Cue card refers to a small card provided to candidates during Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test. The card contains a main topic and several bullet points that suggest aspects of the topic to address. Candidates are given one minute to prepare and may make notes before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner listens and may ask follow-up questions when the candidate finishes.
Importance in IELTS Speaking
- The cue card helps structure the candidate’s response, ensuring that they cover relevant details related to the topic.
- Responding effectively to the cue card demonstrates the ability to organize ideas, use a range of vocabulary, and maintain fluency and coherence, which are key criteria in the official IELTS Speaking band descriptors.
- Use the prompts to plan relevant material, not as a checklist that automatically establishes fluency or a band score. A transcript cannot show whether the delivery contains disruptive pauses.
Example
- If the cue card topic is “Describe a book you have recently read,” the card may include prompts such as: what the book is, what it is about, why you chose it, and how you felt about it. A candidate should aim to cover each point clearly and logically.
The book question and prompts above are an editorial illustration, not a confirmed item in our quarterly bank or an official sample card. Use facts from a book you actually read; preparation notes should help you recall those facts, not invent a reading history.
