CELPIP Speaking Task 5: Comparing and Persuading – Template & Level 9 Strategy

CELPIP Speaking Task 5 is Comparing and Persuading. It is not the picture-description task. Describing a Scene is Task 3. In Task 5, you first choose between two options without speaking, then you see another option and persuade the listener that your original choice is better.

The current 2026 CELPIP Speaking Pro material gives you:

• Part 1: 60 seconds to compare two options and choose one — no speaking
• Part 2 preparation: 60 seconds
• Part 2 speaking: 60 seconds

That makes Task 5 different from every other Speaking task. You must make a quick decision, understand a new competing option, and turn your comparison into a persuasive response.

Quick strategy: choose the option you can defend most easily, identify two advantages that matter to the listener, compare those advantages directly with the competing option, and finish with a clear recommendation.

You can verify the current structure in the official CELPIP Speaking Pro: Target 9+ 2026 study pack and the current CELPIP-General test format.

What happens in CELPIP Speaking Task 5?

Task 5 has two screens.

Part 1 — Compare and choose

You are shown a situation and two options. You have 60 seconds to compare them and choose the option you prefer. You do not record an answer in Part 1.

The goal is not to discover an objectively perfect option. Choose the one you can explain and defend clearly.

During this stage, compare practical factors such as:

• price or long-term value
• travel time or convenience
• safety
• comfort
• quality
• location
• features
• suitability for the person or situation

Do not spend all 60 seconds debating the choice. Once one option gives you two or three strong talking points, select it and mentally save the best reasons.

Part 2 — Persuade

On the second screen, another person prefers a different option. You get another 60 seconds to prepare, then 60 seconds to speak.

Your job changes here. You are no longer simply comparing choices. You need to persuade a specific listener that your chosen option is better.

A strong response should usually do four things:

1. state your choice clearly;
2. give two developed reasons that matter to the listener;
3. compare your choice with the listener's option;
4. finish with a confident but respectful recommendation.

What CELPIP raters evaluate

CELPIP Speaking responses are assessed using four performance dimensions.

Content and coherence

Your ideas should be relevant, organized, and developed with reasons, details, or examples. In Task 5, comparisons should support your persuasion rather than becoming a list of unrelated specifications.

A stronger pattern is:

benefit → comparison → why it matters to the listener

For example:

“Option A costs more initially, but it includes maintenance for two years, whereas Option B charges separately for service. Since you want predictable monthly expenses, Option A would probably save you stress and unexpected costs.”

Vocabulary

Task 5 rewards precise comparison and persuasion language. Useful vocabulary includes:

• more affordable / less expensive
• more convenient
• safer
• better suited to
• more reliable
• higher quality
• closer / farther
• whereas
• compared with
• even though
• in the long run
• the main advantage is

Do not force complicated words when a precise everyday expression is clearer.

Listenability

Your speech should be easy to follow. Focus on natural pacing, clear pronunciation, controlled pauses, sentence variety, and an appropriate persuasive tone.

You are trying to convince someone, not argue with them. Sound confident and helpful rather than aggressive.

Task fulfillment

You need to address the correct person, remain relevant, compare the options, and actually persuade. Simply describing both choices without making a recommendation does not fully complete the task.

See the official CELPIP performance standards for more detail on the four Speaking dimensions.

A fast Part 1 decision method

Use the first 60 seconds to make a defendable choice rather than a perfect choice.

Try this process:

Step 1: identify the listener's likely priorities

Ask yourself what matters in the scenario: budget, safety, comfort, time, quality, convenience, or something else.

Step 2: scan for two strong advantages

You do not need every feature. Find two benefits that you can explain naturally.

Step 3: choose quickly

If one option has clearer reasons, select it. Do not waste the final seconds trying to make both options equal.

Step 4: remember the strongest evidence

Keep two short notes in your mind or on the provided note-taking surface if available:

Reason 1 → evidence
Reason 2 → evidence

That prepares you for the second screen.

A 60-second Part 2 planning method

When the new option appears, organize your notes around persuasion.

Use this compact plan:

Choice: what I recommend
R1: strongest benefit + comparison
R2: second benefit + comparison
Counter: acknowledge one strength of their option
Close: direct recommendation

For example:

Choice: apartment A
R1: closer → save commute
R2: utilities included → predictable cost
Counter: B bigger, but farther
Close: A fits daily routine

This is enough structure for a focused 60-second answer.

A flexible Task 5 template

Do not memorize every word. Use the framework to organize different topics.

1. Acknowledge and state your choice

• “I can see why you like that option, but I still think ___ would be better for us.”
• “Your choice definitely has some advantages, but I would recommend ___.”
• “After comparing both options, I think ___ makes more sense for our situation.”

2. Give reason 1 and compare

• “First, ___ is much more ___, whereas ___.”
• “The biggest advantage is ___.”
• “Compared with your option, this one would allow us to ___.”

Then explain why that difference matters.

3. Give reason 2 and compare

• “Another important point is ___.”
• “On top of that, ___.”
• “In the long run, this would be better because ___.”

Again, connect the feature to a real benefit for the listener.

4. Address the competing option briefly

• “I agree that your option is ___, but ___.”
• “Even though ___ has ___, I think ___ matters more in our case.”
• “That is a fair point; however, ___.”

5. Close persuasively

• “So overall, I really think we should choose ___.”
• “For those reasons, ___ would be the smarter choice for us.”
• “I hope you'll consider it, because I think it fits what we need much better.”

