CELPIP test format: every section, question and timing in 2026
What is on CELPIP-General and General LS, how long each component takes, how each one is marked, and which parts cost test takers the most marks.
CELPIP-General has four components, Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, taken on a computer in one sitting of under 3 hours. Listening has 6 parts and 38 questions, Reading 4 parts and 38 questions, Writing 2 tasks and Speaking 8.
CELPIP-General LS, the version for citizenship, has only Listening and Speaking and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. Listening and Reading are multiple choice and marked by computer; Writing and Speaking are scored by trained raters.
Format, timings and scoring read from Paragon's Test Format & Scoring, CELPIP-General and CELPIP Results pages on celpip.ca on 18 October 2026. Paragon changes its timings from time to time, so check celpip.ca before test day. celpipmocks.com is independent and not affiliated with Paragon Testing Enterprises.
CELPIP test format at a glance
Each component has its own clock. These are the times Paragon allots on test day.
| Component | Time on test day | Parts or tasks | Scored questions | Marked by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | 46 to 55 minutes | 6 parts | 38 | Computer |
| Reading | 43 to 56 minutes | 4 parts | 38 | Computer |
| Writing | 53 minutes | 2 tasks | 2 responses | 4 to 6 trained raters |
| Speaking | 15 minutes | 8 tasks | 8 responses | 3 to 5 trained raters |
Listening and Reading also contain unscored questions that Paragon uses to build future tests. They look exactly like the scored ones and can appear anywhere in either component, so the only safe plan is to treat every question as if it counts. Paragon also points out that you read the answer choices in Listening and the questions in Speaking, so reading speed matters even in the two components that are not about reading.
CELPIP Listening: 6 parts, 38 questions
46 to 55 minutes. Every question is multiple choice, and every answer is either right or wrong: a blank counts as wrong.
| Part | Questions | Answers correct on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving | 8 | 74.5% |
| Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation | 5 | 58.2% |
| Part 3: Listening for Information | 6 | 64.2% |
| Part 4: Listening to a News Item | 5 | 52.2% |
| Part 5: Listening to a Discussion | 8 | 51.3% |
| Part 6: Listening to Viewpoints | 6 | 41.3% |
Across 805 Listening tests taken on this site, the marks drain away as the component goes on. Part 1 is answered correctly about three times in four. Parts 4 and 5 drop to about one in two, and Part 6, Listening to Viewpoints, to 41.3%. If your Listening level is stuck, the last three parts are where the points are. Test 1 of our Listening practice tests is free and shows your result part by part.
CELPIP Reading: 4 parts, 38 questions
43 to 56 minutes, multiple choice, and marked by computer in the same right-or-wrong way as Listening.
| Part | Questions | Answers correct on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Reading Correspondence | 11 | 71.2% |
| Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram | 8 | 73.8% |
| Part 3: Reading for Information | 9 | 54.6% |
| Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints | 10 | 55.5% |
Across 1,509 Reading tests on this site, Parts 1 and 2 are answered correctly nearly three times in four, and Parts 3 and 4 only a little more than half the time. Those two parts hold 19 of the 38 questions, half the marks in the component. The Reading score chart shows how many correct answers each level needs, and Reading test 1 is free.
CELPIP Writing: 2 tasks in 53 minutes
Both answers are typed on the computer. Paragon gives 53 minutes for the component.
| Task | What you write |
|---|---|
| Task 1 | Writing an Email |
| Task 2 | Responding to Survey Questions |
Each writing performance is rated by four to six trained raters working independently, on four dimensions: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary, Readability and Task Fulfillment. Paragon divides each dimension into five performance levels with a description for each.
In 426 Writing attempts marked on this site, Readability came out lowest of the four on average (6.47 on the CELPIP 1 to 12 scale) and Content/Coherence highest (6.94), with Vocabulary at 6.60 and Task Fulfillment at 6.62. In other words, most writers here have enough to say and lose more marks on how clearly it reads. The Writing practice page breaks down the time for each task, and the writing samples show band 9 answers to both.
CELPIP Speaking: 8 tasks in 15 minutes
You answer prompts on the screen out loud and your answers are recorded. There is no separate speaking appointment and no examiner in the room.
| Task | What you do |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Each speaking performance is rated by three to five trained raters on four dimensions. Paragon lists what each one covers:
- •Content/Coherence: the number, quality and organisation of your ideas, and your examples and supporting details.
