Speaking Task 3: Describing a Scene
Learn the prepositions of place, spatial phrases and descriptive vocabulary that let you describe a picture accurately and in detail for CELPIP Speaking Task 3.
How to use these words: You describe a photo to someone who cannot see it. Move systematically — foreground to background, left to right — using location phrases (in the foreground, to the left of) and present-continuous verbs for what people are doing.
Frequently asked questions
Should I describe everything in the picture?⌄
No. Cover the main people and actions clearly using precise location vocabulary rather than rushing to name every object. Organised detail scores higher than a long list.
Which tense is best for describing a scene?⌄
Use the present continuous for actions in progress ("a man is crossing the street") and the simple present for fixed details.
More Speaking vocabulary
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