MapleSpeakHow task 2 works#
The CELPIP-General and CELPIP-General LS speaking tests have the same eight tasks, and task 2 is Talking about a Personal Experience. A question appears on the screen, a preparation timer runs for 30 seconds, then a recording timer runs for 60 seconds while you speak into the microphone. There is no examiner; you speak to the computer.
The questions follow a pattern: describe a time when something happened, then say how you felt, what you did or what you learned. The situations come from everyday life: work, school, family, travel, the neighbourhood, money, a new city.
| Part of task 2 | What happens |
|---|---|
| Preparation, 30 seconds | The question is on the screen. Choose your story and note four words: the setting, the main event, the ending and the lesson. |
| Recording, 60 seconds | The microphone records. Tell the story in order, in the past, and answer the second question. |
| Scoring | Trained raters score the recording, and the task counts toward your single CELPIP speaking level. |
Task 2 comes right after task 1, giving advice. Where task 1 asks you to tell someone what to do, task 2 asks you to tell what already happened, clearly and in order. Our guide to all eight speaking tasks shows how it fits with the others.
What the raters score#
Every CELPIP speaking task is rated in the same four categories. Here is what each one asks for, published by Paragon, and what it means in a 60-second story.
| Category | Paragon’s factors | In task 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Content and coherence | Number, quality and organization of ideas; examples and supporting details | One story told in order, with details that make it real: a name, a time, a place, a number. |
| Vocabulary | Word choice, precision, range, suitable use | Exact words for feelings and actions: relieved instead of happy, apologised instead of said sorry. |
| Listenability | Rhythm, pronunciation, intonation; pauses and self-correction; grammar and sentence variety | Correct past tenses, a mix of short and long sentences, and few long pauses. |
| Task fulfillment | Relevance, completeness, tone, length | Answer both parts of the question, stay on the story you chose, and use most of the 60 seconds. |
Completeness is where many task 2 answers lose points. If the question asks “What happened, and how did you feel?”, an answer that only tells what happened has done half the task.
A four-step plan for 60 seconds#
A story needs a beginning, a middle and an end, and the question adds a reflection. Giving each step a rough share of the time keeps you from spending 30 seconds on background.
| Step | What to say | About | Useful openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set the scene: when, where, who | 10 s | A couple of years ago, … · Last winter, when I was working at… |
| 2 | What happened: two or three events in order | 25 s | At first, … · Then … · A few minutes later, … · Suddenly, … |
| 3 | How it ended | 10 s | In the end, … · Luckily, … · Finally, … |
| 4 | Feeling or lesson: answer the second question | 15 s | I felt… because… · That day taught me that… · Since then, I always… |
In the 30 seconds of preparation, don’t write sentences. Note one word for each step, for example bus · lost wallet · driver called · always zip pocket, and start speaking from step 1.
The past tenses you need
- Past simple for the events: I missed the bus. I called my manager.
- Past continuous for what was going on: I was cooking dinner when the power went out.
- Past perfect for something that happened before: I had never driven in snow before.
- Present only for today’s lesson: Now I always keep a spare key.
Three sample answers#
These questions and answers were written for this guide in the style of the task. Each one is around 100 words, which fits 60 seconds at a calm pace.
A surprise
30 s prepare · 60 s speakTalk about a time when something unexpected happened on a trip. What happened, and how did you deal with it?
Two years ago, I flew to Calgary for a job interview. When I landed, I found out that the airline had lost my suitcase, and my suit for the interview was inside it. At first, I panicked, because the interview was the next morning. Then I asked the airline staff for help, and they gave me a small amount of money for essentials. I went straight to a shopping mall and bought a simple shirt and trousers. In the end, the interview went well, and I got the job. I learned that staying calm and asking for help solves most problems.
Why it works: the scene is set in one sentence, the problem is clear by the second, each step follows with a time word, and the last sentence answers “how did you deal with it?”
A difficult decision
30 s prepare · 60 s speakDescribe a time when you had to make a difficult decision. What did you decide, and do you think it was the right choice?
Last year, my company offered me a promotion, but the new job was in another city, five hours away from my family. It was a hard choice, because the salary was much better, but my mother had been sick and needed help with appointments. I talked about it with my wife for a whole weekend, and we made a list of the pros and cons. Finally, I decided to say no and stay. A few months later, a similar position opened in my own city, and I applied for it. Looking back, I think it was the right choice, because I didn’t have to choose between my career and my family.
Why it works: it explains why the decision was hard before saying what was decided, uses the past perfect naturally (had been sick), and answers both questions: what and whether it was right.
Helping someone
30 s prepare · 60 s speakTalk about a time when you helped a neighbour or a stranger. What did you do, and how did you feel afterwards?
One evening last winter, I was walking home from work when I saw an older man standing next to his car in the snow. His car wouldn’t start, and his phone was dead. I lent him my phone so he could call his son, and while we were waiting, I cleared the snow from his windshield. His son arrived about twenty minutes later and thanked me again and again. I was cold and tired, but I felt really proud, because I remembered how lost I felt during my own first winter in Canada. Since then, I always carry a small shovel in my car.
Why it works: the past continuous sets the background (I was walking home), specific details make the story vivid, and the feeling is explained, not just named.
Before and after: fixing a weak answer#
Here is a typical first try at the helping question, written for this guide, and the same story improved.
