CELPIP® Speaking Task 8 sample: The Curved Permit Display

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 at a community event supply room in Regina. Reza, the coordinator of an outdoor neighbourhood sale, wants the event permit clearly displayed, but all the tables are full. You find an unusual holder available for a $20 deposit; Reza has $25 left for equipment and still needs tape. Call Reza, describe it in detail in your own words, and ask whether to reserve it.

Model answers

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

Level 7 sample answer

124 words

Hi Reza, I'm at the community event supply room in Regina. I found a permit holder that stands on the ground, so it wouldn't need a table. It's 80 centimetres tall and 40 wide. The clear case looks like a big drop, round at the top and narrow below. There's red rubber around its edge, two silver hinges on the left and a blue latch at right side. Inside, there are two black clip for the paper. A silver S-shaped tube connects the case to a yellow triangular base. Um, it might keep the permit protected outside, but I'm not sure how steady it is. The deposit is $20, leaving $5 for the tape you still need. Should I reserve it? Thanks, Reza. Bye.

Why this answer is at level 7

This level 7 example describes the holder clearly and covers the practical decision, including the deposit and tape budget. Compared with level 9, its simpler wording, small grammar errors and less specific discussion of outdoor suitability make it less polished.

Um, it might keep the permit protected outside, but I'm not sure how steady it is. — Content/Coherence: The answer moves sensibly from describing the holder to considering outdoor use. However, protection and steadiness remain broad concerns; the higher-level answers connect these concerns more specifically to the seal and base.
The clear case looks like a big drop, round at the top and narrow below. — Vocabulary: The familiar words make the unusual shape understandable. The level 9 answer describes the material and shape more precisely with acrylic and broad teardrop.
Inside, there are two black clip for the paper. — Listenability: The meaning is easy to recover, but the singular clip after two creates a small grammatical distraction. The level 9 answer uses the correct plural and explains the clips' likely purpose more smoothly.
The deposit is $20, leaving $5 for the tape you still need. — Task Fulfillment: This directly addresses Reza's equipment budget and remaining need for tape. Along with the reservation question, it completes the practical request; a higher-level answer preserves this clarity while giving more precise reasons for checking the holder.

Level 9 sample answer

154 words

Hi Reza, I've found a possible solution for displaying the permit at our outdoor sale. I'm at the supply room in Regina, and they have an unusual freestanding holder available for a $20 deposit. It's 80 centimetres tall and 40 centimetres wide, with a clear acrylic case shaped like a broad teardrop. A red rubber seal runs around the edge. The front opens on two silver hinges on the left, and there's a blue latch opposite them. Two black clips inside appear to hold the permit in place. The case is supported by a silver tube that curves like an S down to a flat yellow triangular base. Since it stands independently, we wouldn't have to squeeze it onto a full table. The seal might also help outdoors, although I'd want to check how stable that base is. We'd have $5 left for the tape you still need. Shall I reserve it? Thanks, Reza.

Why this answer is at level 9

This level 9 example combines precise description, clear spatial organization and practical advice about table space and cost. Compared with level 11, it gives less exact information about how the parts connect and develops the weather and stability concerns less fully.

The seal might also help outdoors, although I'd want to check how stable that base is. — Content/Coherence: The cautious assessment suits an outdoor sale, but it combines weather protection and stability in one sentence. The level 11 answer develops them separately, explaining the limits of the seal and the consequence of tipping.
with a clear acrylic case shaped like a broad teardrop. — Vocabulary: Acrylic identifies the material, while broad teardrop gives a compact, recognizable shape description. This is more precise than level 7; level 11 adds further detail about the taper and the connection behind the case.
The front opens on two silver hinges on the left, and there's a blue latch opposite them. — Listenability: The sentence guides the listener from one side of the case to the other without crowding in unrelated details. The level 11 answer names the right side directly, making the latch's position slightly easier to follow.
Since it stands independently, we wouldn't have to squeeze it onto a full table. — Task Fulfillment: This explicitly connects the holder's design to the full tables, showing why it could solve Reza's problem. The level 11 answer establishes that benefit immediately and adds a clearer explanation of why stability matters before reserving it.

Level 11 sample answer

174 words

Hi Reza, I'm at the community event supply room in Regina, and there's a freestanding display that could solve our permit problem without taking up table space. It's 80 centimetres tall overall, with a transparent acrylic case shaped like a broad teardrop: rounded above and tapered below. A red rubber seal outlines the case, and its front panel is attached by two silver hinges on the left and fastened with a blue latch on the right. Inside, two black clips near the top appear designed to hold a document upright. The case connects at the back to an elongated silver S-shaped tube, which descends to a flat yellow triangular base, 40 centimetres across. The enclosed design looks promising for an outdoor sale, although the seal alone doesn't prove it would keep rain out. I'd also check the stability before committing, since a visible permit won't help if the holder tips over. The $20 deposit would leave $5 for the tape you still need. Would you like me to reserve it? Thanks, Reza. Talk soon.

Why this answer is at level 11

This level 11 example builds a detailed mental picture while keeping Reza's decision central. Precise relationships between parts, carefully qualified outdoor claims and a clear explanation of the tipping risk make its advice especially strong.

The case connects at the back to an elongated silver S-shaped tube, which descends to a flat yellow triangular base, 40 centimetres across. — Content/Coherence: The description follows a continuous path from the case through its rear connection to the base. It also attaches the width measurement to a specific part, helping the listener assemble the holder's structure.
its front panel is attached by two silver hinges on the left and fastened with a blue latch on the right. — Vocabulary: Front panel, attached and fastened describe both the components and their functions precisely. The language explains how the case opens and closes while keeping the left and right positions clear.
I'd also check the stability before committing, since a visible permit won't help if the holder tips over. — Listenability: The sentence links a proposed check to an easy-to-understand consequence. That clear cause-and-effect structure helps the listener follow the reasoning even though the sentence carries more information than a simple description.
The $20 deposit would leave $5 for the tape you still need. — Task Fulfillment: This keeps the equipment budget and tape requirement explicit. Combined with the table-space solution, outdoor assessment and closing reservation question, it gives Reza the information needed to make the requested decision.

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