IELTS Speaking Test Part 2
Example Prompt Card with
Example Answer
In Part 2 the examiner will give you a prompt card. The card will ask you to describe a thing, a place, a person, a trip or an event that you know about or have experienced in your life.
You have 1 minute to prepare your answer before you speak. The examiner will tell you when your time is up. You have 2 minutes to give your answer, but remember, this is not a target, it’s just a time limit. Strive to speak for around 1:30. Again, this is a recommendation – you won’t lose marks by speaking for more or less time.
Start with General Facts and move to Specific Experiences
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The most versatile strategy for Part 2 is to start with the most general information at the start of the answer, such as when, where and who.
Then later in the answer, talk about your specific experiences or feelings at the end of your answer. What did you do? What did you see? How did you feel about it? Would you like to go again? These are written in the second half of the answer, and should take up most of your answer.
#1 Example Prompt
Here is an example of a prompt card:
Describe a beautiful place you once visited. You should say:
- when you went to this place
- where it was
- who you went with
and say why you liked it so much.
Listen to an example answer here and follow along with the transcript below:
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Sandra: “So, I’d like to talk about a beautiful place I visited last year. I went on a long weekend to the Ardeche in France … it’s really popular as a holiday destination in the south of France… I actually went there with a few close friends and we had a great time … we stayed in a budget hotel and met some other really nice tourists … but I think the most memorable thing about the holiday was kayaking down the rivers through the mountains… and the incredible natural landscapes … it can get very busy with hordes of tourists but we got really lucky with the crowds, it was nice and quiet … the weather was fantastic and the local restaurants served some great food for a really good price… it was such a great holiday. Let’s see… we did a lot of swimming, kayaking and hiking in the hills – it really wasn’t the kind of trip for someone who just wants to chill out on the beach! We were exhausted but the scenery was stunning, I’d recommend it to anybody who’s active and I can’t wait to go again sometime.”
This is a great answer because it follows a strong Part 2 structure. Sandra described the general facts at the beginning, when it happened, where it was and who she went with. She then continues to talk mostly about her specific memories, feelings and experiences
Here are Sandra’s notes before she gave her answer:
