Speaking
IELTS Speaking Part 2: a cue-card structure that sounds native
A 2-minute framework for Part 2 that avoids memorised speeches and still covers every bullet on the card.
What examiners are actually scoring
Part 2 is not a speech contest. You are scored on fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation — not on how interesting your holiday was.
Memorised answers collapse when the card is slightly different. A flexible structure is safer.
One-minute prep
Use the paper:
- Choose a real example (a person, a place, an object).
- Note 4 bullets: what / when / why / how you felt.
- Add one specific detail (a name, a smell, a sentence someone said).
Two-minute talk
- 20 seconds: set the scene
- 60 seconds: story with the detail
- 20 seconds: why it mattered / how you feel now
- leftover: expand the last bullet rather than freeze
If you finish at 1:10, you under-performed. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Sound British without copying phrases from Instagram
Natural fillers: to be honest, what struck me was, I hadn't expected. Avoid it is a well-known fact that — that is writing, not speaking.
Record yourself once a week. In feedback sessions I mark hesitation, weak word stress, and where a native speaker would join ideas.
Next step
Ready for Band 7+?
Book a 50-minute lesson with David Taylor — $30, payable via Wise.