Part 2

IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe an important decision you made

The long turn. You are handed a cue card, given 60 seconds to make notes, and then asked to speak for 1 to 2 minutes without interruption. Most candidates lose marks by stopping early rather than by saying anything wrong.

The cue card

Describe an important decision you made.

You should say:

  • What the decision was
  • When you made it
  • What options you considered
  • How you feel about it now

How to use the preparation minute

This is a plan, not a script. Examiners are trained to recognise memorised answers and mark them down, so the aim is to know what you will cover — not which words you will use.

  1. Seconds 0–15 · commit to one examplePick a real, specific instance and write its name down. Candidates who spend the preparation minute hunting for the perfect example start the long turn with nothing concrete to say.
  2. Open with · what the decision wasGive the specific over the general, then one detail that could only be true of your example.
  3. Then cover · when you made itAnchor it in time and then move on. This bullet is scaffolding — it should cost you one sentence, not twenty seconds.
  4. Then cover · what options you consideredGive the specific over the general, then one detail that could only be true of your example.
  5. Then cover · how you feel about it nowClose on the personal significance, not a summary. This is the point where you can show range: comparatives, conditionals, and the language of evaluation.
  6. If you run out before the time doesSay what you would change about it now, or how it compares with something similar. Stopping at ninety seconds costs more than an imperfect extra sentence.

What comes next

The long turn does not end the topic. The examiner moves straight into Part 3 with something broader, often along these lines:

Do you think people regret their decisions more often nowadays?

What is being marked

Every part of the test is scored on the same four criteria, each carrying equal weight in the final band.

Fluency & Coherence
Lexical Resource
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Pronunciation

Voxtis is an independent practice tool and is not affiliated with the British Council, IDP, or Cambridge Assessment English. Band estimates are indicative.

Practise this one out loud

Reading a cue card is not the same as speaking for two minutes under timing. Take it with an AI examiner that responds to what you actually say, then get a band estimate and the specific sentences that held you back.

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