Post 6: What are CELPIP predicted tests, and do old questions come back?

Updated 12 Nov 2026

In Post 5 I compared the real test with the 13 sets and suggested adding predicted tests to your Writing and Speaking practice. In this post I'll go into predicted tests in more detail, and answer another question I get a lot: do old questions come back? I took predicted tests from more than 260 test days, from late 2024 to early November this year, counted which questions came back and how long it took, and grouped the most common topics.

What predicted tests are

Predicted tests (also called recalled tests) are written down by people right after their test, because nobody can know the questions of a test day in advance. For Writing and Speaking, test-takers remember almost all of the situation and the instructions for each task. A few small details like names or prices may differ slightly from the original, and the pictures are redrawn from their descriptions. This is the most useful part of predicted tests, because you see the exact types of questions that are coming up in the test room right now.

For Listening and Reading, test-takers usually remember the topic, something like "getting a library card at a new address", so the practice passages are rewritten around that topic. This part helps you get familiar with common topics, and for difficulty and speed, keep practising with the 13 sets as well.

How often old questions come back

From what I've found, since the middle of this year about 1/3 of the Writing and Speaking questions on an average test day had appeared before. Old questions usually come back after a few months, and some come back after more than a year. Sometimes a whole test form is reused for several days in a row, across different cities, within a week or two.

If you only look at the last 2 weeks of predicted tests, only about 5% of the questions on your test day will be ones you've seen. With 6 months of them it goes up to about 20%, and with a full year about 1/4 (25%). So in my opinion it's more useful to review the questions that came up most often in the last 6 to 12 months, then check the most recent test days in your final week, in case a whole form comes back.

When a question you've practised comes up, you feel less thrown and have ideas ready from the prep time. The rest comes down to how you speak and write. As I said in Post 4, prepare ideas and a frame, but don't memorize whole answers, because CELPIP warns that responses that aren't your own may lead to your score being cancelled. For Listening and Reading, you basically can't get a repeat, because the passages are rewritten around the topic.

The most common questions and topics

From what I found, the question that came back most often is Speaking Task 8 describing a strange concert in a neighbour's backyard, which showed up on 9 different test days. Next are the Task 3 picture of a crowded park and Task 8 a very strange car on the street, 7 days each. Task 3 pictures also often show a crowded train or bus, a messy library, a farm, a clinic and a café.

Writing Task 1 often has emails about studies and courses, work, shopping, charity and housing, for example hiring a moving company (5 test days) or leaving your laptop at a campsite. Writing Task 2 is mostly about companies and employees, community facilities and offices, like a company that wants to use less paper (5 test days), choosing uniforms for a restaurant, or choosing a new office.

Speaking Task 1 is often advice about health and eating, studying, the first day with a new boss, or a friend who is struggling at school. Task 2 often asks about a time you overcame a challenge, tried something new, or got help from a friend or neighbour. Task 5 often compares clothes, travel items, gifts and furniture. Task 6 is about working with coworkers, schedule conflicts, cars, and living with other people.

Predicted test bank

I have a bank of predicted tests from more than 260 test days, from late 2024 up to this week, mostly Writing and Speaking, rewritten in the real test format so you can practise as if it's the real thing. It's sorted by week and by topic, so you can see right away which questions keep coming back and prepare for them. I add new tests as soon as they come in. If you're taking the test soon and want to practise, send me a message.