Speaking Task 3 · Describing a Scene
CELPIP Speaking Task 3 Template: Camera Pan
30s prep · 60s to speak
Start with the whole picture, then move across it like a camera, so the listener can follow and picture it.
Free PDF: all 8 speaking templates- Wide shot
- Left
- Centre
- Right
- Mood
The template
Each part has a job, a budget and starters. Fill every blank with a detail from your prompt: raters score how well you answer the task in front of you, not memorised sentences.
- 1
Wide shot
10sOne sentence about the whole scene: where it is and what's going on.
Starters
- This picture shows a busy on a day.
- It looks like at .
Phrases that score
- this picture shows
- it seems to be
- a lively scene
Earns: Content/Coherence, Task Fulfillment
- 2
Left
15sThe people or things on the left: who they are and what they're doing.
Starters
- On the left, there is who is .
- In the foreground on the left, I can see .
Phrases that score
- in the foreground
- on the left-hand side
- next to
Earns: Vocabulary, Listenability
- 3
Centre
15sThe middle of the picture, usually the main action.
Starters
- In the middle, are .
- Right in the centre, is .
Phrases that score
- in the middle of
- right behind
- surrounded by
Earns: Vocabulary, Content/Coherence
- 4
Right
12sThe right side and the background.
Starters
- On the right, . In the background, .
- Over on the right, I notice .
Phrases that score
- in the background
- on the far right
- in the distance
Earns: Vocabulary, Listenability
- 5
Mood
8sOne sentence on the feeling of the scene.
Starters
- Overall, it looks like a day for everyone.
- Everyone seems .
Phrases that score
- overall
- cheerful
- chaotic
- relaxed
Earns: Content/Coherence, Vocabulary
See it in action
The template applied to a real task, part by part.
The task
Describe a picture of a city park on a summer afternoon.
CLB 9+ answer, spoken (121 words)
1. Wide shot
This picture shows a busy city park on a sunny summer afternoon.
2. Left
On the left, there's an elderly man sitting on a bench reading a newspaper, and next to him a young girl is walking a small brown puppy.
3. Centre
In the middle, a group of children are splashing each other in a fountain, while their parents are watching from a picnic blanket and eating sandwiches. One little girl is laughing so hard that she has dropped her toy boat.
4. Right
On the right, there's an ice cream truck with a long line. In the background, two teenagers are playing frisbee near some tall trees, and a jogger is running along the path.
5. Mood
Overall, it looks like a relaxed, happy day for everyone.
Make it stick
Two quick rounds. Get the order right, then match each starter to its part.
Drag the parts of the Wide · Left · Centre · Right · Mood template into the right order.
- Left
- Centre
- Right
- Mood
- Wide shot
Practise the timing
Answer out loud while the bar shows which part you should be on. It's the fastest way to stop running out of time.
Answer about the picture out loud. You get 30s to prepare, then 60s to speak.
The part you should be on shows here while you speak.
Mistakes that cost marks
- Jumping around the picture at random, which is hard for the listener to follow.
- Naming objects without saying what people are doing. Use -ing verbs: "is reading", "are playing".
- Spending the whole minute on one corner and never reaching the rest of the picture.
Try this template on a real question, free
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