CELPIP Listening · Part 1 of 6

CELPIP Listening Part 1 Practice Questions: Problem Solving

Practice CELPIP Listening Part 1 with 50 original problem-solving conversations.

50 sets
Original practice sets
Set 1
Free to try
8 questions
Per set
7 to 9 min
Per set

50 CELPIP Listening Part 1 practice questions

Show

What is CELPIP Listening Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving?

A two-person conversation in which one speaker has a problem and the other helps work it out: a tenant and a building manager about a broken heater, a customer and a clerk about a late delivery, two coworkers about a scheduling clash. The conversation is split into three segments and each segment is followed by its own questions, so you answer as the story unfolds rather than at the end.

How a practice set runs

Read the short part introduction and the scenario line that tells you who is speaking and why.
Listen to segment 1 of the conversation. In these practice sets you can replay it; in the official test it plays once.
Answer the questions for that segment, then move to segment 2 and segment 3 the same way.
Submit to see your score, the correct answers and the full transcript with each answer marked.

What you answer

Eight multiple-choice questions in total, spread across the three segments, each with four options and one correct answer. They ask what the problem is, what each person suggests, why an idea is accepted or rejected, and what the two finally agree to do. Nothing is typed: you choose, then submit.

Example

Sample question: Why does Priya want to change the delivery date? A) She will be away that week. B) The item is no longer needed. C) The building has no loading area. D) The store offered a discount.

Skills and pitfalls

What CELPIP Listening Part 1 tests

Part 1 checks whether you can follow a conversation in which one person has a problem and the other helps work through it. The questions move from the situation itself to the options discussed and the decision reached.

Because the audio arrives in segments, the questions test your memory of each segment on its own, not just your overall impression of the conversation.

How practicing these sets helps

Fifty different problems, settings and speaker pairs train you to follow the same arc every time: what went wrong, what was suggested, what was decided. Reviewing the transcript after each set shows you the exact line that answered each question, so the pattern behind the distractors becomes obvious.

What you will see

A conversation between two people, such as a tenant and a building manager or a customer and a clerk.
Three audio segments, each followed by a short group of multiple-choice questions.
Wrong options that reuse words from the conversation but answer a different question.

Skills you need

Identifying the problem and what caused it
Tracking each suggestion and the reason it is accepted or rejected
Recognizing the final decision and any conditions attached to it
Holding details in memory while the next segment plays

Common mistakes

Choosing an option because it repeats a word you heard, not because it answers the question
Answering from the first suggestion when the speakers later changed their minds
Losing the thread of the second segment while still thinking about the first
Reading the options too slowly and running short of time

Strategy

How to improve in CELPIP Listening Part 1

Improve Listening Part 1 by practising the 5 habits below on timed sets and reviewing every explanation afterwards.

Name the problem in one line
As soon as the first segment ends, say the problem to yourself in a few words. The rest of the conversation is about solving it, and every later question refers back to it.
Keep a running list of suggestions
Speakers usually raise two or three options before settling on one. Note each option and whether it was accepted, rejected or changed. Questions love the option that was rejected.
Listen for the words that signal a change
Phrases like actually, on second thought, or the thing is often come right before the speaker changes course. What follows them is usually the answer.
Answer each segment before the next one starts
The questions for a segment appear right after it. Decide quickly and move on. Carrying an unanswered question into the next segment costs you both.
Check the transcript for every miss
After each practice set, find the sentence that answered each question you got wrong. Most misses come from a detail that was said and then corrected.

FAQ

What do candidates ask about CELPIP Listening Part 1?

Short answers to what candidates ask about Listening to Problem Solving and about practicing it here.

What is CELPIP Listening Part 1?

Part 1, Listening to Problem Solving, is the first scored part of the CELPIP Listening test. You hear a conversation in which someone has a problem, then answer 8 questions about the situation, the options and the outcome.

How many questions are in Listening Part 1?

Eight. Each practice set on this page has the same 8-question structure, split across the three segments of the conversation.

How can I practice CELPIP Listening Part 1?

Open any set on this page, listen once, answer the questions after each segment, then review the answer key and transcript. Try one set a day and keep a note of the reason behind each mistake.

Are these Listening Part 1 practice questions free?

The first practice set is free with full audio, scoring and answer review. The remaining sets are part of the Pro plan.

Can I replay the audio?

In these practice sets you can replay the audio and open the transcript. In the official test each recording plays once, so try to answer after a single listen once you are comfortable.

Are these official CELPIP questions?

No. Every set is original practice material written to match the Part 1 format. This site is independent and is not affiliated with CELPIP or Paragon Testing Enterprises.

Can I practice only Part 1 instead of a full Listening test?

Yes. This page isolates Part 1 so you can repeat the one format you find hardest. When you want the whole section in order, take a full Listening practice test.

Keep going

Move to the next Listening part, or switch skills. Every page below lists its own 50 practice sets.

Other Listening parts

More CELPIP practice

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CELPIP Listening Part 1 Practice Questions: Problem Solving

50 CELPIP Listening Part 1 practice questions

Timing a Crown Around Insurance

Cholesterol Test Dropped from Form

Glasses Needed Before a Trip

Pharmacy Switch to Generic Pills

Travel Vaccines Booked Too Late

Moved School Bus Stop

Double-Booked Parent-Teacher Interviews

Proof of Address for Registration

Camp Medication Form Unsigned

Summer Camp Waiting List

Affording After-School Care

Tutoring Clash with Hockey Practice

Urgent Transcript for Graduate School

Late Withdrawal After Hospital Stay

Co-op Start During Final Exams

No Heat in Residence Room

Wrong Textbook Edition

Full Biology Lab Sections

Replacing a Scholarship Referee

Delayed Library Book Request

Museum Tickets or Family Membership

Theatre Seats Behind a Pillar

Transferring a Named Concert Ticket

Curling Team Short a Player

Buying Skates to Grow Into

Blood Donation After Travel

Landlord Permission for Dog Adoption

Senior Cat Dental Quote

Dog Walker Holiday Cover

Pet Deposit for an Apartment

Confusing Rent Increase Notice

Subletting During a Work Placement

Broken Building Washing Machine

Fob Not Opening Bike Room

Booking the Service Elevator

Surprise Charge on Moving Bill

Couch Too Big for Car

Used Car Sold Without Inspection

Chipped Windshield Repair

Tow Beyond the Coverage Limit

Rental Car Without Winter Tires

Oversized Checked Bag Fee

Missed Connection After Flight Delay

Staying Past Hotel Checkout

Vacation Rental Cancellation Refund

Lost Transit Card Balance

Overheight Car at the Ferry

Rejected Passport Photo

Road Test Cancelled for Ice

Uncleared Corner Lot Sidewalk