The Overview of the CELPIP Test

CELPIP - Dreaming of settling in Canada; however, unsure of the immigration process and requirements? Here's your quick glimpse of the first and foremost step on the ladder!

Canada is a predominantly English-speaking country, with more than 70% of the population conversing in English. Therefore, one's Fluency in speaking the native language is not something one can be insouciant about when thinking of attaining a permanent residence in the Great White North (Canada).

What is CELPIP

The Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program is a general English language assessment tool that measures an individual's listening, writing, reading, and speaking competence. Its core aim is to establish one's ability to function in English, so it acts as an indicator of one's capability of surviving in a native English-speaking nation, namely Canada.

It is a fully computerized test consisting of MCQ-based items. Each year, more than tens of hundreds of people take the CELPIP, primarily for permanent residence or the IRCC. The demographic stats of the size of the number of people taking the test make it a highly competitive test. In light of this, it becomes quite pertinent to note the proper question format, strategic preparation, and guidelines that help get one in a better position.

Purpose of CELPIP

The major objective of CELPIP is to work as an indicator of a person's ability to communicate in English in daily conversations on any specific topic.

Components of CELPIP

The CELPIP test covers majorly 4 parts -

1. 1. Listening - Test takers need to listen to seven passages and answer questions in the form of comprehension questions. 2. Speaking - Test takers are assigned to speak on various topics ranging from giving advice to talking about personal experiences, persuasive talking, comparison, or opinions, among others. 3. Reading involves reading passages and answering comprehension-based questions. 4. Writing - The test takers must write an email and respond to a survey questionnaire.

Versions of CELPIP

The CELPIP Test comes in two versions: the CELPIP-General Test and the CELPIP-General LS Test. The CELPIP-General Test appraises a person's functional listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking skills and is used for those wishing to migrate to Canada by acquiring a PR.

On the other hand, the CELPIP-General LS Test assesses functional Listening and Speaking skills only. It is given to those who are in Canada and wish to have Canadian Citizenship.

Testing and Scoring

Most of the test is a multiple-choice questions type. Some items are scored by computerized software, with each correct answer contributing proportionately to the final score, while basically, the test is rated by Paragon-trained human raters. There is no negative marking, i.e., no marks are deducted for wrong answers. The scores are rated in 11 bands ranging between M - 12.