phrasing is awkward.

• Some Grade 5 kids are falling behind in reading, and their parents asked us for help — Content/Coherence: This connects the decision directly to the students' needs and their parents' request. The explanation stops at calling reading more urgent; a higher-level answer would develop the consequences of delaying help.
• I know you really want the snowshoes, and I think it's a great idea. — Vocabulary: The language is friendly and appropriate, but “really want” and “great idea” express little about the outdoor club's value. A higher-level answer would describe what the snowshoes mean for Mahina and the children more precisely.
• But I decided to use the money for reading tutor for Bridget's group. — Listenability: The decision is easy to understand, but the missing article before “reading tutor” and repeated “for” make the sentence less smooth. The higher-level examples express the funding decision more naturally.
• I can ask the parents if anyone has old snowshoes to donate. — Task Fulfillment: This gives Mahina a relevant alternative after rejecting her request, helping preserve the working relationship. A higher-level answer would show firmer ownership through arrangements already explored or a clearly agreed next step.

Level 9 sample answer

166 words

Bridget, thanks for coming in. I've gone back and forth on this all week, so I wanted to tell you in person: I've decided to put the last of the budget toward Mahina's snowshoes. I know that's disappointing, especially since you've been watching some of your Grade 5 kids struggle with reading.

Here's my reasoning. In Whitehorse, January and February are long, and if the outdoor club is stuck in the gym, about a dozen kids lose the one activity that really gets them moving. The snowshoes will also last for years, while a tutor would only cover a few months.

That said, I don't want to leave your students without support. I've already spoken to the parent council, and two retired teachers who live nearby have offered to volunteer as reading buddies. They could come in on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'd also be happy to ask the council to fund a proper tutor next fall. Could we sit down on Monday and plan it together?

Why this answer is at level 9

This level 9 example combines an empathetic refusal with comparative reasoning, natural expressions, and concrete reading support. Its main limitation beside the level 11 example is that it develops the equipment's benefits more fully than it addresses the consequences of delaying the requested tutoring.

• The snowshoes will also last for years, while a tutor would only cover a few months. — Content/Coherence: This explicitly compares the requests and gives a clear reason for funding equipment. However, it compares equipment lifespan with tutoring duration without considering whether tutoring could also produce lasting benefits. A stronger answer would address that competing value.
• I've gone back and forth on this all week — Vocabulary: This natural expression communicates genuine difficulty choosing between deserving requests. It shows more flexibility than the level 7 example's general wording; a higher-level answer would combine that flexibility with more precise language about the students' needs.
• That said, I don't want to leave your students without support. — Listenability: The transition clearly signals a move from justification to practical help, making the response easy to follow. The level 11 example gives its opening greater immediacy by stating the funding decision and its consequence together.
• two retired teachers who live nearby have offered to volunteer as reading buddies. — Task Fulfillment: The proposed alternative directly addresses Bridget's reading concerns and shows initiative beyond a simple refusal. A stronger response would also explain how the volunteer arrangement would meet the struggling students' needs.

Level 11 sample answer

174 words

Mahina, I'll get straight to it, because you deserve a clear answer rather than a vague one. The remaining $900 is going to Bridget's reading tutor, which means the snowshoes won't happen this year. I realize how much that stings — you've practically built the outdoor club from scratch, and I know the kids light up the moment they get outside.

What tipped the balance for me was the reading. Six of our Grade 5 students are reading well below grade level, and if they head into middle school that far behind, catching up only gets harder. Their parents came to us asking for help, and I couldn't justify turning them away.

Still, I'm not willing to let your group spend the whole winter indoors. Two families have already offered to lend snowshoes, and I've asked a hardware store downtown whether they'd sponsor a full set. If neither of those pans out, the snowshoes will be the first line in next year's budget — you have my word. Would you help me draft the sponsorship request?

Why this answer is at level 11

This level 11 example combines a decisive refusal with specific empathy, developed reasoning about reading difficulties, and practical alternatives. Its strength is how naturally it connects the budget decision, Mahina's disappointment, and a shared next step.

• if they head into middle school that far behind, catching up only gets harder. — Content/Coherence: This develops the reason for prioritizing reading by explaining a possible consequence of delaying support. It gives the urgency more substance than the level 7 example's brief assertion and addresses educational stakes more directly than the level 9 example.
• What tipped the balance for me was the reading. — Vocabulary: The idiomatic phrase expresses a difficult judgment naturally and precisely. It acknowledges competing merits while identifying the deciding factor, fitting the sensitive conversation without sounding formal or rehearsed.
• The remaining $900 is going to Bridget's reading tutor, which means the snowshoes won't happen this year. — Listenability: The sentence pairs the decision with its immediate consequence, so Mahina can follow the message immediately. Concrete wording and a clear clause structure support an effective spoken opening.
• Would you help me draft the sponsorship request? — Task Fulfillment: The closing turns the refusal into a specific opportunity to work together. It gives Mahina an active role in pursuing snowshoes while keeping the budget decision clear, making the relationship management especially effective.