CELPIP is a test of everyday English in Canada: renting an apartment, talking to a neighbour, writing to a manager, making a complaint, choosing between two options. You don't need rare or academic words. You need a good range of common words used precisely, so the listener or reader understands exactly what you mean.
Below are about 200 words and phrases grouped by topic. Each one has a short meaning and an example sentence. Vocabulary is one of the areas CELPIP rates in both Speaking and Writing, but a few precise words used naturally help more than a long list of memorized ones.
How to study this list: choose one topic a day, say each example out loud, and then use three new words in your own answer to a practice task. A word you have used yourself is much easier to remember on test day.
Want more for Speaking? Download my free CELPIP Speaking Vocabulary Booster (PDF): 10 more everyday topics, answer frames and practice prompts.
1. Housing and Renting
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| landlord | the person who owns and rents out a home | My landlord lives in the same building. |
| tenant | a person who rents a home | Tenants must give notice before they move out. |
| lease | a rental agreement | I signed a one-year lease in March. |
| rent | the money you pay to live in a place | The rent is due on the first of the month. |
| security deposit | money you pay at the start, returned later if there is no damage (rules differ by province) | I got my security deposit back when I moved out. |
| utilities | services like electricity, water, gas and heat | Are utilities included in the rent? |
| furnished / unfurnished | with or without furniture | We're looking for an unfurnished two-bedroom apartment. |
| move in / move out | start or stop living somewhere | We're moving in on Saturday. |
| give notice | tell someone officially that you will leave | I gave my landlord two months' notice. |
| maintenance request | a request to the owner or manager to fix something | I submitted a maintenance request for the heater. |
| building manager | the person responsible for an apartment building | The building manager has a key to every unit. |
| unit | one apartment in a building | My unit is on the fourth floor. |
| basement suite | an apartment on the lowest level of a house | A basement suite is usually cheaper. |
| roommate | a person you share a home with | My roommate and I split the bills. |
| split the bills | share the cost | We split the bills fifty-fifty. |
| leak | water coming through a hole or crack | There's a leak under the kitchen sink. |
| heating | the system that keeps a home warm | The heating stopped working last night. |
| pest problem | insects or mice in a home | We have a pest problem in the storage room. |
| in-suite laundry | a washer and dryer inside the apartment | In-suite laundry saves a lot of time. |
| parking stall | a parking space | The rent includes one parking stall. |
| within walking distance | close enough to walk | The school is within walking distance. |
| close to transit | near buses or trains | I need a place close to transit. |
| spacious | with a lot of space | The living room is bright and spacious. |
| cramped | too small, with little space | The second bedroom is a bit cramped. |
| affordable | not too expensive | It's hard to find an affordable place downtown. |
| neighbourhood | the area around your home | It's a quiet, family-friendly neighbourhood. |
| renovated | repaired and improved | The bathroom was renovated last year. |
| pet-friendly | where pets are allowed | We need a pet-friendly building for our dog. |
| renew the lease | continue the rental agreement | We decided to renew the lease for another year. |
| downsize | move to a smaller home | After the kids left, they decided to downsize. |
2. Neighbours and Community
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| get along with | have a friendly relationship | I get along well with my neighbours. |
| keep it down | be quieter (informal) | Could you keep it down after 10 p.m.? |
| noise complaint | an official report about noise | Someone made a noise complaint about the party. |
| quiet hours | times when people must be quiet | Quiet hours start at 10 p.m. in our building. |
| shared space | an area everyone uses | The garden is a shared space. |
| common area | a shared room or area in a building | Please keep the common areas clean. |
| community centre | a public building for local activities | The community centre offers free English classes. |
| volunteer | work without pay to help others | I volunteer at the food bank on Sundays. |
| fundraiser | an event to collect money | The school is holding a fundraiser for new books. |
| local residents | people who live in an area | Local residents asked for a new crosswalk. |
| block party | a street party for neighbours | We meet our neighbours at the summer block party. |
| look after | take care of | Could you look after my plants while I'm away? |
| do someone a favour | help someone | Could you do me a favour and collect my mail? |
| return the favour | help someone who helped you | Thanks so much. I'll return the favour. |
