IELTS Speaking Part 2: How to Answer a Cue Card (with Sample)
In IELTS Speaking Part 2, the examiner gives you a cue card with a topic and three or four points to cover. You get one minute to prepare and make notes, and then you speak on your own for one to two minutes. It is often called the “long turn”.
Part 2 is where many candidates lose marks, not because their English is weak, but because they run out of ideas after thirty seconds. On this page you will learn how to use your minute of preparation, how to structure a two-minute answer, what a strong answer sounds like, and you will find cue cards on more than 25 topics to practise with.
How IELTS Speaking Part 2 works
- 1
You get a cue card
The card names a topic (“Describe a…”), lists three or four points you should say, and ends with an “explain” point.
- 2
1 minute to prepare
You get paper and a pencil. Use the minute to write key words, not sentences. You can look at your notes while you speak.
- 3
1–2 minutes of speaking
You talk on your own while the examiner listens. Aim for the full two minutes: the examiner will stop you when the time is up.
- 4
One or two short questions
The examiner may ask a quick follow-up question, then moves on to Part 3, which discusses the same topic in a more general way.
Part 2 is not scored separately. The examiner uses the same four criteria for the whole test: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. Part 2 is your best chance to show that you can speak at length without help.
How to use your minute of notes
Write one or two key words for each point on the card, plus one detail or small story you can tell. Here is the cue card we will use for the sample answer below, and the notes a strong candidate might make in one minute:
Describe a time you visited a friend's home for a special reason.
You should say:
- when you went
- who you visited
- what you did there
and explain why you visited your friend's home.
- last spring, Sat evening
- Anna – school friend, new flat
- housewarming: tour, plants, cooked together
- story: smoke alarm → laughing
- why: first own home, big step, support
The small story (here, the smoke alarm) is what fills the second minute. Descriptions run out quickly; a short story with a beginning, a problem and an ending keeps you talking naturally.
How to structure a two-minute answer
| Part of the answer | What to say | About |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Say what you are going to talk about in one sentence: “I would like to talk about…” | 10 sec |
| The points on the card | Cover each point in order, with one detail or example each. The card is your plan. | 50–60 sec |
| A short story or detail | Something that happened, what you saw or how people reacted. This makes the answer personal and longer. | 30 sec |
| The “explain” point | Finish with your feelings or reasons. This is where you can show more complex language. | 20–30 sec |
Use different tenses naturally: the past for what happened, the present perfect for how things have changed since (“we have been closer ever since”), and a conditional or two for feelings (“if she had not invited me, I would have…”).
Sample answer (band 7+)
I would like to talk about a visit to my friend Anna's new flat last spring. We have known each other since primary school, and she had just moved into the first home she had ever owned, so she invited a few of us round on a Saturday evening for a small housewarming party.
When I arrived, she gave me a tour straight away. It is quite a small flat on the top floor of an old building, but it has huge windows, and she had filled every corner with plants, so it felt bright and calm. There were about six of us, and instead of ordering food, we all cooked dinner together in her tiny kitchen.
The part I remember best is what happened in the middle of cooking. Someone left a pan of onions on the heat for too long, the smoke alarm went off, and none of us could work out how to switch it off. We ended up standing on chairs, waving tea towels at the ceiling, while the neighbours knocked on the door to check that nothing was on fire. Anna was embarrassed at first, but within a minute everyone was crying with laughter.
I went mainly because I wanted to support her. Buying a home on her own was a big step, and I know she had been saving for it for years, so it meant a lot to see her so proud of it. Looking back, it was one of those simple evenings that brings friends closer, and whenever I visit her now, someone always mentions the smoke alarm.
Why this works: it covers every point on the card in order, adds a short story that fills the second minute, and uses a natural mix of tenses and structures (“the first home she had ever owned”, “none of us could work out how to…”, “it meant a lot to see her…”) without sounding memorised. For how complex and simple sentences are scored, see how to give band 7+ answers in the Speaking test.
Common mistakes in Part 2
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Stopping after 40 seconds | Plan one short story or detail in your notes. Keep going until the examiner stops you. |
| Writing full sentences in your notes | You only have a minute. Key words are faster and keep you speaking naturally. |
| Reciting a memorised answer | Examiners recognise prepared speeches. Practise ideas and structures, not whole texts. |
| Skipping a point on the card | Go through the points in order and tick them off in your head. |
| Panicking about an unfamiliar topic | You can talk about something you know well, or even invent details. The examiner scores your English, not whether your story is true. |
IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card topics
Each topic page has four cue cards with band 7+ sample answers, vocabulary and Part 3 questions.
- Travel
- Sport
- Hobbies and leisure
- Food and cooking
- Shopping
- Books
- Movies
- Family
- Advertisement
- Birthday
- Gift
- Education
- Technology
- Person
- Place
- Work and jobs
- Experience
- Music
- Environment and nature
- Animals and pets
- Clothes and fashion
- Health and fitness
- Friends
- Childhood
- Plans and goals
- Festivals and celebrations
- Possessions
- Art and photography
IELTS Speaking Part 2 FAQ
Quick answers to the questions students ask most.
How long should I speak in Part 2?
Between one and two minutes. Aim for the full two minutes: the examiner will stop you when the time is up, so you never need to watch the clock.
Can I make notes in Part 2?
Yes. You get one minute, paper and a pencil to prepare, and you can look at your notes while you speak. Write key words, not full sentences.
What if I run out of things to say?
Go back to the card and add a detail to one of the points, or tell a short story about what happened. Planning one small story in your notes is the best way to avoid this.
Does my story have to be true?
No. The examiner scores your English, not your memory. If you cannot think of a real example, you can change details or invent them, as long as you answer the card.
Is Part 2 scored separately?
No. Your Speaking band is based on the whole test, using four criteria: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Part 2 shows how well you can speak at length on your own.
Speaking resources
IELTS Speaking Test
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Topics, Questions & Samples
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Topics & Questions
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Topics, Follow-up Questions & Samples
How to Practice IELTS Speaking for a Band 7+ Score?
