CELPIP Speaking Task 5: How to Compare Options and Persuade Convincingly

Task 5 of the CELPIP Speaking test, Comparing and Persuading, catches many test takers off guard. You are shown two or three options, such as apartments, vacation packages or job offers. You must pick one, compare it with the others, and convince a specific person that your choice is right. It is a decision task, a comparison task and a persuasion task all in one, and you have only a short time to prepare and a short time to speak.

The good news is that Task 5 rewards structure more than any other speaking task. With a reliable framework and a bank of comparison language, you can sound organized and natural even under pressure. This guide walks you through a repeatable approach, with example phrases and a model answer.

What Task 5 Is Really Asking You to Do

In this task, you see a short scenario and a few options with details listed for each. You are usually asked to choose one option for someone, for example a family member or a colleague, and explain why. Check the exact instructions on screen and in official CELPIP materials, because timing and details can be updated.

Three skills are being tested at the same time:

• Decision-making: you commit to one option quickly and clearly.
• Comparison: you explain how your choice differs from the alternatives, using the details provided.
• Persuasion: you speak to the listener directly and give reasons that matter to them.

A common mistake is simply describing each option one after another. That is a summary, not a persuasive comparison. Another mistake is spending the whole answer on your chosen option and never mentioning why the others are weaker. Strong answers do both: they sell the choice and explain why the other options fall short.

A Four-Part Structure You Can Use Every Time

Use the preparation time to jot down only keywords, not sentences. Then follow this order when you speak:

1. State your choice (5-10 seconds). Start with a clear recommendation. For example: "I think you should go with the second apartment."
2. Give your strongest reason (20-25 seconds). Pick the benefit that best matches the listener's needs and support it with a detail from the screen.
3. Compare with the alternatives (20-25 seconds). Explain a clear weakness in each other option, using fair and polite language.
4. Close with a persuasive push (10 seconds). Remind the listener of your choice and invite them to agree.

Adjust the timings to fit the real countdown. The point is the order: choice, best reason, comparison, close. Because you always know what comes next, you will not freeze halfway through. Our guide to CELPIP Speaking Task 7 uses a similar opinion-and-reasons logic, so practising both together reinforces the habit.

Choose Fast, and Choose for the Listener

You do not need to pick the objectively best option. You need to pick the option you can defend most easily. During preparation, spend no more than 15 or 20 seconds deciding. Ask yourself: which option gives me the most concrete details to talk about?

Then think about the person you are persuading. If the scenario says your friend is on a tight budget, price should be your main argument. If your sister has two young children, safety and space matter more. Persuasion works when your reasons connect to the listener's situation, so mention the person directly:

• "Since you're trying to save money, this option makes the most sense."
• "Because you'll be working long hours, you'll appreciate how close this is to your office."
• "Knowing how much you enjoy being outdoors, I think you'd be happiest with this one."

Using "you" and the person's needs makes your answer feel like a real conversation, which is exactly the communication style CELPIP values.

Comparison Language That Sounds Natural

Your vocabulary does not need to be fancy, but it must be flexible. Build a small toolkit of comparison phrases and practise them until they come out smoothly.

To introduce your reason:

• "The main reason I'd recommend this one is..."
• "What really stands out to me is..."
• "The biggest advantage here is..."

To compare:

• "Compared to the first option, this one is much more..."
• "Unlike the third choice, this one includes..."
• "While the first option is cheaper, it doesn't offer..."
• "The other option might look appealing, but..."

To handle the weaker options politely:

• "That one is nice, but it could be inconvenient because..."
• "I can see the appeal of the third option; however, it may be a bit too..."

To close:

• "All things considered, I really think this is the best fit for you."
• "So, if I were you, I'd definitely go with this one."

Notice the balanced tone. Persuasion is not the same as criticism. Admitting that another option has a strength, then explaining why yours still wins, makes you sound fair and more convincing.

