IELTS General Training · Speaking · S2
IELTS General Speaking Part 2: Individual Long Turn
IELTS General Training Speaking Part 2 is the individual long turn. You receive a cue card with a topic and prompts, get one minute to prepare and make notes, then speak for up to two minutes without interruption. The whole part takes about three to four minutes, and the test is shared with Academic candidates.
- Preparation
- 1 minute, with notes allowed
- Speaking time
- Up to 2 minutes
- Length
- About 3 to 4 minutes in total
- Input
- A text cue card with a topic and prompts to cover
- Assessed on
- Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation
How it works
- 1The cue card appears with the topic and the points to cover.
- 2Preparation time of one minute starts; make brief notes.
- 3Speak on the topic for up to two minutes; you are stopped when time is up.
- 4You may be asked a brief follow-up question before Part 3 begins.
Sample task
Original sample · not from an official test
Describe a time you had to learn something new quickly for work or daily life. You should say: - what you had to learn - why you had to learn it quickly - how you learned it and explain how you felt about the experience.
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Outline: Notes: learning to drive on the other side of the road after moving abroad. Why quickly: new job at a warehouse outside town, no bus before 7 a.m. How: two lessons with an instructor, practice on quiet Sunday mornings with a neighbour, a printed map of the route. Feelings: nervous at roundabouts at first, proud after the first week, now helps other new arrivals. Close by linking back to the question.
A strong long turn covers each prompt in order, uses past tenses accurately for the story, and keeps going for close to two minutes by adding specific details rather than repeating ideas.
Tips that work
- Write key words in your minute, not sentences; one line per prompt is enough.
- Choose a real experience you can describe in detail, even if it is small.
- Use the prompts as your structure, and spend most time on the 'explain' line.
- Keep talking until you are stopped; add a detail, an example or a comparison when you run out.
Common mistakes
- Stopping after 45 seconds because the prompts have been answered briefly.
- Reading your notes aloud word for word.
Questions candidates ask
What if I do not have a real experience that fits the cue card?
You can adapt a real experience or invent reasonable details. You are assessed on your English, not on whether the story is true. Choose something you can talk about easily for two minutes.
Do I have to cover every point on the card?
The points are there to help you keep speaking and stay on topic. Covering them all gives your talk a clear structure, which supports your Fluency and Coherence score.
Are Part 2 topics different for General Training?
No. The Speaking test is shared with Academic, so topics are the same kind for both: people, places, events, objects and experiences from everyday life.
Other IELTS General Training Speaking tasks
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