CELPIP Speaking · Task 8 of 8
CELPIP Speaking Task 8 Practice Questions: Describing an Unusual Situation
Practice CELPIP Speaking Task 8 with 50 original unusual-picture prompts.
50 sets
Original practice sets
Set 1
Free to try
30s prep
Per set
60s speak
Per set
50 CELPIP Speaking Task 8 practice questions
Showing 50 of 50
- 1
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual dining table
Seating & Tables - 2
You are in a lighting and home-fixture showroom and you see an…
Lighting & Decor - 3
You are in a bathroom-fixture showroom and you see an unusual…
Fixtures & Entryways - 4
You are in an outdoor home-hardware display area and you see an…
Fixtures & Entryways - 5
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual bookshelf
Shelves & Storage - 6
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual coat rack
Shelves & Storage - 7
You are at a municipal transit demonstration site and you see an…
Public Spaces & Transit - 8
You are at a garden centre and you see an unusual flower planter
Garden & Backyard - 9
You are in a home-appliance showroom and you see an unusual…
Kitchen & Appliances - 10
You are in a home-decor showroom and you see an unusual grandfather…
Lighting & Decor - 11
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual sofa
Seating & Tables - 12
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual desk
Seating & Tables - 13
You are in a lighting and home-fixture showroom and you see an…
Lighting & Decor - 14
You are in an outdoor recreation store and you see an unusual…
Camping & Outdoor Gear - 15
You are in a bicycle and cycling-equipment shop and you see an…
Bikes & Play Equipment - 16
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual reading chair
Seating & Tables - 17
You are at an architectural design centre and you see an unusual…
Fixtures & Entryways - 18
You are at a municipal public-works exhibition and you see an…
Public Spaces & Transit - 19
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual cupboard
Shelves & Storage - 20
You are at a garden centre and you see an unusual plant pot
Garden & Backyard - 21
You are in a bathroom-fixture showroom and you see an unusual…
Fixtures & Entryways - 22
You are in a kitchenware showroom and you see an unusual toaster
Kitchen & Appliances - 23
You are at a garden centre and you see an unusual watering can
Garden & Backyard - 24
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual wardrobe
Shelves & Storage - 25
You are at a community playground-equipment showroom and you see an…
Bikes & Play Equipment - 26
You are in a kitchenware showroom and you see an unusual kettle
Kitchen & Appliances - 27
You are in an outdoor recreation store and you see an unusual tent
Camping & Outdoor Gear - 28
You are in a bicycle and cycling-equipment shop and you see an…
Bikes & Play Equipment - 29
You are in a furniture showroom and you see an unusual coffee table
Seating & Tables - 30
You are in an outdoor recreation store and you see an unusual…
Camping & Outdoor Gear - 31
You are in an outdoor recreation store and you see an unusual canoe
Camping & Outdoor Gear - 32
You are in a restaurant-equipment showroom and you see an unusual…
Kitchen & Appliances - 33
You are in a pet-supply showroom and you see an unusual cat tree
Bikes & Play Equipment - 34
You are at a municipal transit demonstration site and you notice an…
Public Spaces & Transit - 35
You are in an outdoor home-hardware display area and you notice an…
Fixtures & Entryways - 36
You are at a garden centre and you notice an unusual barbecue
Garden & Backyard - 37
You are in a furniture showroom and you notice an unusual rocking…
Seating & Tables - 38
You are in a lighting and home-fixture showroom and you notice an…
Lighting & Decor - 39
You are at a municipal transit demonstration site and you notice an…
Public Spaces & Transit - 40
You are in a lighting and home-fixture showroom and you notice an…
Lighting & Decor - 41
You are at a landscaped outdoor design demonstration site and you…
Public Spaces & Transit - 42
You are in a home-appliance showroom and you notice an unusual…
Kitchen & Appliances - 43
You are at a garden centre and you notice an unusual herb planter
Garden & Backyard - 44
You are in a furniture showroom and you notice an unusual bookshelf
Shelves & Storage - 45
You are in a kitchenware showroom and you notice an unusual bread…
Kitchen & Appliances - 46
You are at a garden centre and you notice an unusual gazebo
Garden & Backyard - 47
You are in an outdoor recreation store and you notice an unusual…
Camping & Outdoor Gear - 48
You are in a festival equipment pavilion and you notice an unusual…
Bikes & Play Equipment - 49
You are at a garden centre and you notice an unusual garden shed
Garden & Backyard - 50
You are in an electronics design store and you notice an unusual…
Fixtures & Entryways
The task
What is CELPIP Speaking Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation?
A picture of a strange object or scene, such as a dining table shaped like a watermelon or a coat rack shaped like a cactus, plus a reason you need to describe it to a specific person who cannot see it, usually over the phone. You describe it clearly enough that they can picture it.
