IELTS Speaking Part 2 (Cue Card): The Complete Preparation Guide
In Part 2, you receive a cue card topic, prepare for one minute, and then speak on your own for one to two minutes. It makes many candidates the most nervous, yet with a fixed structure it can actually be the part where you score most consistently.
How Part 2 works
The examiner gives you a topic card along with a pencil and paper. The order is 1 minute to prepare → 1–2 minutes to speak. The card shows a topic together with three or four prompts that begin with 'You should say…'. These prompts are the backbone of what you will say.
How to use the 1-minute prep time
Don't try to write full sentences in one minute. Jot down keywords only. Even two or three words next to each prompt on the card give you enough of a framework to speak from.
- Two or three keywords for each prompt
- Pick one specific proper noun (a place, a person, a point in time) → it keeps your speech flowing
- Note one 'how I felt / why' point to add at the end
A structure to fill 1–2 minutes
- Introduction (1 sentence) — open with a single sentence stating what you will talk about
- Development — go through the card's prompts in order, with two or three sentences for each
- Elaboration — expand on one prompt at length with a specific anecdote (the key to filling the time)
- Conclusion — wrap up naturally with how you felt or why it mattered
If you have time left over If you've covered all the prompts but still have time, add feelings or reasons such as 'why it mattered to me'. Just keep going naturally until the examiner stops you. Stopping too early is the most common way candidates lose points.
Common topic types
- People — someone you admire, someone who influenced you
- Places — a memorable travel destination, a favourite spot
- Objects — a treasured possession, something you'd like to own
- Experiences — something enjoyable, something challenging, something you learned
Assessment criteria
Speaking is marked on four criteria: Fluency & Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range, and Pronunciation. Speaking smoothly and without breaking off — fluency — carries more weight in your score than perfect pronunciation. When you get stuck, it's far more effective to fill the gap with a natural linking phrase like 'Well, let me think…' than to fall silent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I look at the notes I made during prep time while I speak?
Yes, you can refer to the notes you made during prep time as you speak. Just don't read out whole sentences — it sounds unnatural and hurts your fluency score, so use the notes only as keywords to guide your flow.
What if I don't know anything about the topic?
The factual accuracy of what you say isn't assessed — only your command of English is. If you have no real experience with it, there's absolutely no problem with inventing something plausible, so focus on keeping going rather than stopping.