In Task 2 you tell a short story about something that happened to you. The question usually asks about one specific kind of experience, for example a time someone helped you, a difficult decision or a moment you felt proud. You have only 60 seconds, so the skill is choosing one story quickly and telling it clearly.
Please note: the sample answers below are my original teaching examples, not official CELPIP responses, and they have not been scored by CELPIP. Use them to study how a clear story is built, not as scripts to memorize.
How Task 2 Works
| What you get | Time |
|---|---|
| A question about a personal experience, often with two or three parts (for example: what happened, who was there, how did you feel). | Read and prepare: 30 seconds |
| You tell the story. | Speak: 60 seconds |
Three things to remember:
- The story doesn't have to be true. This is a language test, not an interview about your life. If you can't remember a real experience, a realistic invented one is fine.
- Answer every part of the question. If it asks what happened and why it was important, you need both. Forgetting the second part is a common problem.
- One story, not three. Sixty seconds is enough for one event told well.
A Simple Plan for Your 30 Seconds
Choose your story in the first five seconds. Don't wait for the perfect one. Then write three key words:
- Setting: when and where (one sentence).
- The main event: what happened, with one or two concrete details. Spend most of your time here.
- The ending: the result, plus the part the question asks for, such as how you felt or what you learned.
Useful Phrases for Telling a Story
- Setting the scene: A few years ago… / Last winter, when I was… / It happened during my first month in…
- Moving the story forward: At first… / Then… / After that… / Suddenly… / A few minutes later…
- Background actions (past continuous): I was waiting for the bus when… / We were getting ready to leave when…
- Feelings: I was really nervous / relieved / grateful / proud. / I couldn't believe it.
- Ending and reflection: In the end… / Looking back, I think… / That experience taught me… / Since then, I've always…
Use the past simple for the main events (I called, she helped, we finished) and the past continuous for what was happening in the background (it was snowing, I was walking home).
Sample Answer 1: A Time Someone Helped You
Prompt: Talk about a time when someone you didn't know helped you. What happened, and how did you feel?
Last January, I was driving home from work late in the evening when my car got stuck in deep snow at the end of my street. I tried to rock the car back and forth several times, but the wheels just kept spinning.
I was getting really worried, because it was dark and very cold. Then a man walking his dog stopped and asked if I needed help. He went to his house, came back with a shovel, and started clearing the snow around my tires. After about ten minutes, he told me to drive slowly while he pushed from behind, and the car finally moved.
I felt so relieved and grateful. I didn't even know his name, but he spent his evening helping a stranger. Since then, I've always kept a small shovel in my car, and now I stop whenever I see someone in the same situation.
Why it works: a one-sentence setting, then most of the time on the main event with concrete details (shovel, pushed from behind, ten minutes). It answers both parts of the question (what happened and how did you feel) and ends with a short reflection.
Sample Answer 2: A Difficult Decision
Prompt: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision. What was the decision, and why was it difficult?
About two years ago, I had to decide whether to accept a job offer in another city. The job was a great opportunity. The salary was higher and the work was exactly what I had studied for.
But it was a difficult decision, because my parents were getting older, and the new city was a five-hour drive away. I was also in the middle of a course at a local college, and I didn't want to quit.
For about a week, I couldn't sleep well. I made a list of pros and cons and talked to my family. In the end, my parents told me to take the job, and the company agreed to let me start one month later, so I could finish my course first.
Looking back, I'm glad I accepted. I visit my parents once a month, and the experience gave me a lot of confidence.
Why it works: the question has two parts (what was the decision and why was it difficult), and the answer spends clear time on both. The reasons are specific (a five-hour drive, a course at a local college), and the story has a real ending.
Sample Answer 3: A Moment You Felt Proud
Prompt: Talk about a time when you felt proud of yourself. What did you do?
I felt really proud of myself last spring, when I gave my first speech in English in front of about forty people.
I was volunteering at a community centre, and the coordinator asked me to say a few words at the end-of-year event about why I volunteer. At first, I wanted to say no, because I was nervous about my accent. But I decided to try.
I practised my speech every evening for two weeks. I recorded myself on my phone and listened for the places where I was speaking too fast. On the day of the event, my hands were shaking at the beginning, but after the first minute I started to relax. When I finished, people clapped, and a woman came up to me and said my story made her want to volunteer too.
That was the moment I realized my English was much better than I thought.
Why it works: the answer goes straight to the event, explains what the speaker did (the question asks this directly), and builds to a clear high point. The details (forty people, recorded myself, hands were shaking) make a simple story come alive.
A Weaker vs a Stronger Version
Weaker: "My neighbour helped me. She is very nice. I learned a lot from her. It was a good experience."
Stronger: "Instead of fixing my bike tire for me, she showed me each step. A month later, I fixed a flat tire myself on the way home."
The weaker version gives general opinions. The stronger version tells the listener what actually happened and what changed as a result.
Common Mistakes in Task 2
- A long introduction. If the first 20 seconds are background, there is little time left for the actual event.
- Answering only part of the question. Check for words like why, how did you feel or what did you learn.
- Telling several short stories. One event with details is stronger than three events with none.
- Mixing up tenses. Tell the story in the past, and use the present only for the reflection at the end (Now I always…).
- Spending the preparation time looking for a perfect memory. Choose quickly, or invent a realistic story.
- Stopping without an ending. Even one sentence (In the end, everything worked out) makes the story feel complete.
10 CELPIP Speaking Task 2 Practice Questions
Set a timer: 30 seconds to prepare, 60 seconds to speak. Record yourself and check: did you tell one story, give concrete details and answer every part of the question?
- Talk about a time when you got lost. What happened, and how did you find your way?
- Describe a time when you helped a friend or family member with a problem.
- Talk about a time when something didn't go as planned. What did you do?
- Describe a celebration that was special to you. Why do you remember it?
- Talk about a time when you had to work with a difficult person.
- Describe a time when you learned something important from a mistake.
- Talk about a trip that you enjoyed. What made it memorable?
- Describe a time when you were late for something important. What happened?
- Talk about a time when you tried a new hobby or activity. How did it go?
- Describe a time when you received good news. How did you react?
Keep Practising
- See all eight tasks with sample answers: CELPIP Speaking sample answers.
- Learn the strategy for every task: CELPIP Speaking task-by-task guide.
- Longer answers: CELPIP Speaking Task 1 sample answers and Task 7 sample answers.
- Picture tasks: CELPIP Speaking Task 3 and 4 sample answers.
- Not sure what level you need? CELPIP scores and CLB levels explained.
If you want feedback on your own Task 2 answers, see CELPIP preparation with Masha.