CELPIP Practice Test 1

All 30 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. APARTMENTS FOR RENT — LAKESHORE PROPERTY GROUP Unit 1: 1 bedroom, 3rd floor, $1,450/month, heat included, no pets, 10-minute walk to subway Unit 2: 2 bedrooms, ground floor, $1,900/month, heat and hydro included, cats only, 25-minute walk to subway Unit 3: 2 bedrooms, 8th floor with elevator, $1,750/month, utilities extra, small dogs allowed, 5-minute walk to subway Unit 4: 1 bedroom + den, 2nd-floor walk-up, $1,600/month, heat included, pets allowed, 15-minute walk to subway First and last month's rent are due at signing. Hi Kwame, My partner and I are looking for a new place. We need two bedrooms because we both work from home, and we have a small beagle named Biscuit. Our budget is $1,800 a month before utilities. I'm having knee surgery next month, so I'd like to avoid stairs for a while. We both commute downtown twice a week. Thanks for any help, Nadia

   Which apartment meets every one of Nadia's needs?

   1. Unit 4
   2. Unit 1
   3. Unit 3
   4. Unit 2

2. Hi Ken, I hope you and Linda had a relaxing trip to Halifax. I wanted to thank you again for letting me borrow your snowblower while you were away. The storm last Tuesday dropped almost forty centimetres on our street, and I honestly don't know how I would have cleared the driveway without it. Unfortunately, I have some bad news. On Thursday morning the machine started making a grinding noise, so I switched it off right away. My brother-in-law, who repairs small engines, took a look and found that a bolt had come loose inside the auger. He says it is a simple fix, but the replacement part has to be ordered from Winnipeg and will take about a week to arrive. I feel terrible about this, and of course I will cover the cost of the repair. In the meantime, I have cleared your front walk and steps twice with a shovel, so your mail carrier should have no trouble getting to the door. If you would rather take the snowblower to your usual repair shop, just let me know and I will drop it off there instead. Warm regards, Marisol

   What happened to Ken's snowblower on Thursday morning?

   1. It was stolen from the driveway
   2. It ran out of fuel in the storm
   3. It began making a grinding noise
   4. It would not start in the cold

3. The prompt asks you to 'explain how the problem has affected you.' Which sentence does that?

   1. Please send a technician this week.
   2. Without the heater, my children have been sleeping in coats.
   3. The heater was installed in October.
   4. The heater is made by a large company and came with a warranty.

4. A. Beekeeping is no longer just a rural hobby. In several Canadian cities, residents now keep hives on rooftops, in backyards and even on hotel balconies. Most municipalities allow it with a permit, though the rules vary: some require hives to sit at least three metres from a property line, while others limit each lot to two colonies. B. Supporters say city bees benefit from the variety of flowers in parks and gardens, which can give them a more varied diet than bees surrounded by a single farm crop. Urban hives can also produce surprising amounts of honey; a healthy colony on a sunny roof may yield twenty kilograms or more in a good summer. C. Not everyone is convinced. Some ecologists worry that a rapid rise in honeybee hives could crowd out native bees, which compete for the same pollen and nectar. They encourage would-be beekeepers to plant native wildflowers as well, so that the extra demand does not leave wild species short of food.

   What do ecologists in the article advise new beekeepers to do?

   1. Move their hives to farms
   2. Plant native wildflowers too
   3. Buy bees from local farms
   4. Keep only one hive each

5. NEWCOMER CAREER DAY — SATURDAY, APRIL 18, CENTRAL LIBRARY 9:30–10:30 a.m.: Writing a Canadian-style résumé (Room 2), registration required 10:45–11:45 a.m.: Getting your foreign credentials assessed (Room 4) 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.: Mock job interviews with volunteers (Room 1), bring a résumé 1:00–2:00 p.m.: Networking for introverts (Room 2) 1:00–3:00 p.m.: Employer booths (Main Hall), free entry Lunch is not provided; the library café is open until 2 p.m. Free parking is available only before 10 a.m. Hi Sofia, Thanks for telling me about the career day! I'm an engineer from Colombia, and my biggest problem is that employers don't seem to understand my degree. I'd also love to practise interviewing, though my résumé still needs work. I can't get there before 10:30 because I drop my son at soccer. What should I go to? Andrés

   Where can visitors meet employers at the career day?

