CELPIP 25–27 SEPTEMBER 2026 — HARD LEVEL REVISION SHEET

 CELPIP 25–27 SEPTEMBER 2026 — HARD LEVEL REVISION SHEET

LISTENING — HARD

PART 1 — PROBLEM SOLVING → Focus: identify the problem first → listen for the proposed solution → distinguish the final decision from rejected options → watch for numbers, dates, prices and conditions → Topics: prescription glasses, membership charge, vehicle service, furniture delivery, moving shipment, utility account → Question types: problem, solution, reason, next action, location, detail → Trap: the first solution is often rejected → Strategy: Problem → Options → Objection → Final solution → Confirm.

PART 2 — DAILY LIFE CONVERSATION → Topics: retirement gift, neighbourhood clean-up, weekend course, community celebration, visiting relatives, event transportation → Focus: relationship between speakers → purpose of conversation → changing plans → preferences → agreement/disagreement → Question types: purpose, reason, choice, action, speaker attitude → Trap: speakers may discuss 3 options before selecting one → Strategy: Who wants what? → Why? → What changes? → What do they finally decide?

PART 3 — INFORMATION → Topics: public transit passes, community composting, municipal tree programmes, photo archives, career-transition programmes, extreme-weather facilities → Focus: factual details + comparisons → Question types: main idea, detail, purpose, sequence, comparison, inference → Trap: similar terms/numbers → Strategy: identify the subject → predict information → listen for paraphrases → eliminate unsupported choices.

PART 4 — NEWS ITEM → Topics: historic waterway restoration, food-waste technology, regional medical expansion, ancient settlement discovery, urban traffic management, workplace productivity research → Focus: 5W1H → main finding → significance → supporting evidence → Question types: main idea, detail, cause/effect, inference, speaker purpose → Trap: headline ≠ complete answer → Strategy: Who? What happened? Why? Evidence? Result?

PART 5 — DISCUSSION → Topics: paid volunteer days, business renovation/relocation, community arts funding, company course subsidy, library/recreation-centre expansion, compressed work schedules → Focus: opinions of different speakers → arguments → strongest reason → compromise → Question types: opinion, agreement, disagreement, reason, comparison, strongest argument, decision → Trap: do not confuse the speaker's opinion with another person's suggestion → Strategy: Speaker A → Speaker B → conflict → strongest argument → final position.

PART 6 — VIEWPOINTS → Topics: opening public buildings later, rewarding long-term employees, charging for excess waste, mandatory licence renewal, right to repair electronics, supporting local vs large chains → Focus: attitude + reasoning → Question types: speaker viewpoint, reason, strongest argument, inference, suggested action → Trap: extreme options such as always/never/all/none → Strategy: identify viewpoint → evidence → attitude → conclusion.

LISTENING VOCABULARY → reimbursement, surcharge, eligibility, warranty, shipment, cancellation fee, renewal, subsidy, municipal, commuter, infrastructure, restoration, productivity, compliance, allocation, sustainability, incentive, regulation, maintenance, accessibility.

LISTENING FORMULA → Problem → Cause → Options → Objection → Decision → Result.

LISTENING DON'TS → Don't choose an answer merely because you hear the same word → don't predict the answer from the first sentence → don't panic after missing one detail → don't spend time thinking about the previous question → don't assume the first suggestion is the final answer.

READING — HARD

PART 1 — READING CORRESPONDENCE → Topics: professional association update, community sports registration, workplace benefits announcement, cultural organisation notice, public transportation policy, volunteer programme information → Question types: purpose, main idea, specific detail, inference, vocabulary, writer's intention → Strategy: identify sender/receiver → scan names and dates → locate purpose → verify details → eliminate distractors → Trap: one sentence may contain several pieces of information; the question usually tests only one.

PART 2 — APPLYING A DIAGRAM → Topics: performing arts centre, medical complex, train-station interchange, university campus, exhibition building, community centre → Focus: directions + location + sequence → Vocabulary: adjacent to, opposite, beside, behind, entrance, exit, corridor, intersection, platform, reception, staircase, accessible entrance → Strategy: locate starting point → trace movement → follow directional words → verify destination → Trap: left/right changes according to the speaker's viewpoint.

PART 3 — READING FOR INFORMATION → Topics: bridge monitoring, soundproof building materials, urban farms/water use, energy-storage development, coastal plants/saltwater, mechanical timekeeping → Question types: detail, vocabulary, inference, cause/effect, classification, reference, comparison → Strategy: question → keyword → paragraph → surrounding sentence → paraphrase → answer → Trap: exact-word matching; correct answers usually paraphrase the passage.

PART 4 — READING FOR VIEWPOINTS → Topics: preserving underused buildings, funding amateur arts, repairing vs replacing products, automotive customer service, reducing unnecessary workplace communication, practical decision-making in schools → Question types: viewpoint, agreement, disagreement, strongest argument, inference, purpose → Strategy: identify each viewpoint separately → find supporting reason → compare positions → select the conclusion supported by the passage → Trap: an author's example is not necessarily the author's opinion.

READING PARAPHRASE BANK → increase = rise/grow/expand → reduce = cut/decrease/curb → problem = issue/concern/challenge → important = significant/crucial → improve = enhance/strengthen → maintain = preserve/sustain → replace = substitute → expensive = costly → result = outcome/consequence → solution = remedy/measure → employees = staff/workforce → local government = municipality → old = historic/former/previous → benefit = advantage/positive outcome.

