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Free NAATI CCL Punjabi Mock Test 17: an Energy Hardship Call and a TAFE Aged-Care Enrolment

We built this paper around the two things candidates lose marks on first: money and deadlines. Sitting it tells us whether we can carry a dollar figure, a billing period, a fee tier and a closing date across a clause boundary without rounding, merging or softening any of them, and whether we render a legal protection as a protection rather than as a promise.

2
dialogues
Consumer Affairs + Education
16
segments
605 words of source speech
90
marks
63 to pass, 29 per dialogue
22
minutes
to sit it properly, in one take
Start the test →22 minutes · free · no sign-up · model answers included

What this paper is built to expose

Foundation — everyday vocabulary, the difficulty is in the detail. Every mock test in this library is written around specific, nameable failure points rather than being a random conversation — so the score you get tells you what to fix, not just whether you passed.

Sit the test

Model answers stay hidden until each dialogue is finished. Afterwards you mark yourself against 85 individual information units and the same 36-plus-9 split NAATI uses. The full transcript is further down the page whenever you want it — but read it before you sit, and the number stops meaning anything.

Sit it properly

16 segments. Two dialogues. One take.

This runner keeps every model answer hidden until you finish a dialogue — the full transcript is further down the page, and reading it first is the one thing that makes your score meaningless. Interpret every segment out loud, as if someone is waiting for the meaning. Then mark yourself against the real criteria: 36 marks for accuracy, 9 for language quality, per dialogue.

Free, no account, nothing to install. Your score is saved on this device only.

Before you start

  • Speak, do not think it
    Interpreting silently is a different skill from producing sound under pressure.
  • Do not pause the segment
    The real test does not wait. Pausing turns a measurement into a rehearsal.
  • Record yourself if you can
    Your phone's voice memo app is enough. It is the only way to hear your own hesitations.
  • Mark harshly
    An assessor who has never met you certainly will.

How this mock test is scored

NAATI marks each CCL dialogue out of 45, split into two things that are assessed separately. The self-marking above mirrors that split exactly, which is what makes the number comparable to a real result rather than a guess.

36
Accuracy of information

Every fact, number, name, qualifier and instruction that has to cross into the other language. Omit one and it is gone; change one and it costs you again, because a distorted fact is worse than a missing one for the person relying on you.

9
Language quality and delivery

Fluency, grammar and vocabulary, and register. This is where two candidates who conveyed identical content end up several marks apart — one sounded like an interpreter, the other sounded like they were guessing.

The rule that catches people: you need 63 out of 90 overall and at least 29 out of 45 on each dialogue. A brilliant consumer affairs dialogue cannot rescue a weak education one. How CCL scoring really works.

Full transcript with model answers

Both dialogues in full: the source speech, the model interpretation in Gurmukhi with transliteration, the information units an assessor is counting, and the specific error each segment tends to produce.

Dialogue 1 of 2Consumer Affairs

A High Electricity Bill: Hardship Program, Payment Plan and Protection from Disconnection

8 segments292 words of source speech42 scoreable information units45 marks

Your brief. Mr Sandhu has phoned the hardship team at his electricity retailer after receiving a quarterly bill almost twice his usual amount, along with a letter warning that his power could be cut off. You are interpreting between him and the hardship officer, who has to explain why the bill is so high, what the payment plan and the concession are worth, and what protects him while the plan runs.

Speakers: Energy retailer hardship officer (English) and Punjabi-speaking customer (Punjabi). You interpret for both.

  1. 1. Danielle, hardship teamEnglish Punjabi34 words

    Thanks for calling the hardship team, Mr Sandhu. I have your account open. This quarter's bill is $1,184, and your usual bill is around $620. The due date is 19 August. What has happened?

    Model interpretation

    ਹਾਰਡਸ਼ਿਪ ਟੀਮ ਨੂੰ ਫ਼ੋਨ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ, ਸੰਧੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ। ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਖਾਤਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਖੁੱਲ੍ਹਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਤਿਮਾਹੀ ਦਾ ਬਿੱਲ ਗਿਆਰਾਂ ਸੌ ਚੌਰਾਸੀ ਡਾਲਰ ਹੈ, ਜਦਕਿ ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਆਮ ਬਿੱਲ ਤਕਰੀਬਨ ਛੇ ਸੌ ਵੀਹ ਡਾਲਰ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਭੁਗਤਾਨ ਦੀ ਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਤਾਰੀਖ਼ ਉੱਨੀ ਅਗਸਤ ਹੈ। ਕੀ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ?

    hardship team nu phone karan layi dhanvaad, Sandhu sahib. tuhada khaata mere saahmne khullha hai. is timaahi da bill giaaraan sau chauraasi daalar hai, jadke tuhada aam bill takreeban chhe sau veeh daalar hunda hai. bhugtaan di aakhri taareekh unni August hai. ki hoiaa hai?

    What must survive (6 marks of information)
    • he has reached the hardship team
    • this quarter's bill is $1,184
    • his usual bill is around $620
    • "around" $620, not exactly $620
    • the due date is 19 August
    • asks him what has happened
    Terms in this segment
    • hardship team — ਹਾਰਡਸ਼ਿਪ ਟੀਮ hardship team
    • quarterly bill — ਤਿਮਾਹੀ ਬਿੱਲ timaahi bill
    • due date — ਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਤਾਰੀਖ਼ aakhri taareekh

    Where marks go here: Two dollar figures land eight words apart and candidates routinely give only the big one, or reverse them so the usual bill becomes the amount owing. The hedge on $620 is also scoreable: dropping "around" turns an approximation into a stated fact.

