- Format at a glance
- Listening: 6 parts, 38 questions
- Reading: 4 parts, 38 questions
- Writing: 2 tasks
- Speaking: 8 tasks
- The unscored content rule
- How scoring and levels work
- Practise the exact format free
CELPIP General format at a glance
These are the section counts and officially published timings from the CELPIP Guidebook for Test Takers. Every part is computer-delivered, in one continuous sitting — there is no separate appointment for Speaking.
| Component | Sections / parts | Scored questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 6 parts (+1 unscored practice task) | 38 | 47–55 min |
| Reading | 4 parts (+1 unscored practice task) | 38 | 55–60 min |
| Writing | 2 tasks | 2 tasks | 53–60 min |
| Speaking | 8 tasks | 8 tasks | 15–20 min |
| Total across the test | ~3 hours | ||
Counting tasks rather than multiple-choice items, that's 20 graded sections plus two unscored practice tasks. If you searched for "how many parts in CELPIP", the number depends on what you're counting: 6 + 4 + 2 + 8.
Listening: 6 parts, 38 questions
Each recording plays once only. You see the questions on screen while you listen, and the accents are Canadian and North American. Here is the official breakdown, with the question count for each part:
| Part | Task type | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Listening to Problem Solving | 8 |
| Part 2 | Listening to a Daily Life Conversation | 5 |
| Part 3 | Listening for Information | 6 |
| Part 4 | Listening to a News Item | 5 |
| Part 5 | Listening to a Discussion | 8 |
| Part 6 | Listening for Viewpoints | 6 |
| Total scored | 38 | |
Part 5 (a three-speaker discussion, 8 questions) and Part 1 (problem solving, 8 questions) carry the most marks, so they're worth the most practice. Note the first item in the section is a single unscored practice task whose main purpose is to check your headset volume — it does not count towards your level.
Because the audio plays once, replaying recordings while you practise trains the wrong skill. Our free CELPIP Listening practice mirrors the six-part structure so you can build single-listen habits.
Reading: 4 parts, 38 questions
Reading is the longest section by time. Four parts, 38 scored questions, and again one unscored practice task at the start:
| Part | Task type | Questions | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Reading Correspondence | 11 | Read a message, answer questions, then choose text to complete a reply |
| Part 2 | Reading to Apply a Diagram | 8 | Interpret a table, chart or diagram |
| Part 3 | Reading for Information | 9 | Match statements to the correct paragraph (A–E) |
| Part 4 | Reading for Viewpoints | 10 | Read an article, then complete a reader comment |
| Total scored | 38 | ||
Part 1 is the biggest single block of questions in the whole test (11). Practise CELPIP Reading with the four-part structure and the real per-part question counts.
Writing: 2 tasks in 53–60 minutes
Two written responses, both typed on screen, both scored out of the 1–12 CELPIP scale using the official Task 1 email and Task 2 survey formats:
| Task | What you write | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Task 1 | Writing an Email | 1 |
| Task 2 | Responding to Survey Questions | 1 |
You manage your own time: the section is not split into fixed blocks, so a common mistake is spending three-quarters of the clock on Task 1 and rushing the survey. There is a word counter and a spell-check enabled in the official test interface.
Speaking: 8 tasks in 15–20 minutes
Eight recorded tasks with no live examiner. The exact task types, in order:
| Task | Task type |
|---|---|
| Task 1 | Giving Advice |
| Task 2 | Talking about a Personal Experience |
| Task 3 | Describing a Scene |
| Task 4 | Making Predictions |
| Task 5 | Comparing and Persuading |
| Task 6 | Dealing with a Difficult Situation |
| Task 7 | Expressing Opinions |
| Task 8 | Describing an Unusual Situation |
Preparation time is short and tightly clocked, and your responses are recorded rather than heard by a person in the room. Practise with a timer: CELPIP Speaking practice runs the eight-task structure.
The unscored content rule (easy to get caught out by)
CELPIP is explicit that the Listening and Reading sections may contain unscored content used for test development. It can appear anywhere in those sections, and — critically — it looks exactly like the scored content. There is no way to tell which questions count.
Two consequences worth knowing before test day:
- Never treat a task as "probably not marked" and coast through it. Apply full effort to every part.
- Time spent on unscored content is included in the total section time, but it does not take time away from the scored tasks — the published timings already account for it.
How scoring and levels work
Each of the four components is reported separately as a CELPIP level from 1 to 12, and CELPIP scores are calibrated directly against the Canadian Language Benchmarks — CELPIP 7 = CLB 7, and so on, one-to-one. There is no pass or fail: the test reports your level per skill, and it's the receiving program that sets the bar (IRCC for Canada, DHA for Australia).
| CELPIP level | Descriptor |
|---|---|
| 12, 11 | Advanced proficiency in workplace and community contexts |
| 10 | Highly effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts |
| 9 | Effective proficiency in workplace and community contexts |
| 8 | Good proficiency in workplace and community contexts |
| 7 | Adequate proficiency in workplace and community contexts |
| 6 | Developing proficiency in workplace and community contexts |
| 5 | Acquiring proficiency in workplace and community contexts |
| 4 | Adequate proficiency for daily life activities |
| 3 | Some proficiency in limited contexts of personal relevance |
| 1–2 | Limited ability in contexts related to immediate needs |
| 0 | Insufficient information to assess |
For what each level is worth in Canada, see the CLB score guide and the Express Entry score requirements. For Australia, the DHA requirements by visa page lists the exact per-skill levels. If you want to convert your own scores into CLB and CRS points, use our CELPIP to CLB & CRS calculator.
Other things the guidebook settles, which people often ask about: results are available online in 8 business days (or 3 business days with express rating), and the test itself is about 3 hours in one sitting with no separate Speaking appointment.
Practise the exact format free
Every PrepSettle practice set uses the section counts on this page — the same six Listening parts, four Reading parts, two Writing tasks and eight Speaking tasks, with the published timings. No login, no cost.
- CELPIP Listening practice — 6 parts, 38 questions
- CELPIP Reading practice — 4 parts, 38 questions
- CELPIP Writing practice — email + survey
- CELPIP Speaking practice — 8 timed tasks
Section counts, task names and timings on this page come from the CELPIP Guidebook for Test Takers (Paragon Testing Enterprises) and are reproduced for study purposes. Always check celpip.ca for the current published format before exam day. PrepSettle is independent and not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises.