CELPIP · READING TASK GUIDE
Reading for Information
Four short paragraphs, each on the same topic from a different angle, and statements to match back to them.
How the task works
Four short paragraphs, each approaching the same topic differently — four people, four places, four programmes — and nine statements to match back to the right paragraph, in ten minutes.
One statement will not match any paragraph, and there is an option for that.
Strategy that works
- Give each paragraph a two-word label before you read a single statement.
- Match on the specific claim, not the shared topic. All four paragraphs are about the same subject.
- Do the obvious matches first and let them narrow the field for the rest.
What costs marks
- Forcing every statement onto a paragraph when one genuinely belongs to none.
- Matching on a repeated keyword that appears in three of the four paragraphs.
- Re-reading all four paragraphs for every statement.
Practise it
Worked examples of this task, with answers and explanations, are on the CELPIP reading samples page. The rest of the section is set out on the CELPIP reading description page.
Common questions
How long do I get?
10 minutes.
Do I type the answers?
No. Reading answers are chosen from drop-down lists, and a wrong answer costs nothing, so never leave one blank.
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