I took my English test (Listening & Speaking) yesterday for Citizenship and there’s a big probability I failed it due to my inability to hold a conversation with a f------ computer and not a human.
The Listening part (30 mins) was easy, but the Speaking part (30 mins) I just clammed up, I didn’t even get my f------ address & phone no right, had to repeat it.
Well, I’ll find out in 8 days how I did.
SIGNED:- Gutted.
I’m going to be doing the English test in the next few months. I’m eligible to apply for citizenship in two days time from now but will wait a while until I know winter has buggered off before making a trip down to Halifax in the car. The odd thing is, that there are different types of test that are all valid for the same thing, I can do one in Moncton, NB which is a lot nearer, but its twice as long and at least twice as expensive. The one in Halifax seems a doddle by comparison and speaking to people who have done it, I don’t think they had to speak to a computer?! You’d have thought there’d be a standard test for the purpose, but this is Canada so as long as the gravy train is getting their money, who cares eh.
Why would you need to do an English test is this the same as IELTS exam ’ you’ve come to Canada from an English speaking country I find this madness and something else to worry about ’ what was the reason this test was bought in it’s seems like a money racket if nothing else !
and does everyone speak English in Britain …I don’t think so… 
cliffystephens:
and does everyone speak English in Britain …I don’t think so…
I just had a look at the sample test and 4 questions made no sense at all 
The test I took was Cel-pip much the same as the Ielts test but easier to sign onto & a lot cheaper.
The first half, the listening part was no problem because the room was quiet.
The problem for me was during the speaking half of it, I couldn’t concentrate on what was being said to me, through my headphones because 29 other people were talking all at the same time on different levels of the test.
I was informed that the tests are designed for people with English as a second language ,and problems occur with people with English as first language as they read more into the answers /questions .
ie…you read a piece about Canadian politics and one of the questions was/is who is prime minister ? most people that spoke English as first language said Harper …but it was never mentioned in the piece who prime minister was .So if you said it never mentioned …that is the correct answer.
I read this on a forum i came across .
jimmy waiting for another year then no tests.(unless they change the rules again ) at 55yrs
Well, I got my results today.
With the Cel-pip test they score you from 0-5 with a high & low in each number & you need a minimum of 4L to pass.
I got a 5H for listening & a 5L for speaking & after the total mess I made of the speaking, I would say to anybody from UK with English as a first language, don’t worry about it, go for it.
My missus is Thai, and ok, she won’t pass the Bar exam but she can hold a conversation albeit in pretty simple language, failed it miserably.
She got a 1L & a 1H which basically means she doesn’t understand or speak any English, and all because she has no idea how to use a computer, not much call for PC’s in a paddy field.
Personally I think the test should be done by a qualified human, especially for the price you pay for the test.
Does this mean your missus will have to re apply for citizenship, or just the English test ? Did mine with a judge at the same time as the test , talked about rugby which was a mutual interest , a breeze . Couple of mates from the Philipines were also there and failed the interview , had to start from scratch . Both truck mechanics , both spoke decent English IMO , I reckon CIC make up nonsense to justify their jobs .
We haven’t actually applied yet, I printed off the forms and it said on the list to send was the proof of English test so we took the test first.
I don’t know what we will/can do now, I’ll have to look into it.
I wanted citizenship more for her than me because she can’t travel anywhere on a Thai passport without getting visa’s.
I presume both partners have to pass the test not like PR where only the principal applicant does.
flat to the mat:
I reckon CIC make up nonsense to justify their jobs .
Absolutely correct in my opinion. The government gravy train in this country would appear to be every bit as bad as in the UK. A friend of mines wife works for the the federal government here in NB and the things they get up to and how much they’re paid boggles the mind.
neilg14:
We haven’t actually applied yet, I printed off the forms and it said on the list to send was the proof of English test so we took the test first.
I don’t know what we will/can do now, I’ll have to look into it.
I wanted citizenship more for her than me because she can’t travel anywhere on a Thai passport without getting visa’s.
I presume both partners have to pass the test not like PR where only the principal applicant does.
Would the longer and more expensive test actually be carried out by a person rather than computer?
I had to do the IELTS test for PNP so will i have to do it again ■■
russjp:
I had to do the IELTS test for PNP so will i have to do it again ■■
No doubt the Canadian government will have imposed an expiry date on it so that you will have to pay again to prop up the gravy train if more than X amount of time has passed between passing and submitting your application for citizenship in the future if you choose to do so.
What did the IELTS test consist of, was it talking to a computer like the OP describes for the other type of test or much more in depth?
AFAIK, if you have taken the test for PR, you do not have to take it again for Citizenship but every other member of the family between the ages of 18 to 54 does have to take it, unless you can prove you have got O’ levels in English or todays equivalent grade, from the UK.
I believe the IELTS test is the same setting as The Cel-pip, the difference between them is, the Cel-pip is all done at one time, whereas the IELTS is split up into 2 parts that are taken 7 days apart.
Also, with Cel-pip, you book it online, the venue, the date, pay for it, turn up with Identification, they take your picture on the day, take the test. Easy
With IELTS, they wanted me to get a pile of information scanned and pictures done myself and sent to them in Montreal and then for the privilege of doing all that charge me nearly twice as much as Cel-pip for basically the same test.
Another thing is, for PR, you have to take reading, writing, listening & speaking but if you have PR & taking it for Citizenship, you only have to do the Listening & Speaking (L&S), so anybody that is booking it, make sure you book the right test.
This is the same for Cel-pip & IELTS.
They certainly do not speak English in North America 
You,re right there Wheel Nut, I had just printed off the vehicle test report and called out make of vehicle, not once but 3 times and no one comes forward. So there,s this guy standing right behind me, I says to him is that your truck(pick up) yes he says. I then said I called it out 3 times and his reply was " can I speak English as he couldn,t understand me" , so my reply was" I speak the Queens English and its only you ppl who took it and ripped the arse out of it" and of he went. The next guy up said well done great response to ignorance and he said he understood every word. Man I meet some stoops and as the saying goes " you can fix broken but you can,t fix dumb, stupid or ignorance.
The IELTS in SK consisted of a seperate speaking section where you sat opposite another person and had to speak about 2 random subjects to them for set periods of time - my subjects were history and fashion - every truck drivers favourite topics of conversation FFS !!!
After that it was a full 4 hour classroom session in exam conditions doing the reading, writing and listening sections where you cant even go to the toilet without someone accompanying you - there were 3 white people in the room of 75 people including myself and i worked with the other two of them lol
Think you’ve got it tough over there? Back in dear old Blighty they’ve just set up Polish exams for us! Honest…Hi Russ, how does Canada compare with the south of France? 
DrivingMissDaisy:
Think you’ve got it tough over there? Back in dear old Blighty they’ve just set up Polish exams for us! Honest…Hi Russ, how does Canada compare with the south of France?
I’ve no idea never been to France