  2. 2. Mr SandhuPunjabi English38 words

    ਫੈਕਟਰੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੇਰੇ ਘੰਟੇ ਅਠੱਤੀ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਈ ਕਰ ਦਿੱਤੇ ਗਏ ਹਨ। ਹੁਣ ਦੋ ਹਫ਼ਤਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਤਕਰੀਬਨ ਬਾਰਾਂ ਸੌ ਡਾਲਰ ਹੱਥ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ, ਤੇ ਕਿਰਾਇਆ ਚਾਰ ਸੌ ਵੀਹ ਡਾਲਰ ਹਫ਼ਤਾ ਹੈ। ਮੈਨੂੰ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਕੱਟਣ ਦੀ ਚਿੱਠੀ ਵੀ ਆਈ ਹੈ।

    factory vich mere ghante athatti ton baai kar ditte gaye han. hun do haftian de takreeban baaraan sau daalar hath aaunde han, te kiraaya chaar sau veeh daalar hafta hai. mainu bijli kattan di chitthi vi aayi hai.

    Model interpretation

    My hours at the factory have been cut from thirty-eight to twenty-two. I now take home about twelve hundred dollars a fortnight, and the rent is four hundred and twenty dollars a week. I have also received a disconnection letter.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • hours cut from 38 to 22, both numbers
    • the cut is at the factory, his workplace
    • takes home about $1,200 a fortnight
    • rent is $420 a week, not a fortnight
    • he has received a disconnection letter
    Terms in this segment
    • hours were cut — ਘੰਟੇ ਘਟਾ ਦਿੱਤੇ ghante ghata ditte
    • take-home pay — ਹੱਥ ਆਉਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਤਨਖ਼ਾਹ hath aaun vaali tankhaah
    • disconnection — ਬਿਜਲੀ ਕੱਟਣਾ bijli kattna

    Where marks go here: Four numbers in three clauses, each on a different time base. The commonest loss is flattening "a fortnight" and "a week" into "a month", which makes the household budget nonsense; the second is giving only the new hours and dropping the 38 he was on before.

  3. 3. Danielle, hardship teamEnglish Punjabi34 words

    There are two reasons it is higher. This bill covers 104 days instead of the usual 91, and our rates changed on 1 July. The daily supply charge went from 98 cents to $1.12.

    Model interpretation

    ਬਿੱਲ ਵੱਧ ਹੋਣ ਦੇ ਦੋ ਕਾਰਨ ਹਨ। ਇਹ ਬਿੱਲ ਆਮ ਇਕਾਨਵੇਂ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਇੱਕ ਸੌ ਚਾਰ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਦਾ ਹੈ, ਅਤੇ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਜੁਲਾਈ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਡੇ ਰੇਟ ਬਦਲ ਗਏ ਸਨ। ਰੋਜ਼ਾਨਾ ਸਪਲਾਈ ਚਾਰਜ ਅਠਾਨਵੇਂ ਸੈਂਟ ਤੋਂ ਵਧ ਕੇ ਇੱਕ ਡਾਲਰ ਬਾਰਾਂ ਸੈਂਟ ਹੋ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ।

    bill vadh hon de do kaaran han. ih bill aam ikaanven dinaan di thaan ikk sau chaar dinaan da hai, ate pahili July nu saade rate badal gaye san. rozaana supply charge athaanven sent ton vadh ke ikk daalar baaraan sent ho gia hai.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • there are two separate reasons
    • this bill covers 104 days
    • the usual billing period is 91 days
    • rates changed on 1 July
    • daily supply charge rose from 98 cents to $1.12
    Terms in this segment
    • billing period — ਬਿੱਲ ਦੀ ਮਿਆਦ bill di miaad
    • daily supply charge — ਰੋਜ਼ਾਨਾ ਸਪਲਾਈ ਚਾਰਜ rozaana supply charge
    • rates — ਰੇਟ rate

    Where marks go here: Candidates announce "two reasons" and then deliver one, folding the longer billing period and the rate rise into a single "prices went up". The 104 and the 91 must both survive, and 98 cents to $1.12 is a rise, not a total.

  4. 4. Mr SandhuPunjabi English39 words

    ਪਰ ਮੀਟਰ ਪੜ੍ਹਨ ਕੋਈ ਆਇਆ ਹੀ ਨਹੀਂ। ਪਿਛਲੇ ਦੋ ਬਿੱਲਾਂ ਉੱਤੇ ਅੰਦਾਜ਼ਨ ਰੀਡਿੰਗ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਸੀ। ਤੇ ਭਾਵੇਂ ਰੀਡਿੰਗ ਠੀਕ ਵੀ ਹੋਵੇ, ਮੈਂ ਇੱਕੋ ਵਾਰ ਗਿਆਰਾਂ ਸੌ ਡਾਲਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਭਰ ਸਕਦਾ। ਮੈਂ ਅੱਜ ਆਪ ਮੀਟਰ ਦੀ ਫ਼ੋਟੋ ਭੇਜ ਸਕਦਾ ਹਾਂ।

    par meter parhan koi aaya hi nahin. pichhle do billaan utte andaazan reading likhia si. te bhaaven reading theek vi hove, main ikko vaar giaaraan sau daalar nahin bhar sakda. main ajj aap meter di photo bhej sakda haan.

