CELPIP Speaking Task 4: Making Predictions (Band 7-10)
Learn the art of making logical predictions about future events. Learn to use future forms, conditional structures, and provide well-reasoned forecasts that demonstrate your analytical thinking.
What They Test
Understanding the assessment criteria helps you deliver exactly what examiners are looking for.
Logical Reasoning
Your ability to analyze current trends or situations and make logical predictions based on evidence or patterns.
Future Language Forms
Demonstrating mastery of future tenses, conditional structures, and modal verbs to express probability and possibility.
Supporting Evidence
Providing reasons, trends, or patterns that support your predictions, making them credible and well-founded.
Language Range
Using varied vocabulary to express degrees of certainty, probability, and different future scenarios.
Template Phrases
Ready-to-use expressions for making predictions with confidence.
Opening & Context
- "Based on current trends, I predict that..."
- "Looking at the situation, I foresee that..."
- "Given the current circumstances, I anticipate..."
Making Predictions
- "It's likely that... will..."
- "I expect... to..."
- "There's a strong possibility that..."
- "I can see... happening in the near future"
Providing Reasons
- "This is because..."
- "The reason I think this is..."
- "This prediction is based on..."
- "Given that..., it's reasonable to expect..."
Expressing Certainty Levels
- "I'm quite certain that..."
- "It's possible that... might..."
- "There's a chance that..."
Sample Answer (30s prep + 60s)
See how a Band 7-10 prediction response sounds with proper structure and reasoning.
Scenario:
Predict how remote work will change office culture in the next five years.
Opening & Prediction:
"Based on current trends in remote work, I predict that office culture will become significantly more flexible and hybrid-focused over the next five years. I expect that many companies will adopt a model where employees work from home two to three days per week, with the remaining days spent in the office for collaboration and team building."
Supporting Reasons:
"The reason I think this is because we've already seen a major shift during the pandemic, and many employees have expressed a preference for this flexibility. Additionally, companies are realizing cost savings from reduced office space. Given that technology continues to improve, making remote collaboration easier, it's reasonable to expect this trend to continue and become the new standard."
Additional Predictions:
"I also foresee that office spaces will be redesigned to focus more on meeting rooms and collaborative areas rather than individual desks. There's a strong possibility that we'll see a greater emphasis on work-life balance, with companies offering more flexible hours and wellness programs to support remote workers."
Closing:
"While there might be challenges with maintaining company culture remotely, I'm quite certain that the benefits of flexibility and improved work-life balance will outweigh these concerns, leading to a more adaptable and employee-friendly workplace culture."
Why This Response Scores High:
- Uses multiple future forms and conditional structures correctly
- Provides logical reasoning based on current trends
- Considers multiple aspects of the prediction
- Uses varied vocabulary to express probability
- Well-structured with clear progression of ideas
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learn from these frequent errors that lower scores on CELPIP Speaking Task 4.
Mistake 1: Using Only Simple Future Tense
Limiting yourself to "will" and "going to" shows limited language range.
Weak:
"Technology will change. People will work from home."
Strong:
"I anticipate that technology will continue to evolve, making remote work increasingly feasible. There's a strong possibility that many companies will adopt hybrid models, given the benefits we've already observed."
Mistake 2: Making Predictions Without Reasoning
Predictions need logical support to be credible and demonstrate analytical thinking.
Weak:
"I think online shopping will be popular."
Strong:
"I predict that online shopping will become even more prevalent because consumers value convenience, and retailers are investing heavily in faster delivery systems and improved user experiences."
Mistake 3: Not Considering Alternative Scenarios
High-scoring responses often acknowledge different possibilities or potential challenges.
Tip: Use phrases like "While there might be challenges..." or "It's possible that... however..." to show sophisticated thinking and language range.
Mini Quiz
Test your understanding of CELPIP Speaking Task 4.
1. What is the primary purpose of CELPIP Speaking Task 4?
2. Which language structure is most important for Task 4?
3. What makes a strong prediction response?
Ready to Practice Task 4?
Put your prediction skills into action with our interactive CELPIP Speaking exercises.