CELPIP Listening Tips 2026: All 6 Parts Strategy & Practice

The right CELPIP listening tips can turn the longest section of the exam into your highest-scoring one. The CELPIP Listening section covers 6 parts, 38 items, and runs 47-55 minutes — all delivered in a Canadian accent that plays only once. For Indian test takers targeting CLB 7+ for Express Entry in 2026, understanding each part's unique format is non-negotiable. In this guide, EEC's certified CELPIP trainers break down proven CELPIP listening tips for every part — from the straightforward Problem Solving opener to the notoriously difficult Viewpoints finale — so you can walk into the test centre with a clear strategy and walk out with the CLB score your Canada PR profile needs. Book a free consultation with EEC to get started.

“CELPIP Listening is not about hearing every word — it's about knowing where the answer lives in each part. Students who learn the structure of each part before test day consistently score 2-3 CLB levels higher.”

— EEC CELPIP Coaching Team, 27+ Years of Language Test Expertise

CELPIP Listening Section Overview

The CELPIP Listening section is the first scored section you encounter on test day, right after the unscored practice module. It consists of 6 distinct parts with a total of 38 questions, and the entire section takes 47-55 minutes to complete. Unlike IELTS Listening where you hear a mix of British, Australian, and American accents, CELPIP uses exclusively Canadian English — Canadian pronunciation, vocabulary, and cultural references throughout. Every audio clip plays only once with no rewind option, which makes focused listening and strategic note-taking essential from the very first second.

You listen through headphones at your individual computer station, which eliminates the shared-room distractions of paper-based tests. Scratch paper is provided at the test centre for note-taking — use it. Before each part, on-screen instructions explain the task type and give you a few seconds to read the questions. The questions are multiple-choice, and you select answers by clicking on the screen. For a full overview of all four sections and the exam format, see our CELPIP complete guide.

Part 1: Problem Solving (8 Questions)

Part 1 eases you into the Listening section with a conversation where one person describes a problem and the other offers solutions. You hear a dialogue between two speakers — typically friends, coworkers, or family members — and answer 8 multiple-choice questions. The conversation is practical and everyday: scheduling conflicts, choosing a service provider, planning an event, or resolving a minor issue.

Strategy for Part 1

Focus on the solution speaker — the person giving advice or suggesting options. Most questions ask about what was recommended, why a particular option was chosen, or what the final decision was. Listen for signal phrases like "I think you should…", "Why don't you…", and "The best option would be…". Since this is the easiest part, aim for 7/8 or 8/8 — every mark matters at the CLB 7-9 boundary. Don't overthink; the answers are usually stated explicitly.

Part 2: Daily Life Conversation (5 Questions)

Part 2 features a longer everyday conversation — at a store, bank, clinic, or workplace — with 5 questions. The conversation includes polite exchanges, requests, clarifications, and sometimes mild disagreements. What makes Part 2 trickier than Part 1 is that questions often target attitudes and implied meaning, not just stated facts.

Strategy for Part 2

Pay close attention to tone of voice and hedging language: "Well, I suppose…", "I'm not entirely sure, but…", "That's one way to look at it." These phrases signal opinions and attitudes, which are prime question targets. Also note who says what — some questions ask you to attribute a statement to a specific speaker. Jot speaker initials (A/B) next to key points on your scratch paper to keep track. For strategies on the speaking counterpart of everyday scenarios, check our CELPIP speaking tips. If you've trained with IELTS Listening, note that CELPIP plays audio only once — no replays.

Part 3: Information & Ideas (6 Questions)

Part 3 presents an informational monologue or dialogue — a short lecture, a guided tour, instructions from a manager, or a presentation. There are 6 questions that require you to match specific details to categories, speakers, or time periods. This part tests your ability to process and organise factual information quickly.

Strategy for Part 3

Use your scratch paper to create a quick grid or two-column layout before the audio starts. If the preview suggests the clip involves comparing two products, draw two columns and label them. As the speaker talks, jot keywords under each column. This visual organisation makes answering matching-style questions far easier than relying on memory alone. Listen for numerical data, names, and sequence words ("first", "then", "finally") — these almost always correspond to answer choices.

Part 4: News Item (5 Questions)

Part 4 plays a short Canadian news broadcast — a report on a local event, a community initiative, a policy change, or a human-interest story. There are 5 questions that test your comprehension of the main idea, supporting details, and the purpose of the report. The language is formal and journalistic, which can feel unfamiliar to Indian test takers used to conversational English.

Strategy for Part 4

Treat this like a reading comprehension exercise for your ears. Identify the 5W1H — Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How — within the first 15 seconds of the broadcast. The opening sentence of a news item almost always contains the main idea. Listen for quoted opinions from people interviewed in the story — these are frequently tested. Numbers (dates, statistics, amounts) are favourite question targets, so write them down the moment you hear them. Practise with Canadian news sources like CBC and CTV to build familiarity with the broadcast style.

Part 5: Discussion (8 Questions)

Part 5 is a longer, more complex dialogue — typically a workplace meeting, a community discussion, or an academic conversation between 2-3 speakers. With 8 questions, it carries the most weight alongside Part 1. Speakers agree, disagree, build on each other's ideas, and shift positions throughout the discussion, which makes tracking opinions more challenging.

Strategy for Part 5

Assign each speaker a letter (A, B, C) and note their initial position on the topic. As the discussion progresses, mark whether they agree, disagree, or change their mind. Questions in Part 5 frequently ask: "What does Speaker B think about…?" or "On which point do all speakers agree?" Without clear speaker tracking, you will confuse positions and lose easy marks. Also listen for discourse markers that signal agreement ("Absolutely", "I couldn't agree more") and disagreement ("I see your point, but…", "Actually, I think…"). For related argument-tracking skills, see our CELPIP reading tips.

