If you want to do well on the CELPIP exam, and I know you do, then connecting with everyday English is vital.
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The CELPIP exam is designed to test your ability to use English in common everyday situations that you are likely to encounter as a person living in Canada.
That’s important to keep in mind to help you as you prepare.
What Does Everyday English Mean?
Everyday Listening Skills:
For practicing your listening skills it means you should be looking for audio that has Canadian accents.
To me, looking for a “Canadian Accent” doesn’t need to be complicated, and should only involve you looking for and listening to audio resources that have been created or broadcasted here in Canada.
If you are trying to listen to everyday English, you will hear a wide variety of different accents.
One lady I was talking with today still has a strong Dutch accent, though she has lived in Canada much of her life.
A person I worked with two weekends ago is also Canadian, but he immigrated to Canada as a child from India. He speaks perfect English, but his Indian accent still remains.
I think you get what I’m trying to say – Canada is filled with many different accents. To prepare for the CELPIP exam, focus on listening to audio that was created here in Canada.
I guarantee you that as you listen you’ll be exposed to many different accents even though you are listening to ‘Canadian English.’
Try CBC.ca/radio to get started. Focus on listening to a program you enjoy. Listen a little each day.
Everyday English Writing Practice
E-mail. I bet you have the opportunity to write one or more e-mails a day. My question for you is this: are you writing e-mails in English, or in your first language?
This is a huge challenge. I have friends who have been living in Canada for a decade or more and they are still not able to communicate effectively in English because they spend all their time using their first language with the people and friends they have around them.
This can happen to you too, if you’re not careful! Do you have someone you can practice e-mailing in English with? If you don’t, your challenge is to find someone this week!
For the CELPIP, you need to practice writing e-mails that use formal and informal language.
When you’re at work, start paying attention to the way your company communicates with you via e-mail. Do you see any differences between that kind of e-mail and the e-mail you get from a friend in English? (Pay attention to greetings/salutation as well as how these two e-mails are ended. Also look carefully at the way your friends use slang, and notice how professional/business/formal e-mails will not use slang. )
You should also notice how paragraphs are used. (They should be used!) Each paragraph should be organized around a single topic.
Use what you’ve noticed in your own writing!
Everyday Reading Practice
Think about the kinds of things you read each day. I bet it’s not always the same kinds reading styles.
Have you eaten in a restaurant over the past month? Even if it’s just in a fast food spot, you need to read their menu if you want to eat! That’s part of everyday English.
Today I got a letter in the mail from the Provincial Government to remind me to file for a special grant I had forgotten about. This formal letter is also an example of ‘everyday English’ and I needed to scan it for certain bits of information in order for me to make my claim online. You might not get many letters from the government, but you’ll likely hear from your bank, or the power/hydro company, etc. These are also examples of everyday English.
Try this: look around at the correspondence you have at home and pick out a few samples to work with. (In our home, we have a large counter or island in our kitchen. For some reason, that’s the place where all our mail goes. I bet you’ve got a spot like where you live, where you put all your bills and general mail. Start your practice time looking here!)
If you have a bill, turn it into an opportunity to practice your reading skills by trying to pick out specific details like: How much you need to pay? When is payment due? What services are you paying for? What’s the company’s contact phone number or e-mail in case you have a question, etc.
As a bonus: see if you can find this information in less than a minute!
Everyday Speaking Practice
Just because you live in Canada doesn’t automatically mean you’ll need to speak English everyday. Like I said above, I have friends who primarily use their first language to communicate, and they’ve lived here in Canada for years!
Don’t do this to yourself!
Be intentional about forcing yourself to speak in English each day. If you’re just getting started, using your English with native English speakers can feel TERRIFYING. I get that, I really do.
When I lived in Mexico, I too faced this fear daily – only for me it was with my Spanish skills. So I know what you’re going through.
Practice sharing your opinions. At work, if you are in a meeting, try your best to participate – even if it’s just a little! Do your best to explain your point of view and why you think it is important.
When you’re with your friends and your talking about what you did over the weekend, make sure you jump in with something you did as well.
The point is this: participate in the many opportunities to use English that happen all around you each day. Don’t let them go to waste!
Stop Working On This Alone!
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