Speaking Task 3 in CELPIP General is called Describing a Scene. You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. This guide gives you a plan you can use on most scenes, then a worked example.
1.What the task is
In Describing a Scene, you describe a scene in your own words. You are not telling a long story. You are helping a listener understand what is there, who is there and what is happening.
You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.
2.How it is scored
Your answer is scored on these areas:
- Content and Coherence. Your ideas are clear and in a logical order.
- Vocabulary. You use words that fit the scene and are precise.
- Listenability. This covers rhythm, pronunciation, intonation, pauses and self correction.
- Task Fulfillment. You do what the task asks, which is to describe the scene.
Accent is not scored. You do not need to sound like a native speaker. You need to be easy to follow.
Levels 4 to 12 map one to one to CLB 4 to 12.
3.A plan that fits most tasks
Use the preparation time to choose your order and think of useful words. Do not try to plan every sentence.
- Open with an overview. Say where it is, when it is and who is there.
- Pick an order and keep it. For example, front to back, or left to right. This keeps your answer coherent.
- Say what people are doing. Use the present continuous: "is sitting", "are playing".
- Add details. Mention colours, clothes, objects and the weather.
- Use place words. "Next to", "behind", "in front of", "on the left".
- Finish with the mood or a guess. Say how the scene feels, or what may happen next.
Keep talking until the speaking time ends. If you finish your plan early, add another detail. If you make a mistake, fix it quickly and go on.
4.A worked example
Task (written for this guide): Describe a scene in a park on a sunny Saturday. A father and his daughter are throwing a red frisbee. A mother is sitting on a blanket with a basket of food. A dog is sleeping under a big tree. In the background, some children are playing soccer near a small pond.
Model answer:
In this scene, a family is enjoying a sunny Saturday in a park. In the front, a father and his young daughter are throwing a red frisbee. The girl is laughing, and her father is smiling at her. On the left, a mother is sitting on a blanket. Next to her, there is a basket with fruit and sandwiches. She looks relaxed, and she is watching her family. Behind them, a dog is sleeping in the shade of a big tree. In the background, some children are playing soccer near a small pond. The sky is clear and blue, so the weather looks perfect for a day outside. Overall, the mood is happy and calm. I think the family will probably eat together soon, and then they may walk around the pond.
Why it works:
- It opens with an overview: the place, the day and the people.
- It moves in a clear order, from the front to the background.
- It says what people are doing, with the present continuous.
- It uses place words such as "on the left", "next to" and "behind".
- It ends with the mood and a short guess about what comes next.
5.Common mistakes
- Making a list. Naming objects with no order is hard to follow. Pick a path and stay on it.
- Staying silent. Long pauses break your rhythm. Use a simple phrase such as "Also, I can see..." to keep going.
- Stopping early. Use the whole speaking time. Add details if you have time left.
- Using only basic words. "Nice" and "big" say little. Try "relaxed", "crowded" or "enormous".
- Mixing tenses. Describe what is happening now with the present continuous.
- Worrying about accent. Accent is not scored. Work on clear rhythm, steady intonation and smooth pauses.
- Fixing every small slip. Correct what matters, then move on.
- Telling a different story. Keep your guess short. Most of your time should go to describing the scene.
6.Next step
Practise with a timer and say your answer out loud. Try a free Describing a Scene set.