Part 6: Viewpoints (6 Questions)

Part 6 is widely considered the hardest part of CELPIP Listening. You hear two speakers give separate, extended monologues presenting contrasting viewpoints on the same topic — for example, one speaker supports remote work while the other argues for in-office policies. There are 6 questions that require you to distinguish between the two viewpoints, identify supporting arguments, and sometimes determine where the speakers' positions overlap or diverge.

Strategy for Part 6

Divide your scratch paper into two columns — one per speaker — before the audio begins. As each speaker presents their viewpoint, jot down 3-4 keywords capturing their main arguments. Questions often include tricky distractors that swap one speaker's argument with the other's, so clear notes are your best defence. Focus especially on reasons and evidence each speaker uses, not just their overall position. If a question asks "Which speaker would agree that…", your two-column notes will give you the answer in seconds. This part rewards methodical listeners — and punishes those who try to rely on memory alone.

Canadian Accent Training

One of the biggest adjustments for Indian test takers is CELPIP's exclusive use of Canadian English pronunciation. Canadian English has distinctive features — the "Canadian raising" of vowels in words like "about" and "out", softer "r" sounds compared to American English, and unique vocabulary like "washroom" (not "bathroom") and "toque" (not "beanie"). If you've primarily trained with British or American English audio, the Canadian accent can throw you off in the first few minutes of the test.

Build Canadian accent familiarity by spending 15-20 minutes daily listening to Canadian media: CBC Radio, CTV News, Canadian podcasts, and YouTube channels by Canadian creators. Focus on news broadcasts and discussion panels, as these most closely mirror CELPIP audio. Pay attention to how Canadians pronounce common words differently from Indian English — "schedule" (SHED-yool), "process" (PRAH-sess), "been" (BIN, not BEAN). The more Canadian English you absorb before test day, the less processing effort your brain needs during the actual exam — and that frees up cognitive resources for answering questions. For broader listening fluency, EEC's spoken English programme also builds ear-training skills that transfer directly to CELPIP.

Note-Taking Strategy

CELPIP provides scratch paper (or an erasable notepad) at the test centre, and using it effectively is one of the most underrated listening strategies. The goal is not to transcribe the audio — that's impossible and counterproductive — but to capture keywords, numbers, and speaker positions that you'll need to answer questions after the audio ends.

The 3-Column Method

Before each part begins, quickly set up your scratch paper based on the part type. For Parts 1-2 (conversations), use two columns labelled with speaker initials. For Part 3 (information), use a grid matching categories to details. For Part 4 (news), jot 5W1H labels. For Parts 5-6 (discussion/viewpoints), use labelled columns for each speaker's position. Write in abbreviations and symbols — not full words. Use arrows (→) for cause-effect, checkmarks (✓) for agreement, and crosses (✗) for disagreement. Practise this shorthand system during mock tests until it becomes automatic. This technique alone can improve your Listening score by 1-2 CLB levels because it offloads memory to paper and lets you focus on comprehension.

Pair your listening preparation with the other three sections for a complete strategy. See our guides on CELPIP writing tips and CELPIP preparation tips for CLB 9+ for the full picture. Ready to practise with Canadian-accent audio? Enquire now about EEC's CELPIP listening programme.

Listening Practice at EEC

EEC has been coaching Indian students for international language exams for 27+ years, with 50,000+ students placed globally across 26 branches in Gujarat and 12 cities. Our CELPIP coaching programme is specifically designed for Indian test takers targeting Canada PR — not generic English training, but focused, part-by-part listening practice using authentic Canadian-accent audio that mirrors the real exam.

EEC's Listening-specific coaching includes: full-length mock listening tests timed to exam conditions, part-by-part strategy workshops covering all 6 listening parts, Canadian accent immersion drills using CBC and CTV-style audio clips, and note-taking technique training with the 3-column method described above. Our trainers review your mock test performance question by question, identifying whether you missed an answer due to vocabulary gaps, accent unfamiliarity, poor time management, or a note-taking failure — and then prescribe targeted practice for your specific weakness. For local coaching options, explore our CELPIP coaching in Ahmedabad guide or our nationwide best CELPIP online coaching India comparison.

Beyond Listening, EEC's CELPIP programme covers all four sections — check out our guides on CELPIP Speaking tips, CELPIP Reading tips, and CELPIP Writing tips for section-wise strategies. For exam-day logistics and last-minute advice, see our CELPIP exam day tips. And because CELPIP is just one part of your Canada journey, every EEC branch provides FREE Canada PR counselling alongside your test prep — including Express Entry profile assessment, CRS calculation, provincial nominee recommendations, and guidance on the new PGWP language requirement (CLB 7 for degree PGWP and CLB 5 for diploma PGWP since November 2024). You also get access to spoken English fluency training and French A1 coaching for CRS bonus points.

Understanding how your CELPIP score translates into CRS points is essential for your PR strategy. Read our CELPIP score for Canada PR guide to see exactly how each CLB level impacts your Express Entry ranking. For visa processing and documentation support, explore EEC's visa services and education loan guidance.

“I always lost marks in Listening Parts 5 and 6 because I couldn't keep track of who said what. EEC taught me the two-column note-taking method and I went from CLB 7 to CLB 10 in Listening. It's a game-changer.”

— Ravi M., Canada PR — CLB 10 Listening, CELPIP-General

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