CELPIP® Speaking Task 8 sample: A Pear-Shaped Scrap Press

Describing an Unusual Situation · Preparation: 30 seconds · Response: 60 seconds · Published 23 October 2026

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

Practice question

You are sorting donated kitchen equipment at a reuse centre in Medicine Hat. You find an unfamiliar object. Call your volunteer supervisor Ifrah, who is choosing equipment for a food-waste workshop. The display table has room for only one large item. Describe the object in detail in your own words and ask whether to set it aside for the workshop or leave it for resale.

Model answers

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

Level 7 sample answer

126 words

Hi Ifrah, I've found unusual kitchen equipment while sorting donations at the reuse centre. It's a white container shaped like a pear, about 45 centimetres tall. The wall is cloudy, but you can see a green round plate inside. A silver rod joins that plate to an orange handle above it. The handle has a zigzag shape. The lever look like it pushes the plate down. There's also a purple funnel on the left and a shallow purple drawer underneath. The whole thing stands on a green round base. Um, maybe it presses food scraps into the drawer. It could be interesting for your food-waste workshop, but there's room for only one large object. Should I set it aside or leave it for resale? Thanks, bye.

Why this answer is at level 7

This level 7 example gives Ifrah a clear basic description and asks for the required decision. Compared with the higher-level answers, its vocabulary is less precise, its explanation of the mechanism is less developed, and a grammar slip interrupts otherwise understandable phrasing.

Um, maybe it presses food scraps into the drawer. — Content/Coherence: This connects the visible parts to a possible function, but leaves the process sketchy. The higher-level answers explain how scraps enter through the funnel and how the lever moves the plate.
The wall is cloudy, but you can see a green round plate inside. — Vocabulary: The colour, shape, and visibility help Ifrah picture the object. The higher-level answers use more precise descriptions such as a pressing plate and a translucent wall, connecting appearance with possible function.
The lever look like it pushes the plate down. — Listenability: The short sentence makes the movement easy to follow, although the verb should be “looks.” The higher-level answers maintain grammatical control while explaining the connections between the lever, rod, and plate.
Should I set it aside or leave it for resale? — Task Fulfillment: This directly requests the decision the prompt requires. The higher-level answers give Ifrah more support for choosing the table's only large item by discussing the device's possible educational value and uncertain purpose.

Level 9 sample answer

157 words

Hi Ifrah, I'm sorting the donated kitchen equipment here at the reuse centre, and there's an unfamiliar device you might want for the food-waste workshop. Its main chamber is 45 centimetres tall and looks like a frosted-white pear on a dark-green circular base. Through the cloudy wall, I can see a green pressing plate connected to a silver vertical rod. That rod leads up to an orange zigzag lever, attached by a silver hinge at the top. A wide purple funnel sticks out from the upper left side, while a shallow purple drawer sits underneath. The drawer has an oval opening for your finger. I suspect you feed scraps into the funnel and lower the plate to compress them. It could give people something concrete to discuss, although we'd need to establish its actual purpose. Since the table only accommodates one large item, should I reserve this for you or leave it for resale? Thanks, talk soon.

Why this answer is at level 9

This level 9 example combines precise physical description, connected sentences, and a plausible explanation of the device. Its workshop benefit remains broad; the level 11 answer more clearly considers whether compressing scraps would support the workshop's purpose.

I suspect you feed scraps into the funnel and lower the plate to compress them. — Content/Coherence: This develops the description into a logical operating sequence while marking it as a guess. The level 11 answer carries that sequence through to the drawer collecting the result.
Its main chamber is 45 centimetres tall and looks like a frosted-white pear on a dark-green circular base. — Vocabulary: “Main chamber,” “frosted-white,” and “circular base” create a more exact picture than the level 7 wording. The level 11 answer extends this precision to movement, explaining that the lever pivots on its hinge.
A wide purple funnel sticks out from the upper left side, while a shallow purple drawer sits underneath. — Listenability: The linked clauses help a listener locate both parts without hearing a disconnected list. The level 11 answer gives each feature its own short sentence and uses “Directly underneath” to make the spatial progression especially clear.
It could give people something concrete to discuss, although we'd need to establish its actual purpose. — Task Fulfillment: This offers a workshop benefit and acknowledges uncertainty before requesting a decision. The level 11 answer makes the benefit more specific by considering what compression could demonstrate about processing scraps and preventing waste.

Level 11 sample answer

175 words

Ifrah, could I get your opinion on a donated device at the reuse centre? It might suit the food-waste workshop, although I'm not certain what it does. The main chamber resembles a frosted-white pear, 45 centimetres tall, supported by a dark-green circular base measuring 30 centimetres across. A matching green pressing plate is visible through the translucent wall. It's connected by a vertical silver rod to an orange zigzag lever, which pivots on a silver hinge above the chamber. A broad purple funnel projects from the upper left side. Directly underneath is a shallow purple drawer with an oval finger opening. I imagine scraps enter through the funnel and are compressed when the lever lowers the plate, with the drawer collecting the result. If that's correct, it might illustrate how scraps can be processed; we'd still need to distinguish reducing their volume from preventing food waste. Given that your table has space for just one large exhibit, is this worth setting aside, or should it remain available for resale? Thanks, I'll follow your recommendation. Bye.

Why this answer is at level 11

This level 11 example combines detailed spatial description with precise language and a complete, clearly qualified explanation of the mechanism. It also gives Ifrah a thoughtful basis for allocating the limited display space by distinguishing scrap processing from food-waste prevention.

I imagine scraps enter through the funnel and are compressed when the lever lowers the plate, with the drawer collecting the result. — Content/Coherence: The explanation links the funnel, lever, plate, and drawer into a complete process. “I imagine” keeps the proposed function appropriately tentative because the caller has found an unfamiliar object.
It's connected by a vertical silver rod to an orange zigzag lever, which pivots on a silver hinge above the chamber. — Vocabulary: The concrete nouns and the verb “pivots” explain both the arrangement and movement of the parts. Colour, orientation, shape, and connection all contribute useful information to Ifrah's mental picture.
Directly underneath is a shallow purple drawer with an oval finger opening. — Listenability: The opening phrase guides the listener down from the funnel to the drawer. This compact sentence provides a clear pause between the more complex description of the mechanism and the explanation of its possible operation.
we'd still need to distinguish reducing their volume from preventing food waste. — Task Fulfillment: This identifies a specific question about the device's educational value. It helps Ifrah judge whether a scrap compressor deserves the workshop's limited display space, supporting the closing request to reserve it or leave it for resale.

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.

Help the listener picture the unusual object through its shape, material, size and arrangement. Use comparisons and spatial language, then complete the requested interaction.

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