CELPIP Vocabulary PDF
A free CELPIP vocabulary list of 291 words, phrases and collocations, grouped by the task that actually asks for them rather than by letter. Every entry carries a plain meaning and an example sentence, and the whole list downloads as one PDF.
The CELPIP vocabulary PDF on this page holds 291 entries across 15 themes, and it is free with no email required.
It is organised by CELPIP task type, not alphabetically, because nobody revises for Speaking Task 3 by reading words that begin with C. Giving advice, describing a scene, making predictions, complaining formally and stating an opinion each get their own set, so the words you revise are the ones the next task will ask you to produce.
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Download the CELPIP vocabulary list PDF
One file, no sign-up, no watermark. The full list is also reproduced on this page in sections, so you can revise without downloading anything.
CELPIP Vocabulary List PDF
Vocabulary words and phrases291 entries across 15 task-based themes, an informal to formal upgrade table for Writing Task 1, linking phrases sorted by function, and collocations worth memorising whole.
CELPIP Writing Samples PDF
Writing samples with answersFour full model answers for Task 1 and Task 2 showing this vocabulary in use, with a breakdown of why each answer scores.
CELPIP Speaking Topics PDF
Speaking topics with answersForty speaking topics across all eight task types with full model answers, so you can hear how the phrases sound in a real response.
Why alphabetical CELPIP vocabulary lists do not work
Vocabulary is one of the four criteria your CELPIP Writing and Speaking responses are rated on, alongside Content and Coherence, Readability and Task Fulfilment. But raters are not counting rare words, and there is no bonus for producing something unusual. What they are judging is range and precision: whether you can reach for the right word instead of an approximate one, and whether the register matches the person you are supposedly writing or speaking to.
That is why a 500-word alphabetical list so rarely moves a band. It is optimised for recognition, and CELPIP tests production. You do not need to recognise ameliorate in a passage, you need to produce a natural way of saying that something got better while a 90-second recording clock runs.
Twelve well-chosen phrases you can actually deploy in Speaking Task 1 are worth more than four hundred words you would recognise but never say. So this list is grouped by the task that needs the words, and it is deliberately small enough to finish: 180 core words and phrases across 15 themes, plus the supporting tables.
| Theme | Where CELPIP uses it | Entries |
|---|---|---|
| Stating an opinion | Writing Task 2, Speaking Tasks 5 and 8 | 12 |
| Giving advice | Speaking Task 1 | 12 |
| Talking about personal experience | Speaking Task 2 | 12 |
| Describing a scene | Speaking Task 3 | 12 |
| Making predictions | Speaking Task 6, Writing Task 2 | 12 |
| Comparing and persuading | Speaking Task 5, Writing Task 2 | 12 |
| Complaints and problems | Writing Task 1 (formal), Speaking Task 7 | 12 |
| Requests and politeness | Writing Task 1, Speaking Task 7 | 12 |
| Work and employment | All four sections | 12 |
| Housing and neighbourhood | Writing Task 1, Reading Part 1 | 12 |
| Money and cost | Reading Part 2, Speaking Task 1 | 12 |
| Health and daily life | Listening Parts 1 and 2, Speaking Task 1 | 12 |
| Transport and getting around | Reading Part 2, Listening Part 1 | 12 |
| Community and environment | Reading Part 4, Writing Task 2 | 12 |
| Difficult situations | Speaking Tasks 7 and 8 | 12 |
CELPIP vocabulary for stating an opinion
Task 2 asks you to choose between two options and defend the choice. Raters look for a position stated early and held, so the opening sentence matters more than anything else on the page.
| Word or phrase | What it means | Used in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| in my view phrase | used to introduce your own opinion, slightly more formal than 'I think' | In my view, the community centre is the better use of the land. |
| I would argue that phrase | introduces an opinion you are about to support with reasons | I would argue that the shopping complex solves a problem the town does not have. |
| on balance phrase | after weighing both sides | On balance, the second option serves more residents for the same money. |
| compelling adj | convincing, hard to argue against | The strongest case for the library is a compelling one: it is free to use. |
| outweigh verb | to be more important than something else | The long-term benefits outweigh the higher construction cost. |
| decisive adj | the factor that settles the question | For me, the decisive factor is who actually uses the space every day. |
| come down to phrasal verb | to be ultimately a matter of | It comes down to whether the town wants revenue or somewhere to gather. |
| firmly believe phrase | to hold an opinion strongly | I firmly believe the money should go to the recreation centre. |
| make a case for phrase | to argue in favour of something | It is easy to make a case for either option, but only one lasts. |
| reservations noun | doubts you still hold about something you broadly support | I support the plan, though I do have reservations about the parking. |
| unequivocally adverb | with no room for doubt | I would unequivocally choose the option that stays free to use. |
| for that reason phrase | links a conclusion back to the reason you just gave | For that reason, my preference is the first proposal. |
CELPIP vocabulary for giving advice
Task 1 hands you somebody else's problem. Raters are not checking whether the advice is right; they are listening for a clear recommendation and a reason attached to it, in a tone that fits the person you are talking to.