| lend / borrow | give for a short time / take for a short time | Can I borrow your ladder? I can lend you my drill. |
| considerate | thinking about other people's feelings | It was very considerate of you to warn us. |
| inconvenience | a problem that causes trouble | Sorry for any inconvenience. |
| reach an agreement | decide something together | We reached an agreement about the parking. |
| compromise | an agreement where each side gives something | Let's find a compromise that works for both of us. |
| bring up | start talking about a topic | I didn't want to bring up the noise, but it's every night. |
| sort out | solve | Let's sort out the parking problem this week. |
| welcoming | friendly to new people | The neighbourhood is very welcoming to newcomers. |
3. Work and Jobs
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| apply for | ask officially for a job | I'm applying for a position at the hospital. |
| job posting | an advertisement for a job | I saw the job posting online. |
| résumé | a document about your work and education | Please send your résumé and cover letter. |
| reference | a person who can describe your work | My former manager agreed to be a reference. |
| qualified | having the right skills or training | She is well qualified for the role. |
| full-time / part-time | working all or some of the normal hours | I work part-time on weekends. |
| shift | a period of work | I have the early shift tomorrow. |
| cover a shift | work instead of a coworker | Could you cover my shift on Friday? |
| overtime | extra hours of work | I worked overtime to finish the project. |
| deadline | the latest time to finish something | The deadline is Thursday at noon. |
| workload | the amount of work you have | My workload is heavy this month. |
| coworker / colleague | a person you work with | My coworkers organized a farewell lunch. |
| supervisor | the person in charge of you or your team | I asked my supervisor for feedback. |
| promotion | a move to a higher position | She got a promotion after two years. |
| raise | an increase in pay | I asked for a raise during my review. |
| performance review | a meeting about how well you work | My performance review is next week. |
| time off | days when you are not working | I'd like to request some time off in July. |
| call in sick | phone work to say you are ill | He called in sick this morning. |
| training session | a meeting to learn skills | All new staff attend a training session. |
| team player | someone who works well with others | We're looking for a reliable team player. |
| reliable | someone you can trust to do things | She's the most reliable person on the team. |
| flexible hours | hours you can partly choose | Flexible hours help parents with young kids. |
| work remotely | work from home or another place | I work remotely two days a week. |
| commute | the trip to and from work | My commute takes forty minutes each way. |
| benefits | extra things an employer gives, such as health coverage | The job comes with good benefits. |
| resign | leave your job officially | He resigned to start his own business. |
| job offer | an official offer of a job | I received a job offer from a bank. |
| customer service | helping customers | I have five years of customer service experience. |
| take on more responsibility | accept more duties | I'm ready to take on more responsibility. |
| gain experience | learn by doing | Volunteering helped me gain Canadian work experience. |
4. Complaints and Problems
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| make a complaint | say officially that something is wrong | I'd like to make a complaint about my order. |
| faulty / defective | not working correctly | The blender I bought is faulty. |
| damaged | broken or harmed | The box arrived damaged. |
| out of order | not working (for machines) | The elevator has been out of order for a week. |
| refund | money given back | I'd like a full refund. |
| exchange | give something back and get another | Can I exchange this jacket for a larger size? |
| receipt | a paper or email proving you paid | I still have the receipt. |
| warranty | a promise to repair or replace a product | The laptop is still under warranty. |
| overcharged | asked to pay too much | I think I was overcharged by twenty dollars. |
| billing error | a mistake on a bill | There seems to be a billing error on my account. |
| delay | when something happens later than planned | We apologize for the delay. |
| cancelled | not happening anymore | My flight was cancelled at the last minute. |
| mix-up | a mistake where things are confused | There was a mix-up with our booking. |
| unacceptable | too bad to accept | Waiting three weeks for a reply is unacceptable. |
| disappointed | unhappy because something was worse than expected | I was disappointed with the service. |
| frustrating | making you feel annoyed | It's frustrating to call five times. |
| resolve the issue | solve the problem | I hope we can resolve the issue quickly. |
| compensation | money or something given for a loss | I'm asking for compensation for the damaged items. |