    Model interpretation

    But nobody came to read the meter. The last two bills said estimated reading. And even if the reading is correct, I cannot pay eleven hundred dollars in one go. I can send you a photo of the meter myself today.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • nobody came to read the meter
    • the last two bills said estimated reading
    • concedes the reading may still be correct
    • cannot pay $1,100 in one payment
    • offers to send a photo of the meter today
    Terms in this segment
    • meter reading — ਮੀਟਰ ਰੀਡਿੰਗ meter reading
    • estimated reading — ਅੰਦਾਜ਼ਨ ਰੀਡਿੰਗ andaazan reading
    • in one go — ਇੱਕੋ ਵਾਰ ikko vaar

    Where marks go here: "ਭਾਵੇਂ ਰੀਡਿੰਗ ਠੀਕ ਵੀ ਹੋਵੇ" is a concession, not a complaint. Candidates turn it into "the reading is wrong", which reverses his position and loses the mark for the concessive clause. Keep "the last two bills", not "my bills".

  5. 5. Danielle, hardship teamEnglish Punjabi35 words

    Yes. The last two reads were estimates and this one is an actual read, so it corrects them. Let me put you on our hardship program: the balance spread over 12 fortnightly instalments of $99.

    Model interpretation

    ਜੀ ਹਾਂ। ਪਿਛਲੀਆਂ ਦੋ ਰੀਡਿੰਗਾਂ ਅੰਦਾਜ਼ਨ ਸਨ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਵਾਲੀ ਅਸਲੀ ਰੀਡਿੰਗ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਲਈ ਇਹ ਪਿਛਲੀ ਕਸਰ ਪੂਰੀ ਕਰ ਰਹੀ ਹੈ। ਮੈਂ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਸਾਡੇ ਹਾਰਡਸ਼ਿਪ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਪਾ ਦਿੰਦੀ ਹਾਂ: ਬਾਕੀ ਰਕਮ ਬਾਰਾਂ ਕਿਸ਼ਤਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ, ਹਰ ਦੋ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਨੜਿੰਨਵੇਂ ਡਾਲਰ।

    jee haan. pichhliaan do readingaan andaazan san ate ih vaali asli reading hai, is layi ih pichhli kasar poori kar rahi hai. main tuhanu saade hardship program vich pa dindi haan: baaki rakam baaraan kishtaan vich, har do hafte narhinven daalar.

    What must survive (6 marks of information)
    • confirms the last two reads were estimates
    • this read is an actual read
    • the actual read corrects the earlier estimates
    • she is placing him on the hardship program
    • 12 fortnightly instalments
    • each instalment is $99
    Terms in this segment
    • actual read — ਅਸਲੀ ਰੀਡਿੰਗ asli reading
    • instalment — ਕਿਸ਼ਤ kishat
    • balance owing — ਬਾਕੀ ਰਕਮ baaki rakam
    • fortnightly — ਹਰ ਦੋ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ har do hafte

    Where marks go here: "12 fortnightly instalments of $99" contains three facts and candidates typically deliver two. Rendering ਹਰ ਦੋ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ as "every two months" or "monthly" changes the plan by more than double and is treated as a distortion, not an omission.

  6. 6. Mr SandhuPunjabi English34 words

    ਨੜਿੰਨਵੇਂ ਡਾਲਰ ਹਰ ਦੋ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਮੈਂ ਦੇ ਸਕਦਾ ਹਾਂ। ਮੇਰੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਕੋਲ ਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ ਕਾਰਡ ਹੈ, ਕੀ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਕੋਈ ਛੋਟ ਮਿਲ ਸਕਦੀ ਹੈ? ਅਤੇ ਜੇ ਕਿਸੇ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਇੱਕ ਕਿਸ਼ਤ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਵੇ ਤਾਂ ਕੀ ਹੋਵੇਗਾ?

    narhinven daalar har do hafte main de sakda haan. meri patni kol Health Care Card hai, ki saanu koi chhoot mil sakdi hai? ate je kise mahine ikk kishat reh jaave taan ki hovega?

    Model interpretation

    Ninety-nine dollars every fortnight I can manage. My wife has a Health Care Card. Is there a concession we could get? And if one instalment is missed in a month, what happens then?

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • he can manage $99 a fortnight
    • his wife holds the Health Care Card
    • asks whether a concession is available
    • second question: what happens if an instalment is missed
    • the missed instalment is hypothetical, not something he has done
    Terms in this segment
    • concession — ਛੋਟ chhoot
    • Health Care Card — ਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ ਕਾਰਡ Health Care Card
    • to miss a payment — ਕਿਸ਼ਤ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਣਾ kishat reh jaana

    Where marks go here: This segment carries two questions and the second is the one candidates lose. Note also that the card is his wife's, not his; making it "I have a Health Care Card" is a factual error the assessor marks, because eligibility depends on whose card it is.

  7. 7. Danielle, hardship teamEnglish Punjabi40 words

    Your wife's Health Care Card gives you the electricity concession, about $250 a year, backdated to 1 July. While you are on this plan we cannot disconnect you. If you miss an instalment you must call us within five days.

