Speaking Part 2: the long turn
Use your one minute of preparation well and speak for the full two minutes about the cue card topic.
In this lesson you will
- Make fast, useful notes in one minute
- Organise a two-minute talk
- Keep going naturally when you run out of ideas
Learn
In Part 2 you get a cue card with a topic and three or four prompts, one minute to prepare and make notes, and then you speak for up to two minutes. The examiner may ask one or two short follow-up questions.
Notes: write key words, not sentences — one or two words per prompt, plus a detail or feeling for each. Use the prompts in order as a structure.
Structure: set the scene (who/what/when/where) → tell what happened or describe it → explain why it matters and how you feel. The last prompt (and explain why…) is the best place to add depth.
If you run out of ideas: add a comparison (It was quite different from…), a specific example, a feeling, or what you would do differently. Keep speaking until the examiner stops you.
Examples
- Notes for “a memorable journey”: train — Vienna→Venice — with sister — mountains, snow — lost ticket! — first trip alone
- Opening: “I’d like to talk about a train journey I took from Vienna to Venice a few years ago.”
- Extending: “Looking back, what made it special was…”
Vocabulary
cue card
the card with the Part 2 topic
prompt
a point you should talk about
follow-up question
a short extra question after your talk
looking back
when I think about it now
vivid
very clear and detailed
“a vivid memory”
Practice
How long do you have to prepare in Part 2?
Speaking
Describe a place where you like to relax. You should say where it is, how often you go there, what you do there, and explain why it helps you relax. Prepare for one minute, then speak for up to two minutes.
- Use the prompts in order
- Add one feeling and one specific detail per prompt
- Finish with why it matters
Lesson quiz
The examiner may ask…
Review
Key points
- 1 minute notes (key words) → up to 2 minutes speaking.
- Scene → story/description → why it matters.
- Extend with feelings, examples, comparisons.
What you learned
- ✓ I can prepare useful notes quickly.
- ✓ I can structure a two-minute talk.
- ✓ I can keep speaking naturally.