CELPIP Speaking Part 8: Describing an Unusual Situation
In Task 8, you describe an unusual or unexpected situation shown in images and explain what is happening and why it is unusual. This is the final speaking task and tests your ability to narrate, describe, and express surprise or reactions.
Practice Describing an Unusual Situation NowWhat Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation looks like on test day
You will see a set of images depicting an unusual situation — something unexpected, surprising, or out of the ordinary. You need to describe what you see and explain why it is unusual.
You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. You should describe the situation, explain what makes it unusual, speculate about why it might be happening, and share how you would react.
Raters evaluate your descriptive vocabulary, use of expressions of surprise, ability to speculate and reason, and overall coherence.
How to score CLB 9+ on Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation
- Start by setting the scene: "In this image, I can see..." Then identify what is unusual: "What stands out is..."
- Use expressions of surprise: "What's unusual is...", "It's surprising that...", "I've never seen...", "This is quite unexpected because..."
- Speculate about causes: "This might be happening because...", "One possible explanation is...", "Perhaps they are..."
- Share a personal reaction: "If I saw this, I would...", "This would make me feel..." — this adds a personal touch and fills time.
- Use varied vocabulary: instead of just "strange," try "unusual", "unexpected", "remarkable", "out of the ordinary", "peculiar."
Common mistakes on Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation
- Treating it like Task 3 (describing) instead of Task 8 (explaining what is unusual). The prompt specifically asks why the scene is strange.
- Skipping the "explain to a friend" framing and reverting to a flat description. The conversational frame is part of the rubric.
- Using literal vocabulary when figurative language ("looks like a movie scene", "completely out of the ordinary") earns higher marks.
- Spending too long on context and not enough on what makes the scene unusual. Lead with the strange element.
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Start PracticingTask 8: Describing an Unusual Situation FAQ
What kind of unusual situations appear?+
Surprising everyday scenes: someone wearing unusual clothing in a formal setting, an unexpected event at a workplace, an animal doing something unexpected, a weather anomaly affecting a scene. They're meant to be mildly surprising, not bizarre.
Do I need to guess what happened?+
Yes, speculation is part of the task. Use phrases like "might be", "could be", "perhaps", "it's possible that" to show you can reason about unexpected situations.
Is Task 8 the hardest speaking task?+
Some find it challenging because it combines description (like Task 3) with speculation (like Task 4) and opinion (like Task 7). However, with a clear structure, it's very manageable.
How should I end my response?+
End with a personal reaction or a brief summary: "Overall, this is quite an unusual scene, and if I were there, I would probably..." This provides a natural conclusion.