Task 1: Giving Advice
Practice advising a friend or colleague on a decision or problem.
š” Task 1: Giving Advice
The CELPIP Speaking test begins with a highly relatable, everyday scenario: Task 1: Giving Advice.
You will have 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak. You will be asked to give advice to a friend, family member, or colleague who is facing a decision (e.g., Your friend wants to lose weight, or your coworker is deciding whether to quit their job).
To achieve a CLB 9+, you must sound like a supportive, knowledgeable friend. You cannot just list commands; you must persuade them.
ā±ļø The Psychology of the "Advisor"
The grader is listening for Tone and Structure.
[!WARNING]
The Dictator Trap: Just like in the Writing test, you must avoid aggressive commands. If your friend wants to lose weight, and you say: "Go to the gym. Stop eating fast food. Run every day," you sound like an angry drill sergeant, not a friend. You must use "Modal Verbs" (should, could, might) to offer advice politely.
š The 3-Part Advice Formula
90 seconds is a very long time to speak. If you don't have a structure, you will run out of things to say at the 45-second mark. You must build a 3-part speech.
How to Beat It:
During your 30 seconds of prep time, outline your response using the Greeting -> Two Options -> Motivation formula.
1. The Empathetic Opening (15 seconds)
- Greet the person by name (invent a name!).
- Acknowledge their problem and validate their feelings.
- Example: "Hey John, I heard you're struggling to decide whether to take that new job. It's definitely a tough choice, but I've got a couple of ideas that might help."
2. The Two Options (60 seconds)
- Advice A: Give your first piece of advice. Explain why it works (Point + Evidence).
- Advice B: Give a second, distinct piece of advice. Explain why it works.
- Example: "First, you should really consider making a pros and cons list. It helps visualize the benefits. Secondly, if I were you, Iād try reaching out to someone who already works at that company on LinkedIn to get an insider's perspective."
3. The Motivational Closing (15 seconds)
- Offer future support and end on a positive, encouraging note.
- Example: "Whatever you decide, I know you'll make the right choice. Let's grab coffee this weekend and talk it over!"
šÆ Question Strategy: The "If I Were You" Flex
The ultimate grammatical flex in Task 1 is using the Second Conditional (The hypothetical). It is the most natural way to give advice in English, and graders specifically listen for it.
The Formula: If I were you, I would [Verb]...
- Basic: "You should talk to your boss."
- CLB 9+ Flex: "If I were in your shoes, I would definitely schedule a private meeting with the boss."
Using this structure guarantees high marks in the Grammar pillar.
š Essential "Advice" Vocabulary
Memorize these phrases to transition smoothly between your pieces of advice without sounding repetitive.
| The Goal | The CLB 9+ Phrasing |
|---|---|
| Opening | "I was just thinking about your situation..." |
| Giving the First Idea | "One option you might want to consider is..." |
| Giving the Second Idea | "Another great approach would be to..." |
| Adding weight to the advice | "From my own personal experience, I've found that..." |
| The Closing | "I've got your back no matter what you choose." |
ā Top 3 Giving Advice Mistakes
- Forgetting to Invent a Name: Starting the recording by saying, "Hello friend." This sounds unnatural and robotic. Say, "Hey Michael," or "Hi Sarah." Create a reality!
- Listing Instead of Explaining: "You should diet, exercise, sleep more, drink water, and read books." The grader doesn't want a list of 5 things. They want exactly 2 things, explained in deep detail (Why does it work? How do they do it?).
- Pacing Out: Reaching the 90-second limit while you are still explaining your first piece of advice. You must watch the clock. When you hit 45 seconds, you must transition to Advice B, regardless of whether you are finished with Advice A.
š Your 7-Day Advice Bootcamp
Train your brain to generate empathetic solutions:
- Day 1: Review the 3-Part Advice Formula and the "If I Were You" Flex.
- Day 2: The "Conditional" Drill. Write down 5 different problems (e.g., Lost dog, broken car, failed test). Speak out loud to the room: "If I were you, I would..." for each problem.
- Day 3: Take a Task 1 Practice Test. Focus entirely on delivering the Empathetic Opening. Make sure you use a fake name and validate their problem.
- Day 4: Study the Essential "Advice" Vocabulary table.
- Day 5: The "Two Options" Drill. Look at a random object (e.g., a pen). Invent two pieces of advice for someone buying a pen. Practice expanding on why they should follow the advice.
- Day 6: Full Mock Test. Execute the entire 90-second response. Watch the clock and transition to your second point at the 45-second mark.
- Day 7: Analyze your recording. Did you sound like a dictator? Replace direct commands with "You might want to..."
You know how to give the advice. Now, we refine the internal structure of your logic in Task 1: Structuring Your Advice.