IELTS Speaking Part 2: Common Cue Cards & How to Answer Them (with Examples)
Master IELTS Speaking Part 2 with strategies for common cue card topics — how to plan, extend your answer and score Band 7+.
▶ Free College Predictor & study-abroad toolsUnderstanding Part 2
You're given a cue card with a topic and 5 bullet points, and one minute to prepare notes. Then you speak for two minutes without interruption. The examiners score your fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Filling the two minutes without major pauses is critical — stopping at 90 seconds costs you marks.
How to use the one-minute prep time
Don't write full sentences. Jot one or two keywords per bullet point — these are memory prompts, not a script. If you write too much, you'll try to read from your notes, which sounds unnatural. A quick outline is enough.
Common cue card topics
Favourite person, a place you visited, a possession you value, a skill you learned, a book or film, a success you've had, a problem you solved. Each has predictable bullet points (why, how, when, feelings). Prepare three answers per topic type so you're ready for any card.
The two-minute structure
First 10–15 seconds: direct answer to the question. Next 90 seconds: develop your answer with examples and reasons from the bullet points. Final 30 seconds: a brief conclusion or what you learned. Never stay on one bullet point for more than 30 seconds.
Extend without memorisation
Practise speaking around the topic naturally, adding details and following your thought rather than a pre-written script. Band 7 sounds like a genuine conversation, not a rehearsed monologue.
Drill common cards free
LandingPrep has free cue card practice for 50+ common Part 2 topics. Record your one-minute prep and two-minute answer, compare to sample answers, and get feedback on timing and fluency.