- •Vocabulary: word choice, precision and accuracy, and the range and suitable use of words and phrases.
- •Listenability: rhythm, pronunciation and intonation; pauses, interjections and self-correction; and grammar and the variety of your sentence structure.
- •Task Fulfillment: relevance, completeness, tone and length.
We do not publish task-by-task Speaking figures from this site yet. Our speaking evaluation changed on 14 October 2026 for the three tasks that use a picture, so earlier estimates for those tasks are not comparable with later ones. The Speaking practice page gives the preparation and recording time for each task.
The CELPIP-General LS format
CELPIP-General LS is the Listening and Speaking components on their own, with the same timings as in CELPIP-General: 46 to 55 minutes of Listening and 15 minutes of Speaking, about 1 hour 10 minutes in one sitting. Paragon lists it as the test IRCC approves for citizenship, while CELPIP-General is the one for permanent residence. CELPIP-General vs General LS explains which one your application needs.
How each component is scored
- •A level for every component. Each component gets its own CELPIP level from 1 to 12, and Paragon's chart matches levels 3 to 12 one to one with CLB levels. Programs ask for a level in each component, not an average.
- •Listening and Reading. Each answer is marked right or wrong by computer and blanks count as wrong. Paragon then corrects for small differences in difficulty between test forms, which it calls score equating, so the same level means the same thing whichever form you sat.
- •Writing and Speaking. Raters assign a level on each of the four dimensions without seeing each other's ratings, and Paragon checks how closely its raters agree.
The CELPIP score chart shows the marks each level needs, CELPIP to CLB what each immigration program asks for, and the CLB calculator what a set of levels is worth for Express Entry.
Attempt figures on this page are practice tests taken on celpipmocks.com up to 18 October 2026, counted as attempts rather than people, and leaving out Listening and Reading tests with fewer than 10 answers. Listening and Reading are marked against the answer key; Writing levels are estimates from our evaluation, described on how we evaluate. They are not Paragon results.
Practise the format before test day
Free full mock test
All four components, timed like the real test, with a level for each.
Start a mock →Listening practice
Six parts and 38 questions, marked part by part.
Try test 1 free →Reading practice
Four parts, the same question types and timing as the real test.
Try test 1 free →Writing samples
Band 9 answers to the email and the survey task, with a breakdown.
Read the samples →CELPIP re-evaluation
When asking Paragon to look at a Writing or Speaking score again is worth it.
Read the guide →CELPIP results
When scores arrive and how long they stay valid.
Read the guide →CELPIP test format FAQs
What is the CELPIP test format?
CELPIP-General has four components taken on a computer in one sitting of under 3 hours: Listening (6 parts, 38 questions, 46 to 55 minutes), Reading (4 parts, 38 questions, 43 to 56 minutes), Writing (2 tasks, 53 minutes) and Speaking (8 tasks, 15 minutes).
How long is the CELPIP test?
Under 3 hours for CELPIP-General, in one sitting, by Paragon's figures. CELPIP-General LS, which has only Listening and Speaking, takes about 1 hour 10 minutes.
How many questions are on the CELPIP test?
38 in Listening and 38 in Reading, plus 2 Writing tasks and 8 Speaking tasks. Listening and Reading also contain unscored questions that look exactly like the scored ones, so you cannot tell which ones count.
Is the CELPIP Speaking test done with an examiner?
No. You answer prompts on the screen out loud, your answers are recorded in the same sitting as the rest of the test, and trained raters score the recordings afterwards. Each speaking performance is rated by three to five raters.
Which part of CELPIP Listening is the hardest?
On this site it is Part 6, Listening to Viewpoints: across 805 Listening tests, 41.3% of its answers were correct, against 74.5% in Part 1. These are practice results on celpipmocks.com, not Paragon data.
Is the CELPIP test computer based?
Yes. All four components are done on a computer in one sitting. Listening and Reading are marked by computer, and Writing and Speaking are typed and recorded on the computer and then scored by trained raters.
See the format from the inside
Sit a free, fully timed CELPIP mock with all four components and see the level you reach in each.
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