| Word or phrase | What it means | Used in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| if I were you phrase | the standard, natural way to open advice to a friend | If I were you, I would visit the shelter twice before deciding. |
| you might want to phrase | a soft suggestion that does not sound like an instruction | You might want to talk to your manager before you hand in the form. |
| the first thing I would do phrase | orders your advice and signals there is more coming | The first thing I would do is write down what you actually spend. |
| worth considering phrase | presents an option without pushing it | It is worth considering renting for a year before you buy. |
| hold off on phrasal verb | to delay doing something | I would hold off on signing anything until the inspection is done. |
| weigh up phrasal verb | to compare the good and bad points carefully | Weigh up the commute against the lower rent. |
| bear in mind phrase | remember this while you decide | Bear in mind that the fees go up after the first year. |
| a good starting point phrase | the sensible first step | A good starting point would be a free consultation. |
| in the long run phrase | over an extended future period | In the long run, the course pays for itself. |
| steer clear of phrasal verb | to avoid deliberately | I would steer clear of any contract with a two-year lock-in. |
| sleep on it idiom | to wait a day before deciding | Honestly, sleep on it. The offer will still be there tomorrow. |
| err on the side of caution idiom | to choose the safer option when unsure | I would err on the side of caution and get it in writing. |
CELPIP vocabulary for describing a scene
Task 3 gives you a picture and someone who cannot see it. Position words carry the marks here, because the listener is building the image from your words alone.
| Word or phrase | What it means | Used in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| in the foreground phrase | the part of the picture nearest the viewer | In the foreground, two children are feeding ducks. |
| in the background phrase | the part furthest away | In the background there is a row of low brick buildings. |
| off to one side phrase | at the edge, not central | Off to one side, an older man is reading on a bench. |
| directly behind phrase | immediately at the back of | Directly behind them is a food truck with a short queue. |
| appears to be phrase | hedges a guess about what you can see | It appears to be a weekend market rather than a festival. |
| bustling adj | busy and full of activity | The whole square looks bustling, almost crowded. |
| cluttered adj | full of too many things, untidy | The table is quite cluttered with tools and paper. |
| in the distance phrase | far away in the view | In the distance you can just make out a bridge. |
| scattered adj | spread irregularly over an area | There are bags scattered across the floor. |
| make out phrasal verb | to see something with difficulty | I can just make out a sign, but not what it says. |
| leaning against phrase | resting at an angle on something | A bicycle is leaning against the railing. |
| taking up phrasal verb | occupying space | A long table is taking up most of the room. |
Informal to formal: the CELPIP register upgrade table
Writing Task 1 always tells you who you are writing to, and matching that register is worth real marks. Paragon describes the expected tone as neither too formal nor too informal, which in practice means working out the relationship first and then picking the column. Using the formal column in an email to a friend costs exactly as much as the reverse.
| Everyday word | Formal alternative | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| get | receive, obtain | 'Get' is the single most overused verb in mid-band answers. |
| a lot of | a considerable number of, substantial | Use 'number' for countable things, 'amount' for uncountable. |
| big problem | significant issue, serious concern | 'Big' rarely survives in a formal email. |
| ask for | request | One word instead of two reads as more controlled. |
| tell | inform, notify, advise | 'Notify' is best when a deadline is involved. |
| fix | repair, rectify, resolve | 'Rectify' suits a complaint; 'repair' suits an object. |
| buy | purchase, acquire | Keep 'buy' in informal Task 1 emails to a friend. |
| help | assist, support | 'Assistance' is the noun you want in a request. |
| show | demonstrate, indicate | 'Indicate' when evidence points at something. |
| so | therefore, consequently, as a result | Never start a formal sentence with 'So'. |
| but | however, nevertheless | 'However' takes a comma; 'but' does not. |
| also | in addition, furthermore, moreover | Vary these; three 'furthermores' is worse than three 'alsos'. |
| kids | children | 'Kids' is fine speaking, weak in a formal email. |
| stuff, things | items, belongings, materials | Naming the actual thing scores higher than either. |
| really bad | severe, unacceptable, substandard | Adverb plus adjective is usually beatable by one precise word. |
| find out | determine, establish, ascertain | 'Ascertain' can sound stiff; 'establish' is safer. |
| put off | postpone, defer | Phrasal verbs are correct but read as informal. |
| check | verify, confirm | 'Confirm' when you want a written reply. |
| sort out | resolve, address | 'Address the issue' is the safest formal pairing. |
| give back | refund, reimburse, return | 'Reimburse' for money you spent; 'refund' for money you paid them. |
CELPIP linking words and phrases, sorted by function
Coherence is half of one of the four rating criteria and it is the cheapest one to lift. The trick is not learning more linkers but knowing which job each does, so you reach for a contrast marker when you are contrasting rather than dropping in whichever one you remember first.
