Speaking Part 2: The Cue Card (Long Turn) for the IELTS Exam

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

• !Speaking less than 90 seconds — Part 2 must run a full minute minimum
• !Reading the cue card verbatim instead of using it as a prompt
• !Memorizing template answers — examiners detect and downgrade for unnatural delivery
• !Not using the 1-minute preparation effectively (writing single keywords is allowed and recommended)

Study tips

• 1Use the 1-minute prep to outline 4 buckets: introduction, two body points, conclusion. Write 1–2 keywords per bucket.
• 2Practice the "P-E-E" structure for each body point: Point, Example, Explanation. Examples lift band scores significantly.
• 3Develop 5 generic story templates (childhood memory, achievement, person, place, object) you can adapt to most cue cards.
• 4Record yourself, listen back, and count fillers (um, uh, like) — band 7 candidates use under 5 fillers per 2 minutes.

Sample IELTS Speaking Part 2: The Cue Card (Long Turn) questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real IELTS questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

1. 1

   A cue card asks: "Describe a memorable journey you have taken. You should say where you went, who you went with, what you did, and why it was memorable." A Band-7 candidate would typically structure their response by:

   • AListing each point briefly without elaboration
   • BReading the card verbatim
   • CIntroducing the journey, expanding each cue point with examples and reflection, and concluding with personal significanceCorrect
   • DTalking only about the destination
   Why this answer?

   Band 7+ Part 2 responses follow a structured introduction-body-conclusion pattern. Each cue card bullet is expanded with specific details, sensory description, and personal reflection. The conclusion briefly explains why the experience matters to the speaker.