Part 2: two minutes from one minute of notes
How to make useful notes, and how to keep going for the full two minutes.
15 minutes · A free lesson from Speaking
In Part 2 you get a card with a topic and three prompts, one minute to prepare, and up to two minutes to speak. The examiner will stop you when time is up — that is normal and not a bad sign.
public speaking · project presentation — rushed, read slides · speaking club near uni — weekly, feedback · record on phone · interviews, persuade, stop feeling nervous
Five lines of keywords are enough for two minutes.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: What should you write in your minute of preparation?
- Full sentences
- Keywords for each prompt
- Nothing: just think
Show the answer
B: Keywords for each prompt — Full sentences take too long. Write one or two keywords for each prompt, and a detail or story.
Quick check: The examiner stops you at two minutes. What does that mean?
- Nothing bad: it is normal
- You spoke too long and lost marks
- You failed Part 2
Show the answer
A: Nothing bad: it is normal — The examiner stops everyone when the time is up.
Quick check: You finish after one minute. What should you do?
- Stop and wait
- Ask for the next question
- Go back to a prompt and add a detail, an example or a feeling
Show the answer
C: Go back to a prompt and add a detail, an example or a feeling — Speaking for well under the time makes it hard to score above band 5 for Fluency and Coherence.
Quick check: Which kind of story is easiest to keep going?
- A general statement about everyone
- A specific one: a particular day or person
- A story you have memorised
Show the answer
B: A specific one: a particular day or person — Specific stories give you details to talk about.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now