READING TRAPS → Same word ≠ correct answer → extreme language is suspicious → examples can distract from the main idea → cause and result can be reversed → “may” does not mean “will” → “some” does not mean “all” → author's opinion ≠ quoted person's opinion → reference questions require the closest logical noun/pronoun, not merely the nearest word.

WRITING — HARD

TASK 1 — EMAIL → Prediction focus: informal/personal email → likely functions: advice → information → recommendation → Topics: friend moving to your city → expensive purchase → relative organising a gathering → friend starting a hobby → colleague visiting your area → Tone: friendly, natural, personal → Structure: Greeting → purpose → Point 1 + explanation → Point 2 + example → Point 3 + recommendation → closing.

EMAIL FORMULA → “I’m writing because…” → “The first thing I’d suggest is…” → “Another option worth considering is…” → “The main reason I recommend this is that…” → “For example…” → “If I were you, I would…” → “I hope this helps.”

EMAIL VOCABULARY → worthwhile, convenient, affordable, reliable, suitable, practical, flexible, memorable, accessible, enjoyable, recommend, arrange, consider, appreciate, convenient location, reasonable price, reliable service.

EMAIL TRAPS → Don't sound like a business letter → don't use “Dear Sir/Madam” for a friend → don't overuse slang → don't write one huge paragraph → don't answer only one part of the situation → don't forget a clear recommendation/action → don't memorise unnatural expressions.

TASK 2 — SURVEY ESSAY → Topics: more vacation time vs higher salaries → public transport vs improved roads → financial management vs academic subjects → repair old products vs replace them → experienced workers vs younger employees → public parks vs indoor recreation → Structure: Position → Reason 1 → Explanation → Example → Reason 2 → Explanation → Example → Conclusion.

SURVEY FORMULA → “I would choose X over Y, primarily because…” → “The first and most compelling reason is…” → “This is particularly important because…” → “For instance…” → “Another factor worth considering is…” → “Although Y may…, X is more likely to…” → “For these reasons, I would favour X.”

TASK 2 VOCABULARY → public infrastructure, financial literacy, disposable culture, product longevity, workplace efficiency, employee retention, recreational facilities, municipal funding, long-term investment, practical skills, consumer demand, environmental impact, cost-effective, sustainable, accessible.

SPEAKING — HARD

PART 1 GIVING ADVICE → career decision, financial decision, education choice → Formula: Direct advice → reason → practical step → example → alternative → conclusion → Useful language: “I’d strongly recommend…” “The main reason is…” “A practical way to handle this would be…”

PART 2 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE → unexpected change, difficult decision, useful advice → Formula: Situation → problem → action → difficulty → result → lesson → Vocabulary: unexpected, challenging, overwhelming, decisive, rewarding, perspective, adaptability.

PART 3 DESCRIBING A SCENE → public event, workplace, retail environment, community activity → Formula: Overall scene → foreground → background → people → actions → atmosphere → prediction → Vocabulary: crowded, well-organised, casually dressed, engaged in, surrounded by, appears to be, likely to.

PART 4 MAKING PREDICTIONS → technology, workplace, transportation, public services → Formula: Current situation → trend → prediction → reason → consequence → “I anticipate that…” “It is likely that…” “Over the next few years…”

PART 5 COMPARING & PERSUADING → two facilities/services/training options → Formula: Option A advantage → Option B advantage → compare → strongest benefit → persuade → conclusion → “While both options have merit, I would favour…”

PART 6 DIFFICULT SITUATION → disagreement, responsibility, service problem, workplace conflict → Formula: Acknowledge → explain problem → propose solution → justify → compromise → outcome → Avoid blaming language.

PART 7 EXPRESSING OPINIONS → technology, employment, education, community policies → Formula: Opinion → reason 1 → explanation → example → reason 2 → consequence → balanced conclusion → Use: “In my view…” “One of the strongest arguments is…” “This is particularly relevant because…”

PART 8 UNUSUAL SITUATION → unexpected object, strange event, unusual public situation → Formula: Immediate reaction → description → possible explanation → action → consequence → creative conclusion → Use conditional language: “It could be…” “Perhaps…” “If that were the case…”

SPEAKING HIGH-BAND VOCABULARY → unprecedented, practical, inevitable, beneficial, counterproductive, financially viable, socially responsible, long-term implications, unintended consequences, reasonable compromise, increasingly prevalent, highly unlikely, significant improvement, considerable pressure, broader impact.

SPEAKING FLUENCY FORMULA → Answer → Reason → Explanation → Example → Result → Final thought.

SPEAKING TRAPS → Don't memorise full answers → don't force idioms → don't repeat “I think” every sentence → don't give 3 ideas without developing them → don't self-correct every minor error → don't speak too quickly → don't stop after answering the basic question.

HARD-LEVEL FINAL CHECK → Listening: paraphrase recognition + attitude + inference → Reading: scanning + paraphrasing + elimination → Writing: task fulfilment + organisation + tone + vocabulary → Speaking: fluency + development + clarity + natural interaction.

MOST IMPORTANT RULE → Prediction is a preparation tool, not a guarantee. Prepare the predicted topics, but practise unfamiliar topics every day because CELPIP can change the subject matter while retaining the same task structure.