CELPIP Listening Part 5: Listening to a Discussion
Keep three speakers’ positions separate as they negotiate, disagree and respond to one another.
At a glance
- Typical part time
- 9 minutes · approx.
- Questions
- 8
- Full skill time
- 46–55 minutes
Part timings are approximate. Follow the timer and instructions displayed on your test screen. Listening and Reading each have 38 scored questions; additional unscored material can appear, so attempt every part.
For a realistic first attempt, listen once without pausing. Use MockPip’s replay and transcript tools afterward to review what you missed.
Format reference: official Listening study pack · current test format. Checked 4 October 2026.
What you will do
A video discussion involving three speakers, followed by eight written questions together on one screen.
Manage this part’s time
Set up three speaker columns before watching. After the video, divide the remaining question time across eight items, leaving a short final pass for unresolved answers.
Practice routines are MockPip suggestions, not additional official timing rules.A step-by-step approach
- Identify each speaker by their position in the video.
- Record their preference and the reason behind it.
- Track reactions to other people’s proposals.
- Answer according to the named speaker or the group’s final position.
Techniques for this part
- Use initials or left/centre/right labels consistently; update a position only when that speaker changes it.
- Separate agreement on a goal from agreement on a method. People can want the same result but prefer different plans.
- Watch reactions to help interpret tone, then verify your interpretation against the spoken exchange.
See the technique in action
Original mini-example: Three neighbours agree to hold an event. One supports Saturday, another prefers Sunday, and the third supports Saturday only if it ends early. Their shared goal does not mean they agree on every condition.
This example is independently written for practice.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Giving one person another speaker’s reason.
- Assuming silence means agreement.
- Spending attention on incidental visual details instead of the discussion.
Choose an answer for every question
Wrong answers do not lose points. Eliminate implausible choices, then choose one best answer per question; leave no question blank. This does not mean selecting every option.
Official guidance on guessing and answering all questions →Your next practice exercise
Pause only in review and identify which line belongs in each speaker column. Explain one disagreement and one compromise without using the transcript.
Before you finish
- Can I distinguish all three positions?
- Did I capture conditions on agreement?
- Have I completed all eight responses?
MockPip’s techniques and practice examples are independently created. MockPip is not affiliated with or endorsed by CELPIP or its test provider. Practice results are not official CELPIP scores.