IELTS Speaking Part 2 gives you a cue card topic and asks you to speak for 1–2 minutes. Most test-takers stop after 90 seconds — which is fine. The challenge is staying on topic, developing ideas naturally, and demonstrating fluency and vocabulary range. This guide provides 50 topics across 10 categories with model response openings and structures.
How to Use This Guide
Don't memorise responses. Instead, study the structure and the types of specific detail that make a Part 2 response strong. Then practise your own responses using your real memories and experiences.
The key principle: Specificity beats generality. "I visited a beautiful park" is weaker than "I visited Lodhi Garden in Delhi at 6am on a January morning — the mist was still on the grass and there were almost no other people there."
Part 2 Structure (Always the Same)
| Preparation Time | 1 minute (use it fully) |
|---|---|
| Response Time | 1–2 minutes |
| Follow-up questions | 1–2 brief questions from examiner |
Note structure during preparation:
- Who / What / Where / When (basic facts)
- How / Why (the interesting part — feelings, significance, lessons)
- Extra detail (sensory detail, specific memory, unexpected element)
Category 1: People
- Describe a person who has influenced you Key points: Who they are → What they did or said → How it changed you → Why the influence lasted
Model opening: "The person who has had the most lasting influence on me is probably my secondary school mathematics teacher, who had this unusual habit of refusing to give us answers. Instead, he would always ask us 'what do you already know that might be relevant?' — and over time that question became the way I approach every problem."
- Describe a famous person you admire
- Describe a family member you are particularly close to
- Describe a person you know who speaks a second language well
- Describe a stranger who did something kind for you
Category 2: Places
- Describe a city you would like to visit Key points: Name and location → Why you want to go → What specifically you would see or do → Why it appeals to you over other places
Model opening: "I have wanted to visit Kyoto for years — specifically because of the contrast it represents. It is a city that has made a deliberate choice to preserve its historical architecture and pace of life alongside a thoroughly modern infrastructure. I find that kind of deliberate cultural decision genuinely fascinating."
- Describe your favourite place in your home town
- Describe a place in nature you find relaxing
- Describe a building or structure that impressed you
- Describe a place you visited as a child that you remember clearly
Category 3: Objects
- Describe an object you own that is important to you Key points: What it is → Where it came from → Why it matters → What you would do if you lost it
Model opening: "There is a very old fountain pen that belonged to my grandfather that I keep on my desk even though I rarely write with it. It is not worth anything financially — the nib is a little scratchy and the ink cartridges are not made anymore — but it represents something about the way my grandfather approached communication with a kind of deliberateness that I find I want to be reminded of."
- Describe a piece of technology you use regularly
- Describe a book that has stayed with you
- Describe a gift you received that was meaningful
- Describe something you made yourself
Category 4: Events
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Describe an event that brought your family together Key points: What happened → Who was there → What made it significant → How it felt
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Describe a sporting event you watched or participated in
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Describe a celebration or festival that is important to you
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Describe a time you received unexpectedly good news
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Describe a time you had to make an important decision quickly
Category 5: Experiences and Activities
- Describe something you learned to do that you now enjoy Key points: What you learned → How you learned it → What the learning process was like → Why you now enjoy it
Model opening: "About three years ago I learned to cook regional Rajasthani food — properly, not just following YouTube recipes. My neighbour's grandmother agreed to teach me, and the first thing she made clear was that I would need to unlearn almost everything I thought I knew about spice ratios."
- Describe a skill you would like to learn
- Describe a time you did something outside your comfort zone
- Describe an experience of working as part of a team
- Describe a time you helped someone
Category 6: Education and Work
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Describe a subject you studied that you found interesting Key points: What the subject was → Why you found it interesting → A specific thing you remember → How it has stayed with you
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Describe a teacher whose class you particularly enjoyed
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Describe a job or career you considered but did not pursue
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Describe a time you had to work very hard to achieve something
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Describe a professional skill you use regularly
Category 7: Media and Technology
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Describe a film or TV programme that made you think Key points: Title and brief description → What made it thoughtful → Specific scene or idea you remember → Why it stayed with you
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Describe a piece of news that affected you
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Describe how you use social media
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Describe a website or app you find genuinely useful
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Describe a time technology frustrated you
Category 8: Society and Culture
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Describe a tradition in your culture that you find meaningful Key points: What the tradition is → When and how it is observed → Why it matters → Whether you think it will continue
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Describe a change you have noticed in your community
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Describe something your country is known for that you are proud of
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Describe a cultural difference you found surprising
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Describe an environmental issue that concerns you
Category 9: Future and Goals
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Describe something you plan to do in the next few years Key points: What it is → Why you want to do it → What is required → How you feel about the prospect
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Describe a country you would like to live in
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Describe a career change you would consider
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Describe a skill you want to have in ten years
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Describe how you hope your life will be different in five years
Category 10: Abstract Concepts (Harder Cards)
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Describe a time when you were very happy Key points: What happened → Why it made you happy → What was surprising about it → Whether you think about it now
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Describe a time you were disappointed by something
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Describe something you consider beautiful
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Describe a moment when you changed your mind about something
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Describe a time you felt proud of yourself
Time Management Tips
- Use all 1 minute of preparation to make brief notes under Who/What/Where/When/How/Why
- Aim for 1 minute 30 seconds — enough to develop ideas without padding
- If you finish your main points before 1 minute, add a reflective comment: "Looking back, what surprised me most was..."
- The examiner will stop you at 2 minutes maximum
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