Reading Section · CELPIP-General
CELPIP Reading: four task types.
38 questions in 55–60 minutes across four reading tasks. The Reading section pushes hardest on inference and on telling apart what's said from what's implied.
Questions38
Time55–60 min
Task types4
Avg per Q~90 sec
Part 1 · 11 questions
Reading Correspondence
You read an informal personal email (often a friend or family member) plus a reply. Questions split between filling in vocabulary blanks and answering comprehension questions.
What it tests
- Register — friendly, contractions, idioms
- Cohesion words that link sentences and paragraphs
- Reading the reply against the original message
Strategy: Read the reply first to anchor context, then jump back to the first email. The two messages always reference each other.
Part 2 · 8 questions
Reading to Apply a Diagram
You're given a visual — a poster, schedule, map, infographic — and a related email asking for information. You apply the diagram to answer the email's questions.
What it tests
- Cross-referencing prose against a visual
- Filtering noise from a busy diagram
- Applying constraints (dates, eligibility, prices)
Strategy: Underline the email's asks first. The diagram is dense by design — only some of it is relevant.
Part 3 · 9 questions
Reading for Information
A four-paragraph informational article on a Canadian topic — research, public services, environment, social trends. You match statements to the paragraph they belong to, plus one open-ended item.
What it tests
- Skimming for paragraph topic
- Distinguishing paragraphs that share a theme but differ in detail
- Paraphrase recognition — the question rarely uses the article's wording
Strategy: Label each paragraph in 2–3 words after one pass. Most matching questions are won on labelling, not on rereading.
Part 4 · 10 questions
Reading for Viewpoints
An opinion article (or column) followed by a comment from a reader. You answer comprehension questions about both, plus vocabulary-fill questions on the comment.
What it tests
- Recognizing the writer's position vs. positions they describe
- Tone, irony, and concession
- Reading the comment as an argument against or for the article
Strategy: The comment writer usually disagrees with at least one specific point in the article. Find that point first — it anchors most of the comment's questions.