CELPIP Listening Tips: All 6 Parts, Examples, Score Chart

CELPIP Listening is the first part of the CELPIP-General test: 6 parts, 38 scored questions and 46–55 minutes. You hear each recording only once, and every question has four options, only one of them correct. This guide covers the format and scoring, then works through an example for each part: a short excerpt, a question with its options, and why one option is right and the other three are traps.

We wrote the excerpts ourselves; none of them comes from the real test.

CELPIP Listening format: 6 parts and 38 questions

The parts below come from CELPIP's Test Format & Scoring page and the official Listening Pro Study Pack 2026. The study pack gives the question counts and timings as approximate, so the times don't add up exactly to the official 46–55 minutes:

The parts get harder from 1 to 6. All the speakers are native English speakers with Canadian accents, and every two-person conversation is between a man and a woman. Recordings start automatically, and you can't pause them.

The question format changes halfway through:

• Parts 1–3. The questions come after the recording, one at a time and in a fixed order. You hear each question, and the screen shows only the four answer options. You have about 30 seconds per question.

• Parts 4–6. All the questions appear together on one screen as unfinished sentences for you to complete. You can answer them in any order, and the time limit covers the whole screen.

You can change an answer until the time for that question or screen runs out. Then the test moves on by itself, and you can't go back to an earlier part.

Listening may also include unscored questions, which CELPIP uses to try out new items. The study pack warns that this could be a whole extra part. You can't tell them apart from the scored ones, so you may see more than 38 questions. Treat every one as if it counts.

CELPIP Listening score chart: correct answers for each level

A computer scores Listening. Each correct answer earns 1 point, and wrong answers cost nothing, so answer every question, even if you have to guess. Your level depends on both the number of points and the difficulty of the questions, which is why the ranges in the table are approximate and overlap. The table comes from the Listening Pro Study Pack 2026:

In other words, for CELPIP 7 you can miss roughly 7–11 questions, but for CELPIP 9 only 3–5. From level 3 up, your CELPIP level is the same as your CLB level. For the levels you need for Express Entry and citizenship, and how they convert to IELTS, see our CELPIP score chart.

Results appear in your CELPIP account within 2–4 business days (CELPIP Test Results).

CELPIP Listening question types and paraphrase

The CELPIP study pack sorts every Listening question into three types. Once you can tell which type you're facing, you know what to look for in your notes:

1. General meaning. About the whole conversation or a large part of it: The two speakers are talking about…, All three speakers agree that…

2. Specific information. One detail from one place in the recording: a date, a name, a price, a reason.

3. Inference. Something nobody says outright: how a speaker feels, what they think, what will happen next. These questions often contain probably, most likely or sounds.

The study pack is firm about one rule: the correct answer almost never uses the words from the recording. It paraphrases them. Say a woman tells you:

I've been on the phone with the airline for an hour, and they still can't tell me where my suitcase is.

The correct option reads: Her luggage has not been located yet. The two share no key words, but they mean the same thing. An option that reuses the recording's words but changes the meaning, such as The airline has told her where her suitcase is, is the trap.

How to take notes in CELPIP Listening

The test centre gives you paper and a pen, and you can ask for more paper if you run out. Nobody checks your notes, and they don't affect your score. The CELPIP study pack says the questions roughly follow the order in which the answers come up in the recording, so write from top to bottom as you listen.

A few rules work in every part:

• Set up your page before the recording starts. Read the introduction on the screen: it tells you who will speak and about what.

• Write keywords, not sentences. Names, numbers, decisions and who made them.

• Mark attitudes. "+" means the speaker likes something, "−" means they're against it, "?" means they're unsure.

• Use your own abbreviations, and practise them on paper, not on a keyboard, before the test.

Here is what notes for the Part 1 example below might look like: the problem at the top, each suggested solution on its own line, rejected options crossed out and the chosen one circled.

CELPIP Listening Part 1: Problem Solving

What you hear. A man and a woman work through a problem, with one helping the other: for example, a customer asking a cashier for help with a return. The conversation comes in three sections of 1–1.5 minutes, each followed by 2–3 questions: 8 in all.

Example (our excerpt, section 2). A man is signing his daughter up for swimming lessons at a community centre:

M: The problem is, Tuesday at five doesn't work anymore. They've moved me to the late shift.

W: Hmm. Saturday mornings would be easiest, but that class has been full since September. There's private coaching — that's any time you like, though it's sixty dollars a lesson.

