To begin with, let us first make it clear that CELPIP stands for the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program. It is an English language proficiency test developed and delivered by Prometric and accepted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for certain immigration and citizenship purposes. Many applicants use CELPIP to demonstrate their English language ability for Canadian permanent residence, Canadian citizenship, professional designation, and other accepted purposes.
Two Main Versions of the CELPIP Exam
There are two main versions of this test. If you need to prove your English ability for Canadian permanent residence, you should check whether the CELPIP General Test is accepted for your application. For Express Entry, IRCC states that applicants who choose CELPIP must take the CELPIP-General test. It assesses four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
The other version is called CELPIP-General LS. This version assesses only Listening and Speaking and is officially designated by IRCC for Canadian citizenship applications. If you are applying for Canadian citizenship, IRCC accepts either CELPIP-General or CELPIP-General LS results, provided your Listening and Speaking scores meet the required level.
1. CELPIP General Test Format
In the sections that follow, we are going to have a closer look at each section of the CELPIP General Test: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. The focus is on the specific tasks the candidate has to complete in each section and the skills required for successful completion.
a. Listening
This is often one of the most stressful parts of English language competency assessment tests. In the CELPIP General Test, Listening is the first scored component, so candidates should be ready to concentrate from the beginning of the test.
This section of the CELPIP General Test takes 46 to 55 minutes to complete and is divided into the following parts:
- Listening to Problem Solving
- Listening to a Daily Life Conversation
- Listening for Information
- Listening to a News Item
- Listening to a Discussion
- Listening to Viewpoints
Each part contains a different number of questions and assesses the candidate’s listening comprehension skills in different real-life situations. In some sections, the test moves forward automatically when the time is up, and candidates may not be able to go back and change an answer, so it is important to confirm each answer before moving on.
b. Reading
The next section of the CELPIP General Test is designed to evaluate the candidate’s ability to work with various kinds of texts in English and extract the information needed to answer specific questions correctly.
In the first subsection of the Reading part of the CELPIP General Test, the candidate reads correspondence and answers 11 questions.
In the next subsection, the candidate is presented with a diagram, which they have to interpret before answering 8 questions.
The remaining scored Reading parts require the candidate to read for information and read for viewpoints. These parts include 9 and 10 questions, respectively. The Reading section takes 43 to 56 minutes to complete.
Attention: The CELPIP test may include unscored Listening or Reading items used for test development. These unscored items can appear anywhere within the Listening or Reading tests and have the same format as scored items. You will not be able to tell which items are scored and which are not, so you should apply your best effort to the entire test.
c. Speaking
The Speaking section of the CELPIP General Test is designed to test the candidate’s speaking abilities in several different real-life situations.
In the first scored task in this part of the test, the candidate gives advice on a specific situation. Then, they talk about a personal experience they had in the past, giving as many relevant details as they can.
The third scored task requires the candidate to describe a picture or scene that they are presented with, providing as many details as possible. Then, they are asked to make predictions based on the scene.
The fifth task assesses the candidate’s ability to compare and persuade in English, while the next one assesses their ability to deal with a difficult situation.
Next, the candidate is asked to express a personal opinion on a given issue, and then they are asked to describe an unusual situation in detail. The Speaking section takes 15 minutes to complete.
d. Writing
Do not assume that this section of the CELPIP General Test is easy just because it has only two tasks: writing an email and responding to survey questions. It tests the candidate’s ability to organize ideas, use appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and respond fully to the task. The section takes 53 minutes to complete.
2. CELPIP – General LS Test Format
This version of the test assesses only the listening comprehension and speaking skills of the candidate and, therefore, has only two parts. The Listening component takes 46 to 55 minutes, and the Speaking component takes 15 minutes. The total test time is about 1 hour and 10 minutes, and the test is completed in one sitting. The CELPIP test may include unscored Listening items used for test development, and candidates will not be able to identify which items are unscored.
How Much Do the CELPIP General Test and the CELPIP – General LS Test Costs?
In Canada, the CELPIP General Test costs $290 plus taxes, and the CELPIP-General LS Test costs $195 plus taxes. International pricing can vary by country, so candidates should check the official CELPIP website for the current fee in their test location.
The CELPIP Test is available in Canada and at many international test locations. The official CELPIP website lists current test locations and states that the test is available at more than 180 locations, including Australia, Canada, and other international locations.
We hope that this article on the CELPIP Test format was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Courses for International Students!