    Model interpretation

    ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਦੇ ਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ ਕਾਰਡ ਉੱਤੇ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਦੀ ਛੋਟ ਮਿਲਦੀ ਹੈ, ਸਾਲ ਦੇ ਤਕਰੀਬਨ ਢਾਈ ਸੌ ਡਾਲਰ, ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਜੁਲਾਈ ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂ ਹੋਵੇਗੀ। ਜਦੋਂ ਤੱਕ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇਸ ਪਲੈਨ ਉੱਤੇ ਹੋ, ਅਸੀਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਕੱਟ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਕਦੇ। ਜੇ ਕੋਈ ਕਿਸ਼ਤ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਵੇ ਤਾਂ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਪੰਜ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਸਾਨੂੰ ਫ਼ੋਨ ਕਰਨਾ ਪਵੇਗਾ।

    tuhadi patni de Health Care Card utte tuhanu bijli di chhoot mildi hai, saal de takreeban dhaai sau daalar, ate ih pahili July ton laagoo hovegi. jadon tak tusin is plan utte ho, asin tuhadi bijli katt nahin sakde. je koi kishat reh jaave taan tuhanu panj dinaan de andar saanu phone karna pavega.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • the concession comes through his wife's card
    • worth about $250 a year
    • backdated to 1 July
    • they cannot disconnect him while he is on the plan
    • if he misses an instalment he must call within five days
    Terms in this segment
    • electricity concession — ਬਿਜਲੀ ਦੀ ਛੋਟ bijli di chhoot
    • backdated — ਪਿਛਲੀ ਤਾਰੀਖ਼ ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂ pichhli taareekh ton laagoo
    • we cannot disconnect you — ਅਸੀਂ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਕੱਟ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਕਦੇ asin bijli katt nahin sakde

    Where marks go here: This is the segment the whole dialogue turns on. "We cannot disconnect you" is a protection; rendering it as ਅਸੀਂ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਕਰਾਂਗੇ (we will try) or as a favour the officer is granting is a serious distortion. Keep "must call within five days" as an obligation, not advice.

  8. 8. Mr SandhuPunjabi English38 words

    ਤਾਂ ਹਰ ਦੋ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਨੜਿੰਨਵੇਂ ਡਾਲਰ, ਨਾਲ ਮੇਰੀ ਨਵੀਂ ਵਰਤੋਂ ਦਾ ਬਿੱਲ, ਅਤੇ ਪਲੈਨ ਦੌਰਾਨ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੱਟੀ ਜਾਵੇਗੀ। ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਇਹ ਸਭ ਲਿਖਤੀ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਈਮੇਲ ਕਰ ਦਿਓ। ਮੈਂ ਪਤਨੀ ਦਾ ਕਾਰਡ ਨੰਬਰ ਹੁਣੇ ਦੱਸ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹਾਂ।

    taan har do hafte narhinven daalar, naal meri navin varton da bill, ate plan dauraan bijli nahin katti jaavegi. kirpa karke ih sabh likhti roop vich email kar dio. main patni da card number hune dass dinda haan.

    Model interpretation

    So it is ninety-nine dollars every fortnight, plus the bill for my ongoing usage, and the power will not be cut off while the plan runs. Please email me all of that in writing. I will give you my wife's card number now.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • $99 every fortnight, repeated back
    • plus the bill for ongoing usage, a separate amount
    • no disconnection while the plan runs
    • asks for it in writing by email
    • will give his wife's card number now
    Terms in this segment
    • ongoing usage — ਨਵੀਂ ਵਰਤੋਂ navin varton
    • in writing — ਲਿਖਤੀ ਰੂਪ ਵਿੱਚ likhti roop vich

    Where marks go here: The read-back has two payments in it: the instalment and the ongoing usage on top. Candidates who merge them make the plan sound like $99 covers everything, which is the exact misunderstanding hardship officers spend the call preventing.

Register and cultural mediation in this dialogue

  • The officer is a stranger on a service line, so ਤੁਸੀਂ throughout in both directions. ਸੰਧੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ is the natural equivalent of "Mr Sandhu" on a call like this; ਤੂੰ would read as contempt and is never right here, however warm the officer sounds.
  • An Australian energy concession is a government entitlement paid through the retailer, not a kindness from the company. ਛੋਟ on its own can sound like a shop discount, so many interpreters say ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਛੋਟ once to fix the frame, then use ਛੋਟ after that.
  • Protection from disconnection while a hardship plan is being kept is a rule that binds the retailer. Punjabi has an easy softening register (ਅਸੀਂ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਕਰਾਂਗੇ) that interpreters slide into out of politeness; here it misinforms a frightened customer about a right he actually holds.

A High Electricity Bill: Hardship Program, Payment Plan and Protection from Disconnection — glossary (14 terms)

Learn these before you sit the paper a second time. More consumer affairs vocabulary.

EnglishPunjabiTransliteration
hardship programA regulated program every retailer must offer. Keep the English name; there is no settled Punjabi equivalent.ਹਾਰਡਸ਼ਿਪ ਪ੍ਰੋਗਰਾਮhardship program
payment planਕਿਸ਼ਤਾਂ ਦਾ ਪਲੈਨkishtaan da plan
instalmentਕਿਸ਼ਤkishat
balance owingਬਾਕੀ ਰਕਮbaaki rakam
disconnectionThe letter is a disconnection warning, not a disconnection. Do not tell the client the power is already off.ਬਿਜਲੀ ਕੱਟਣਾbijli kattna
concessionGovernment-funded, applied to the bill. Distinguish from a retailer discount, which is commercial.ਛੋਟchhoot
Health Care Cardਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ ਕਾਰਡHealth Care Card
meter readingਮੀਟਰ ਰੀਡਿੰਗmeter reading
estimated readingਅੰਦਾਜ਼ਨ ਰੀਡਿੰਗandaazan reading
actual readingਅਸਲੀ ਰੀਡਿੰਗasli reading
daily supply chargeਰੋਜ਼ਾਨਾ ਸਪਲਾਈ ਚਾਰਜrozaana supply charge
billing periodਬਿੱਲ ਦੀ ਮਿਆਦbill di miaad
due dateਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਤਾਰੀਖ਼aakhri taareekh
backdatedਪਿਛਲੀ ਤਾਰੀਖ਼ ਤੋਂ ਲਾਗੂpichhli taareekh ton laagoo
Dialogue 2 of 2Education

Enrolling at TAFE: Aged-Care Certificate, Fees, Placement and the Police Check

8 segments313 words of source speech43 scoreable information units45 marks

Your brief. Mrs Gill wants to train as an aged-care worker and has come to a TAFE information session with a course adviser. You are interpreting while the adviser sets out the course length, the three fee tiers, why a VET Student Loan is not available at this level, the unpaid work placement, the police check she needs first, and the date applications close.