M: Sixty? Yeah… that's not going to happen.

W: Then how about the Thursday group at our Westside pool? It starts at six-thirty.

M: Westside's a bit of a drive, but six-thirty I can do. Let's put her there.

Question (spoken): What will the man most likely do?

• A. Sign his daughter up for Saturday lessons

• B. Pay for private coaching

• C. Take his daughter to a different location on Thursdays

• D. Ask his employer to change his shift

Answer: C. "Westside pool" becomes "a different location", and "Let's put her there" is the decision. A is the "first solution offered" trap: the Saturday class is full. B is ruled out by the price, and his tone leaves no doubt: that's not going to happen. D is a word-matching trap: shift is in the recording, but nobody talks about changing it.

Part 1 tips

• In each section, listen for three things: the problem, the solutions suggested and the one chosen.

• Speakers rarely say "no" directly. I'm not sure that'd work for us and Yeah… that's not going to happen both mean no.

• The questions after each section are about that section only, so split your notes into three blocks.

CELPIP Listening Part 2: Daily Life Conversation

What you hear. Two people who know each other talk for 1.5–2 minutes: colleagues discussing a shared project, a couple planning their weekend, teammates before a game. The tone is conversational but not very personal. There are about 5 questions.

Example (our excerpt). Two colleagues are planning a farewell dinner for a co-worker:

W: So, Luigi's on Friday? Everyone loves that place.

M: Everyone loves it on a Friday — that's the problem. Last time we waited an hour and a half for a table. Great way to say goodbye to someone.

W: Fair. What if I call and book the back room?

M: If they'll actually hold it for us, sure.

Question (spoken): How does the man feel about going to Luigi's on Friday?

• A. He is excited because everyone likes it

• B. He is worried it will be too crowded

• C. He thinks the food has gotten worse

• D. He wants to invite more people

Answer: B. This is an inference question. The man never says "I'm worried", but Great way to say goodbye to someone comes straight after the story of a 90-minute wait, so it's sarcasm. A is a word-matching trap: the man repeats everyone loves, but for him that's exactly the problem, because it means a long wait. C and D aren't in the recording at all.

Part 2 tips

• Listen to the intonation: Great way to say goodbye, said flat and slow right after a complaint, is sarcasm; Great! said brightly, with a lively pitch, is real praise.

• Note who suggests what. Wrong options often give one speaker's opinion to the other.

• A condition such as If they'll actually hold it is a "yes, but": he agrees, with a catch.

CELPIP Listening Part 3: Listening for Information

What you hear. One person knows more, and the other asks questions: an experienced employee explains a procedure to a new hire, a salesperson tells a customer about a car. The recording lasts 2–2.5 minutes, with about 6 questions. Expect numbers, times and step-by-step instructions.

Example (our excerpt). A food bank coordinator explains the routine to a new volunteer:

W: Weekday shifts start at eight. On Saturdays it's eight-thirty — the delivery truck comes later. Sign in on the tablet by the door, not the paper sheet; we stopped using that in the spring.

M: And then I go straight to sorting?

W: Safety video first — it's about ten minutes, and you only watch it once. After that, yes, sorting.

Question (spoken): What will the man do first on his first shift, which is a Saturday?

• A. Arrive at eight and fill in the paper sheet

• B. Sign in electronically and watch a short video

• C. Help unload the delivery truck

• D. Start sorting donations straight away

Answer: B. "Tablet" becomes "electronically", and "about ten minutes" becomes "short". A combines two traps: eight is the weekday start time, and the paper sheet is no longer used. C is word matching (delivery truck). D gets the order wrong: the video comes first.

Part 3 tips

• Number the steps in your notes: 1, 2, 3. Questions often ask what comes first or what follows what.

• Listen for corrections and exceptions: not the paper sheet, On Saturdays it's…, sorry, I mean…

• Keep conditions apart: weekdays and weekends, the first day and every day after.

CELPIP Listening Part 4: News Item

What you hear. One speaker reads a 1.5-minute news report on everyday life: a local event where something unexpected happened, a new technology, an unusual encounter with animals. The tone is formal, like radio or TV news. There are about 5 questions, all on one screen.

Example (our excerpt):

A public library in a small northern town has started lending something you won't find on its shelves: snowshoes. Head librarian Dana Whitford says the idea came from a survey in which residents said the cost of winter gear kept them indoors. Since January, more than four hundred pairs have been borrowed. Whitford says the library now plans to add cross-country skis next season, if funding is approved.

