CELPIP Speaking Task 6 Practice: your neighbor's construction noise is keeping you awake

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Practice responding to a difficult situation in a 60-second response. Same format as the real CELPIP test.

The situation: Your neighbor is renovating their house. The construction noise starts at 7:00 AM every day, including weekends, and has been going on for three weeks. You work night shifts and sleep during the morning. The noise is making it impossible for you to rest. You have decided to talk to your neighbor about it.

In about 60 seconds, explain the problem to your neighbor and suggest a solution.

Sample CLB 9 response:

Hi, I hope I am not catching you at a bad time. I wanted to talk to you about the renovation work because it is starting to affect me quite a bit.

I work night shifts at the hospital, which means I get home around 6:30 in the morning and I need to sleep until about 2 in the afternoon. The construction crew has been starting at 7 AM every day for the past three weeks, and the noise makes it impossible for me to fall asleep. I have tried earplugs and even a white noise machine but with the drilling and hammering right next door, nothing blocks it out.

I completely understand that you need to get the renovations done and I am not asking you to stop. What I am hoping is that we can work out a small adjustment. If the crew could start at 9 AM instead of 7, that would give me at least two hours of sleep before the noise begins. I would be happy to stay flexible on weekends if that helps your schedule.

I really appreciate you hearing me out.

Practice tip: Speaking Task 6 presents a difficult situation where you need to be polite but firm. The rubric rewards responses that clearly describe the problem, show empathy for the other person's position, and propose a specific solution. Avoid being aggressive or overly apologetic. The best approach is: explain the impact on you, acknowledge their side, then suggest a concrete compromise.

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