Watch real Band 9 speakers tackle the long turn and discover proven strategies to excel in the most challenging part of the IELTS Speaking test.
Introduction
IELTS Speaking Part 2 is often considered the most intimidating section of the speaking test. You’re given a topic card, just one minute to prepare, and then expected to speak coherently for up to two minutes. How do the top performers handle this pressure?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll analyze real Band 9 Part 2 responses from successful test-takers, showing you exactly what examiners are looking for and how to structure your own high-scoring answers.
Watch: Perfect Band 9 IELTS Speaking Part 2 Example (starts at 3:22)
By the end of this article, you’ll understand:
- ✓ Exactly what happens in Part 2 and how it’s assessed
- ✓ How to use your one minute of preparation time effectively
- ✓ The ideal structure for a Band 9 Part 2 response
- ✓ Strategies to speak fluently for the full two minutes
- ✓ Real examples of Band 9 responses to common topics
Let’s dive in and decode what makes a Band 9 Part 2 performance truly exceptional.
What Is IELTS Speaking Part 2?
IELTS Speaking Part 2, often called the “long turn” or “cue card task,” requires you to speak for 1-2 minutes on a given topic. Here’s the format:
The format:
- The examiner gives you a topic card with prompts
- You have exactly one minute to prepare (you can make notes)
- You must then speak for 1-2 minutes on the topic
- The examiner will tell you when your time is up
- You might be asked one or two brief follow-up questions
A typical Part 2 topic card looks like this:
Describe a book you have recently read.
You should say:
- what the book was about
- why you decided to read it
- what you learned from it
and explain whether you would recommend it to others.
This section tests your ability to organize your thoughts and speak at length on a specific topic. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your vocabulary, grammatical range, and fluency—but also where many candidates struggle due to the time pressure and need for extended speech.
What Makes a Band 9 Part 2 Response?
Examiners evaluate your performance using the same four criteria as in Part 1:
- Fluency and Coherence: Can you speak continuously for 2 minutes with minimal hesitation? Is your response well-organized and cohesive?
- Lexical Resource (Vocabulary): Can you use a wide range of vocabulary precisely and naturally?
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Can you use varied grammatical structures with minimal errors?
- Pronunciation: Is your speech clear with good use of intonation and stress?
For Part 2 specifically, Band 9 speakers excel in these areas:
✓ Content Development
Band 9 speakers fully develop all aspects of the topic, addressing each bullet point with relevant details and examples.
✓ Organization
Their responses have a clear beginning, middle, and end, with smooth transitions between ideas.
✓ Timing
They speak for the full two minutes without running out of things to say or being cut off mid-sentence.
✓ Authenticity
They sound natural and genuine, not rehearsed, even with pre-prepared content.
Now, let’s analyze real Band 9 Part 2 responses from our video examples to understand what makes them exceptional.
Real Band 9 Examples Analyzed
Example 1: Describing a Perfect Weather Day
Band 9 Response:
“I was in Dubai a couple of months ago, just when the summer was about to end. There was this day when I was just standing in my balcony, it was a bit cloudy that day, and then a few minutes later I saw the lightning and the thunderstorm and it just got darker. I was standing in my balcony and I saw the lightning, and I have the whole view of Dubai skyline so I could see the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Frame, and I saw the lightning on top of, right on top of Burj Khalifa, which was beautiful.
I recorded it and I posted it on Instagram, and then I saw a lot of people were posting the same stories but from different places. A friend of mine came over, we had a glass of wine on the balcony, and then it started to rain heavily. So thunderstorm, rain—it’s not very common to see that in Dubai, that’s why I thought the weather was perfect because it’s always hot and sunny and humid.
As soon as the season starts to change, I think they do something called cloud seeding where they make it rain apparently. So it was very beautiful to see the rain. We had a nice day, nice evening in the balcony having a glass of wine, looking at the beautiful weather. The traffic was very crazy by the way, the roads were flooded, and I think a lot of… we ordered some food by the way, and it took us two hours to get the food delivered.”
Why This Works:
- Vivid description – Uses sensory details (visual elements of lightning, skyline view)
- Sequential narration – Tells the story chronologically from beginning to end
- Personal perspective – Explains why this weather was special to them
- Contextual details – Provides background about Dubai’s typically hot weather
- Interesting tangents – Mentions additional details like posting on Instagram and food delivery challenges
- Natural conclusion – Wraps up with how they enjoyed the evening
Watch: This response in context (starts at 5:55)
Example 2: Describing a Writer You Would Like to Meet
Band 9 Response:
“I would like to talk about the author or the writer that I would like to meet in the future. Unfortunately, she passed away, but the writer is Jane Austen. She is the writer of Pride and Prejudice, which is the current read that I’m reading right now.
