CELPIP vs. IELTS: My Test Experience and Lessons Learned

I took the CELPIP test and scored 8 in Reading and 7 in the other sections. Reading Part 4 had surprisingly difficult new words that I didn’t understand. Everyone said the Writing section was easy, so I went in with that mindset, but I only got a 7. There are specific details like text cohesion that people don’t usually mention. You don’t just get points for Writing; even if you memorize the beginning and end and write perfectly, if the text lacks cohesion, you won’t score well. So, if you're using a template, make sure it matches your language level. In Speaking, using templates can slow you down as you try to fit your answers into them. It took me three questions to get into the flow, and then I performed better on the rest.

I took IELTS with a tutor from Iran, seven sessions for Writing and Speaking. If your Writing skills aren’t strong, IELTS might not be ideal, but I improved with the tutor and scored a 6.5. I was satisfied with the other three skills and got an overall 7 in General IELTS. IELTS is really standard; the Listening answers are right there, and there’s no ridiculous Reading Part 4. The Speaking examiner asked questions in person, which felt much more logical to me compared to CELPIP.

Overall, if CELPIP isn’t working for you, consider IELTS; sometimes the IELTS exam structure aligns better with your skills.

Shared by Saeedreza