Hi, Alex. I wanted to talk to you about something that's been bothering me for a while. I value the time we've lived together, but honestly, I don't think our current living arrangement is working very well anymore. I think it may be better for both of us if you find another place to live. First of all, we've had several problems with the way we share the apartment. For example, there have been occasions when your friends have stayed late at night, and it's made it difficult for me to get enough rest, especially when I have to work the next morning. I've also noticed that the kitchen and living room are sometimes left untidy, which means I often end up cleaning shared spaces myself. Another important concern is the financial situation. There have been a few occasions when your share of the bills was paid late. I understand that unexpected problems can happen, but when we share an apartment, both of us need to be able to rely on each other financially. I want to make it clear that I'm not trying to start an argument or blame you for everything. I simply think we have different lifestyles and expectations about sharing a home. Sometimes, even when two people get along as friends, they may not be compatible as roommates. I'd like us to handle this respectfully and give you enough time to find another place. We can discuss a reasonable moving date so that you aren't under unnecessary pressure. So, Alex, I hope you understand that this isn't a personal attack. I just believe that living separately would reduce the tension and allow us to maintain a better relationship as friends.
Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation
Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation belongs to the Speaking component of CELPIP. The task gives you 60 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. Responses are rated on 4 areas: Content / Coherence, Vocabulary, Listenability, Task Fulfillment.
- Preparation
- 60 seconds
- Speaking time
- 60 seconds
- Prompts here
- 23 published
Facts, fairness, a clear ask
Our method for this task — study advice, not an official rule.
- 1
Describe the problem with details
What happened, when, how much, how often. A precise description gets taken seriously; a vague complaint invites a vague reply.
- 2
Show you see the other side
One sentence that recognises the other person's position — a busy colleague, a relative's feelings — keeps the conversation calm. The situations in this task are built so that either choice costs something, and stronger answers admit it.
- 3
Say exactly what you want to happen
A request with a clear next step — who does what, and by when — gives the conversation somewhere to go.
Precise and polite beats loud.
Detail persuades; turning up the emotion does not.
Here you will find the language of tact: words for explaining a hard choice, turning someone down kindly and keeping a relationship intact. The entries focus on softening phrases, apologies and offers that let you deliver unwelcome news gracefully.
Before you practise, sketch a three-step pattern: explain the situation, state your decision gently, then offer something in return. Slot one entry into each step. Rehearse with invented dilemmas between two friends, coworkers or relatives, and notice which softeners feel natural in your own voice.
- Choose one listener in your first sentence and stay with them. Addressing both is the commonest way to lose this task.
- This is a hard thing to say. Saying it plainly but without blame is exactly what the task is testing.
- Give concrete instances — the late nights, the shared rooms, the late payments — rather than a general complaint about the person.
- Offer something practical: a reasonable date, help finding somewhere. It turns an eviction into a conversation.
- 1Blaming the listener instead of describing the situation.
- 2Talking about how upset you are rather than what the problem is.
- 3Finishing without a clear request, so nothing gets decided.
- Content / Coherence
- How relevant, developed and well organised your ideas are.
- Vocabulary
- How varied and precise your words are while you speak in real time.
- Listenability
- How easily a listener can follow you: sentence control, flow, pace, and how often you pause or fill silence.
- Task Fulfillment
- Whether you answered what the prompt actually asked, and all of it.
One strong response to this prompt, written for our own question bank to show a way through it. It is not a Paragon answer and not an official benchmark; a real response is judged on the four areas listed above.
Try one yourself, under the clock
Reading a good answer is not the same as producing one. Write or record your own answer and get an estimated CLB level on each rating area, with the lines that decided it.
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Create your free account →- What kind of situation does this list prepare me for?
- Paragon's official name for the task is Dealing with a Difficult Situation. For example, you might be asked to choose between two people's requests and then speak to one of them. {brand}'s practice prompts use set-ups like that, so these entries centre on polite refusals, explanations and making amends.
- Do I really have time to plan a tactful answer?
- Yes. Paragon's Speaking advice refers to the preparation time you get before each response. Use it to choose your decision, one reason, one softening phrase from this list and one offer to make things right.
- Are the idioms here too casual for the test?
- It depends on who you are speaking to. With a friend or sibling, phrases like no hard feelings sound natural; with a manager or landlord, lean on the neutral and formal entries. Each entry shows its register so you can match the listener.
- ·Branches Falling on Your Car
- ·Keeping or Selling the Second Car
- ·Home Exercise or a Fitness Centre
- ·Hiring a Tutor
- ·The Community Park Cleanup
- ·Reducing Screen Time
- ·Helping a Coworker with Their Workload
- ·Buying an Apartment or Continuing to Rent
- ·The Summer Trip or Staying Home to Study
- ·Vacation Savings or Helping a Friend
- ·The Unfinished Presentation
- ·The Customer Complaint
- ·The Free Training Course
- ·University in Another City
- ·Adopting a Dog
- ·The Family Vacation Dilemma
- ·Letting Your Son Use the Family Car
- ·Sharing the Care of Aging Parents
- ·Your Daughter's Used Car or Her Savings
- ·Thanksgiving Dinner at Home or a Restaurant
- ·Replacing the Library With a Fitness Studio
- ·Turning the Break Room Into a Meeting Area