The reason why I would like to meet her is because of how, during her time which is around 1700s or 1800s, I was always interested in like the Victorian or like how they were in the past, the way they dress, the way they talk. Especially because people in the past spoke differently, like the language or the words that they used were very different.
Right now I’m reading one of her books, Pride and Prejudice, and sometimes I have to Google what she’s saying, like I don’t understand what she wrote. It’s very interesting the way she writes or like the language that she uses, describing the story setting. I really enjoy it.
I would like to find out about her lifestyle specifically because again I’m just very interested or intrigued about the idea of living in that era, of where the time that she was still alive. Why I would like to meet her is because I’m again very interested in how she speaks or how she spoke and the language that she uses.”
Why This Works:
- Clear introduction – Immediately identifies the writer (Jane Austen)
- Personal connection – Mentions currently reading Pride and Prejudice
- Specific reasons – Explains interest in historical period and language
- Concrete examples – Notes having to Google unfamiliar language
- Well-structured – Organizes thoughts around specific aspects of interest
- Natural repetition – Reinforces key points without sounding mechanical
Watch: This response in context (starts at 7:19)
Example 3: Describing a Friend You Met for the First Time
Band 9 Response:
“The first time I met a new friend, so I’m going to go way back, it was my first day of school, kindergarten, and I met a girl named Amanpreet. We were about, I think we just turned four years old. We met obviously in kindergarten, first year of school.
What I liked about her when I first saw her, I mean, we were sitting together—the teacher made us sit next to each other—and she had this long hair and it was like sectioned into two parts and it was just braided all the way down. And she had the cutest face I’ve ever seen. She had this little fluffy marshmallow-like face. I guess that’s all it takes when you’re a kid to want to be friends with somebody.
And then I tried to… there’s like this little thing that kids do where they put their thumb out to show other kids that I want to be your friend. And then if you don’t want to be friends with them, you do this. It’s like a silly little thing. So I did this to her, I put my thumb out to say ‘hey, do you want to be friends?’ and she was like this [gesture], and I was heartbroken. I was like, how can she not want to be my friend?
And then I saw her again the next day and the day after that and the day after that, and then eventually we ended up becoming best friends. She did it back to me obviously at some point. She was my first best friend that I ever had in life. She was from Punjab, which is a part of India, and her mom used to make the most amazing paratha. It’s like a stuffed bread, it’s like they put a potato and spices into a flatbread, and my mom used to make something called suji, which is sweet semolina…”
Why This Works:
- Storytelling approach – Creates a narrative arc with a beginning, middle, and resolution
- Rich descriptive details – Describes the friend’s appearance vividly
- Cultural elements – Includes cultural references (Punjab, paratha, suji)
- Emotional content – Shares feelings (“I was heartbroken”)
- Childhood perspective – Captures the innocence of childhood friendship
- Authenticity – Uses conversational language that sounds genuine
Watch: This response in context (starts at 4:20)
The Perfect Structure for Part 2 Responses
After analyzing numerous Band 9 performances, we’ve identified a winning structure that you can adapt to any Part 2 topic:
The ideal structure for IELTS Speaking Part 2 responses
- Introduction (15-20 seconds) – Clearly identify what you’re going to talk about
- Main Body (60-80 seconds) – Address each bullet point with specific details and examples
- Conclusion (15-20 seconds) – Sum up with personal reflections or feelings
Let’s see this structure applied to a sample topic:
Describe a skill you would like to learn.
You should say:
- what the skill is
- how you would learn it
- how long it would take to learn it
and explain why you want to learn this skill.
Introduction: “I’d like to talk about a skill I’ve been wanting to learn for quite some time now, which is playing the piano. It’s an instrument I’ve always admired but never had the opportunity to learn properly.”
Main Body:
“The piano is a versatile instrument that can be used to play almost any genre of music, from classical to jazz to contemporary pop. What fascinates me most about it is how it allows one person to create such a complete sound, with melody, harmony, and rhythm all coming from a single instrument.
To learn the piano properly, I would first invest in a decent digital piano for home practice—nothing too expensive, but something with weighted keys that would give me the feeling of playing on a real acoustic piano. I would then find a qualified teacher for weekly lessons, as I believe having professional guidance is crucial, especially in the beginning. Between lessons, I would practice daily for at least 30 minutes, following a structured program of exercises, scales, and pieces assigned by my teacher. I would also use online resources and apps like Simply Piano or Flowkey to supplement my learning.
I’m aware that learning the piano is a long-term commitment. To reach a basic intermediate level where I could play simple pieces fluently would probably take at least two years of consistent practice. Mastering the instrument at an advanced level could take a decade or more. But I’m not in a hurry—I see it as a lifelong journey rather than a goal with a definite endpoint.”