Question (on screen, complete the sentence):

The library began the program because …

• A. it had extra space on its shelves

• B. residents found winter equipment too expensive

• C. it received a grant for winter activities

• D. it wanted to sell more library cards

Answer: B. "The cost of winter gear" is paraphrased as "winter equipment too expensive". A is word matching (shelves). C twists the ending: the funding hasn't been approved yet, and it's for skis. D isn't in the report.

Part 4 tips

• Draw five lines on your page: who, what, when, where, why. Most answers will fit one of them.

• People are introduced by their full name, then called by their last name only. Write down the last name: Whitford says…

• There are only a few questions, but the time for the screen is tight. Answer the ones you're sure of first.

CELPIP Listening Part 5: Discussion

What you see and hear. A 1.5–2-minute video of three people discussing something: neighbours planning a street party, classmates dividing up a group project. The conversation mixes facts, opinions and emotions, and the speakers sometimes disagree. There are about 8 questions, and the part takes about 9 minutes including the video.

Example (transcript of our excerpt). Neighbours are arranging a clean-up of their community garden. The speakers are labelled by where they sit on screen:

Left (Marcus): Let's just do Saturday the twelfth. Done.

Centre (Priya): Saturday's fine for me, but the forecast says rain all day. I'd rather lose a weekend than stand in mud.

Right (Helen): I'm with Priya on the rain. But Sunday I'm at my mother's, so…

Marcus: So we go Saturday the nineteenth instead?

Helen: That works. And I'll bring the wheelbarrow — Marcus, you've got the shovels?

Marcus: I do. Priya?

Priya: The nineteenth, then. I'll handle the snacks.

Question (on screen, complete the sentence):

Priya objects to the first proposed date because …

• A. she will be visiting her mother

• B. she expects the weather to be bad

• C. she has to bring the tools

• D. she prefers Sundays

Answer: B. "The forecast says rain" is paraphrased as "expects the weather to be bad". A is the "wrong speaker" trap: Helen is the one visiting her mother. C mixes up the jobs: Marcus and Helen are bringing the tools. D is something Priya never says.

Your three-column notes might look like this:

Part 5 tips

• Draw three columns before the video starts: left, centre and right. Add the names as soon as the speakers are introduced.

• Mark who agrees with whom (=) and who doesn't (≠). A question like All three speakers agree that… is about the shared decision, which here is the 19th.

• Watch faces to read emotions, but take your answers from what is said. The study pack says plainly that you won't be asked about glasses, shirt colours or objects on the table.

• With 8 questions, aim for about 30 seconds per question, and answer the ones you're sure of first.

CELPIP Listening Part 6: Viewpoints

What you hear. One speaker gives a prepared 3-minute talk: a lecture on climate, a report on the effects of a new technology, an overview of a community problem with several possible solutions. The language is formal, with less common and specialised vocabulary, and a single talk presents several people's views. This is the hardest part: about 6 questions in roughly 8 minutes.

Example (our excerpt):

Should cities replace lawns in public parks with native wildflowers? Ecologist Dr. Ingrid Brandt argues they should: native plants need almost no watering and support pollinators that lawns simply can't. City councillor Paul Moreau is less convinced. He accepts the ecological case, but warns that unmown parks are often perceived as neglected, and that residents still need open grass for sports and picnics. His compromise: convert the edges of parks and leave the central fields as they are.

Question (on screen, complete the sentence):

Moreau would most likely support …

• A. replacing all park lawns with wildflowers

• B. keeping parks exactly as they are now

• C. planting wildflowers only around the edges of parks

• D. letting residents vote on each park

Answer: C. This is an inference question. Moreau is "less convinced", but he isn't against the idea, and his compromise is to change only the edges of parks. A is Brandt's position, so it's the "wrong speaker" trap. B goes too far: He accepts the ecological case. D isn't mentioned in the talk.

Part 6 tips

• Use two columns, for and against, and write the last name of the person beside each opinion: Brandt +, Moreau ± (edges).

• Signal words mark a shift in position: however, less convinced, he accepts…, but, while it's true that… What follows them is often what you'll be asked about.

• If you don't know a word, work out its part of speech and whether it's positive or negative. Perceived as neglected is clearly negative, which tells you Moreau has reservations even before you hear his compromise.