   1. In Room 2
   2. In Room 1
   3. In the library café
   4. In the Main Hall

6. How many questions are listed across all six Listening parts?

   1. 42
   2. 38
   3. 48
   4. 30

7. A. Beekeeping is no longer just a rural hobby. In several Canadian cities, residents now keep hives on rooftops, in backyards and even on hotel balconies. Most municipalities allow it with a permit, though the rules vary: some require hives to sit at least three metres from a property line, while others limit each lot to two colonies. B. Supporters say city bees benefit from the variety of flowers in parks and gardens, which can give them a more varied diet than bees surrounded by a single farm crop. Urban hives can also produce surprising amounts of honey; a healthy colony on a sunny roof may yield twenty kilograms or more in a good summer. C. Not everyone is convinced. Some ecologists worry that a rapid rise in honeybee hives could crowd out native bees, which compete for the same pollen and nectar. They encourage would-be beekeepers to plant native wildflowers as well, so that the extra demand does not leave wild species short of food.

   According to the article, why might city bees eat a more varied diet than some rural bees?

   1. They visit many kinds of flowers
   2. They avoid farm pesticides
   3. They are fed sugar water by owners
   4. They have a longer summer season

8. Which Listening part involves a conversation from daily life?

   1. Part 6
   2. Part 5
   3. Part 2
   4. Part 4

9. Which CELPIP Speaking task is Expressing Opinions?

   1. Task 7
   2. Task 6
   3. Task 4
   4. Task 2

10. A. Last year Halden Software, a 120-person company in Waterloo, tried a four-day work week for six months. Staff kept their full salaries but worked 32 hours instead of 40, with every Friday off. B. Managers measured the results carefully. The number of completed projects stayed almost exactly the same, and sick days fell by about a quarter. In an anonymous survey, nine out of ten employees said they felt less stressed. Customer satisfaction scores, however, dipped slightly in the first two months, mainly because clients could not reach anyone on Fridays. C. To fix that problem, the company created a small rotating team that works Fridays and takes a different weekday off instead. Halden has now made the four-day week permanent. Its chief executive admits the model may not suit every business, especially those that must serve customers in person every day.

    Which paragraph explains how Halden solved its Friday customer problem?

    1. Paragraph C
    2. Not given in the passage
    3. Paragraph B
    4. Paragraph A

11. Which sentence makes a recommendation in a measured way?

    1. Do it now or else.
    2. Nobody cares about pools.
    3. The city must obey me and change the pool hours now.
    4. The city should consider extending pool hours.

12. For the Federal Skilled Worker Program, if English is your first official language, what minimum CLB is required in each of the four abilities?

    1. CLB 5
    2. CLB 4
    3. CLB 7
    4. CLB 9

13. About how long should a Task 2 survey response be in the CELPIP sample?

    1. About 50–80 words
    2. About 150–200 words
    3. At least 500 words
    4. About 300–350 words

14. How can you pay when registering for CELPIP, according to the guidebook?

    1. Only by bank transfer
    2. Only after the test
    3. Only in cash at the test centre on the day
    4. By credit card online, or by mail

15. A Canadian Experience Class applicant works in a TEER 0 or 1 occupation. What English level must they reach?

    1. CLB 8
    2. CLB 5
    3. CLB 9
    4. CLB 7

16. Few sounds signal autumn in the suburbs like the roar of a gas-powered leaf blower. Now several municipalities are debating whether to ban them. Supporters of a ban point to noise and pollution. Dr. Helen Fraser, an environmental health researcher, notes that small two-stroke engines burn fuel inefficiently and release far more pollution per hour than their size suggests. Residents who work night shifts also complain that the machines make daytime sleep impossible. Landscaping companies see the issue differently. Marco Bellini, who runs a twelve-person crew, says battery-powered models are improving but still struggle with wet leaves on large properties. "A ban would double the time each job takes," he says, "and customers would pay for that." He would prefer limits on the hours blowers can be used rather than an outright ban. City councillor Amira Shah has proposed a compromise: a ban on gas blowers starting in 2028, with a rebate program to help small businesses buy electric equipment before then. Critics on both sides say her plan goes either too far or not far enough, but it may be the only option that can win a majority on council.

    Why does Bellini think battery blowers are not good enough yet?

    1. They are already banned in some cities
    2. They are louder than gas blowers
    3. They struggle with wet leaves on big jobs
    4. They cost too much to recharge

17. After three years of letting staff work from home, the City of Brookfield has ordered its 2,000 municipal employees back to the office at least four days a week. Mayor Denise Okoro says the decision is about service and teamwork. She believes new employees in particular learn faster when they can watch experienced colleagues and ask quick questions in person. She also points to the downtown cafés and shops that lost business when office towers emptied. The employees' union strongly disagrees. Union president Raj Patel says productivity rose during the remote-work period and that many staff moved farther from downtown to afford housing. "For some members, four days in the office means four extra hours of commuting each day," he says. The union has filed a formal grievance. Workplace consultant Erin Walsh thinks both sides are partly right. In her experience, the most successful employers let each team decide which days it meets in person, based on the work it does. "A blanket rule is easy to announce," she says, "but it rarely fits every department."

