Canada · English testHow long is each part of the CELPIP test?
Paragon gives these times for CELPIP-General:
| Part | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | 38 questions | 46 to 55 minutes |
| Reading | 38 questions | 43 to 56 minutes |
| Writing | 2 tasks | 53 minutes |
| Speaking | 8 tasks | 15 minutes |
CELPIP-General LS has only the Listening and Speaking parts, with the same times. The citizenship page covers that version.
What each part asks you to do
In Listening and Reading you answer questions about passages. In Writing you write your answers, and in Speaking you reply out loud to prompts on the screen. Each part has its own page with the parts or tasks in it, linked under Explore below.
Questions that don’t count
Listening and Reading include unscored questions that Paragon uses to develop the test. They can be anywhere in those parts and look the same as scored ones, so you can’t tell which is which. Answer each one as if it counts.
Timer, word counter and breaks
The test is on a computer with a personal timer, a word counter and spell-check. It’s timed and won’t pause for any reason. If you need the washroom, raise your hand and someone will take you.
Sources: CELPIP and 3 more. Checked November 2026.
- CELPIP: Test format and scoring ↗
- CELPIP: Canadian residency ↗
- CELPIP: Test overview and fees ↗
- CELPIP: Test day information ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
Explore
Everything else, in one place
Test day and after