A Model Answer You Can Learn From

Imagine the scenario: your coworker needs to pick one of three apartments. Option A is cheap but far from the city, Option B is slightly more expensive but near a train station, and Option C is the most expensive and has a large balcony. Here is a sample response structure.

"Hi Maria, I've looked at all three apartments, and I think you should choose the second one. The main reason is the location. Since you take the train to work every day, being a five-minute walk from the station will save you a lot of time and stress. Compared to the first apartment, it costs a little more, but you'd spend much less on transportation, so the difference isn't really that big. The first one is cheaper, but a long commute every day could wear you out. The third apartment has a lovely balcony, but it's the most expensive, and you mentioned you want to stay within your budget. All things considered, I really think the second apartment is the best fit for you. I'd go and see it this week before someone else takes it."

Why does this work? It opens with a clear decision, speaks directly to Maria, uses one major reason supported by a detail, compares both alternatives fairly, and finishes with a friendly call to action. It also uses simple connectors, such as "Since", "Compared to", "but" and "All things considered", that keep the speech flowing. Always base your own answer on the details shown on screen rather than memorized content.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Changing your mind mid-answer. Decide during preparation and stick with it. If you hesitate, you lose time and clarity.
• Reading every detail aloud. Select two or three relevant facts. Choosing is part of the skill.
• Ignoring the listener. A neutral lecture is less persuasive than a personal recommendation.
• Memorized templates. Frameworks help, but word-for-word scripts sound unnatural and break down when the scenario differs. Memorize the structure and a handful of phrases, not whole paragraphs.
• Ending too early. If you finish with a lot of time left, add one more benefit or a second comparison point. If time runs out mid-sentence, practise shorter reasons.
• Staying stressed. If you tend to freeze under the timer, see our advice on CELPIP Speaking Task 6, which also relies on tact and calm delivery.

A Simple Practice Routine for Task 5

Improvement comes from deliberate repetition, not from reading about the task. Try this routine four or five times a week:

1. Collect scenarios. Use practice prompts with two or three options: apartments, jobs, schools, cars or holidays.
2. Prepare in the real time limit. Write only keywords: your choice, one main reason, one weakness for each alternative.
3. Record yourself. Speak for the full response time with a visible timer.
4. Review the recording. Did you state your choice immediately? Did you compare, not just describe? Did you address the listener? Were there long pauses or repeated filler words?
5. Redo the same prompt. Repeat it once with improvements. The second attempt is where most progress happens.

To build stronger delivery overall, you can also read our guide on CELPIP speaking fluency tips, which covers pacing and smoother speech that apply to every task.

How USpeak Can Help You Prepare

One of the hardest parts of preparing alone is not knowing how a rater would actually score you. USpeak is an AI-powered speaking coach designed to solve that CELPIP black box by mirroring the real exam. It offers guided practice for all eight CELPIP speaking tasks with authentic timing, so Comparing and Persuading feels the same on practice day as on test day. You receive predictive AI scoring aligned to CELPIP's 0-12 rubric, plus diagnostics for fluency, pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, so you can see exactly what to fix.

After each attempt, you can view an AI-generated Level 12 sample response with instant tips, which is useful for studying how a strong answer organizes its comparison. Recording history and progress charts let you track improvement over time, and Test Packs give you intensive preparation as your test date approaches. Treat these tools as a practice partner: they do not guarantee a result, but they make your preparation more focused and measurable.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Task 5 becomes much easier when you stop treating it as a surprise and start treating it as a pattern: choose, give your best reason, compare the alternatives, and close with a friendly push. Add personal language aimed at the listener, keep your tone fair, and rehearse with a timer until the structure feels automatic.

Your next steps are simple. Pick three comparison scenarios today, practise each one twice, and review your recordings for a clear decision, genuine comparison and smooth delivery. When you are ready to see how you perform under real exam conditions, run a full CELPIP simulation in USpeak and get detailed feedback on every task. Download USpeak on Google Play and start your simulation today.