General Study Tips

To help you achieve the best possible score on the CELPIP Test, we have compiled a list of study tips and preparation materials.

• Take a look at the CELPIP-General sample questions or the CELPIP-Academic sample questions.
• Spend time every day preparing for the test instead of reviewing once a week. Studying daily for short periods of time, rather than studying once a week for a large block of time, is likely to be more useful in improving your use of English.
• Become immersed in English language activities such as reading English magazines and books, watching English television and movies, and listening to English radio stations.
• Concentrate on grammar, sentence structure, reading, writing, and oral English.
• Purchase the CELPIP Preparation Materials.

Listening Tips

• Pay close attention to the recordings. The Listening component has five sections totaling 45 questions to be answered in 30 minutes. Because each question can be heard only once, you will need to pay very close attention to the recordings.
• Move on if you can’t answer a question. If you can’t answer a question, do not spend too much time trying to remember information. This can distract you and prevent you from completing the next sections of the test.
• When everything else fails, make a guess. Answer all questions. There is no penalty for guessing on the multiple-choice questions of the CELPIP-G Test. If you don’t know an answer, eliminate those ones you know are wrong, and then your chance of guessing the correct answer becomes even higher.
• Manage your time. Pay attention to the time remaining for each question by looking at the “Time Remaining” box located at the bottom of your computer screen.

Speaking Tips

• Give full answers. Elaborate your answers by providing enough relevant details. Give the markers as much content as possible to assess your oral proficiency. Do not go off topic, but speak as much as you can in the time allowed.
• Speak clearly. Speak clearly into the microphone. Before you begin the CELPIP Test, you will be given an opportunity to test the recording device and will hear how your voice sounds.
• Do not worry about your accent. Unless your accent prevents you from being understood, do not focus on it; instead, concentrate on using good grammar and accurate, varied vocabulary.
• Manage your time. Pay attention to the time remaining for each question by looking at the “Time Remaining” box located at the bottom of your computer screen.

Reading Tips

• Extract information. Do not try to memorize information—the CELPIP Test is not a memory test. Instead, read the content carefully and extract information by identifying key ideas, important details, and major implications.
• Anticipate the correct answer. You may find it useful, after reading a question, to think of the correct answer before reading all the answers to that question.
• When everything else fails, make a guess. Answer all questions. There is no penalty for guessing on the multiple-choice questions of the CELPIP-G Test. If you don’t know an answer, eliminate those ones you know are wrong, and then your chance of guessing the correct answer becomes even higher.
• Provide answers according to the passages. Although you may not be familiar with the topic of a passage, you can find all the answers in the passage and therefore you don’t need any in-depth knowledge about the topic. If, however, you are familiar with a topic, keep in mind that your prior knowledge may be different from what a passage presents and therefore your answers must be based only on information within that passage.
• Manage your time. Pay attention to the time remaining by looking at the “Time Remaining” box located at the bottom of your computer screen. Keep in mind, however, that this box indicates the remaining time for both the Reading test and the Writing test.

Writing Tips

• Address all parts of the task. Fully develop all parts of the task, supporting your main ideas with relevant details.
• Organize your writing. Structure your sentences and paragraphs in a well-planned framework that makes your ideas and arguments flow in a clear and logical way.
• Use a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical structures. Use varied, rich, and natural vocabulary and ensure that your word choice is appropriate. Use varied, correct grammatical structures and construct sentences that vary in length and complexity.
• Manage your time. Pay attention to the time remaining for the Writing Test by looking at the “Time Remaining” box at the bottom of the screen.
• Reread your responses. Leave enough time to review your responses. Pay close attention to the types of writing errors you most commonly make.