On this page
The short version
Pick one option fast and say so in your first sentence. Give two reasons that are about the listener, not about you, then answer the strongest point for the other option. Finish with a clear closing line.
How the task works
Task 5 is the comparing and persuading task. You look at two options and choose one, then convince another person it is the better choice. Our speaking tasks overview gives the shape: your choice, then two reasons it is better. The prep and speaking times change by task, so check the current figures in the official sources below or use the speaking timer instead of trusting a number from a blog.
This page adds what the overview does not: one complete answer, and a close look at where the persuasion comes from.
The practice prompt
Invented prompt: Your brother Daniel has just moved to the fictional city of Larkmoor for a new job. He has found two apartments. Apartment A is a one-bedroom a short walk from the Harbour Line train station and costs more each month. Apartment B is larger, with a balcony, in a quiet neighbourhood in the hills, and costs less. Choose one apartment and persuade Daniel that it is the better choice.
Sample answer
This is an original transcript of the kind of answer a strong test taker could give. It is not a script to memorise, because a memorised answer that misses the question scores badly.
Transcript
I would choose the apartment near the Harbour Line station, and I think it is the better choice for you, Daniel, for two reasons.
First, the commute. You told me you start work at seven and you do not like driving in winter. The station is a four-minute walk from this building, so you could be at your desk in about thirty-five minutes without worrying about ice or parking. The other apartment is quieter, but it is in the hills, and you would need a car every single day.
Second, the cost over the whole year. Yes, the station apartment is two hundred dollars more each month. But you would not need to pay for gas, insurance changes or a parking space, and those costs add up quickly. I think you would actually save money.
I understand that the hill apartment has a balcony and a lot of space, and that is attractive. However, you are hardly at home on weekdays, and a balcony is not much use in the dark at six in the morning.
So, if you want an easier daily routine and fewer surprise expenses, the station apartment is clearly the stronger option. I would sign for it this week before someone else does.
Why it earns its level
This answer is written to show the features of a CLB 9 response. It is a practice estimate from our own marking guide. Here is what pushes it there.
- The choice comes first. “I would choose the apartment near the Harbour Line station” tells the listener the answer before any reasoning, so the task is fulfilled in the opening sentence.
- The reasons belong to Daniel. “You told me you start work at seven” and “you do not like driving in winter” make the argument personal. That is what persuading someone looks like, compared with listing facts about the building.
- The reasons are different from each other. One is time and comfort, the other is money. Two reasons in the same category sound like one reason said twice.
- It answers the other side. “I understand that the hill apartment has a balcony… However, you are hardly at home on weekdays” shows comparison, which is half of the task name.
- Linking words carry the listener. First, second, however and so make the structure easy to follow without notes.
- The vocabulary is natural, not fancy. “Surprise expenses”, “add up quickly” and “the stronger option” are phrases a speaker would really use.
Marking table
CELPIP speaking is marked on four dimensions. This is how the sample does on each, and what a stronger answer would add.
| Dimension | What this answer does | What would lift it |
|---|---|---|
| Content/Coherence | One clear choice, two separate reasons, a counter-point and a closing line, in a logical order. | Add one concrete detail to the money reason, such as what the station apartment saves each month, to make it measurable. |
| Vocabulary | Everyday but precise: commute, surprise expenses, add up, stronger option. | Use one or two more flexible phrases, for example “that outweighs the extra rent”, rather than repeating “better”. |
| Listenability | Steady pace, short sentences, easy to follow on one listen. Linking words mark each step. | Vary the sentence length slightly and stress the key words, such as “every single day”, so the answer sounds less read out. |
| Task Fulfillment | Compares both options and persuades a named person with reasons that match what they care about. | Compare the two options on the same point once more, for example commute against commute, before the closing line. |
What to take from it
- Say the choice in the first sentence, before you explain.
- Argue from the listener's situation. “For you” is stronger than “for most people”.
- Use the other option's best feature as your counter-point, then show why it matters less.
- End on the choice again, with a small call to action.
Common mistakes
- Choosing late. If you take twenty seconds to decide, you lose the time you need for reasons.
- Giving two reasons that are the same idea in different words.
- Describing the pictures instead of comparing them.
- Ignoring the other option completely, so the answer sounds one-sided rather than persuasive.
- Memorising a template that starts the same way whatever the options are.
Want to try it yourself? Record your own answer to a fresh prompt, then listen for the points above. The speaking practice set has prompts for all eight tasks, and the speaking timer has each task's prep and speaking times built in.
Questions
Do I have to pick the option I really prefer?
No. Pick the one you can support best. The marking looks at how you argue, not which option you chose.
Should I mention the option I reject?
Yes, briefly. One counter-point shows comparison, and comparison is what the task name asks for.
How long should my answer be?
Long enough to give your choice, two reasons and a close, and short enough to finish before the recording stops. Practise with the real timing in the speaking timer.
Sources (checked 26 October 2026)
Last reviewed 30 October 2026
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