Speakers: TAFE course adviser (English) and Punjabi-speaking prospective student (Punjabi). You interpret for both.

  1. 1. Alana, course adviserEnglish Punjabi40 words

    Welcome. The course is the Certificate III in Individual Support, Ageing. It runs 26 weeks, with classes Tuesday and Thursday, nine to three. Everyone sits a short language, literacy and numeracy assessment before enrolling. Does that fit around your family?

    Model interpretation

    ਜੀ ਆਇਆਂ ਨੂੰ। ਇਹ ਕੋਰਸ ਸਰਟੀਫਿਕੇਟ ਥ੍ਰੀ ਇਨ ਇੰਡੀਵਿਜੁਅਲ ਸਪੋਰਟ, ਏਜਿੰਗ ਹੈ। ਇਹ ਛੱਬੀ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਚੱਲਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕਲਾਸਾਂ ਮੰਗਲਵਾਰ ਅਤੇ ਵੀਰਵਾਰ, ਨੌਂ ਤੋਂ ਤਿੰਨ ਵਜੇ ਤੱਕ। ਦਾਖ਼ਲੇ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਹਰ ਕੋਈ ਭਾਸ਼ਾ, ਪੜ੍ਹਾਈ-ਲਿਖਾਈ ਅਤੇ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਛੋਟਾ ਟੈਸਟ ਦਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਕੀ ਇਹ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਦੇ ਹਿਸਾਬ ਨਾਲ ਠੀਕ ਬੈਠਦਾ ਹੈ?

    jee aaiyaan nu. ih course Certificate Three in Individual Support, Ageing hai. ih chhabbi hafte chalda hai, classaan mangalvaar ate veervaar, naun ton tinn vaje tak. daakhle ton pahilaan har koi bhaasha, parhaai-likhaai ate ginti da ikk chhota test dinda hai. ki ih tuhade parivaar de hisaab naal theek baithda hai?

    What must survive (6 marks of information)
    • Certificate III in Individual Support, Ageing
    • the course runs 26 weeks
    • classes are Tuesday and Thursday
    • class hours are nine to three
    • a language, literacy and numeracy assessment before enrolling
    • asks whether it fits around her family
    Terms in this segment
    • Certificate III — ਸਰਟੀਫਿਕੇਟ ਥ੍ਰੀ Certificate Three
    • aged care — ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ ਦੀ ਦੇਖਭਾਲ bazurgaan di dekhbhaal
    • language, literacy and numeracy assessment — ਭਾਸ਼ਾ, ਪੜ੍ਹਾਈ-ਲਿਖਾਈ ਅਤੇ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਦਾ ਟੈਸਟ bhaasha, parhaai-likhaai ate ginti da test

    Where marks go here: Candidates compress "26 weeks, two days a week" into "a six-month full-time course", which is a different commitment entirely. The qualification name is a proper noun: keep Certificate III in Individual Support in English rather than translating it into a generic "aged care certificate".

  2. 2. Mrs GillPunjabi English37 words

    ਦਿਨ ਤਾਂ ਠੀਕ ਹਨ, ਮੇਰੇ ਬੱਚੇ ਸਵਾ ਤਿੰਨ ਵਜੇ ਤੱਕ ਸਕੂਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ। ਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਮਾਈ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਮੇਰੇ ਪਤੀ ਦੀ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਲਈ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਡਾ ਸਵਾਲ ਪੈਸੇ ਦਾ ਹੈ। ਇਸ ਕੋਰਸ ਦੀ ਫ਼ੀਸ ਕਿੰਨੀ ਹੈ?

    din taan theek han, mere bachche sava tinn vaje tak school vich hunde han. ghar vich kamaai sirf mere pati di hai, is layi sabh ton vadda savaal paise da hai. is course di fees kinni hai?

    Model interpretation

    The days suit me; my children are at school until quarter past three. My husband is the only earner in the house, so money is my biggest question. How much are the fees for this course?

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • the days suit her
    • children are at school until quarter past three
    • her husband is the only earner
    • money is her biggest concern
    • asks directly what the fees are
    Terms in this segment
    • quarter past three — ਸਵਾ ਤਿੰਨ ਵਜੇ sava tinn vaje
    • the only earner — ਇਕੱਲੀ ਕਮਾਈ ikalli kamaai
    • fees — ਫ਼ੀਸ fees

    Where marks go here: ਸਵਾ ਤਿੰਨ is quarter past three, not half past three and not three o'clock. It is the fact that makes a nine-to-three class workable, so getting it wrong quietly breaks the logic of her answer.

  3. 3. Alana, course adviserEnglish Punjabi39 words

    This is a government-subsidised place, so your fee is $1,600 instead of the full fee of $5,200. If you hold a Health Care Card, the concession rate is $250 for the whole course. Bring the card on enrolment day.