CELPIP Listening tips and tricks: common traps

Wrong options follow a handful of patterns. Once you know them, you can spot a trap before you finish reading the option:

If English isn't your first language, a few sound-level details are easy to miss:

• Can and can't. In fast speech, can sounds like /kən/, while can't keeps its full vowel, /kænt/, often with no clear "t" at the end. Listen for the vowel length and the stress.

• -teen and -ty. Said on its own, fifteen is stressed at the end and fifty at the start. Before a noun the stress moves (FIFteen dollars), so listen to the ending instead: -teen always has a long /iːn/ and a clear /t/, while North American speakers often soften the /t/ in -ty after a vowel or r, so thirty and forty sound close to "thir-dee" and "for-dee".

• Phrasal verbs. Put off means postpone, turn down means refuse, call off means cancel. A single phrasal verb can change the whole answer.

• Understatement and limits. I wouldn't say no means yes, and not until Friday means "no earlier than Friday".

CELPIP Listening practice tests and a weekly plan

Official material is the best practice. CELPIP's website has free practice tests: you fill in a short form with your name and email, and the Listening and Reading sections come with answer keys (Test Format & Scoring). The CELPIP study pack suggests working with each recording more than once, and the plan below builds on that.

1. Do one part against the clock. Check your answers against the key.

2. Identify the type of every question you got wrong: general meaning, specific information or inference. If you keep missing the same type, focus on it.

3. Listen to the recording again with a different note layout: an M/W split for Parts 1–3, five who/what/when/where/why lines for Part 4, three columns for Part 5, for-and-against columns for Part 6. After 2–3 recordings, you'll know which layout suits you.

4. Find the words in the transcript that you didn't catch. Often they're words you know that sound different at speed.

5. Read the transcript aloud. The CELPIP study pack recommends this to get used to sentence structure and intonation.

Saving words from transcripts in Polidict

Collect the words and phrases you didn't recognise in a separate Polidict group, for example "CELPIP Listening". An item can be up to 50 characters long, so a phrase like call off or less convinced fits as a single item. Add the sentence from the transcript as an example (up to 200 characters).

Polidict then schedules your reviews with spaced repetition, using the FSRS algorithm. It also has a separate Listening practice: the app plays a saved word or phrase, and you pick what you heard from several written options. Polidict tracks your listening progress separately from meaning and writing, so you can see which phrases you know on paper but still miss in speech. Listening trains you to recognise single phrases, not to follow a whole recording, so it doesn't replace practice tests.

You can also import a ready-made collection and add your transcript words to it. The Basic plan limits how many words and groups you can save, while Plus has no limits, so start with the collection for the part you find hardest:

• Agree, Argue and Discuss for Parts 2 and 5;

• News and Media for Part 4;

• Opinions and Points of View for Part 6.

A weekly plan

FAQ

How long is CELPIP Listening?

46–55 minutes. It's the first part of the CELPIP-General test, followed by Reading, Writing and Speaking. The same Listening section is also part of the shorter CELPIP-General LS test for citizenship, which takes about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Can I play a recording twice?

No. Each recording plays only once, starts automatically and can't be paused. That's why notes matter at every level.

Do I get paper for notes in Listening?

Yes. The test centre gives you paper and a pen, and more paper if you need it. Notes aren't scored or checked.

How many correct answers do I need for CLB 7 and CLB 9?

Roughly 27–31 out of 38 for level 7 and 33–35 for level 9. The ranges are approximate because your level also depends on how difficult the questions in your version of the test are.

Which part of CELPIP Listening is the hardest?

CELPIP designs the parts to get harder from Part 1 to Part 6. Part 6 is a prepared 3-minute talk with several people's views and less common vocabulary. Part 5 has the most questions of Parts 4–6, and the video can easily pull your attention away from what is being said.

Where can I find CELPIP Listening practice tests with answers?

On the CELPIP website: the free practice tests are available once you register with your name and email, and they include answers for Listening and Reading. More tests are sold in the official CELPIP store.

Summary

• CELPIP Listening has 6 parts, 38 questions and 46–55 minutes. Each recording plays once, and wrong answers cost nothing.

• The correct answer paraphrases the recording. An option that repeats the recording's words is often a trap.

• Plan your notes for each part and practise with official tests: first against the clock, then the same recording without it.

Start with a free practice test, and save the words you didn't catch in Polidict. For an overview of the whole test, read our CELPIP study guide. For Writing templates, see the CELPIP Writing guide, and for Speaking structures and phrases, the CELPIP Speaking guide. The CELPIP Reading guide works through an example of every Reading part.