Natural Spoken Phrases for CELPIP Speaking
The Celpip Plus team
Written and reviewed against the official CELPIP scoring criteria
Updated 14 min read
When to use these phrases in CELPIP Speaking
The phrases on this page work for any topic, which is why they are collected here instead of on each topic page. They are the small chunks that make an answer sound like real speech: a way to start, a way to give your view, a way to move to the next point and a way to finish. Use them across all eight Speaking tasks, from Task 1, Giving Advice, to Task 8, Describing an Unusual Situation.
Each phrase comes with its use and one example sentence written as part of a Speaking answer. Close variants, such as "having said that" and "that said", share one row, with the alternatives named in the middle column.
These phrases are for speaking. In a formal Writing Task 1 email or a Writing Task 2 survey response, use the phrases on Formal Phrases for CELPIP Writing instead. For phrases tied to one subject, such as "I'm swamped" or "I've been feeling under the weather", see the topic pages, for example CELPIP Vocabulary for Time and Productivity.
Buying time
Use these in the first seconds of an answer, or when you need a moment to find your next idea. They also tell the listener what is coming.
| Phrase | Meaning or use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| I'd have to say | gives you a second before your answer | If I could take a visitor to only one place in my city, I'd have to say the waterfront. |
| when it comes to | introduces the part of the topic you will talk about | When it comes to choosing a gym, location matters more to me than price. |
| I guess you could say | introduces a description you are not completely sure of | I guess you could say I became a runner by accident. |
| one thing I remember is | starts a memory in a personal experience answer | One thing I remember is how quiet the house felt after my sister moved out. |
| what really stands out is | moves to the most important detail | What really stands out is how kind the nurses were that night. |
Giving your opinion
Use these to state a view clearly, especially in Task 5, Comparing and Persuading, and Task 7, Expressing Opinions.
| Phrase | Meaning or use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| the way I see it | introduces your personal view | The way I see it, a shorter commute is worth more than a bigger apartment. |
| if you ask me | introduces a personal, slightly casual opinion | If you ask me, the city should keep the outdoor rinks open longer. |
| from where I stand | frames an opinion as based on your own situation | From where I stand, working from home twice a week is the perfect balance. |
| to be honest | introduces a frank opinion; also "to tell you the truth" or simply "honestly" | To be honest, I don't think a second-hand car would save you much money. |
| if I'm being honest | introduces something a little hard to admit | If I'm being honest, I wasn't ready for that job when I first started. |
| I have to admit | admits something, often a surprise or a weakness | I have to admit, I didn't enjoy cooking until I moved out on my own. |
| I can honestly say | stresses that you really mean it | I can honestly say that volunteering at the food bank changed how I see my neighbourhood. |
| hands down | says something is clearly the best | The lake trail is hands down the best place for a family walk. |
| one thing that really bothers me | introduces something you dislike | One thing that really bothers me is how much food restaurants throw away. |
| you can't go wrong with | recommends a safe, reliable choice | If you're new to camping, you can't go wrong with a provincial park close to the city. |
| I can't stress enough how | strongly emphasizes a piece of advice | I can't stress enough how important it is to read the lease before you sign. |
| I've got a soft spot for | admits that you especially like something | I've got a soft spot for small bookstores, so I'd choose Option B. |
| if I had my way | describes what you would do if you could decide | If I had my way, every office would close at noon on Fridays in summer. |
| leave a lot to be desired | says politely that something was disappointing | The hotel looked great online, but the service left a lot to be desired. |
Agreeing and disagreeing
Use these to accept part of another view before giving your own, which is useful in Task 5, Comparing and Persuading, and Task 6, Dealing with a Difficult Situation.
| Phrase | Meaning or use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| don't get me wrong | prevents a misunderstanding before you add a criticism | Don't get me wrong, I love living downtown, but the noise at night is hard. |
| to be fair | admits a point on the other side | To be fair, the cheaper phone plan does include unlimited texting. |
| having said that | introduces a contrast after a point you accepted; also "that said" or "that being said" | The house is beautiful. Having said that, it's a long way from your work. |
| there's no denying that | accepts a fact before you add your view | There's no denying that the bigger car is safer, but it costs twice as much to fill up. |
| at the same time | adds a balancing point | I understand you need the car on Saturday. At the same time, I promised my sister a ride. |
| be on the same page | in agreement about a plan | Let's talk to your manager together so we're all on the same page about the schedule. |
Adding and linking
Use these to join ideas, compare two options and move a story forward, especially in Task 2, Talking about a Personal Experience.
