CELPIP Speaking Task 6 is Dealing with a Difficult Situation: 60 seconds of preparation and 60 seconds of recording. CELPIP describes it as explaining a decision to a friend, family member, acquaintance, or customer.
The official score report does not show a Task 6 score. This recording joins the other seven tasks in forming your Speaking Overall level.
Content / Coherence
Raters look at whether you explain the problem clearly, make a decision, and support it with effective reasons.
A stable structure: acknowledge the other person’s situation, state your decision, explain two reasons, and offer a workable alternative if one exists. Saying only I am sorry with no decision — or announcing a decision with no reasons — reduces both content and completeness.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary here has to serve sensitive communication. Phrases such as I understand why you are disappointed, Unfortunately, I will not be able to, The main reason is, and What I can offer instead is stay polite while remaining unambiguous.
Language that is too casual may not suit a customer or colleague; language that is too formal may not suit a close friend. Handling the relationship accurately matters more than stacking up difficult words.
Listenability
Pace, pronunciation, intonation, pauses, grammar, and sentence range all feed in. A difficult situation requires the listener to understand the constraint, the decision, and the consequences, so the logic between sentences has to be explicit.
Under pressure, candidates often apologise repeatedly or restart from the top several times — both consume the 60 seconds and break the rhythm. State the core decision in short, stable sentences first, then add the more complex explanation.
Task Fulfillment is the key dimension here
CELPIP official advice is to speak directly to the person involved and to be considerate but firm while staying respectful.
You should not spend the answer debating which option you ought to pick. Speak as though the decision has already been made and you are explaining it. Tone, audience, relevance, and sufficient length all become scoring evidence.
Both options can score well
The prompt often gives two imperfect choices, but scoring does not depend on which one you take. What raters assess is whether you can complete the communicative purpose under pressure.
As long as your position is consistent, your reasons are relevant, and your tone is suitable, either direction can demonstrate strong ability. CELPIP has not published any indication that one choice scores more easily.
How to practise
On your notes, write only five keywords: Person, Decision, Reason 1, Reason 2, Alternative.
After recording, check whether a listener knows your decision within the first few sentences, whether each reason was explained, and whether you proposed a next step at the end. That four- dimension diagnosis is far more useful than counting how many times you apologised or how many advanced words you used.
FAQs
Which option should I choose? Either. Consistency and tone are what count.
What is the right tone? Considerate but firm — respectful, but decisive.
What structure works? Acknowledge, decide, two reasons, alternative.
Next, read how Task 7 is scored and how to answer Tasks 5-8.