How to Ace CELPIP Speaking Task 3

CELPIP Speaking Task 3—Describing a Scene—is your chance to show how well you can observe and talk about details in English. You’ll see a picture and have to describe everything you notice. With the right strategies and some practice, you can make your answer clear, detailed, and organized.

Here’s how you can succeed:

Understand the Goal

In Task 3, you need to:

• Describe what is happening in the picture.
• Mention as many details as possible.
• Speak clearly and continuously for 60 seconds.

Imagine you are describing the scene to someone who can’t see it. Your job is to help them imagine the whole picture with your words.

Tips and Tricks for Success

1. Start with the Big Picture
   Describe the place first (e.g., “It looks like a park,” “It seems to be a busy street”).

2. Focus on Different Areas
   Move from left to right, front to back, or group by activity to stay organized.

3. Talk About People and Actions
   Mention what people are doing and how they might be feeling.

4. Use Lots of Details
   Include clothing, weather, objects, and anything else you can see.

5. Avoid Long Pauses
   If you get stuck, describe something small (like colors, sizes, or positions).

Useful Expressions for Task 3

Practice using expressions like:

• “In the background, I can see…”
• “On the left side of the picture, there is…”
• “It looks like the man is…”
• “There seems to be…”
• “Everyone appears to be enjoying…”

These expressions help you sound smooth and organized while speaking.

Speaking Template for CELPIP Speaking Task 3

Use this simple template to organize your answer:

1. Introduction (First 5-10 seconds)

• “This picture shows…”
• “It looks like the scene takes place in…” (e.g., a park, an office, a kitchen)

2. Describe the Background

• “In the background, I can see…”
• “At the back of the picture, there seems to be…“

3. Describe the Foreground

• “In the foreground, there is/are…”
• “At the front of the picture, I notice…“

4. Move Left to Right or Group by Action

• “On the left side, there is…”

• “In the center, we can see…”

• “On the right side, I notice…”

  OR

• “Several people are [action]…”

• “It looks like someone is [action]…“

5. Add Details

• “The weather seems to be…”
• “People are wearing…”
• “There are many objects like…”
• “Everyone appears to be [emotion/action]…“

6. Conclusion (Last 5-10 seconds)

• “Overall, the scene looks very [busy, peaceful, fun, etc.].”
• “It seems like everyone is [emotion] and [activity].”

Get More Practice

Want to build your skills even faster? Check out my full course, CELPIP Speaking Test Preparation, at englishwithheather.thinkific.com!
You’ll get detailed lessons, practice activities, and feedback tips to help you sound natural and confident.

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With a little preparation and practice, you can make CELPIP Speaking Task 3 one of your easiest tasks. Keep noticing details, practicing your descriptions, and trusting your progress!