CELPIP vs IELTS, some personal opinions

[xiaohan]

Just a personal experience and opinion for CELPIP.
Listening: harder than IELTS. You can not see the questions before you listen the entire recording. Some times if the topic is difficult or you are not familiar with, it is hard to score a 9 or 10 for non native speaker.
Reading: easier than IELTS, each part is about one page long and the topics are normally close to your life. And answers are limited to 4 answers you can choose from. Unless your vocabulary is limited, because certain questions they would ask using different word, it should be easier than IELTS.
Writing: easier than IELTS. Each part is equal weighted and the software offers spelling correction/suggestions. For candidates familiar with keyboard, it is much faster for people to type than write.
Speaking: slightly harder than IELTS. It has more questions than IELTS, and there is no interaction between you and the examiner. And you need to practice to control the time when recording to cover all the required part and finish just before the time is up.

Most importarnt: CELPIP, you need to pray do not sit next to a native English speaker candidate when take the exam. Most of the candidates finish their listening and reading until the last minutes to make sure their answers are correct instead of speed. But some people finish the entire test in 70 minutes, which means when you just start you reading, they are already start typing or about to start their speaking section. It is completely a nightmare if you have such a neighbour like that in your test when you want to concentrate to read. This is what Paragon Testing Enterprise allows to happen and they are not going to do anything about it, just want candidates dealing with it.

 

[xpressentry]

Thanks for sharing. Very helpful insights.

 

[stevevutien]

Just a personal experience and opinion for CELPIP.
Listening: harder than IELTS. You can not see the questions before you listen the entire recording. Some times if the topic is difficult or you are not familiar with, it is hard to score a 9 or 10 for non native speaker.
Reading: easier than IELTS, each part is about one page long and the topics are normally close to your life. And answers are limited to 4 answers you can choose from. Unless your vocabulary is limited, because certain questions they would ask using different word, it should be easier than IELTS.
Writing: easier than IELTS. Each part is equal weighted and the software offers spelling correction/suggestions. For candidates familiar with keyboard, it is much faster for people to type than write.
Speaking: slightly harder than IELTS. It has more questions than IELTS, and there is no interaction between you and the examiner. And you need to practice to control the time when recording to cover all the required part and finish just before the time is up.

Most importarnt: CELPIP, you need to pray do not sit next to a native English speaker candidate when take the exam. Most of the candidates finish their listening and reading until the last minutes to make sure their answers are correct instead of speed. But some people finish the entire test in 70 minutes, which means when you just start you reading, they are already start typing or about to start their speaking section. It is completely a nightmare if you have such a neighbour like that in your test when you want to concentrate to read. This is what Paragon Testing Enterprise allows to happen and they are not going to do anything about it, just want candidates dealing with it.

@xioahan If you don't mind, could please share your testing results? Thanks

 

[thepilot]

the only hard part is the speaking part, it is very awkward having to keep talking after you already made your point in the question being asked.

Grading will be affected if you get cut off or you didn't talk the whole 2 minutes they give you.

 

[xpressentry]

I think speaking to a computer is the hard part. It's easier for me to speak to a real person.

 

[xiaohan]

And apparently, CELPIP discriminates non native or european candidates's work in the test.
I can easily get IELTS 7.5 or 8 out of 9 in speaking, but CELPIP only gives me 7 out of 12 for speaking, after re-evaluation, score remains the same.
And many other candidates have the same issue.

 

[xiaohan]

The sample answer for CELPIP's speaking test sounds immature English to me, but they gave 10-12 out of 12 for these candidates.
Really don't know how they give score for speaking and writing.

 

[thepilot]

Also depends on the testing location, I just got my scores and they are very harsh marking.

Better going directly to the people who made the test.

 

[thejkhan]

The sample answer for CELPIP's speaking test sounds immature English to me, but they gave 10-12 out of 12 for these candidates.
Really don't know how they give score for speaking and writing.

Maybe that "immature English" is better than your English.

 

[xiaohan]

Yeah maybe.

No offence, even other candidates who prepared for their IELTS felt the same and they are in different ethnicity group as me.

But I guarantee to score 7.5 or more in IELTS should prove something, right? Plus it's a more global recognized than a Canada only exam.

 

[CelpipBuddy]

please find celpip material and speaking topics for free in

celpiptest blogspot

 

[vishalgupta95]

I have following scored in CELPIP L =10 R= 10 W= 8 S=6 . I got almost similar result two times. Even I am doing well in speaking section , but I am not able to clear speaking.

Any help..

Not able to understand what is happening wrong in speaking section?

 

[BeemerM5]

Just a personal experience and opinion for CELPIP.
Listening: harder than IELTS. You can not see the questions before you listen the entire recording. Some times if the topic is difficult or you are not familiar with, it is hard to score a 9 or 10 for non native speaker.
Reading: easier than IELTS, each part is about one page long and the topics are normally close to your life. And answers are limited to 4 answers you can choose from. Unless your vocabulary is limited, because certain questions they would ask using different word, it should be easier than IELTS.
Writing: easier than IELTS. Each part is equal weighted and the software offers spelling correction/suggestions. For candidates familiar with keyboard, it is much faster for people to type than write.
Speaking: slightly harder than IELTS. It has more questions than IELTS, and there is no interaction between you and the examiner. And you need to practice to control the time when recording to cover all the required part and finish just before the time is up.

Most importarnt: CELPIP, you need to pray do not sit next to a native English speaker candidate when take the exam. Most of the candidates finish their listening and reading until the last minutes to make sure their answers are correct instead of speed. But some people finish the entire test in 70 minutes, which means when you just start you reading, they are already start typing or about to start their speaking section. It is completely a nightmare if you have such a neighbour like that in your test when you want to concentrate to read. This is what Paragon Testing Enterprise allows to happen and they are not going to do anything about it, just want candidates dealing with it.

 

[BeemerM5]

Maybe see my post on specifically this point. I cannot in good conscience recommend CELPIP over IELTS. There is a fundamental problem with their written part in either the subjects offered or the marking system.