If you recently signed up for the CELPIP general test, you must be busy preparing. CELPIP
evaluates a test taker’s English speaking, reading, listening, and writing
skills and is used for permanent residence applications and professional
designations. You may have already checked out the CELPIP-general online sample
test and hopefully feeling good about your upcoming exam. Whether you joined a CELPIP preparation program, or have been
studying on your own, it helps to know what exactly happens on the day of the
test.
Information Session
You should arrive 45
minutes before the exam start time to check in. If you don’t, you may not be
allowed to write the test. Once you arrive at the centre, one of the staff from
the test centre will give everyone a low down on the proceedings of the day. There
will be other candidates there as well, so that should calm your nerves a bit.
The staff will start by telling you the things you can and cannot bring into
the centre. Items that are prohibited include phones, pens/pencils, paper,
anything else they may specify. You can only take your ID (for example, your
passport) and your bottle of water.
If the centre has lockers,
you’d be asked to store your belongings in the locker; if not, they will have some
other kind of storing facility for your things, which you will leave behind before
entering the testing area.
Next, they will assign a
random number to you, and when they call out that number, you will walk to them
with your ID and a copy of the email that you must have received from CELPIP.
The email must carry your registration number, type of test (general or LS),
time, day, test location and so on.
Seating
Once the staff verifies
your ID and your identity, they will walk you to your seat. Your table will be
separated from the next person with a partition of some sort. You’d be asked to
leave your water bottle at a designated area. After they seat everyone, they
will go to each person separately to give instructions about how to log into
the system. They will provide you with your login information. Please listen to
them carefully.
Know that if you’re related
to someone or know them well – a spouse, partner, relative or friend – the
proctor will seat you two separately. The next step will be to check your
headset. You should be able to hear the sample recording that will play and be
able to record yourself as well.
Follow
the rules
The proctor/s will tell you
when it is time to start the test. However excited you may be, do not begin
before they say so, or you may be disqualified. Don’t talk or discuss anything
with the person next to you. The proctor will check once again if you’re
carrying your phone or anything else you’re not supposed to. This is the second
and last chance to come clean. If you are, now is the time to surrender those
things. Use the washroom before the test starts. You can certainly go while the
exam is underway but since the exam can’t be paused, you will be losing
valuable time.
Be
patient
Three hours is a long time
to sit still, and the questions may seem endless, but the key is to remain
patient and not rush through questions just because you’re bored. Remember, if
you don’t get your desired scores, you may have to retake the test and go
through the entire process again. And that will not be fun. Not only that, you
will also have to spend another three-hundred dollars.
Listen
to the instructions
Take the time to listen to
the recorded instructions for every section. Not only are these instructions
helpful, they also give you a little breather. Also, if you have finished a portion,
wait for the timer to end on its own instead of skipping or clicking next
because again, you want to give yourself all the break time you can.
Revise
Once you’re done with a set
of questions, don’t rush to the next. Some of the parts can be tricky, and at
times when you re-read, you will see that your first choice wasn’t accurate. If
you want to score well, you may want to keep some time to revise. Again,
patience helps. Do not get pressured by others who may have finished their exam
and are leaving the exam room. Take your time.
Don’t
skip any questions
There’s no negative
marking, so do not skip any questions. Attempt everything even if you don’t
know the answer. Look at every section carefully before hitting next, scroll
down fully. Sometimes, in our haste or
exhaustion, we may unsee parts. Be careful.
Zone
out
The size of the test centre
and the number of candidates usually decides the noise level in the room. You
may be distracted during the listening test, especially when the headset isn’t
a noise-cancelling one or others are excessively loud. This may happen even
after the proctor may have already requested all candidates to speak softly.
You have to find a way to zone out and focus on the task at hand. The key is not
to get irritated.
Call
for help
If you need extra scrap
paper to make notes, request for more. You can ask for as many as you want. If
there are any issues with the machine or the headset, raise your arm and call
for help. Do not try and fix things on your own. If the test has stopped
abruptly, you may have to login again. But don’t worry, it will start from
where you left off.
Once you’re done with the
test, get the proctor’s attention. They will walk you out of the test centre.
Collect your belongings and exit the facility quietly. That’s it. You’re done.
Don’t overthink and work yourself up. Wait calmly for the results.
According to the recent
announcement, you can now check your scores online within 4-5 business days.
The hard copy of your scores will come in the mail in a week or ten days.
If you’re having trouble
with any of the components of the CELPIP test, consider joining a CELPIP
Preparation program. Good luck.
