CELPIP Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation
Can you handle a problem politely but firmly, and ask for a specific resolution?
A typical prompt
You booked a hotel room for a family trip, but on arrival you are told your room type is unavailable and only a smaller, more expensive room is left. Speak to the front-desk manager and explain what you would like them to do.
The one thing that scores 9+
State the problem and what you were promised, then propose a SPECIFIC solution you want — ideally two options. Raters reward a clear, reasonable ask; just venting frustration without a request caps the score.
A Band-9 sample answer
Original — written to show the technique, not to memorise. Raters penalise memorised, off-topic answers, so use it as a model for structure, then say your own.
Hi, I need to sort out a problem with my reservation. I booked a family room here over a month ago — I have the confirmation right here on my phone — and I've just been told that room isn't available, and the only thing left is a smaller room at a higher rate. I've travelled a long way with my family, so I'm sure you can understand why this is a real problem for us. I don't think it's fair for us to pay more for a smaller room when the mistake is on the hotel's side. So here's what I'd like: ideally, you honour my original booking at a nearby hotel at no extra cost, or you give us that smaller room at the price I was quoted and include breakfast to make up for the downgrade. I'd really appreciate a solution today, because we can't be left without a room tonight. What can you do for me?
What caps people at Level 7
- Only complaining, with no clear request at the end.
- Being aggressive or rude — firm and polite scores higher than angry.
- Being so apologetic you never actually state what you want.
Practise this task
Reading a sample only gets you so far — you improve by speaking under the clock. Take the prep time, record your own answer on your phone, and compare it to the sample above and the level descriptors in our CELPIP score decoder. All 8 speaking tasks run in thefree CELPIP full mock, and the whole format is in theCELPIP format guide.