CELPIP Listening Parts 1-6: What Each Part Tests and How to Prep

CELPIP Listening has 6 parts. They get harder as you go.

Parts 1 to 3 use multiple choice. Parts 4 to 6 switch to dropdown menus, with audio that's longer and denser. By Part 6, you're tracking conflicting opinions inside a single monologue. Sound stressful?

This guide walks each part: what you'll hear, how many questions you'll answer, and one prep tip per section.

The whole Listening section runs about 46 to 55 minutes. Audio plays once. No rewind, no replay, no second chance.

Two question formats

Parts 1, 2, and 3 use multiple choice: pick one of four answers. Parts 4, 5, and 6 use drop-down menus shown after the audio. In Parts 4 and 6 you pick the ending that completes each sentence; in Part 5 you pick the answer to each question. Drop-down parts test exact wording, not just the gist.

Format: One conversation between a man and a woman, played in 3 sections of about 1 to 1.5 minutes each. 8 multiple-choice questions, 2 or 3 after each section, each one read aloud. You can hear a complete Part 1 in our CELPIP listening test sample.

What it tests: Spotting a problem, the speakers' goals, and the solution they agree on.

Prep tip: Note the relationship before the problem. Customer and clerk, or two coworkers: the relationship shapes what they're trying to fix.

Format: One conversation between two speakers, around 5 minutes total. 5 multiple-choice questions.

What it tests: Everyday situations like a phone call or a return at a store. Tone and intent matter, not just facts.

Prep tip: Track each speaker's mood. A polite refusal still counts as a refusal. Don't confuse politeness with agreement.

Format: Two speakers on a focused topic, one supplying information the other asks for. 6 multiple-choice questions.

What it tests: Specialist content from a doctor, librarian, or customer service rep. You're listening for facts, dates, and reasons.

Prep tip: Use your noteboard. Jot one keyword per fact while listening. Don't trust memory alone.

Format: A 1.5-minute news clip in the style of Canadian radio or TV. 5 dropdown questions, 3 minutes to answer.

What it tests: Following a news structure: who, what, where, when, and the consequences.

Prep tip: Listen to CBC News briefs for a week. Why CBC? The pacing and vocabulary on the test mirror Canadian newscasts almost exactly.

Format: A 1.5 to 2 minute video discussion between three named speakers. 8 questions on screen at once, each answered from a drop-down menu, about 9 minutes total to watch and answer. You can hear a full Part 5 discussion and answer it in our CELPIP listening practice for Parts 4 to 6.

What it tests: Tracking who said what when three speakers weigh in on a decision. Workplace planning, neighbours organising an event, and classmates dividing a group project come up most often.

Prep tip: Label the three speakers on your noteboard as soon as they introduce themselves. By question 5, you'll forget who said what without notes.

Format: A longer monologue presenting different viewpoints on one topic. 6 dropdown questions.

What it tests: Catching opinions, not just facts. The speaker compares views, sometimes without saying which side they take.

Prep tip: Mark each viewpoint with a quick plus or minus the first time it shows up. Questions almost always ask which side a given claim supports.

Keep exploring: CELPIP Test Format: All 4 Sections

Six parts, two formats, one test. Drill one part per study session and the cliff at Part 6 flattens out.