📖 Notes LESSON 15 OF 20

Speaking Part 2 — Long Turn (Cue Card)

⏱️ 22 min
🗣️ Speaking

Talking for Two Full Minutes

The one-minute prep time and the cue card's four bullet points are there to help you structure a full two minutes of natural speech — running out of things to say is a planning problem, not a language problem.

1 Minute Prep, 2 Minutes Speaking

1 min
Preparation time
2 min
Speaking time
4
Cue card bullet points
3
Tenses to use naturally

Every cue card follows the same shape: describe What, When/Where, How/Why, and Why it's memorable.

Using the 1-Minute Prep

1
Keywords for each bullet
Jot one or two words per bullet point, not full sentences.
2
Pick a specific example
A real personal detail is far easier to talk about for 2 minutes than a general idea.
3
Plan your opening sentence
Having the first line ready removes the hardest part of starting cold.

Speaking Tips

  • Speak for the full 2 minutes — running short costs marks
  • Use specific examples, not general statements
  • Naturally mix all 3 tenses (past, present, future) — this is a scored feature
  • Lost your place? Say: "Where was I... yes, I was saying..." and continue

Opening Phrases

  • "I'd like to tell you about..."
  • "This really stands out in my memory..."
  • "One reason I find this interesting is..."

3 Cue Cards to Practise Right Now

These cover the three most common Part 2 categories — a person, a place, and an object. Time yourself: 1 minute to prepare, then speak for the full 2 minutes without stopping.

Cue card 1 — Person: Describe a person who has influenced you. You should say: who this person is, how you know them, what they have done to influence you, and explain why this influence has been important.

Cue card 2 — Place: Describe a place you have visited that you found interesting. You should say: where it is, when you went there, what you did there, and explain why you found it interesting.

Cue card 3 — Object: Describe an object you own that is important to you. You should say: what it is, how you got it, what you use it for, and explain why it is important to you.

🗒 Cheat Sheet 📝 Worksheet