IELTS · Learn · 30 October 2026 · 6 min read
IELTS Speaking Part 2: how to answer cue cards
How IELTS Speaking Part 2 works and a simple method for cue cards: use the one minute well, cover every prompt and speak for the full two minutes.
Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test is the long turn. The examiner gives you a task card, often called a cue card, with a topic and a few points to cover. You have one minute to prepare, and then you speak on your own for up to two minutes. The examiner may then ask one or two short follow-up questions.
For many candidates this is the hardest part of the test, because there is no conversation to lean on. The good news is that Part 2 rewards a method more than any other part. For the format of the whole test, see our IELTS Speaking format guide.
What a cue card looks like
A cue card asks you to describe something from your own experience: a person, a place, an object, an event, an activity or a time. It lists three or four prompts and ends with an "explain" point. Here is one we have written for practice:
Describe a skill you learned outside school. You should say: - what the skill is - who or what helped you learn it - how long it took you to learn and explain why this skill is useful to you.
The prompts are there to help you. You are expected to talk about the topic, and covering the prompts is the easiest way to do that, but you are not marked on each one like a checklist.
How Part 2 is marked
Part 2 is marked together with Parts 1 and 3, on the same four criteria:
| Criterion | What it means in Part 2 |
|---|---|
| Fluency and Coherence | Can you keep talking, with ideas in a sensible order? |
| Lexical Resource | Do you have the words for this topic, and can you get around gaps? |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Do you use a mix of structures, especially past tenses, accurately? |
| Pronunciation | Are you easy to understand, with natural stress and intonation? |
Our guide to the Speaking band descriptors explains each band.
Using the one minute well
You are given paper and a pencil. Do not write sentences. One minute is only enough for key words.
- Choose quickly (10 seconds). Pick the first real example you can talk about for two minutes. Do not waste time searching for the most impressive one.
- Note one or two words for each prompt (30 seconds). Write them in a column so you can glance at them while speaking.
- Add two details (15 seconds). A name, a place, a feeling or a short story moment. Details make the talk longer and more natural.
- Decide your first sentence (5 seconds). Knowing how you will start removes the worst pause.
For the sample card, notes might look like this:
- cooking, grandmother's kitchen
- grandmother, then videos
- about a year, first dish burnt
- saves money, cook for friends, relaxing
A simple shape for two minutes
Two minutes is roughly 250 to 300 spoken words. A loose shape helps you fill it without rushing:
| Stage | About how long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | 10–15 seconds | Say what you are going to describe, in one or two sentences |
| Prompts | 75–90 seconds | Cover each prompt in turn, adding a detail or short story to each |
| Explain point | 20–30 seconds | Give your reasons or feelings, which is often the richest part |
| Close | 5–10 seconds | A short closing sentence, if the examiner has not stopped you |
Tip: spend the most time on the "explain" point. It invites opinions, reasons and comparisons, which show a wider range of language than simple description.
Language that helps
- Narrative tenses. Many cards are about the past. Mix the past simple, past continuous and past perfect where they fit: I had never cooked anything before I tried…
- Signposting. Short phrases move you from one prompt to the next: As for who helped me…, The reason it matters to me is…
- Descriptive detail. Specific nouns and adjectives score better than general ones. A heavy iron pan says more than a pan.
- Recovery phrases. If you lose a word, describe it: the thing you use to turn food over. Fluent paraphrase is better than a long silence.
Common problems and fixes
Stopping after one minute
This is the most common problem. The fix is details: for each prompt, add one fact, one example and one feeling. If you finish early, go back to the explain point and add a comparison with the past or with someone else's experience.
Reading the notes aloud
Glance at your notes; do not read from them. Look at the examiner as you would in a normal conversation.
Memorised answers
Examiners are trained to recognise rehearsed speeches, and a memorised answer that does not fit the card can lower your score. Prepare stories and vocabulary you can adapt, not word-for-word scripts.
"I don't know anything about this"
You can talk about an example you have heard of, or one that belongs to a friend. You can also adapt a story you know well. The test checks your English, not the truth of your story, but it should still answer the card.
Preparing stories in advance
Many cue cards can be answered with a small set of adaptable stories. Prepare five or six, each with clear details:
- a person you admire;
- a place you enjoyed visiting;
- an object that matters to you;
- an event or celebration;
- a challenge you overcame;
- a skill or hobby.
A story about learning to cook, for example, could fit cards about a skill, a family member, a happy memory or something you are proud of.
Practice on your own
Record yourself with a timer. Set one minute for preparation and two for speaking. Then listen back and check:
- Did you speak for the full two minutes?
- Did you cover every prompt?
- How many long pauses or restarts were there?
- Which past tense mistakes did you make?
Do this three or four times a week. Our six-week IELTS study plan builds it into a schedule.
Key points
- One minute to prepare, up to two minutes to speak.
- Write key words, not sentences.
- Cover the prompts, but spend most time on the explain point.
- Add details to keep talking, and paraphrase when a word is missing.
- Prepare adaptable stories, not memorised scripts.
Find more Speaking practice on the IELTS hub, and check current test details on ielts.org.