• CELPIP
Top 5 Mistakes CELPIP Test Takers Make
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• To get permanent residence and citizenship in Canada, you must clear the CELPIP exam.
• CELPIP exams are of 2 types: CELPIP General and CELPIP LS.
• You can increase your chance of getting permanent residency by avoiding common mistakes in the CELPIP exam.
The CELPIP exam is Canada’s leading exam that students take to get permanent residency in Canada or pursue a professional course there. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for any student who wishes to settle in Canada. If you are preparing for CELPIP, you should know what mistakes to avoid to ensure you score high in the exam.
Read this blog to learn about the types of CELPIP exams, the CELPIP test format, the top 5 mistakes CELPIP test takers make and tips for scoring high in the CELPIP exam. After reading this blog, you will know all the silly mistakes candidates make while taking the exam.
What is CELPIP?
CELPIP, or the Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program, is Canada’s leading English language exam for permanent residency and citizenship. The exam evaluates a test taker on various parameters such as listening, reading, writing, and speaking. It is recognised by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as proof of English proficiency. The CELPIP exam is available in 2 versions: CELPIP General and CELPIP General LS.
Types of CELPIP Exams
CELPIP is a computer-delivered English language exam which quickly shows results within 3-4 days. There are two types of CELPIP exams students can take: CELPIP General and CELPIP General LS. Let’s understand both of them to get a clear picture.
| Type of Exam | Details |
| CELPIP – General | The CELPIP General Exam evaluates test takers based on 4 parameters: speaking, writing, reading and listening. It’s a 3-hour sitting exam, which is approved for PR status. |
| CELPIP - General LS | The CELPIP General Exam evaluates test takers based on 2 parameters: speaking and listening. It’s a 3-hour sitting exam, which is approved for Citizenship Status. |
CELPIP - General vs CELPIP - General LS
In the following table, you can understand the difference between CELPIP - General and CELPIP - General LS and choose the one you want.
| CELPIP - General | CELPIP - General LS |
| 3-Hour Test Sitting | 1-Hour Test Sitting |
| IRCC Approved for PR Status | IRCC Approved for Citizenship Status |
| 4 sections | 2 sections |
The CELPIP exam format will depend on the type of CELPIP exam you will take. Below mentioned is the format and fee depending on the type of CELPIP exam one opts for.
CELPIP General Exam Format
If you take CELPIP General, then it will include 4 sections: reading, writing, speaking and listening. The exam format for CELPIP General is as follows.
| Name of section | Types of Questions | Number of Questions | Duration |
| Listening | • Problem-Solving • Daily Life Conversation • Information • News Item • Discussion • Viewpoints | 38 | 47-55 Minutes |
| Writing | • Email • Responding to Survey Questions • Questions | 2 | 53-60 minutes |
| Reading | • Reading Correspondence • Apply a Diagram • Information • Viewpoints | 38 | 55-60 Minutes |
| Speaking | • Giving Advice • Personal Experience • Describing a Scene • Making Predictions • Comparing and Persuading • Dealing with a Difficult Situation • Expressing Opinions • Describing an Unusual Situation | 8 | 15-20 Minutes |
Talking about the CELPIP exam fee for the General exam, it will be approximately 23000-24000 INR.
CELPIP General LS Exam Format
Talking about CELPIP General LS, it comprises 2 sections: speaking and listening. The CELPIP exam format for the same is as follows
| Name of section | Types of Questions | Number of Questions | Duration |
| Listening | • Problem-Solving • Daily Life Conversation • Information • News Item • Discussion • Viewpoints | 38 | 47-55 Minutes |
| Speaking | • Giving Advice • Talking about a Personal Experience • Describing a Scene • Making Predictions • Comparing and Persuading • Dealing with a difficult situation • Expressing Opinions • Describing an Unusual Situation | 8 | 15-20 Minutes |
The CELPIP test fee for General LS will be around 15000-17000 INR.