    Model interpretation

    ਇਹ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸਬਸਿਡੀ ਵਾਲੀ ਸੀਟ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਲਈ ਤੁਹਾਡੀ ਫ਼ੀਸ ਪੰਜ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਦੋ ਸੌ ਡਾਲਰ ਦੀ ਪੂਰੀ ਫ਼ੀਸ ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਸੋਲਾਂ ਸੌ ਡਾਲਰ ਹੈ। ਜੇ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਕੋਲ ਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ ਕਾਰਡ ਹੈ ਤਾਂ ਪੂਰੇ ਕੋਰਸ ਦੀ ਰਿਆਇਤੀ ਫ਼ੀਸ ਢਾਈ ਸੌ ਡਾਲਰ ਹੈ। ਦਾਖ਼ਲੇ ਵਾਲੇ ਦਿਨ ਕਾਰਡ ਜ਼ਰੂਰ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਆਉਣਾ।

    ih sarkaar vallon subsidy vaali seat hai, is layi tuhadi fees panj hazaar do sau daalar di poori fees di thaan solaan sau daalar hai. je tuhade kol Health Care Card hai taan poore course di riaaiti fees dhaai sau daalar hai. daakhle vaale din card zaroor lai ke aauna.

    What must survive (6 marks of information)
    • the place is government-subsidised
    • subsidised fee is $1,600
    • full fee is $5,200
    • concession rate is $250 with a Health Care Card
    • $250 covers the whole course, not a term
    • she must bring the card on enrolment day
    Terms in this segment
    • government-subsidised place — ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਸਬਸਿਡੀ ਵਾਲੀ ਸੀਟ sarkaari subsidy vaali seat
    • full fee — ਪੂਰੀ ਫ਼ੀਸ poori fees
    • concession rate — ਰਿਆਇਤੀ ਫ਼ੀਸ riaaiti fees

    Where marks go here: Three fee figures in one segment and a conditional attached to the third. The classic loss is giving $1,600 and $250 while dropping the $5,200, so the student never learns what the subsidy is worth. "For the whole course" is its own mark.

  4. 4. Mrs GillPunjabi English39 words

    ਹਾਂ ਜੀ, ਕਾਰਡ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੋਲ ਹੈ। ਮੇਰੇ ਭਤੀਜੇ ਨੇ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਦੀ ਫ਼ੀਸ ਲਈ ਲੋਨ ਲਿਆ ਸੀ ਤੇ ਬਾਅਦ ਵਿੱਚ ਟੈਕਸ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮੋੜਿਆ। ਕੀ ਮੈਂ ਵੀ ਉਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੀ ਹਾਂ? ਅਤੇ ਉਹ ਟੈਸਟ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਡਰ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ।

    haan ji, card mere kol hai. mere bhateeje ne university di fees layi loan lia si te baad vich tax raahin morhia. ki main vi use tarahn kar sakdi haan? ate uh test sun ke mainu dar lagda hai.

    Model interpretation

    Yes, I have the card. My nephew took a loan for his university fees and paid it back later through his tax. Can I do the same? And hearing about that assessment frightens me.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • she does hold the Health Care Card
    • her nephew took a loan for university fees
    • he repaid it later through tax
    • asks whether she can do the same
    • says the assessment frightens her
    Terms in this segment
    • nephew (brother's son) — ਭਤੀਜਾ bhateeja
    • loan — ਲੋਨ loan
    • through tax — ਟੈਕਸ ਰਾਹੀਂ tax raahin

    Where marks go here: ਭਤੀਜਾ is a brother's son. Rendering it as "my son" or the vague "my relative" costs the kinship mark, and "my son" also misleads the adviser about the family. The fear about the test is a second question and is regularly dropped.

  5. 5. Alana, course adviserEnglish Punjabi40 words

    VET Student Loans only cover diploma-level courses, so you cannot use one for a Certificate III. A loan is not free money; it becomes a debt you repay through the tax system. And that assessment is not pass or fail.

    Model interpretation

    ਵੈੱਟ ਸਟੂਡੈਂਟ ਲੋਨ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਡਿਪਲੋਮਾ ਪੱਧਰ ਦੇ ਕੋਰਸਾਂ ਲਈ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ, ਇਸ ਲਈ ਸਰਟੀਫਿਕੇਟ ਥ੍ਰੀ ਵਾਸਤੇ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇਹ ਨਹੀਂ ਲੈ ਸਕਦੇ। ਲੋਨ ਮੁਫ਼ਤ ਪੈਸਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੁੰਦਾ; ਇਹ ਇੱਕ ਕਰਜ਼ਾ ਬਣ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਟੈਕਸ ਸਿਸਟਮ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮੋੜਦੇ ਹੋ। ਅਤੇ ਉਹ ਟੈਸਟ ਪਾਸ-ਫ਼ੇਲ ਵਾਲਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ।

    VET Student Loan sirf diploma paddhar de coursaan layi hunde han, is layi Certificate Three vaaste tusin ih nahin lai sakde. loan mufat paisa nahin hunda; ih ikk karza ban jaanda hai jo tusin tax system raahin morhde ho. ate uh test paas-fail vaala nahin hai.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • VET Student Loans cover diploma-level courses only
    • she cannot use one for a Certificate III
    • a loan is not free money
    • it becomes a debt repaid through the tax system
    • the assessment is not pass or fail
    Terms in this segment
    • VET Student Loan — ਵੈੱਟ ਸਟੂਡੈਂਟ ਲੋਨ VET Student Loan
    • diploma level — ਡਿਪਲੋਮਾ ਪੱਧਰ diploma paddhar
    • debt — ਕਰਜ਼ਾ karza
    • not pass or fail — ਪਾਸ-ਫ਼ੇਲ ਵਾਲਾ ਨਹੀਂ paas-fail vaala nahin

    Where marks go here: Two negatives back to back. Candidates who hear "VET Student Loan" start explaining how to apply for one, reversing the answer. Also keep "debt repaid through the tax system": ਮਦਦ or ਵਜ਼ੀਫ਼ਾ turns a loan into a grant, which is the single most damaging error in this dialogue.

