Speaking Part 2: Filling the 2 minutes

Many candidates struggle to speak for the full 2 minutes in Speaking Part 2 because they tend to answer the first two or three points on the task card too quickly. They only provide a detailed answer for the final point. To enhance your response, it is important to give equal attention and details to each point mentioned in the task card.

For instance, let's take a look at the task below:

Describe an indoor game that you enjoyed as a child. You should say:

• what the game was
• where you played it
• who played this game with you
• and explain why you liked it.

Many IELTS students often rush through the first three points (in blue) and end up speaking at length about the final point (in red). However, to effectively utilize the given time, it is recommended to provide more detailed answers for each point on the task card.

Below is a model answer that we discussed in the previous session:

Model answer: "I used to enjoy playing chess as an indoor game when I was a child. Chess is a strategic board game that requires two players to engage in an intense battle of wits. I would usually play it with my older brother in our living room, where we had a small chess set. We would spend hours engrossed in the game, trying to outsmart each other with our moves. The competitive nature of the game made it exciting and challenging. I loved the feeling of accomplishment whenever I managed to checkmate my brother's king. It was also a great bonding activity for us as it provided an opportunity to spend quality time together, discussing strategies and analyzing our games. The intellectual stimulation and the thrill of victory made chess my favorite indoor game during my childhood."

In the model answer above, notice how each point on the task card is answered in detail. Instead of simply stating the game in one sentence, the answer is expanded by providing three additional sentences describing the game. The same approach is applied for the questions regarding the location and the people involved.

The final point on the task card often asks for your opinion and explanation of why you liked the game. Generally, it is easier to speak more about this point. However, in order to effectively utilize the entire 2 minutes, I recommend practicing giving longer and more detailed responses to the first three points on the task card as well.