| escalate | take a problem to a higher level | If it isn't fixed, I'll have to escalate it. |
| customer service representative | an employee who helps customers | The representative promised to call me back. |
| follow up | contact again to check | I'm following up on my email from last week. |
| as soon as possible | very soon | Please fix the heater as soon as possible. |
| put up with | accept something unpleasant | We've put up with the noise for months. |
| go wrong | stop working or happen badly | Everything went wrong on moving day. |
| turn out | be found to be, often unexpectedly | The "new" phone turned out to be used. |
5. Polite Requests and Email Phrases
| Phrase | When to use it | Example |
|---|
| I am writing to… | start a formal email | I am writing to ask about the evening class. |
| I'm writing about… | start a semi-formal email | I'm writing about the parking in our building. |
| Could you please…? | a polite request | Could you please confirm the date? |
| Would it be possible to…? | a very polite request | Would it be possible to change my appointment? |
| I was wondering if… | a soft, polite request | I was wondering if you could help me move. |
| I would appreciate it if… | a formal request | I would appreciate it if you could reply by Friday. |
| Do you mind if…? | ask for permission | Do you mind if I bring a friend? |
| I'd like to request… | ask formally | I'd like to request a day off on May 3. |
| Thank you for… | thank someone | Thank you for your quick reply. |
| I'm sorry to hear that… | show sympathy | I'm sorry to hear that you've been sick. |
| Unfortunately,… | give bad news | Unfortunately, I can't attend the meeting. |
| I'm afraid… | give bad news politely | I'm afraid the date doesn't work for me. |
| As you may know,… | introduce background | As you may know, the pool is closed for repairs. |
| I would like to suggest… | make a suggestion | I would like to suggest a different time. |
| One option would be to… | offer a solution | One option would be to share the costs. |
| Please let me know… | ask for a reply | Please let me know if you need anything else. |
| I look forward to hearing from you. | end a formal email | I look forward to hearing from you. |
| Thanks in advance. | thank before someone helps | Thanks in advance for your help. |
| Kind regards / Best regards | formal sign-offs | Kind regards, Anna Novak |
| Take care / See you soon | friendly sign-offs | Take care, and see you on Saturday! |
| Sorry for the short notice. | apologize for a late request | Sorry for the short notice, but could you… |
| Just a quick note to… | a friendly, informal opening | Just a quick note to say thanks for dinner. |
For full model emails, see CELPIP Writing Task 1 sample emails.
6. Comparing and Persuading
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| compared with… | when you compare | Compared with the café, the library is much quieter. |
| …is better value | gives more for the money | The community hall is better value. |
| costs … less / more | price difference | The train costs fifty dollars less. |
| is more convenient | easier to use or reach | The closer gym is more convenient after work. |
| on the other hand | introduces the other side | On the other hand, the restaurant is expensive. |
| whereas / while | shows contrast in one sentence | The hall has a kitchen, whereas the restaurant doesn't. |
| in terms of… | when talking about a particular area | In terms of price, the hall wins. |
| the main advantage is… | the most important good point | The main advantage is the location. |
| the downside is… | the bad point | The downside is that it closes early. |
| I see your point, but… | accept, then disagree | I see your point, but the price matters more. |
| I understand that…, but… | concede politely | I understand that it's closer, but it's too small. |
| What matters most is… | name the key factor | What matters most is that everyone can get there. |
| That means… | explain a consequence | That means we wouldn't need to drive. |
| In the long run,… | over a long time | In the long run, it will save us money. |
| It makes more sense to… | it is the smarter choice | It makes more sense to book the bigger room. |
| a better fit for… | more suitable for | The art camp is a better fit for our schedule. |
| worth the extra cost | good enough to pay more for | Reliable Wi-Fi is worth the extra cost. |
| just as… as | equally | The library is just as close as the café. |
| far / much + comparative | a big difference | It's much cheaper and far quieter. |
| slightly + comparative | a small difference | The hall is slightly further away. |
| has more room for… | more space | It has more room for the kids to play. |
| fits our budget | costs what we can pay | Only the hall fits our budget. |
| Why don't we…? | make a suggestion | Why don't we try it for one month? |
| Let's go with… | decide on a choice | Let's go with the community hall. |
| So I really think… | finish persuasively | So I really think the train is the better choice. |
See this language in action in CELPIP Speaking Task 5 sample answers.