  6. 6. Mrs GillPunjabi English40 words

    ਇਹ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਤਸੱਲੀ ਹੋਈ। ਮੇਰੀ ਸਹੇਲੀ ਕਹਿੰਦੀ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਇਸ ਕੋਰਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਸੇ ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੰਮ ਵੀ ਕਰਨਾ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਕਿੰਨੇ ਘੰਟੇ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕੀ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਮਿਲਦੇ ਹਨ, ਅਤੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਕਿਹੜੇ ਕਾਗ਼ਜ਼ ਚਾਹੀਦੇ ਹਨ?

    ih sun ke tasalli hoyi. meri saheli kahindi si ki is course vich kise bazurgaan de ghar vich kamm vi karna painda hai. uh kinne ghante hunda hai, ki us de paise milde han, ate mainu kihrhe kaagaz chaahide han?

    Model interpretation

    That is a relief. My friend said this course also makes you work in an aged care home. How many hours is that, is it paid, and what documents do I need?

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • she is relieved by the answer
    • a friend told her about work in an aged care home
    • asks how many hours it is
    • asks whether it is paid
    • asks what documents she needs
    Terms in this segment
    • aged care home — ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ ਦਾ ਘਰ bazurgaan da ghar
    • friend (female) — ਸਹੇਲੀ saheli
    • documents — ਕਾਗ਼ਜ਼ kaagaz

    Where marks go here: Three questions in one breath and the assessor is counting all three. "Is it paid" is the one candidates lose, usually because they are still constructing the hours question. Keep the source as hearsay from a friend, not as something she already knows.

  7. 7. Alana, course adviserEnglish Punjabi38 words

    The placement is 120 hours in an aged care home, a three-week block in the second half, and it is unpaid. You must have a National Police Check before your first shift. Applications close on Friday 14 August.

    Model interpretation

    ਪਲੇਸਮੈਂਟ ਕਿਸੇ ਬਜ਼ੁਰਗਾਂ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਸੌ ਵੀਹ ਘੰਟੇ ਦਾ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਕੋਰਸ ਦੇ ਦੂਜੇ ਅੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਿੰਨ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਲਗਾਤਾਰ, ਅਤੇ ਇਸ ਦੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲਦੇ। ਪਹਿਲੀ ਸ਼ਿਫ਼ਟ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਚੈੱਕ ਹੋਣਾ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਹੈ। ਅਰਜ਼ੀਆਂ ਸ਼ੁੱਕਰਵਾਰ ਚੌਦਾਂ ਅਗਸਤ ਨੂੰ ਬੰਦ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ।

    placement kise bazurgaan de ghar vich ikk sau veeh ghante da hunda hai, course de dooje addh vich tinn hafte lagaataar, ate is de paise nahin milde. pahili shift ton pahilaan tuhada National Police Check hona zaroori hai. arzeeaan shukkarvaar chaudaan August nu band ho jaandiaan han.

    What must survive (6 marks of information)
    • placement is 120 hours
    • it is in an aged care home
    • a three-week block in the second half of the course
    • the placement is unpaid
    • a National Police Check is required before the first shift
    • applications close on Friday 14 August
    Terms in this segment
    • work placement — ਪਲੇਸਮੈਂਟ placement
    • unpaid — ਬਿਨਾਂ ਤਨਖ਼ਾਹ binaan tankhaah
    • National Police Check — ਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਚੈੱਕ National Police Check
    • applications close — ਅਰਜ਼ੀਆਂ ਬੰਦ ਹੋਣਾ arzeeaan band hona

    Where marks go here: "120 hours" and "three weeks" describe the same placement, not two requirements; candidates who add them produce a placement twice its real size. The police check is a precondition, so ਪਹਿਲਾਂ must land: after the first shift is too late and the student would be turned away.

  8. 8. Mrs GillPunjabi English40 words

    ਤਾਂ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਚੌਦਾਂ ਅਗਸਤ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਅਰਜ਼ੀ ਦੇਣੀ ਪਵੇਗੀ, ਦਾਖ਼ਲੇ ਵਾਲੇ ਦਿਨ ਹੈਲਥ ਕੇਅਰ ਕਾਰਡ ਲਿਆਉਣਾ ਪਵੇਗਾ, ਅਤੇ ਪਲੇਸਮੈਂਟ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਚੈੱਕ ਕਰਵਾਉਣਾ ਪਵੇਗਾ। ਕੀ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਇਹ ਈਮੇਲ ਕਰ ਦਿਓਗੇ? ਮੈਂ ਸੋਮਵਾਰ ਨੂੰ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਚੈੱਕ ਲਈ ਅਰਜ਼ੀ ਦੇ ਦਿਆਂਗੀ।

    taan mainu chaudaan August ton pahilaan arzi deni pavegi, daakhle vaale din Health Care Card liaauna pavega, ate placement ton pahilaan police check karvaauna pavega. ki tusin ih email kar diyoge? main somvaar nu police check layi arzi de diaangi.

    Model interpretation

    So I have to apply before the fourteenth of August, bring my Health Care Card on enrolment day, and get the police check done before the placement. Will you email me this? I will apply for the police check on Monday.