Yes, I like to help people. Helping is very important in life. One time I help my neighbour. She is old and she needs help with the shopping. I go to the store and buy the things. She is happy. I am happy too. It is a good feeling. Thank you.
- Present tense for a past event: I help, I go.
- An opinion before the story, which this task doesn’t ask for.
- No details: no when, no reason, no ending.
- Too short: about 25 seconds of a 60-second task.
Last March, my neighbour, Mrs. Patel, fell on the ice and hurt her wrist. She lives alone, so for about three weeks she couldn’t carry her groceries. When I heard about it, I offered to do her shopping every Saturday. The first time, I bought the wrong kind of bread, and we both laughed about it. After that, she gave me a detailed list. When her wrist was better, she invited my family for dinner to thank us. I felt really useful, and honestly a little less alone, because we had just moved to the building and didn’t know anyone yet.
Six mistakes that cost points in task 2#
- Several short stories instead of one. Three examples in 60 seconds means none of them has an ending or a feeling.
- Switching into the present tense. It is the most common grammar slip in this task. Practise until went, saw, told, decided come without thinking.
- A long setting. Twenty seconds about where you lived and worked leaves no time for what happened. One sentence is enough.
- Forgetting the second question. Read the whole question during preparation and note the second part as step 4.
- A memorised opening. “Thank you for this interesting question. I would like to share…” uses seconds without adding content.
- Stopping at 40 seconds. If you finish early, add a feeling, a detail or what you would do differently now.
25 practice questions for task 2#
Written for this guide in the style of the task. Practise each one on a 30-second and a 60-second timer, record yourself, and listen back for the past tense and for the second question.
- Talk about a time when you were late for something important. What happened, and what did you do?
- Describe a time when you received a gift that surprised you. Why was it special?
- Talk about your first day at a new job. How did you feel at the end of the day?
- Describe a time when you had a problem with something you bought. How did you solve it?
- Talk about a time when the weather changed your plans. What did you do instead?
- Describe a time when you learned something important from a child or a younger person.
- Talk about a time when you had to speak in front of a group. How did it go?
- Describe a time when you forgot something important. What happened as a result?
- Talk about a celebration you will always remember. What made it memorable?
- Describe a time when you tried a food for the first time. Did you like it?
- Talk about a time when technology let you down at a bad moment. What did you do?
- Describe your first week after moving to a new city or country. What was the hardest part?
- Talk about a time when a stranger was kind to you. How did it change your day?
- Describe a time when you worked in a team to finish a difficult project. What was your role?
- Talk about a time when you saved money for something. Was it worth it?
- Describe a time when you had a misunderstanding with someone. How did you fix it?
- Talk about a time when you had to take care of a family member. What did you learn?
- Describe a time when you made a new friend in an unexpected way.
- Talk about a time when you got lost. How did you find your way?
- Describe a time when you were very nervous. What happened in the end?
- Talk about a time when you broke or lost something that belonged to someone else. What did you do?
- Describe a time when you achieved a goal you had worked on for a long time.
- Talk about a time when you had to change your mind about a person. What happened?
- Describe a time when you had a problem with a neighbour or a roommate. How was it resolved?
- Talk about a time when something you planned carefully went wrong. What did you learn?
For the other seven tasks, our CELPIP speaking practice questions cover every task, and our guides to task 6 and task 7 do the same for the task that tests tone and the longest task on the test.
Practise on the real timer#
Pick a random question from the list above and practise on the same timing as the test: 30 seconds to prepare, then 60 seconds to speak. Nothing is recorded here; use your phone’s voice recorder if you want to listen back.
Press start for a random question.
Want to try a task with recording and playback? The free CELPIP level check ends with a speaking task on the real timer, and you can listen to your answer in the browser.
Sources#
Task names and order, and the 15-minute speaking test: celpip.ca, test format and scoring. The four rating categories and their factors: celpip.ca, CELPIP test results, performance standards. Paragon’s advice to draw on your own experiences: celpip.ca, study strategies: speaking. Preparation and speaking times: Paragon’s official free sample test on celpip.ca. Questions, sample answers and the before-and-after example written by the MapleSpeak team. Checked October 17, 2026.
Questions
How long is CELPIP speaking task 2?
You get 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. The whole speaking test, all eight tasks, takes about 15 minutes.
What kind of question is CELPIP speaking task 2?
Task 2 is Talking about a Personal Experience. The question asks you to describe a time something happened to you, such as a mistake, a surprise or a difficult decision, and usually adds a second question: how you felt, what you did or what you learned.
Can I make up a story for task 2?
Paragon advises drawing on your own life where you can, because a real experience is easier to tell than an invented one. Raters score how you speak, using content and coherence, vocabulary, listenability and task fulfillment, so if no real story fits the question, a simple one you can tell clearly is better than a long pause.
How many words should I say in 60 seconds?
At a natural pace, most people say about 90 to 115 words in 60 seconds. Aim to be finishing your last point when the timer ends, not to stop at 40 seconds.
Which tense should I use in task 2?
Mainly the past simple (I went, I called), with the past continuous for background (I was waiting for the bus when…) and the present only for your lesson today (now I always check twice).
What if I finish before the 60 seconds are up?
Add what you felt at the key moment, one detail about a person in the story, or what you would do differently now. Unused time gives the raters less to score.
Is task 2 scored on its own?
No. Raters score each task, and all eight tasks together give you one CELPIP speaking level. A weak task 2 can be balanced by the others, but every task counts.