Know About the IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics & Criteria

Introduction to IELTS Speaking Part 2

The IELTS speaking section has three parts. The first is the introduction round where you and the examiner become familiar with each other. The IELTS speaking part 2 is the cue card round where a small prompt will be given to you. It includes a main question and four additional points that you should keep in mind while noting down the important keywords and phrases. Moving towards IELTS speaking part 3, it is the round where the examiner will ask follow up questions related to the answers you spoke in the second task. In this, you will have an opportunity to cover the remaining points that you missed in the cue card round. This speaking round will last for 11-14 minutes.

Talking specifically about the IELTS speaking part 2, it will last for 3-4 minutes where the first minute will be given to prepare for the next two minutes. You will be given paper and a pencil to note down pointers. The card has specific questions to cover.

Assessment Criteria of IELTS Speaking

Each section has different parameters on which the candidate scores depend. Here are the four factors on which the band scores of the listening section depend. Each of them contributes 25% of the total scores.

Fluency and Coherence

• Here, fluency means the candidate's ability to speak the language without pause and repetition. In simple words, their knowledge to use the language without filler like uh, um and you know. You should sound natural. It will help you to convey your emotions properly. Also, the listener should comprehend the message correctly.
• Coherencesimply means how all the parts of spoken sentences fit together. Also, the interlinking between the ideas. The examiner will evaluate the ease of listening while you speak. In simple words, it means the way you logically arrange the ideas.

Lexical Resource

It means the vocabulary range used by the candidate. You should work on enriching the word bank so that uncommon phrases and idioms can be used naturally. A few of the lexical resources are as follows:

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

One factor evaluating your speaking skills is the variety of grammatical structures a candidate uses to secure high band scores. You should not boast your range and play a safe game. In simple words, you should demonstrate a mix of various structures, like using models for different functions and correct usage of active and passive voice. There are many more structure mixes that you can use to ace this section.

Pronunciation

You should not get confused between ‘pronunciation’ and ‘accent’. In the IELTS test, you are not expected to use a particular accent rather, you should speak in a way that is clearly understood. While you are speaking, the listener should not lose focus and must hear every word you utter. The better the pronunciation, the better the selection chances. Moreover, you should practice IELTS speaking part 2 questions while you are preparing to improve your pronunciation.

Also Read:  IELTS Vocabulary

List of IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics

In this section, you will find the list of top 20 topics and IELTS speaking part 2 questions. Here, the question pattern is similar to that appears in the IELTS cue cards section.

1. Skill

Describe a skill that was difficult for you to learn.

You should say:

• What skill it was?
• When you learned it?
• Why you learned it?
• And explain why it was difficult for you to learn?

2. Music

Describe your favourite singer or musician.

You should say:

• Who this singer/musician is?
• What type of songs/music he/she sings/composes?
• What type of people listen to his / her songs/music?
• And explain why he/she is your favourite singer/musician.?

3. Technology

Describe a software that you often use.

You should say:

• What it is?
• What you use it for?
• What benefits it brings to you?
• And explain why this is an important software for you?

4. Book

Describe a book that had a major influence on you.

You should say:

• What is it and who wrote it?
• How you learned about it?
• What's the main story of the book?
• And how it had a major influence on you?

5. Happiness

Describe your favourite day of the week.

You should say

• What day it is?
• What you usually do on that day?
• How this day is different to you than other days of the week?
• And explain why this is your favourite day of the week?

6. Leisure

Describe an expensive activity that you enjoy doing occasionally.

You should say

• What activity it is?
• Why it is expensive?
• Who you usually do it with?
• And explain why you enjoy doing this expensive activity?

7. Animal

Describe an aquatic animal.

You should say

• What it looks like?
• When did you see it?
• Where did you see it?
• And explain why it is interesting?

8. Study

Describe a course that you want to learn

You should say

• What is this course?
• When do you want to learn it?
• Where can you learn it?
• And explain why you want to learn it?

9. Goal

Describe an ambition that you have had for a long time.

You should say

• What is it?
• What did you do for it?
• When can you achieve it?
• Explain why you have this ambition?

10. Famous Personality

Describe an Actor or Actress Whom You Admire

You should say

• Who he/she is?
• What he/she looks like?
• What kind of movies does he/she appear in?
• And explain why you admire this actor/actress?

11. Sports

Describe a water sport you would like to try in the future.

You should say

• What is it?
• Where you will do it?
• Whether it is easy or difficult?
• And explain why would you like to try it?

12. Social Media

Describe a person whom you follow on social media.

You should say:

• Who this person is?
• How you know this person?
• What this person posts on social media?
• And explain why you follow him/her on social media?

13. Travel

Describe an important journey that was delayed.

You should say:

• Where you were going?
• Why the journey was important?
• What caused the delay?
• And explain how you felt about the delay?

14. School

Describe something you remember about your first day at a new school.

You should say:

• Where it was?
• How old you were then?
• What you remember?
• And explain how you felt about it?

15. Country

Describe a river or a sea you have visited.

You should say:

• Where the river/sea was?
• What things you did there?
• Why you would recommend the place?
• And explain why you liked this particular place?

16. Shopping

Describe something you received for free.

You should say:

• What it was?
• Who you received it from?
• When and where you received it?
• And explain how you felt about it?

17. Plant

Describe a crop you are familiar with.

You should say:

• What crop it is?
• Where and when it grows?
• How you know about it?
• And explain how useful it is?

18. Work

Describe a small company in your hometown that you think is successful.

You should say:

• How you know about this company?
• What they produce or do?
• Why you think it is successful?
• And explain how you think it became successful?

19. Hobbies

Describe an interest or hobby that you enjoy.

You should say:

• How you became interested in it?
• How long you have been doing it?
• Why you enjoy it?
• And explain what benefits you get from this interest or hobby?

20. Events

Describe a war or conflict you know about.

You should say:

• What it was about?
• How you know about it?
• Who was involved in this war or conflict?
• And explain the outcome of this war or conflict?

In this blog, you got to know the top 20 IELTS speaking part 2 topics and their questions. It includes all the pointers that will appear in your IELTS cue card. Moreover, the assessment criterias are there. Here's a small tip, you can enroll in online IELTS classes to strengthen your preparation and ace the test in your first attempt. The scores are marked on the basis of the given factors that were mentioned in the section 2 of this blog. Here is the list of a few common queries that strike the mind of the aspirants.

Commonly Asked Questions

How Long is IELTS Part 2?

The IELTS speaking part 2 will last for 3-4 minutes where you will be given 1 minute to prepare the topic given in prompt and the rest is for answering the questions asked.

What Are the 4 Criteria for Speaking?

The four criteria on which your band scores are marked are as follows:

• Fluency and Coherence
• Grammar
• Lexical Resources
• Pronunciation

Each of them contributes 25% of the total marks.

Can I Correct Myself in IELTS Speaking?

Yes, you can correct your mistakes in the IELTS speaking test. It depicts that you realized your mistake but correcting yourself too much will have a negative impact on the fluency score.

Is IELTS Speaking Marked Immediately?

Yes, the marks are marked immediately. Although the test is recorded by the examiner analyzes your performance as soon as the test is over.

Can I Speak Slowly in IELTS?

Yes, you can speak slowly but you have to be careful about the speech speed as it will directly impact the language you produce. Also, speaking at high speed doesn't mean you have good fluency.