7. Advice and Difficult Situations
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| If I were you, I'd… | give advice | If I were you, I'd talk to your manager first. |
| You might want to… | soft advice | You might want to check the bus schedule. |
| It's a good idea to… | advice | It's a good idea to keep all your receipts. |
| Have you thought about…? | suggest an idea | Have you thought about joining a club? |
| Make sure you… | strong advice | Make sure you read the lease carefully. |
| I'd recommend… | advice | I'd recommend booking early. |
| That way,… | explain the result of advice | That way, you won't miss the deadline. |
| I know this isn't easy. | show support | I know this isn't easy, but you'll be fine. |
| I understand how you feel. | show empathy | I understand how you feel about the move. |
| I know you were counting on me. | admit you are letting someone down | I know you were counting on me this weekend. |
| I won't be able to… | say no clearly | I won't be able to help on Saturday. |
| The thing is,… | introduce a reason | The thing is, I have to work that day. |
| I've decided to… | give a decision | I've decided to keep my booking. |
| Would it help if I…? | offer an alternative | Would it help if I came on Sunday instead? |
| What if we…? | suggest a solution | What if we split the job into two days? |
| I'll make it up to you. | promise to do something nice later because you let someone down | I'll make it up to you next weekend. |
| I hope you understand. | close politely | I hope you understand. |
| I really appreciate it. | thank sincerely | I really appreciate your patience. |
| as a last resort | if nothing else works | As a last resort, we could hire movers. |
| it's not the end of the world | it's not a serious problem | Missing one class isn't the end of the world. |
More examples: CELPIP Speaking Task 6 sample answers.
8. Opinions and Reasons
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| In my opinion,… | give your view | In my opinion, the city should build more bike lanes. |
| I strongly believe… | a strong opinion | I strongly believe that schools should teach cooking. |
| I'm in favour of… | support an idea | I'm in favour of a four-day work week. |
| I'm against… | oppose an idea | I'm against closing the library. |
| The main reason is… | your first reason | The main reason is safety. |
| Another reason is… | a second reason | Another reason is the cost. |
| For example, / For instance, | give an example | For example, my neighbour's son walks to school. |
| As a result, | introduce what happened because of something | As a result, fewer people drive downtown. |
| This would allow… | explain a benefit | This would allow parents to work more flexibly. |
| It depends on… | the answer changes with the situation | It depends on where you live. |
| I see both sides, but… | understand both opinions, then choose | I see both sides, but overall I think the new park is a good idea. |
| In my experience, | based on what you have seen | In my experience, people walk more when shops are close by. |
| in some cases | sometimes | In some cases, online classes work better. |
| Some people argue that…, but… | mention the other side | Some people argue that it's too expensive, but… |
| Overall, | sum up | Overall, I think the plan is a good idea. |
| That's why I think… | conclude | That's why I think the park should stay open. |
9. Describing Pictures and Places
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| In the foreground / background | the front / back of the picture | In the background, there's a large building. |
| On the left / right | position | On the left, a woman is holding a map. |
| In the middle / centre | position | In the middle of the picture, there's a fountain. |
| next to / behind / in front of | position | A boy is standing behind the counter. |
| It looks like… | describe what you think you see | It looks like a farmers' market. |
| It seems that… | describe a likely situation | It seems that they're waiting for a bus. |
| crowded / busy | with many people | The station is very crowded. |
| is about to… | will do something very soon | The man is about to cross the street. |
| is likely to / will probably | prediction | The child is likely to drop the ice cream. |
| is shaped like… | describe an unusual shape | The chair is shaped like a giant hand. |
| is made of… | material | It's made of glass and metal. |
| about the size of… | compare size | It's about the size of a small car. |
| There's a … attached to… | describe parts | There's a basket attached to the front. |
| bright / colourful | full of light or colour | The room is bright and colourful. |
| outdoor / indoor | outside / inside | It looks like an outdoor festival. |
How to Use These Words on Test Day
- Choose accuracy over difficulty. "The heater is broken" is better than a rare word you're not sure about.
- Use the task's own topic words. If the task mentions a lease, a refund or a shift, use those words correctly in your answer.
- Don't force words in. A memorized phrase that doesn't fit the situation sounds unnatural. Use a word only when it says exactly what you mean.
- Learn phrases, not single words. "Submit a maintenance request" is more useful than "maintenance" alone.
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