    What must survive (5 marks of information)
    • must apply before 14 August
    • must bring the Health Care Card on enrolment day
    • police check done before the placement
    • asks for the information by email
    • will apply for the police check on Monday
    Terms in this segment
    • to apply / application — ਅਰਜ਼ੀ ਦੇਣੀ arzi deni
    • enrolment day — ਦਾਖ਼ਲੇ ਵਾਲਾ ਦਿਨ daakhle vaala din

    Where marks go here: Three obligations and two different dates. Candidates merge "before 14 August" with "on Monday" into one vague "soon", which erases both the deadline and her commitment. Enrolment day and placement are separate moments; do not collapse them into "the first day".

Register and cultural mediation in this dialogue

  • The adviser and the student have never met, so ਤੁਸੀਂ runs in both directions. Mrs Gill is nervous about her English, and interpreters often start comforting her in their own voice; everything you add is a mark lost, however kind it sounds.
  • A police check carries a heavier charge in Punjabi than in English. Many clients hear ਪੁਲਿਸ ਚੈੱਕ as suspicion of wrongdoing rather than routine screening for anyone working with older people, so the neutral tone of the adviser has to be preserved rather than apologised for.
  • Australia has no clean Punjabi equivalent for a study debt collected through the tax office. ਕਰਜ਼ਾ carries the everyday sense of borrowing from a person or a bank, so the phrase ਟੈਕਸ ਸਿਸਟਮ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਮੋੜਨਾ has to be kept intact for the concept to survive.

Enrolling at TAFE: Aged-Care Certificate, Fees, Placement and the Police Check — glossary (14 terms)

Learn these before you sit the paper a second time. More education vocabulary.

EnglishPunjabiTransliteration
TAFEKeep in English. A government vocational college, not a university and not a private coaching centre.ਟੈਫ਼ (TAFE)TAFE
Certificate IIIਸਰਟੀਫਿਕੇਟ ਥ੍ਰੀCertificate Three
diploma levelਡਿਪਲੋਮਾ ਪੱਧਰdiploma paddhar
enrolmentਦਾਖ਼ਲਾdaakhla
government-subsidised placeਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਸਬਸਿਡੀ ਵਾਲੀ ਸੀਟsarkaari subsidy vaali seat
full feeਪੂਰੀ ਫ਼ੀਸpoori fees
concession rateਰਿਆਇਤੀ ਫ਼ੀਸriaaiti fees
VET Student LoanRepaid through the tax system once income passes the threshold. Interpreters who call it ਮਦਦ turn a debt into a gift.ਵੈੱਟ ਸਟੂਡੈਂਟ ਲੋਨVET Student Loan
debtਕਰਜ਼ਾkarza
work placementਪਲੇਸਮੈਂਟplacement
unpaidਬਿਨਾਂ ਤਨਖ਼ਾਹbinaan tankhaah
National Police CheckA criminal history certificate required before working with older people. It is a screening step, not an accusation, and clients sometimes hear it as one.ਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਚੈੱਕNational Police Check
language, literacy and numeracy assessmentਭਾਸ਼ਾ, ਪੜ੍ਹਾਈ-ਲਿਖਾਈ ਅਤੇ ਗਿਣਤੀ ਦਾ ਟੈਸਟbhaasha, parhaai-likhaai ate ginti da test
applications closeਅਰਜ਼ੀਆਂ ਬੰਦ ਹੋਣਾarzeeaan band hona

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Questions about this mock test

Do consumer dialogues in the CCL test really carry this many numbers?
Yes. A billing or hardship scenario is chosen by test writers precisely because it forces the candidate to hold several figures at once: two bill amounts, a billing period, a rate change, an instalment size and a due date. In this paper the first dialogue carries close to twenty distinct figures across eight segments, which is normal for a consumer topic.
How should I interpret "we cannot disconnect you while you are on the plan"?
As a flat prohibition on the retailer. Use ਅਸੀਂ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਕੱਟ ਨਹੀਂ ਸਕਦੇ, never ਅਸੀਂ ਨਹੀਂ ਕੱਟਾਂਗੇ or ਅਸੀਂ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਕਰਾਂਗੇ. The first says the retailer is not permitted to act, the others say it has chosen not to. That difference tells a frightened customer whether he holds a right or a favour, and assessors treat the softened version as a distortion rather than a minor slip.
Is it wrong to say "discount" for an energy concession?
It is a meaning error. A concession is a government entitlement applied to the bill through the retailer, tied to a card such as a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, while a discount is a commercial offer the retailer can withdraw. Saying ਛੋਟ once and then clarifying ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਛੋਟ keeps the frame right without adding information the speaker did not give.
Can I use a VET Student Loan for a Certificate III in aged care?
No, and this dialogue is built on that gap. VET Student Loans are only available for approved courses at diploma level and above, so a Certificate III student pays the subsidised or concession fee directly. Candidates who assume the loan is available and interpret the adviser as explaining how to apply reverse the answer and lose the whole segment.
How do I handle Punjabi kinship terms like ਭਤੀਜਾ in the CCL test?
Translate them precisely in the Punjabi to English direction, where ਭਤੀਜਾ is a brother's son and ਭਾਣਜਾ is a sister's son. English collapses both into nephew, so going the other way you keep the English word rather than guessing a side of the family. Substituting "my son" or "my relative" costs a mark and can mislead the professional about who is involved.
Why does this test count as foundation level if it has so much detail?
Level in this set refers to the language, not the load. Both dialogues use everyday speech with no technical or legal jargon, and the sentences are short. What makes them demanding is the density of ordinary facts: dollar amounts, days of the week, deadlines and one prohibition. That is exactly the skill set a first real CCL sitting tests.

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Last revised 2026-08-05. NaatiGuru is not affiliated with NAATI; these are original practice materials written to the published CCL test format.