How a practice set runs
- Read the prompt and study the picture during the 30-second preparation countdown; the picture stays on screen.
- Record your description during the 60-second speaking window.
- Submit for transcription and evaluation; the transcript and feedback appear below.
What you answer
A spoken description of up to 60 seconds: overall shape and size, the main parts in order, colours and materials, a comparison to something familiar, and a cautious guess at what it is for. Feedback covers vocabulary strategies such as paraphrase and comparison, organization, fluency and task response, with an estimated level.
Example
Sample prompt: You are in a furniture showroom and see an unusual coat rack. The store does not allow photos. Call your friend and describe it so they can decide whether to buy it.
Skills and pitfalls
What CELPIP Speaking Task 8 tests
Task 8 checks whether you can describe something unfamiliar using the words you have: shapes, sizes, colours, materials, comparisons and what the thing seems to be for.
Because the object is deliberately odd, the task rewards paraphrase and comparison rather than the one perfect noun you may not know.
How practicing these sets helps
Fifty strange pictures remove the fear of the unknown object. You practice the same routine each time: overall shape, main parts, what it might be for, and what it reminds you of. The transcript shows how much you managed to convey, and the evaluation points out where a comparison would have helped.
What you will see
- A picture of an unusual object, invention or situation, such as a chair with wheels and an umbrella, or a machine that is hard to name.
- A prompt asking you to describe it to a specific person who cannot see it, as if on the phone.
- A 30-second preparation countdown, a 60-second recording window, then a transcript and evaluation.
Skills you need
- Describing shape, size, colour and material
- Comparing the object to familiar things: it looks like a, it is about the size of
- Explaining possible purpose with cautious language
- Speaking to a named listener naturally
Common mistakes
- Freezing because you do not know the word for the object
- Giving an opinion of the picture instead of a description
- Describing only one feature and stopping
- Forgetting the listener cannot see it and saying this thing here
Strategy
How to improve in CELPIP Speaking Task 8
Improve Speaking Task 8 by practising the 5 habits below on timed sets and reviewing every explanation afterwards.
Start with the overall shape and size
It is a tall, narrow object, about as high as a door. The listener needs a frame before the details make sense.
Compare it to something familiar
It looks like a bicycle with a bathtub on top. Comparison is the fastest way to describe something you cannot name.
Work from the largest part to the smallest
Main body, then attachments, then small details. A fixed order keeps you talking and keeps the listener oriented.
Guess the purpose with hedging language
I think it might be used for, or it seems to be designed to. Guessing is expected; sounding certain is not.
Keep the listener in mind
Say who you are describing it to and check in: can you picture that? It keeps the answer conversational and on task.
FAQ
What do candidates ask about CELPIP Speaking Task 8?
Short answers to what candidates ask about Describing an Unusual Situation and about practicing it here.
What is CELPIP Speaking Task 8?
Task 8, Describing an Unusual Situation, shows you a strange picture and asks you to describe it to someone who cannot see it, usually as if over the phone.
How long is Task 8?
In these practice sets you have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.
What if I do not know the word for the object?
You are not expected to. Describe its shape, size, colour and parts, and compare it to something familiar. That is exactly what the task is designed to test.
Should I say what the object is for?
Yes, with cautious language such as it might be used for. A guess at the purpose is a natural way to finish the description.
How is my recording evaluated?
After you record, an AI evaluation reviews the answer for content, vocabulary, fluency and how well it handles the task, and gives an estimated level with a transcript. It is a practice estimate, not an official CELPIP score.
Are the Task 8 practice questions free?
The first question is free, including recording, the evaluation and the transcript. The remaining questions are part of the Pro plan.
Are these official CELPIP speaking questions?
No. Every prompt is original practice material written to match the task format. This site is independent and not affiliated with CELPIP or Paragon Testing Enterprises.
Keep going
Related CELPIP practice
Move to the next Speaking task, or switch skills. Every page below lists its own 50 practice sets.
Other Speaking tasks
- Speaking Task 1: Giving AdviceSomeone you know has a problem; give them practical advice in 90 seconds.
- Speaking Task 2: Personal ExperienceTell a short story from your life with a beginning, a middle and a point.
- Speaking Task 3: Describing a SceneDescribe a picture so clearly that a listener who cannot see it can picture it.
- Speaking Task 4: Making PredictionsLook at a scene and predict what the people in it will do next, with reasons.
- Speaking Task 5: Comparing and PersuadingChoose between options, then persuade someone who prefers a different one.
- Speaking Task 6: Difficult SituationAn awkward situation with two people involved; choose one and speak to them directly.
- Speaking Task 7: Expressing OpinionsGive and defend your opinion on a public issue in a 90-second answer.
Ready to practice CELPIP Speaking Task 8?
Set 1 is free. Every answer comes with an explanation.