CELPIP is not Completely Computerized – A Shocking Truth

The purpose of taking the tests is to evaluate test-takers capabilities to communicate and express their ideas through the language of English. All native English-speaking countries would require non-native speakers to take the tests before they Apply for a Student Visa or Permanent Residence. The question is why should you practice CELPIP online and not with a pen and a paper as in IELTS? It is a good question and without knowing this it would be difficult for anyone to score the required bands in CELPIP.

CELPIP Test Format

The test of CELPIP is different than IELTS, including CD (Computer Delivered) IELTS. Though these English tests share the same modules -Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, the question types and nature of the information/prompt are completely different.

However, CD IELTS and CELPIP have one thing in common – the evaluation. Both the tests have four modules but then the evaluation does not happen on computers. Unlike PTE where the computer’s algorithms (Artificial Intelligence) evaluate the test-takers ability for all four modules, CD IELTS and CELPIP have humans (CELPIP calls it Raters) who shall check candidates’ specific modules.

Human Raters

Just like CD IELTS, CELPIP also has human raters to evaluate Speaking and Writing modules. Quite contrary to the popular belief, CELPIP is not completely computerized. It just records your answers on computers but the machine will only evaluate your Listening and Reading (because they are MCQs). Nevertheless, the Speaking and Writing questions are recorded on the computer, but evaluated by humans, the Raters.

Who are the Raters?

According to Paragon, Raters are men and women specially trained for evaluating CELPIP responses to Speaking and Writing. These specialists have undergone robust professional activities and tests to prove themselves a perfect fit.

Raters are native speakers, Canadians. They have specialized in evaluating the Speaking and Writing questions by applying their own experiences as well as standards set by Paragon.

Job of Raters

Paragon is strict in evaluating your responses to assure that the scores are fair and clear from any ambiguity. For this reason, each answer is allotted to a couple of Raters separately. The scores they give are then evaluated and justified. With this method, each answer is evaluated through various brains, and ultimately, the scores are allotted only after considering all scores. Should they have any dispute or if the gap is more, the answer is again evaluated with stricter norms.

The Raters stick to the band descriptions and score allotment guide set by Paragon. The standard practices, for this very reason, are important to Get Higher Bands in CELPIP. The Raters or test evaluators shall avoid any conflict and ignore the rest of all criteria when they check answers for CELPIP writing and speaking questions. It simply means that test-takers should focus on the band criteria (for example, content/coherence, task fulfillment, and so on) to master the questions.

If you understand every band description and criterion about how your answers are evaluated by qualified and experienced native speakers (Raters), you shall be in a better position not only to understand the questions but also to provide a valuable answer that shall score higher.