    How many days a week must Brookfield's employees now be in the office?

    1. At least three
    2. At least four
    3. At least two
    4. All five

18. What price does the July 2026 guidebook list for the CELPIP-General Test?

    1. $250 plus taxes
    2. $199 plus taxes
    3. $325 plus taxes
    4. $295 plus taxes

19. Your new coffee maker stopped working. Which opening sentence states your purpose best?

    1. I am writing about a coffee maker I bought on May 3.
    2. Yesterday was a long day for me.
    3. I own many appliances in my kitchen.
    4. Coffee is the most popular hot drink in all of Canada.

20. Choose the word that fits: 'The instructions were so ______ that I assembled the desk in ten minutes.'

    1. clear
    2. vague
    3. confusing
    4. lengthy

21. A survey is about reducing mail delivery days. Which sentence is off topic?

    1. My building's mailbox is not secure.
    2. I rely on daily mail for work documents.
    3. My favourite stamp shows a loon.
    4. Fewer delivery days would save money.

22. Read: 'Housing costs have soared since 2020.' Which word could replace 'soared' without changing the meaning?

    1. risen sharply
    2. risen slowly
    3. dropped slightly
    4. stayed level

23. Which task name belongs to CELPIP Speaking Task 5?

    1. Making Predictions
    2. Describing a Scene
    3. Talking about a Personal Experience
    4. Comparing and Persuading

24. Dear Ms. Kowalski, I live in unit 1407 and received the notice that the east elevator will be out of service from March 3 to March 24 for a full upgrade. I understand the work is necessary, and I appreciate the advance notice. My concern is that my mother, who moved in with me last fall, uses a walker and cannot manage fourteen flights of stairs. The notice says the west elevator will remain available, but residents have told me it often stops working on weekends, when no maintenance staff are on site. Would it be possible to arrange for a technician to be on call during the upgrade period, at least on Saturdays and Sundays? If that is not possible, could you let me know whether any vacant units on a lower floor might be available for a short-term stay? I would be happy to pay a reasonable fee. My mother has medical appointments every Tuesday morning, so a reliable elevator on those days is especially important to us. Thank you for considering this request. I can be reached by phone after 5 p.m. Sincerely, Arjun Mehta

    For how long will the east elevator in Arjun's building be closed?

    1. About one week
    2. About three days
    3. About two months
    4. About three weeks

25. Which CELPIP Speaking task is called Describing a Scene?

    1. Task 5
    2. Task 3
    3. Task 1
    4. Task 8

26. Which response to a Task 1 prompt sounds most organized?

    1. The commute. Costs. Maybe. I don't know.
    2. Um, costs, and, like, the commute, I guess, and stuff, maybe.
    3. Costs commute costs commute.
    4. First, compare the costs. Second, think about the commute.

27. What is Writing Task 1 in the CELPIP-General Test?

    1. Writing a Short Essay
    2. Writing an Email
    3. Responding to Survey Questions
    4. Summarizing an Article

28. GREENVIEW COMMUNITY GARDEN — 2026 PLOTS Plot A: raised bed, 1 m × 3 m, wheelchair accessible, next to the water tap — $30 per season Plot B: ground level, 3 m × 3 m, full sun, far from the tap — $40 per season Plot C: ground level, 3 m × 6 m, partial shade under maple trees — $55 per season Plot D: raised bed, 2 m × 3 m, full sun, beside the tool shed — $45 per season Every gardener must volunteer 4 hours per season. Seniors (65+) pay half price. Dear Mr. Haddad, I would like to rent a plot this year. My doctor has told me to avoid kneeling, so I need a bed I can work at while standing or sitting. I plan to grow tomatoes and peppers, which need plenty of sun. I turn 66 in March, so I hope I qualify for a discount. Carrying heavy watering cans is also hard for me these days. Best wishes, Edith Park

    Which Greenview plots would allow Edith to garden without kneeling?

    1. Plots B and C
    2. Plots A and B
    3. Plots A and D
    4. Plots C and D

29. What is Listening Part 1 called?

    1. Listening to a Discussion
    2. Listening to a News Item
    3. Listening for Information
    4. Listening to Problem Solving

30. Which sentence uses the passive voice correctly?

    1. The parcel was deliver to the wrong address.
    2. The parcel was delivering to the wrong address.
    3. The parcel was delivered to the wrong address.
    4. The parcel delivered to the wrong address.