IELTS Speaking Part 2: how to use your 1 minute of prep and talk for the full 2

In IELTS Speaking Part 2 — the 'long turn' — the examiner hands you a cue card, gives you 1 minute to prepare, and then you speak for up to 2 minutes on your own. Two things decide your score here: using that prep minute well, and not drying up before the 2 minutes are up.

Use the prep minute for keywords, not sentences

You have paper and a pencil — use them. In your minute, jot a few keywords against each bullet on the card, not full sentences. Trying to write out what you'll say wastes the minute and makes you read robotically.

The bullets ARE your structure

The cue card gives you three or four prompts (what, where, who, why). Talk through them in order and you'll never run out of things to say — each bullet is a mini-topic. Finish the bullets, then add detail.

Keep going — stretch every point

If you're running dry, extend each point across time (what happened, what's happening now, what might happen), or add why it mattered and how you felt. Two minutes is longer than it sounds; the goal is to keep talking smoothly until the examiner stops you — don't finish at 40 seconds.

It's a monologue — fluency beats perfection

Part 2 rewards speaking at length coherently. A few small mistakes while you keep flowing scores better than stopping to fix every word. Aim to fill the time naturally, not flawlessly.