CELPIP vs. IELTS: Luck, Challenges, and Scoring Concerns

My Thoughts on the CELPIP Exam

1. General Impression:

   • I find the CELPIP exam to be somewhat luck-dependent.

2. Listening:

   • I thought I had done poorly because it was harder than the sample questions on the CELPIP website.

   • I usually take notes during Listening practice, and my scores were consistently good.

   • However, during the actual test, the sections moved much faster, and it was impossible to take notes.

   • Despite this, my score turned out well.

3. Reading:

   • My Reading score was one point lower than what I usually achieved in the sample tests on the website.

4. Writing:

   • I wrote my responses very well during the test and expected to score a 10.

   • I used topic-relevant vocabulary and complex grammar structures without any grammatical errors.

   • However, I received a score of 7, which I found unreasonable.

   • When comparing my responses to CELPIP's own samples for scores of 10-12, I didn’t see a significant difference.

   • I avoided using overly fancy or unnecessary words.

5. Speaking:

   • The Speaking section was graded harshly.

6. Comparison with IELTS:

   • I’ve taken IELTS before, and even without preparation, I could estimate my performance and scores more accurately.

   • My IELTS scores were higher compared to CELPIP.

   • I feel that going back to IELTS might be a better option for me.

Shared by Maryam