CELPIP Listening Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving

Part 1 tests your ability to follow a problem-solving conversation between two people (one man and one woman) discussing a workplace or everyday issue. The speakers typically don’t know each other well (e.g., a customer and a service provider), though some scenarios may involve coworkers. You’ll hear the conversation once, then answer 8 multiple-choice questions about what was said.

This section requires you to track multiple elements: the core problem, various solutions proposed by each speaker, their opinions and attitudes, and what they finally agree to do.

What You’ll Hear

The conversation follows a predictable structure. Two speakers work through a specific problem that needs solving. Typical scenarios involve a customer and a service provider, a tenant and a building manager, two coworkers discussing a workplace issue, or two people cooperating to resolve a shared problem.

Typical conversation flow:

• Speaker A introduces a problem or challenge
• Speaker B responds and may ask clarifying questions
• Both speakers propose different solutions
• They discuss pros and cons of each option
• They express opinions and attitudes (agreement, doubt, enthusiasm)
• They reach a decision or agreed action

Common Problem Topics

Part 1 scenarios reflect everyday Canadian service and workplace situations:

• Customer service problems (returns, billing, bookings)
• Scheduling conflicts (appointments, shifts)
• Office equipment or facility issues
• Service inquiries (rentals, repairs, installations)
• Budget or resource constraints
• Event planning difficulties

The problem is always solvable. You won’t hear unsolvable crises. The conversation ends with an agreed action or next step.

What the Questions Test

The 8 questions assess different aspects of your listening comprehension. You must understand both explicit information (what was directly said) and implicit meaning (attitudes, intentions, agreement levels).

Question types you’ll encounter:

1. The main problem: What is the core issue?
2. Proposed solutions: What did Speaker A suggest? What did Speaker B recommend?
3. Speaker attitudes: How does someone feel about an idea?
4. Agreed action: What did they finally decide to do?
5. Reasons and explanations: Why did they reject option X?
6. Details: When, where, how much, who else is involved?

Essential Signal Words

Train your ear to recognize these problem and solution markers. They tell you when important information is coming.

Problem Signals

• “The issue is…”
• “The problem we’re facing…”
• “We’re having trouble with…”
• “I’m concerned about…”
• “Unfortunately…”
• “The challenge is…”

Solution Signals

• “What if we…”
• “How about…”
• “I think we should…”
• “Why don’t we…”
• “We could always…”
• “Maybe we can…”
• “One option is to…”

Agreement/Decision Signals

• “That sounds good”
• “Let’s do that”
• “I agree”
• “That works for me”
• “Okay, so we’ll…”
• “Perfect, I’ll…”

Disagreement/Doubt Signals

• “I’m not sure about…”
• “The problem with that is…”
• “Actually, I think…”
• “But what about…”
• “That might not work because…”

Your Strategy: The 3-Column Method

You have time to prepare before the audio plays. Set up a quick note-taking template with three columns:

While listening:

• Write the problem in 3-5 words when you hear it
• Note each solution with who suggested it (A or B)
• Mark attitudes with symbols: ✓ (likes it), ✗ (rejects it), ? (unsure)
• Circle or star the agreed action when they reach consensus

Sample Questions

Scoring and CLB Levels

Part 1 questions range from straightforward factual recall to nuanced comprehension. Higher-level questions test your ability to infer attitudes and understand implicit meaning, not just recall facts.

What the questions test (from simpler to more demanding):

• Can you identify the main problem?
• Can you track multiple proposed solutions?
• Can you distinguish speaker attitudes and opinions?
• Can you identify subtle agreement or disagreement?

Practice active listening with Canadian podcasts or workplace training videos. Focus on problem-solving discussions where people debate options and reach decisions.

You’re now ready to tackle Part 1 with a clear strategy and awareness of what the test is really measuring.