Original Task 5 practice scenario

Part 1

You and a friend want to join a fitness centre. Choose between:

Option A — Downtown Fitness Club

• $58 per month
• 8-minute walk from home
• open 24 hours
• smaller gym
• basic classes included

Option B — Lakeside Wellness Centre

• $42 per month
• 25-minute bus ride
• closes at 10 p.m.
• large swimming pool
• group classes cost extra

You choose Option A.

Part 2

Your friend now prefers a third option:

Option C — Community Recreation Centre

• $35 per month
• 18-minute drive
• free parking
• closes at 9 p.m.
• limited weight-training equipment

Persuade your friend that Downtown Fitness Club is the better choice.

Original sample response

I understand why you prefer the community centre because it is cheaper, but I still think the Downtown Fitness Club would work much better for us. First, it is only an eight-minute walk from home, whereas the community centre requires an eighteen-minute drive. That means we could exercise even on busy days without spending extra time driving or looking for parking. Second, the downtown club is open twenty-four hours a day. Since our work schedules sometimes change, we would not have to rush to finish a workout before nine o'clock. I agree that paying thirty-five dollars a month sounds attractive, but a cheaper membership is not very useful if the location and hours make us skip workouts. For convenience and flexibility, I really think the Downtown Fitness Club is the smarter choice.

Why this response is effective

The response:

• acknowledges the friend's preference rather than attacking it;
• clearly states the recommended option;
• uses two strong comparison points;
• explains why each difference matters in real life;
• addresses the cheaper price without ignoring it;
• speaks directly to the listener with “we” and “us”;
• finishes with a clear recommendation.

Notice that the answer does not describe every detail from all three options. It selects the evidence that best supports persuasion.

Useful comparison language

Comparing advantages

• “much more convenient than”
• “slightly cheaper than”
• “far closer to”
• “better suited to our needs”
• “offers more flexibility”
• “provides better value in the long run”

Contrasting options

• “whereas…”
• “while the other option…”
• “compared with…”
• “on the other hand…”
• “unlike…”
• “even though…”

Persuading politely

• “I can see your point, but…”
• “I understand why that appeals to you; however…”
• “I still think we would benefit more from…”
• “The reason I would choose this is…”
• “I really think this would be the better fit for us.”

Seven common Task 5 mistakes

1. Treating Task 5 as picture description

This is the most serious format mistake. Task 3 is Describing a Scene. Task 5 is Comparing and Persuading.

2. Spending too long choosing in Part 1

The test does not reward choosing the objectively best item. Pick an option you can defend clearly.

3. Listing specifications without persuasion

Do not simply say “A costs $50, B costs $40, A is closer.” Explain why the differences matter to the listener.

4. Ignoring the listener's preferred option

Part 2 gives you a competing choice for a reason. Compare against it directly instead of delivering a generic speech about your own option.

5. Sounding aggressive

Persuasion should be respectful. Acknowledge a legitimate benefit of the other option and then explain why your priorities are more important.

6. Giving too many weak reasons

Two well-developed comparisons are usually easier to follow than five rushed specifications.

7. Forgetting to recommend an action

End with a clear preference. The listener should know exactly what you want them to choose.

How to practice Task 5 for a Level 9 target

There is no guaranteed Level 9 script. Instead, review your recordings using the official Speaking dimensions.

Content/Coherence

• Did I make a clear choice?
• Did I develop two useful reasons?
• Did each comparison support my recommendation?

Vocabulary

• Did I use accurate comparison language?
• Did I describe differences precisely?
• Did I avoid repeating “better” in every sentence?

Listenability

• Was my pace controlled?
• Did I sound confident rather than rushed?
• Were my sentences easy to follow?

Task Fulfillment

• Did I speak directly to the listener?
• Did I address the competing option?
• Did I actually persuade rather than merely describe?
• Did I use the full speaking time effectively without going off topic?

A five-session Task 5 practice sequence

Session 1: Practice only Part 1. Give yourself 60 seconds, then force a decision. Train speed rather than speaking.

Session 2: Take completed Part 1 choices and spend 60 seconds building two comparison reasons for each.

Session 3: Record five 60-second persuasive responses. Focus on clear structure rather than advanced vocabulary.

Session 4: Review your recordings for repeated comparison words, weak reasons, and overly aggressive tone. Re-record the two weakest answers.

Session 5: Complete a mixed Speaking session with Tasks 3, 4, 5, and 6 so you practice switching between description, prediction, persuasion, and difficult-situation language.

Practice CELPIP Speaking Task 5

Use CELPIP Speaking Practice to work through all eight official task types with preparation and response timers. For the complete format and task list, review the 2026 CELPIP Speaking Guide.

When you are ready to combine Speaking with Listening, Reading, and Writing, take a full CELPIP mock test.

Frequently asked questions

What is CELPIP Speaking Task 5?

Task 5 is Comparing and Persuading. You choose between options in Part 1, then persuade someone that your selected option is better in Part 2.

Do I speak in Task 5 Part 1?

No. The current official 2026 Speaking Pro material gives you 60 seconds to compare and select an option in Part 1, but there is no speaking in that stage.

How much preparation time do I get in Part 2?

You get another 60 seconds of preparation time after the second screen appears.

How long do I speak in Task 5?

The current 2026 Speaking Pro materials list 60 seconds of speaking time for Part 2.

Is picture description Task 5?

No. Describing a Scene is Task 3. Task 5 is Comparing and Persuading.

How many reasons should I give?

There is no requirement to force a particular number, but two strong, developed reasons plus a direct comparison with the competing option create a practical 60-second structure for most prompts.

Should I mention the other option?

Yes. Part 2 specifically asks you to persuade someone who prefers another choice. Acknowledge it briefly, then explain why your option better matches the situation or the listener's priorities.