| Job | Phrases you can use |
|---|---|
| Adding a point | in addition · furthermore · what is more · on top of that · not only that |
| Contrasting | however · on the other hand · whereas · even so · that said |
| Giving a reason | because of this · since · given that · owing to · the reason being |
| Showing a result | as a result · consequently · therefore · which means · so much so that |
| Giving an example | for instance · to give one example · such as · in particular · take X, for example |
| Sequencing | to begin with · after that · meanwhile · eventually · in the end |
| Conceding a point | admittedly · it is true that · granted · while it is fair to say · I can see why |
| Emphasising | above all · crucially · more importantly · what really matters is · the key point is |
| Concluding | all things considered · on balance · for these reasons · to sum up · which is why |
| Hedging | arguably · to some extent · it would seem · broadly speaking · more often than not |
CELPIP collocations worth memorising whole
Raters notice when a common verb is paired with the wrong noun, and it reads as a vocabulary problem rather than a grammar one. These pairings are worth learning as single units.
| Head word | Goes with |
|---|---|
| make | make a decision · make an effort · make progress · make arrangements · make a complaint · make time |
| take | take responsibility · take advantage of · take into account · take action · take a break · take part in |
| have | have an impact on · have access to · have a say in · have difficulty with · have the opportunity to |
| do | do research · do damage · do your best · do the paperwork · do without |
| raise | raise an issue · raise awareness · raise concerns · raise standards · raise money |
| reach | reach an agreement · reach a decision · reach a compromise · reach out to · reach capacity |
| strong | a strong case · a strong preference · strong evidence · a strong argument · strong demand |
| heavily | heavily reliant on · heavily subsidised · heavily congested · heavily criticised |
How to actually learn 180 CELPIP words
Reading a list changes nothing on its own. This is the sequence that converts it into marks.
One theme at a time, not one page at a time
Take a single theme, twelve entries, and stay on it for a day. Fifteen themes at one theme per day is just over two weeks, which is a realistic run-up to a test date. Sweeping the whole list once teaches you nothing you can produce under pressure.
Force each theme into an answer the same day
Write a 150 to 200 word Task 2 response using six entries from that day's theme, or record a 90-second Task 1 answer using four. A word you have only read is not yet vocabulary. Producing it once under a clock is what moves it.
Learn the phrase, not the word
Most of this list is phrases rather than single words, on purpose. Bear in mind and err on the side of caution come out whole under pressure, whereas an isolated adjective has to be assembled into a sentence while the clock runs.
Get the usage checked, not just the spelling
The failure mode with a new phrase is using it in a place it does not fit, which reads worse than the plain word would have. Submit a response for expert feedback and find out whether the usage actually landed.
If you would rather practise one task type at a time while you learn the words for it, the free learning modules run through each CELPIP question type with worked examples and no timer, and the writing samples show the vocabulary in complete band-level answers.
CELPIP vocabulary FAQs
Is there a free CELPIP vocabulary PDF?
Yes. The CELPIP vocabulary list on this page downloads as a single PDF with 291 entries across 15 themes, and it does not ask for an email address. The same list is also reproduced on this page in sections if you would rather not download anything.
How many words do I need for CELPIP?
There is no required word count, because CELPIP rates range and precision rather than counting vocabulary. What matters is whether you can produce the right word under time pressure. A focused set of a few hundred task-relevant words and phrases that you can actually use beats several thousand you would only recognise.
What vocabulary is used in CELPIP?
Everyday Canadian English in adult contexts. The test is built around situations like renting an apartment, dealing with a workplace problem, comparing transit passes, giving a friend advice and responding to a municipal survey. Academic or literary vocabulary is not what earns marks; precise everyday language is.
Is vocabulary actually scored in CELPIP?
Yes, for Writing and Speaking. Both are rated by people on four criteria, and Vocabulary is one of them, alongside Content and Coherence, Readability and Task Fulfilment. Reading and Listening are computer scored out of 38 questions each, so vocabulary affects those indirectly through comprehension rather than as a separate criterion.
How do I improve my CELPIP vocabulary quickly?
Work one theme at a time and force each theme into a real answer the same day. Twelve phrases you have produced once under a clock will be available on test day; two hundred you have only read will not. Learning phrases whole, rather than isolated words, also survives time pressure much better.
Should I memorise CELPIP templates and phrases?
Phrases yes, whole templates no. A memorised opening that fits the task reads as fluent, but a memorised full answer delivered to a prompt it does not quite match reads worse than an unpolished response that actually answers the question. Use the phrases as building blocks, not as a script.
What is the difference between formal and informal vocabulary in CELPIP Writing?
Writing Task 1 tells you who you are writing to, and the expected register follows from that relationship. A complaint to a landlord wants request, rectify and at your earliest convenience; an email to a friend wants ask, fix and whenever suits you. Using the wrong column costs marks even when every sentence is grammatically correct. The upgrade table on this page pairs the two directly.
Does the vocabulary PDF cover Speaking as well as Writing?
Yes. Several themes map directly onto speaking tasks: giving advice for Task 1, talking about personal experience for Task 2, describing a scene for Task 3, making predictions for Task 6 and difficult situations for Tasks 7 and 8. Each theme states which task it serves.
Put the words to work
Vocabulary only becomes a band when you produce it under time pressure. Write or speak a real response and get it evaluated against all four rating criteria.