IELTS Speaking Part 2: Cue Card Strategy (with Example)

In Part 2 you get a cue card, one minute to prepare, and you must speak for 1–2 minutes. Students panic because they run out of things to say. The fix is a simple plan.

Use your 1 minute wisely Do not write full sentences. Write 4–5 keywords — one for each bullet on the card, plus a personal detail. Keywords keep you talking without reading.

The 'Past – Present – Feeling' trick If you are stuck, expand any topic in three directions:

• What happened / the background (past)
• What it is like now / details (present)
• How you feel about it and why (feeling)

This alone fills two minutes.

Worked example — 'Describe a place you like to relax'

• Keywords: rooftop, evening, tea, city view, calm
• Past: 'I discovered this rooftop two years ago when I moved to the city...'
• Present: 'These days I go there most evenings with a cup of tea and watch the city lights...'
• Feeling: 'It makes me feel calm because it is the only quiet moment in my busy day...'

Keep talking until the examiner stops you Do not finish early. If you cover the bullets, add an example or a comparison ('It is much more peaceful than a cafe').

Fluency beats perfection A few small mistakes are fine. Hesitating, long pauses, and one-word answers cost more marks than a minor grammar slip.

Practice tip: in IELTSAlert, the AI examiner asks Part 2 cue cards and auto-scores your spoken answer on fluency, vocabulary and grammar — record yourself, listen back, and notice where you paused.