CELPIP Test Takers Mistakes
Here comes the most important part of the blog: The top 5 mistakes CELPIP test takers make. After reading these, ensure that you learn from them and avoid these errors in your next exam.
| Giving general answers | One of the biggest mistakes students make is giving a very general answer to the question. This also leads to lower marks because the examiner thinks that you have a lack of understanding. When you give general answers rather than specific ones, it shows that you have failed to understand the question's meaning. A general response will also show that you have limited information, which makes it difficult for CELPIP examiners to appreciate your response. You must provide a detailed and well-supported response to a specific question for all these reasons. |
| Giving a very specific answer | This might sound contradictory to the above point, but here is what you need to understand: it’s important to find a middle ground where your answer is neither too specific nor too general. For this, you must restrict your answers. Writing too specifically makes your answer less relevant. Also, it makes the answer less coherent, thereby negatively impacting the score. Therefore, you need to make a balance between both where your answers will be flexible, clear, relevant, coherent, adaptable and engaging. |
| Using only simple sentences | Another common mistake you must avoid is using simple sentences. You must understand that the examiner wants you to use English effectively and construct well-written sentences. Understandably, writing simple sentences allows you to write straightforwardly, but just using them will lower your marks in the exam. Writing simple sentences will create an impact that you lack variety, and that’s why you are using simple sentences. It further makes the writing dull and monotonous. To avoid this error, you must explore different types of sentence structures. Simple sentences won’t allow you to use other expressions. You can convey your thoughts clearly and effectively using different sentence structures. |
| Not using proper vocabulary | Not using appropriate vocabulary is one of the reasons you can get low marks in CELPIP. Using good vocabulary will show your proficiency in the English language. A lack of vocabulary will not let you give clear and easy-to-understand answers. Further, a lack of vocabulary negatively impacts the score, makes the response sound unprofessional, and lacks credibility. Hence, you must choose the right words to convey your message clearly and naturally. |
| Sticking to one strategy | When you first start preparing for CELPIP, you must have gotten a lot of advice. While much of the advice can work in your favor, there is no guarantee that you will benefit from it. Therefore, it is recommended that you first try a strategy and move forward only if it’s working. If a strategy is not working for you, then change it immediately. Remember, it is not necessary that the most popular strategy would work for you, rather you have to find a plan which suits you the best. |
Top Tips to Score High in CELPIP
Now that you know about the mistakes you need to avoid. Let’s see the best tips to score high in CELPIP.
| Practice Time Management | To score high in the CELPIP exam, you must manage time effectively because you will get very little time to answer every question. Therefore, you can’t afford to be stuck on one question. Learn to manage time wisely so that you can complete the exam in time and have extra time to revise it. A timer will be provided so that you can see how much time is left. |
| Improve your vocabulary | You need to understand that lack of vocabulary will not allow you to convey your answers clearly and effectively. On the other hand, with a wide range of vocabulary, you can use different expressions and a variety of sentence structures and convey your thoughts easily. Having a wide range of vocabulary will show your proficiency in English. |
| Always proofread your answers | Many students take this casually, but it's one of the best tips you can use to score high and reduce errors as much as possible. A quote goes, “There are no good writers, only good editors”. After completing your exam, you must check if you have answered all questions correctly. This might sound very small, but it is a very effective technique to ensure your answers are correct. |
| Improve your grammar | If you want to show yourself as proficient in English, you must work on your grammar. CELPIP is not a low-level exam where you can afford to make silly mistakes. Working on grammar will help you avoid spelling mistakes and ensure the answers are free of grammatical errors. |
Conclusion
CELPIP is one of the most important exams for any student pursuing a professional course or needing a permanent residency in Canada. Therefore, this blog was written keeping in mind the central idea: mistakes made by test takers during the CELPIP exam. After reading this blog, you must know about the top 5 mistakes test takers make, which you should avoid to score high. Along with that, some tips were also discussed in the blog, which will help you to score better in the CELPIP exam. To know more about CELPIP and prepare yourself for the test, contact the experts at Canamprep.
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