In Task 5 you compare two options and persuade someone to agree with your choice. You have 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.
In the real test you first choose one option, then you are shown the option another person prefers. On CELPIPReady the prompt gives both options and tells you which one you prefer. Strong answers compare the options point by point and explain why yours is better for that person.
Task 5 practice prompts and sample answers
These are the 3 free Task 5 prompts on CELPIPReady. Each sample answer was written by CELPIPReady to show what a response can sound like at a target level. They are not official CELPIP answers or scores.
Prompt 1
Your family is choosing between two community spaces for a weekly Saturday outing in Ottawa. Option A: Maple Library, free family admission; a ten-minute walk from home; reading and craft activities. Option B: Riverside Recreation Centre, $24 family admission; a twenty-five-minute bus ride from home; swimming and basketball. You prefer Option A, but your sister Priya prefers Option B. Persuade Priya that your choice is better by comparing the two options.
Basic sample answer (CLB 6-7)
Priya, I'd choose Maple Library for our Saturday outings. It's free for the family, while Riverside costs twenty-four dollars each visit. We could save that money every week. The library is also a ten-minute walk away, compared with a twenty-five-minute bus ride to Riverside. I know you'd enjoy swimming and basketball more than reading and crafts. Still, the children could try making something together at the library. We could save up for an occasional pool visit. I'd like us to try the library this Saturday and see how everyone feels.
Good sample answer (CLB 9)
Priya, I think Maple Library would work better for our weekly Saturday outing. Free family admission would make it easier to go regularly, whereas Riverside would cost twenty-four dollars every visit. We'd also have a ten-minute walk instead of a twenty-five-minute bus ride, leaving more time for the activities. I understand why you prefer swimming and basketball; you'd like everyone to be active. We could make the walk part of our outing, although it wouldn't replace a swim. The library's reading and craft activities would still give the children something enjoyable to do together. Why don't we try it this Saturday and put the money we save towards an occasional trip to Riverside?
Excellent sample answer (CLB 11-12)
Priya, I'd choose Maple Library as our regular Saturday destination because it's easier to sustain. Admission is free, whereas Riverside's twenty-four-dollar family fee would add up each week. Getting there also means a ten-minute walk rather than a twenty-five-minute bus ride, so we'd spend less of the afternoon travelling. I understand Riverside's appeal: swimming and basketball offer exercise that reading and crafts can't match. Still, the library gives us shared activities without a weekly expense, and the walk would get everyone moving a little. I'm suggesting we use the savings for occasional Riverside visits, so we can enjoy both places without committing to the pool's weekly cost. Could we try the library this Saturday, let the children choose a craft, and then decide together whether it deserves to become our usual outing for the next few months?
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Prompt 2
Your family is choosing between two home internet plans in Winnipeg. Option A: Cedar Internet, $45 per month; a download speed of 50 megabits per second; no fixed-term contract. Option B: Maple Internet, $65 per month; a download speed of 300 megabits per second; a twelve-month contract. You prefer Option B, but your sister Nadia prefers Option A. Persuade Nadia that your choice is better by comparing the two options.
Basic sample answer (CLB 6-7)
Nadia, I'd choose Maple for our family. It offers three hundred megabits per second instead of Cedar's fifty, which could help when we're all online together. I know Maple costs sixty-five dollars a month, compared with Cedar's forty-five. Still, I'd pay twenty dollars more for the extra speed. Cedar also has no fixed contract, while Maple needs twelve months. That's a real advantage for Cedar, but we expect to stay here all year. Let's check Maple's terms together before deciding whether the extra speed is worth the commitment.
Good sample answer (CLB 9)
Nadia, I think Maple would suit our family's internet use better. Its download speed is three hundred megabits per second, compared with Cedar's fifty. That extra capacity could help when several of us stream videos or download files together. You're right that sixty-five dollars a month is more than forty-five, but the difference is twenty dollars for the whole household. I also understand why Cedar's lack of a fixed contract appeals to you. Maple requires twelve months, so we would lose some flexibility. Since we expect to stay here for the year, I'd accept that trade-off. Let's review the cancellation terms first, then choose Maple if the commitment fits our plans and budget.
Excellent sample answer (CLB 11-12)
Nadia, I'd choose Maple because its extra capacity seems worth the cost for our household. The advertised download speed is three hundred megabits per second rather than Cedar's fifty, which could make simultaneous streaming and large downloads easier. I agree that Cedar has two advantages: forty-five dollars a month instead of sixty-five, and no fixed contract. Maple's twelve-month commitment would matter if we expected to move soon. However, we're planning to stay here for the year, so I'd be comfortable paying twenty dollars more each month for the additional capacity. That doesn't mean every connection problem would disappear, and we should check what speeds are available at our address. Could we review the contract and our monthly budget together? If both look manageable, I think Maple would better accommodate the way our family uses the internet.
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Prompt 3
Your community is choosing between two improvements to a Winnipeg park. Option A: Willow Playground, $60,000 installation cost; opens in June; play equipment for children aged two to twelve. Option B: Prairie Fitness Circuit, $40,000 installation cost; opens in April; exercise stations for adults. You prefer Option A, but your neighbour Farah prefers Option B. Persuade Farah that your choice is better by comparing the two options.
Basic sample answer (CLB 6-7)
Farah, I'd choose Willow Playground because it gives children aged two to twelve a place to play. Prairie's stations would serve adults instead. I understand why you prefer Prairie: it costs forty thousand dollars, while Willow costs sixty thousand. Prairie also opens in April, two months before Willow. Still, I think equipment for younger children is worth the extra money and wait. They can't use adult exercise stations in the same way. Could we support Willow and ask the community to explain how it would cover the higher cost?
Good sample answer (CLB 9)
Farah, I think Willow Playground would be the better investment for our park. Its equipment serves children aged two to twelve, whereas Prairie's exercise stations are for adults. I'd like us to provide something younger children can actually use. Your concerns are fair: Willow costs sixty thousand dollars, compared with forty thousand for Prairie, and opens in June instead of April. We'd pay twenty thousand more and wait two extra months. Still, that delay seems reasonable for equipment children could enjoy for years. I wouldn't ignore the budget difference, though. Could we ask how the community would fund it before voting? If the funding works, I'd support Willow for its focus on children.
Excellent sample answer (CLB 11-12)
Farah, I'd support Willow Playground because its equipment serves children aged two to twelve, while Prairie's exercise stations are designed for adults. That difference matters to me: adult equipment wouldn't offer younger children the same opportunity to play. I understand your preference for Prairie. At forty thousand dollars, it costs twenty thousand less than Willow, and its April opening is two months earlier than Willow's June opening. Those are real advantages, especially if funding is tight. Still, I'd weigh the equipment's years of use more heavily than those extra weeks of waiting. I'm willing to support the higher cost if the community can show a workable funding plan. Could we request that breakdown before the vote? If the money is available, I think Willow's focus on younger children makes it the stronger choice for our park.
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Task 5 FAQ
How long is CELPIP Speaking Task 5?
CELPIP Speaking Task 5 (Comparing and Persuading) gives you 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. Your response is recorded on the computer and the recording stops when the time ends.
Are these CELPIP Speaking Task 5 sample answers official?
No. CELPIPReady wrote these sample answers to show what a response can sound like at each target level. They are not official CELPIP answers, and the CLB labels are targets, not scores from a CELPIP rater.
Can I practice CELPIP Speaking Task 5 for free?
Yes. The first 3 Task 5 prompts on CELPIPReady are free, with a timer and sample answers. With a free account you also get a few AI feedback scores each week.
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