Part 2: Long turn (cue card)
You get a cue card with one topic and three or four prompts. You have one minute to prepare and make notes, then you speak alone until the examiner stops you. This part tests whether you can organise a longer answer without help.
- Length
- 3–4 minutes
- Preparation
- 1 minute
- Speaking
- 1–2 minutes
How it runs
- 1The examiner hands you the cue card, paper and a pencil.
- 2You have 1 minute to read the topic and jot down notes.
- 3You speak for 1–2 minutes without interruption. The examiner stops you at 2 minutes.
- 4The examiner may finish with one or two short follow-up questions.
Common topics
- A person you admire
- A place you have visited
- An object that matters to you
- A memorable event or experience
- A habit or skill
- A book, film or show
- An important decision
- A gift you gave or received
Sample questions
- Describe a person who has influenced you.
- Describe a time you helped someone.
- Describe a skill you would like to learn.
- Describe a piece of technology you find useful.
- Describe a celebration you enjoyed.
Answer structure
- 01
Note keywords
One line per prompt on the card. No full sentences.
- 02
Set the scene
Say what you are going to talk about and when it happened.
- 03
Follow the prompts
Add detail: who, where, how you felt at the time.
- 04
End with “explain why”
The last prompt gives the most room for vocabulary and opinion.
Sample answer
Question
Describe a place you visited that you would like to go back to. You should say: where it is, when you went there, what you did there, and explain why you would like to go back.
Answer
I'd like to talk about Yogyakarta, a city in Central Java that I visited about two years ago with my university friends. We stayed there for four days during the semester break. On the first day we went to Malioboro Street, which is packed with street food and small shops selling batik. The next morning we woke up really early to watch the sunrise at Borobudur, and honestly that was the highlight of the whole trip... The main reason I'd love to go back is that we rushed through everything. Next time I'd like to slow down, maybe take a short batik class and spend more time talking to local people.
Why this works
It sets the scene clearly, tells the story in order, uses concrete details and saves the reason for the end.
Tips
- Use the full minute to prepare. If asked “Are you ready?”, take your time.
- Pick the story you can expand most easily, even if it is not the most “correct” fit.
- If you run out of ideas before 2 minutes, add feelings, comparisons or what you would do differently.
- Keep your tenses consistent when talking about the past.
Common mistakes
- Stopping after one minute and waiting for the examiner.
- Reading your notes sentence by sentence.
- Skipping the “explain why” prompt.
- Changing topic halfway through out of panic.