Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test is the “long turn”. The examiner gives you a cue card, you get one minute to prepare, and then you speak alone for up to two minutes. Many candidates lose marks here not because their English is weak, but because they run out of ideas after 40 seconds or stop to search for words.
Below you will find a simple plan for your one minute of preparation, ten cue card topics that come up again and again, and Band 8 sample answers you can learn from. Do not memorise them word for word — examiners are trained to notice memorised answers. Use them to see how a high-band answer is built.
How IELTS Speaking Part 2 works
- You receive a card with a topic and three or four prompts (“You should say…”).
- You have 1 minute to make notes. Paper and a pencil are provided.
- You speak for 1 to 2 minutes. The examiner will stop you at two minutes.
- The examiner may ask one or two short follow-up questions, then Part 3 discusses the same theme in more depth.
You are marked on the same four criteria as the rest of the test: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. See how IELTS band scores are calculated for what each band means.
A 1-minute note plan that always works
Do not write sentences. Write five or six key words in this order:
- What / who — name the thing, person or place in one phrase.
- When and where — one detail of time and place makes your story real.
- Story — two or three things that happened, in order.
- Feeling — how you felt then, using one strong adjective.
- Why it matters — the last prompt is usually “explain why…”. Save your best idea for it.
If you finish early, add a comparison (“Compared with…”), a small detail (“What I remember most is…”) or a reflection (“Looking back, I realise…”). These three phrases alone can add 30 seconds.
10 common IELTS Part 2 cue cards with sample answers
1. Describe a person who has influenced you
Describe a person who has influenced you.
You should say:
• who this person is
• how you know them
• what they did
• and explain how they influenced you
Band 8 sample answer: “I would like to talk about my secondary school maths teacher, Mr Rahman, who probably shaped my attitude to learning more than anyone else. I was in his class for two years, when I was around fourteen, and to be honest I was a fairly average student who found maths intimidating. What made him different was that he never simply gave us the answer. Whenever someone was stuck, he would ask a question back, something like ‘What do you already know here?’, and somehow the problem would start to make sense. I remember one afternoon when I had failed a test quite badly and was expecting a lecture. Instead, he sat down with me, went through every mistake, and pointed out that most of them came from rushing rather than not understanding. That conversation really stuck with me. Looking back, I think his biggest influence was teaching me that being stuck is part of learning, not a sign that you are not clever enough. I still use that mindset today, especially when I am preparing for exams like IELTS, because it stops me from panicking when something feels difficult.”
Why it scores well: a clear story with one specific moment, natural phrases (“to be honest”, “that really stuck with me”, “looking back”), and a range of tenses.
2. Describe a place you visited that you would like to visit again
Describe a place you visited that you would like to visit again.
You should say:
• where it is
• when you went there
• what you did there
• and explain why you would like to go back
Band 8 sample answer: “The place that comes to mind is the Hunza Valley in the north of Pakistan, which I visited with my cousins about three years ago during the summer holidays. We drove up from Islamabad, and the journey itself was unforgettable — the road winds along the Karakoram Highway with mountains on both sides, and every bend seemed to reveal an even more dramatic view. Once we arrived, we spent most of our time walking around the villages, trying apricots straight from the trees and visiting Baltit Fort, which is several hundred years old and overlooks the whole valley. What struck me most was how calm everything felt compared with the noise of the city. The main reason I would love to go back is that we only stayed for four days, which really was not enough. Next time I would like to go in autumn, when people say the trees turn bright orange and red, and I would also like to hike to one of the glaciers, which we did not have time for. I think it would be an even richer experience the second time around.”
3. Describe a skill you would like to learn
Describe a skill you would like to learn.
You should say:
• what the skill is
• how you would learn it
• how difficult it would be
• and explain why you want to learn it
Band 8 sample answer: “A skill I have wanted to learn for a long time is cooking properly — not just following a recipe step by step, but understanding how flavours work so that I can cook without measuring everything. At the moment I can make a handful of simple dishes, but I rely heavily on videos. If I were to learn seriously, I think I would combine two approaches: watching a structured online course for the basics, like knife skills and how to control heat, and then spending weekends in the kitchen with my mother, who is an excellent cook and never uses a recipe. I imagine the hardest part would be developing that instinct for when something is ready, because that only comes with practice and a fair amount of failure. The main reason I want to learn is independence. I am planning to study abroad next year, and I would rather not survive on instant noodles. Beyond that, I think cooking for other people is a lovely way to bring friends together, so it is a skill that would make my life both healthier and more sociable.”
