Speaking Part 2 & 3

What is Speaking Part 2?

Part 2 is the long-turn section of the test. You’re given a topic on a cue card, one minute to prepare, and then you’re expected to speak for up to two minutes. The examiner will not interrupt, so this is your chance to demonstrate fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and storytelling.

The cue card will include a topic and usually a few bullet points. These bullet points are suggestions only — you don’t need to follow them. Your job is to tell a clear, interesting story that shows range and control.

How to Begin — Always Start with a Timed Intro

Most students freeze in the first five seconds. That’s the most dangerous moment.

To avoid this, always use a natural, timed opener. It sets your rhythm, sounds fluent, and gives you confidence.

Suggested openers:

• “About two years ago…”

• “When I was in university…”

• “Back in school…”

• “I remember this one time…”

• “I think it was when I lived in Beijing…”

Get your time marker out early. It gives your brain a second to catch up while making you sound fluent and natural.

The Idea Bank Method

Don’t try to prepare hundreds of cue cards — you’ll never remember them. Instead, prepare 8–10 core stories that can be adapted across many topics.

These are real stories from your life that you know well and can adjust depending on the question.

Example Idea Bank Topics:

• Food (e.g. Pizza, cooking with your grandmother)

• Music (a concert, learning guitar)

• TV (a favourite show, binge-watching something)

• Friends (a close friend, a trip, a disagreement)

• Sport (a match, a team you support, a sport you tried)

• Travel (a trip that went wrong, a visit to another city)

• Hometown (a memory, a place you love or dislike)

• Book/Film (a story that moved you or made you laugh)

• Family (a holiday, celebration, or difficult time)

• Work/Study (a teacher, colleague, or project)

Tip:
If you have a great story about pizza, you can use it for:

• Describe a time you had a great meal.

• Describe a time you spent with friends.

• Describe something you complained about.

• Describe a photograph you took more than once.

The idea is to come up with your answers before the exam.

Ignore the Cue Prompts — Tell a Story

The bullet points on the card often start with:

You should say:
– where it happened
– who you were with
– what you did
– and explain…

You don’t need to follow these.

Instead, tell a real story using the 5Ws + H:

• Who

• What

• When

• Where

• Why

• How

Add detail. Show feeling. Paint a picture.

Use Senses, Tenses, and Idiomatic Language

This is where you show range.

Senses:
What did you see, hear, smell, feel?

Tenses:
Mix past, past continuous, past perfect, present perfect when relevant.

Idiomatic phrases:

• “I was absolutely knackered.”

• “We were over the moon.”

• “It all went pear-shaped.”

• “So I dropped off my girlfriend.”

• “To be honest, I didn’t have a clue.”

A well-told story with 3–4 idioms and varied tenses will hit all the right criteria.

Structure Summary

Start with a time phrase

“When I was at university…” / “A couple of years ago…”

Introduce the person/place/thing

“I had this friend who…” / “I’d gone to this pizza place near my house…”

Tell the story

Use 5Ws and H, use senses, stay relaxed.

End naturally

“So yeah, that’s probably the time that stuck with me the most.”

Practice Method

1. Pick one Idea Bank story.

2. Record yourself answering a real Part 2 cue card.

3. Time your response (aim for 1:45 to 2:00 minutes).

4. Check: fluency, grammar range, natural storytelling.

5. Do it again. Different cue card, same story, new angle.

Important: Speaking Body Language

You are not marked on body language. Smile and make eye contact during the greeting, then look anywhere you like while speaking.

Do not repeat the question in your answer. Answer directly. Use rhetorical questions and conditional structures to vary your sentence types.

IELTS Speaking Myths — The Truth

Myth 1: I need a native accent.
Truth: Any accent is fine. Clarity and pronunciation matter more than sounding British or American.

Myth 2: The Speaking test is simple.
Truth: It requires control over fluency, grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation — not just casual chat.

Myth 3: I must agree with the examiner.
Truth: Your ideas don’t affect your score. Just explain your opinion clearly.

Myth 4: I should ask the examiner personal questions.
Truth: Never. Just respond to the test questions.

Myth 5: My Speaking test was short, so I failed.
Truth: Test length (11–14 mins) does not affect your score.

Myth 6: Being polite increases my score.
Truth: Good manners help rapport but are not scored.

Myth 7: If I don’t know the answer, I fail.
Truth: Knowledge is not tested. Guess if unsure.

Myth 8: Simple sentences are safer.
Truth: You must show a variety of sentence structures to achieve Band 6 or above.

Myth 9: I cannot ask the examiner to repeat.
Truth: In Part 3 only, you can request clarification.

Myth 10: If I freeze, I’ve failed.
Truth: Everyone hesitates. Use fillers like “Actually…” or “To be honest…” and continue.

Final Thought

Fluency is not perfection.
It’s about telling a story clearly, using a range of grammar and vocabulary, and sounding natural. Practice with your Idea Bank, use rhetorical openers, and stay calm — that’s how you succeed in Speaking Part 2.