CELPIP reading practice test: free tests, timings and a mini set to try

The CELPIP Reading Test has four parts, and Paragon, the company that runs CELPIP, gives its time as 43-56 minutes. Paragon says two free practice tests are on its website, and its practice test page asks you to fill in a short form first. Below you get the timings for each part and a mini practice set of our own, with an answer key, to run against the clock.

The CELPIP Reading Test is the second component of the CELPIP General test. Paragon lists four parts. Each part has a text, then questions about it. The tables below use Paragon's Reading Pro study pack, which gives the question counts and the approximate time for each part.

How the screen and the rules work

• For each question, choose the best answer from four options.
• All text and questions for each Reading part appear on the same screen. Use the scrollbars to move up and down.
• In each Reading part, you can change your answers as many times as you like until your time is up.
• When your time is up, the test will automatically move forward to the next part. You can't go back to a previous part.
• You will receive paper and a pen at the test centre to take notes. You will not be able to make notes, highlight, etc. on the computer screen.
• The reading passages and questions increase in difficulty from Parts 1 - 4.

Those six lines are Paragon's. Our reading of them for practice: always sit your own tests on a screen, with a pen and paper beside you, and never rely on highlighting, because the test does not allow it.

Two different totals for the test time

The four part timings in the first table add up to 43 minutes, which matches the low end of the format page. Neither page explains the gap to the study pack figure, so we show both and do not pick one. When you book a day, plan for the longer figure.

A note on which test this is for. The Reading Test is part of the CELPIP General test only. Paragon says: “The CELPIP Test assesses all four skills, while the CELPIP LS Test only assesses Listening and Speaking.” So if you are preparing for the General LS test, there is no reading to practise.

Paragon publishes free material for the Reading Test. Start here before you pay for anything. Paragon says the free online sample test lets you familiarize yourself with the test format and timing, and the free practice tests come from the company that writes the test.

That page is a short form that asks you to pick a test type, CELPIP General or CELPIP General LS. Choose CELPIP General for reading practice. The form also has a marketing consent line, so read it before you tick anything. Paragon also runs a free online sample test. Its Prepare for CELPIP page lists what the sample test does for you:

• Familiarize yourself with the test format and timing.
• Experience the types of questions that you will encounter on test day.
• See the correct answers for the Listening and Reading components.

Paragon's pages count the free material differently

We cannot tell from the pages which count is current, so we show both. Open Paragon's free practice tests page and see what it gives you today. If you want more tests than the free ones, Paragon sells sets in its online store.

Paragon's store page lists General practice test sets that each contain two complete practice tests, with a 6-month subscription, at CAD 35.00 when we checked. Prices change, so confirm on the store page before you buy. Paragon's Prepare for CELPIP page names study material titled “CELPIP Focus: Reading and Writing” as available in its online store, although the store page we read did not list it.

• There are 38 scored questions on the Reading Test.
• Each correct answer receives 1 point.
• Points are not deducted for incorrect answers.
• The Reading Test is computer-scored.
• Your CELPIP Level is calculated by the computer based on the number of points and the difficulty level of the questions.

Paragon also says the test may include material that does not count towards your score. “These unscored items can be found anywhere within the Listening and Reading Tests and will have the same format as the scored items.” You cannot tell which items are unscored, so give every question your full effort.

The practical point is simple. Because there is no penalty, answer every question, even if you have to guess. To see how a raw score becomes a level, use our CELPIP reading score chart.

This set is our own. It copies no question from any test owner. It follows the shape of a Part 1 task: a friendly email, then questions, then a short reply with blanks. It has fewer questions than a real part, so give yourself 8 minutes. Use a pen and paper for notes, and do not highlight on screen.

1. What is the main reason for the email? (A) To cancel the trip because of the weather. (B) To confirm the trip and share a change of plan. (C) To ask members to pay for the bus. (D) To find a driver for the group.
2. Where will the group meet on Saturday? (A) At the clubhouse. (B) At the café by the lake. (C) At the Millbrook parking lot. (D) At Tomas's home.
3. According to the email, what must members bring themselves? (A) A life jacket. (B) A paddle. (C) Water and lunch. (D) Money for the bus.
4. Which statement would Dana most likely agree with? (A) Beginners should stay at home. (B) Paddlers should look after newcomers. (C) The club should stop providing equipment. (D) The meeting place should never change.
5. Here is a short reply from a member called Ravi. Choose the best word for the first blank. “I have never paddled before, so I would be glad to be ____ with someone who knows the river.” (A) paired. (B) packed. (C) punished. (D) pointed.
6. Choose the best sentence for the second blank in Ravi's reply. “Thanks for the update. ____ Please put me down for a seat in Tomas's car as well.” (A) I can't come on Saturday. (B) Meeting at Millbrook at 8:30 works for me, and I will bring my own lunch. (C) Please send me the clubhouse key. (D) The café at the lake sounds like a good place to eat.

Answer key

Count your marks. Five or six right in 8 minutes means this task type is comfortable. Fewer than that does not mean much on its own, because six questions is a small sample. Look at which type you missed, then go to the next section.

Paragon's Reading Pro study pack gives several ways to use a practice test. These four fit a first pass at our set or at one of Paragon's free tests.

• Ignoring the time limit, work through all of the questions in a Reading part without rushing or guessing.
• After you've answered all the questions for one Reading part and checked the answer key, go back to the questions and identify which type each one is: general meaning, specific information, or inference.
• Start by giving yourself unlimited time to make notes on a reading passage that you find challenging.
• Use the reading passages as sources of new vocabulary.

The three question types, in Paragon's words

• General Meaning: a “big picture” question that asks you to put together ideas from a larger section of text.
• Specific Information: a “close up” question that asks you to locate one piece of information, such as a date, name, place, or fact.
• Inference: a question that asks you to use information from the text to draw a conclusion about something that is not stated directly in the text or diagram.

Our routine for one practice test

1. Sit a part untimed first. Write down how long it took.
2. Sit the same kind of part again a few days later, on the clock. Compare the two times.
3. Mark every wrong answer with its type: general meaning, specific information or inference. Look for the type you miss most.
4. For each wrong answer, find the exact words in the text that prove the right choice. Say the paraphrase out loud: this word in the question means that phrase in the text.
5. Keep a log with the date, the part, the minutes used and the types you missed. A page of notes after five tests tells you more than any single score.

The log above is a blank template for you to copy into your own notebook.

If you need help with the vocabulary side, see our CELPIP reading tips. For worked examples that show how to find an answer, see CELPIP reading samples, and for the other parts of the test, CELPIP samples.

Common questions