| Phrase | Meaning or use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| on the other hand | introduces the other side of a comparison | The condo is close to the subway. On the other hand, the house has a big backyard for the kids. |
| compared to | sets two things side by side | Compared to the bus, cycling takes about the same time and costs nothing. |
| whereas | joins two contrasting facts in one sentence | The first apartment has a balcony, whereas the second one has in-suite laundry. |
| more often than not | usually, in most cases | More often than not, I end up cooking for the whole family on Sundays. |
| every now and then | sometimes, not regularly; also "once in a while" | Every now and then, we take the kids to the farmers' market for breakfast. |
| for the most part | mostly, with a few exceptions | For the most part, my neighbours are friendly and quiet. |
| these days | at the present time, compared with the past | These days, I take the train instead of driving to work. |
| ever since then | from that moment until now | Ever since then, I always check the weather before a long drive. |
| looking back | thinking about the past from today; also "in hindsight" or "looking back on it" | Looking back, moving to Halifax was the best decision we ever made. |
| next thing I knew | introduces a sudden, surprising event in a story | I sat down for a minute, and the next thing I knew, the train had left. |
| out of nowhere | happening suddenly and unexpectedly; also "out of the blue" | Out of nowhere, a deer ran across the road in front of us. |
| that's when it hit me | marks the moment you suddenly understood something | Everyone at the party was speaking English, and that's when it hit me: I was really home. |
| what really helped was | introduces the thing that solved a problem in your story | What really helped was joining a conversation group at the library. |
| believe it or not | introduces a surprising fact | Believe it or not, the man in the picture is walking a cat on a leash. |
| you'd be surprised | says that something is more common or bigger than people think | You'd be surprised how much you can save by packing a lunch. |
| if anything | corrects or strengthens what you just said | The new schedule didn't make things easier. If anything, it made them worse. |
| little by little | describes slow, gradual progress | Little by little, my English got better, and I started to enjoy meetings. |
| I used to think..., but now | contrasts an old belief with your current one | I used to think renting was a waste of money, but now I see the benefits. |
| I'll never forget | introduces a strong memory | I'll never forget the first time I saw snow in Winnipeg. |
| you name it | ends a list, meaning "every kind you can think of" | The store sells bikes, skis, kayaks, you name it. |
Softening and hedging
Use these to make an opinion or a piece of advice sound less absolute. They are helpful when you give advice to a friend or speak to someone about a difficult situation.
| Phrase | Meaning or use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| I guess | makes a statement sound less certain | I guess you could take the later flight, but you'd miss dinner with Grandma. |
| I could be wrong, but | softens an opinion you still believe | I could be wrong, but I think the second apartment is the better deal. |
| for what it's worth | offers an opinion modestly | For what it's worth, I'd talk to your landlord before you call the city. |
| it really depends on | says the answer changes with the situation; also "I guess it depends" | It really depends on how often you drive, but for you the smaller car makes sense. |
| more or less | approximately | The drive takes an hour, more or less, if the highway is clear. |
| it's not always easy, but | admits a difficulty before a positive point; also "it wasn't easy, but" | It's not always easy, but I try to cook at home at least four nights a week. |
| I'm trying my best to | shows real effort, even if you don't always succeed; also "I try my best to" | I'm trying my best to save a little from every paycheque. |
| it's been a bit of a struggle | admits an ongoing difficulty honestly | Getting the kids to bed on time has been a bit of a struggle since the time change. |
| it's easier said than done | admits that advice sounds simple but isn't | I know "just relax" is easier said than done, but a short walk really helps. |
| when you think about it | introduces a point that becomes clear after some thought | When you think about it, the cheaper gym would cost more once you add the parking. |
| it took some getting used to | admits that something new was hard at first | Living in a small town took some getting used to, but now I love it. |
| I'm working on it | admits you are still improving at something | I'm not great at saying no to extra shifts, but I'm working on it. |
| you know what I mean? | checks that the listener is following; use it once at most | It was one of those days when everything goes wrong, you know what I mean? |
Wrapping up
Use these in the last few seconds of an answer to sum up your point. One is enough.
| Phrase | Meaning or use | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| at the end of the day | introduces what matters most in the end | At the end of the day, you have to choose the job that lets you see your family. |
| all in all | gives an overall judgment | All in all, it was a stressful week, but I learned a lot from it. |
| all things considered | gives your final view after looking at everything | All things considered, I'd go with the smaller apartment. |
| long story short | skips the details and goes to the result | Long story short, we missed the last ferry and spent the night in Nanaimo. |
| I guess what I'm trying to say is | restates your main point simply | I guess what I'm trying to say is that small habits add up. |
| that's just how it is | accepts a situation you can't change | Rent goes up every year in this city. That's just how it is. |
| I wouldn't change a thing | says you are completely happy with a past decision | It was hard to leave my country, but looking at my life now, I wouldn't change a thing. |
| it really put things into perspective | says an experience changed how you see what matters | Spending a night in the hospital really put things into perspective for me. |
| it really made me realize | introduces a lesson you learned; also "it really opened my eyes to" | That trip really made me realize how big this country is. |
| I can't complain | says that things are good overall, in a modest way | The commute is long, but the job is great, so I can't complain. |
Use them naturally
These phrases sound natural only when they carry real meaning. A few habits help:
- Don't stack them. "To be honest, if you ask me, the way I see it..." uses three openers to say one thing. Pick one.
- Don't fill every pause with one. A short pause is normal in speech. Using "you know what I mean" or "I guess" in every sentence draws attention to itself.
- Make the phrase fit the logic. "Having said that" must be followed by a contrast, and "long story short" by the result of a story.
- Vary them across tasks. If you use "the way I see it" in Task 5, try "if you ask me" or "from where I stand" in Task 7.
- Keep them out of formal writing. Phrases such as "long story short" and "hands down" belong in Speaking, or in an email to a friend.
Practise
- Vocabulary flashcards and quizzes: review these phrases until they come to mind without effort.
- Speaking Task 1 practice: give advice and soften it with "for what it's worth" or "it's easier said than done".
- Speaking Task 2 practice: tell a story using "one thing I remember is", "next thing I knew" and "looking back".
- Speaking Task 5 practice: compare two options using "compared to", "whereas" and "don't get me wrong".
- Speaking Task 6 practice: explain a difficult choice using "at the same time" and "I could be wrong, but".
- Speaking Task 7 practice: give your opinion using "the way I see it", "to be fair" and "at the end of the day".