4. Describe a time you helped someone
Describe a time you helped someone.
You should say:
• who you helped
• when and where it happened
• how you helped them
• and explain how you felt about it
Band 8 sample answer: “I would like to describe a time last winter when I helped an elderly neighbour of ours, Mrs Khan, who lives alone in the flat below us. One evening there was a power cut that lasted most of the night, and I noticed she had not come out to collect her shopping as she usually does. I knocked on her door and found her sitting in the dark, quite anxious, because her phone battery had died and she could not contact her son. So I brought down a battery lamp and a power bank, helped her charge her phone and called her son for her. Then I stayed for about an hour, chatting and making tea on her gas stove until she felt calmer. It was not a dramatic thing to do, but I remember feeling genuinely useful, and a little guilty that I had never really talked to her before, even though we had been neighbours for years. Since then I check on her every week or so, and she has become a sort of extra grandmother to me, so in a way that small act ended up benefiting me as much as her.”
5. Describe a piece of technology you find useful
Describe a piece of technology you find useful.
You should say:
• what it is
• when you got it
• how often you use it
• and explain why it is useful to you
Band 8 sample answer: “The piece of technology I would struggle to live without is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones I bought about a year ago with money I had saved from tutoring. I use them practically every day, mainly when I am studying, because I share a room with my younger brother, and our house is rarely quiet. Before I had them I used to get distracted constantly, whereas now I can put them on, play some soft background music or just silence, and concentrate for an hour at a time. I also use them on long bus journeys to listen to English podcasts, which has made a noticeable difference to my listening skills. What makes them so useful, I think, is that they give me control over my environment, which is something I cannot otherwise afford — I cannot exactly move to a bigger house. If I am honest, they were more expensive than I would normally spend, but I have never once regretted the purchase.”
5 more cue cards to practise
Use the same note plan for these. Aim for a full two minutes on each.
Describe a book you read that you found useful.
You should say:
• what the book was
• when you read it
• what it was about
• and explain why you found it useful
Describe a time when you had to wait for something.
You should say:
• what you were waiting for
• where you were
• how long you waited
• and explain how you felt while waiting
Describe an important decision you made.
You should say:
• what the decision was
• when you made it
• how you made it
• and explain why it was important
Describe a festival or celebration in your country.
You should say:
• what it is
• when it happens
• what people do
• and explain why it is important to people
Describe a goal you hope to achieve in the future.
You should say:
• what the goal is
• when you hope to achieve it
• what you need to do
• and explain why it is important to you
Mistakes that cost marks in Part 2
- Stopping after one minute. Speaking for the full two minutes shows fluency. Use your “why” prompt and a reflection to fill the time.
- Reading your notes. Glance at them, but speak to the examiner.
- Memorised answers. Examiners recognise rehearsed speeches and may move you to a new topic. Learn structures and phrases, not whole answers.
- Only one tense. A story naturally uses past, present perfect (“I have wanted…”) and future or conditional (“If I went back…”). Use them.
- Simple adjectives. Replace “good” and “nice” with precise words: “unforgettable”, “inspiring”, “reassuring”, “chaotic”.
Frequently asked questions
How long should my Part 2 answer be?
Aim to speak for the full two minutes. The examiner will stop you, which is completely normal and does not lose you marks.
Can I choose a different topic if I do not like the card?
No. You must speak on the card you are given. If you have no real experience, you are allowed to talk about an imagined one — the examiner marks your English, not whether the story is true.
Are these the exact topics in the 2026 exam?
Nobody outside IELTS knows the exact questions, and they change regularly. These are topic types that appear again and again, so practising them prepares you for whatever card you get.
How can I check my Part 2 band score?
Record yourself and get feedback on all four criteria. An AI speaking app can give you an estimated band in seconds, so you can practise one cue card a day and see whether you are improving.
Practise IELTS speaking with AI
The fastest way to get better at Part 2 is to practise a cue card every day and get feedback straight away. IELTSify with AI gives you a real exam-style Speaking test on your phone:
- A real exam-style Speaking test: Parts 1, 2 and 3 with an examiner voice and a one-minute preparation timer for Part 2
- An estimated band for each criterion: Fluency, Vocabulary, Grammar and Pronunciation
- Corrections of your own sentences and a Band 7 version of your answer after every test
- A free 3–5 minute Daily Challenge and an AI Tutor that coaches you answer by answer
Download IELTSify with AI free on iPhone or Android:
