Describe a Piece of Good News: IELTS Cue Card

A. You can find plenty of resources online for your IELTS Speaking preparation. Sample questions, mock tests, and other IELTS resources are available. Make sure you rely on credible sources. You can get cue card topics and sample answers from Leap. This will help you understand how to frame your answers properly. 

A. Part 2 of the IELTS cue card test is based on a cue card topic you receive from the examiner. These can be general subjects; you can speak on the topic for 3-4 minutes. Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking test is follow-up questions. The examiner will ask you questions based on your cue card topic. 

A. You can disagree with the examiner’s opinions during your IELTS speaking test. It is not your opinion that is important for your test. The language and format with which you express your opinions are important. If you disagree, then express your view politely. 

A. If you did not understand your IELTS cue card topic, ask your examiner for clarification. It is common and understandable that you did not understand the topic. Here, you can ask the examiner to explain the topic politely. Asking your examiner to clarify the topic will not affect your test score. 

A. Yes, you can get a preparation time for my IELTS cue card task. The total duration of your cue card task is 3-4 minutes. At this time, the first minute is for preparation. You can use this time to prepare your answers and make notes on the topic. Make your shorts clear and short. 

A. You can apply for a retake if you fail your IELTS Speaking test by chance. The IELTS One-skill retake facility allows you to retake just one IELTS module at a time. If your score is low for a single module, you do not need to retake the entire test. Make sure you prepare well for your retake. 

A. The IELTS speaking test is only 11-14 minutes long. You have three parts in your IELTS Speaking test. The duration of each part is as follows:
 

• Part 1: Introduction and Interview (4–5 minutes)
• Part 2:  Long turn or Cue Card (3–4 minutes)
• Part 3: Discussion (4–5 minutes).

A. Improving your speaking skills is a long-term process. Some good habits to ensure this are:
 

• Listen to daily podcasts, movies, news, and other videos in english
• Interact with native english speakers
• Listen to a variety of accents and try them
• Try to watch movies without subtitles and try to figure out the words on your own
• Try learning new words and applying them in your speech.

A. Proper preparation and constant practice are the quickest ways to achieve a higher score on your IELTS Speaking test. Some good practices you can obey are:
 

• Start with a catchy and pleasant introduction
• Give definitions, examples, and scenarios for your answer
• Stick to your topic
• Use a variety of words.

A. The three parts of your IELTS Speaking test are not marked separately. You will receive a band score for your overall IELTS Speaking test performance. Make sure your ideas are organised logically. Link and explain your ideas using more lexical resources, such as new words and phrases.

A. Yes, you can use idioms and phrases in your IELTS speaking test. Using popular idioms that are relevant to your topic will give a positive impression on your examiner. Idioms are words or phrases that have figurative, non-literal meanings attached to it. Some examples of idioms are ‘beating around the bush’,  ‘the early bird catches the prey’, and ‘from A to Z’.