Conclusion:
“The main reason I want to learn the piano is the joy of creating music. There’s something deeply satisfying about expressing emotions through music that words sometimes can’t capture. Additionally, I’ve read studies about how learning a musical instrument improves cognitive abilities and provides stress relief. It would also be a wonderful skill to share with friends and family, perhaps playing at gatherings or simply enjoying it as a personal hobby that enriches my life.”
This structured response:
- Clearly identifies the skill (piano playing)
- Explains how they would learn it (teacher, daily practice, supplemental resources)
- Discusses the time required (two years for intermediate, longer for mastery)
- Provides reasons for wanting to learn (joy of creating music, cognitive benefits, social aspects)
- Includes personal reflections throughout
How to Use Your One Minute of Preparation Time
The one-minute preparation time before your Part 2 response is crucial. Here’s how Band 9 speakers make the most of these 60 seconds:
⏱️ 60-Second Preparation Strategy
Here’s an example of notes you might make during preparation for the “skill you want to learn” topic:
Skill: Piano
How learn: Teacher, daily practice, apps, YouTube
Time: 2 yrs basic, 10+ mastery, lifelong journey
Why: Express emotions, cognitive benefits, social
Details: Grandmother played, always loved sound, stress relief
Notice how these notes are just prompts—not full sentences. They’re designed to trigger your memory and help you structure your response without reading directly from the paper.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Part 2
Based on examiner feedback from our transcripts, here are common mistakes that prevent candidates from reaching Band 9 in Part 2:
1. Not addressing all the bullet points
❌ Common mistake:
Speaking at length about the first bullet point, then rushing through or completely forgetting the other points.
✓ Better approach:
Allocate roughly equal time to each bullet point, using your notes to ensure you cover everything on the card.
2. Running out of things to say
❌ Common mistake:
Finishing your response in under a minute, then awkwardly trying to add more or just sitting in silence.
✓ Better approach:
Prepare expansion strategies: descriptions, personal experiences, examples, comparisons, and hypothetical scenarios.
3. Delivering a memorized response
❌ Common mistake:
Reciting obviously pre-memorized content that sounds robotic and may not fully address the specific topic.
✓ Better approach:
Prepare flexible templates and strategies rather than full scripts. Adapt your prepared language to the specific topic.
4. Speaking too quickly or unnaturally
❌ Common mistake:
Racing through your response due to nervousness, making it difficult for the examiner to follow.
✓ Better approach:
Speak at a natural, conversational pace. Include pauses for emphasis and to give yourself time to think.
Expert Tips from Real Examiner Feedback
💬 Actual Examiner Feedback from Our Videos
On preparation strategy:
“You chose something which is very, very smart, which is picking a real scenario related to something that you really like… I think if I was to give you any advice, that would be the main thing to work on.”
On speaking for the full time:
“The main worry that most students have with Part 2 is having enough to talk about for the full 2 minutes. You have no problem—you could have talked about that for 10 minutes, I think, or half an hour, no problem at all.”
On authenticity:
“Part two, you did a great job because you just picked a real event, a real person from your life, and it’s much easier to talk about that. Some students try to pick something high level or impressive to impress the examiner—there’s no such thing. The best thing to do is pick something from your real life because that’s easy to talk about.”
On addressing all parts of the topic:
“One thing that I would be a little bit careful about is the question says ‘describe X’ and you said, ‘well, it’s one that I visited in the past.’ Always think about what tenses do they really want me to discuss here.”
Advanced Techniques from Band 9 Speakers
1. Storytelling Approach
Use narrative elements to bring your response to life:
- Setting the scene – Describe where and when the event happened
- Introducing characters – Mention specific people involved
- Creating a sequence – Use time markers (first, then, after that)
- Building to a climax – Include unexpected elements
- Providing resolution – Explain outcomes or reflections
Example: “I was in Dubai a couple of months ago… it was a bit cloudy that day… then a few minutes later I saw the lightning… it started to rain heavily… we had a nice evening on the balcony having a glass of wine.”
2. Sensory Description
Engage multiple senses in your descriptions:
👂 Auditory: sounds, music, voices
👃 Olfactory: smells, scents, aromas
👅 Gustatory: tastes, flavors
✋ Tactile: textures, sensations
Example: “She had this long hair and it was like sectioned into two parts and it was just braided all the way down. And she had the cutest face I’ve ever seen. She had this little fluffy marshmallow-like face.”
3. Cultural Elements
Incorporate relevant cultural references when appropriate:
- Food and cuisine – Mention traditional dishes and their significance
- Customs and traditions – Explain cultural practices
- Historical context – Reference relevant historical background
- Regional differences – Highlight variations within your culture
Example: “She was from Punjab, which is a part of India, and her mom used to make the most amazing paratha. It’s like a stuffed bread, like they put a potato and spices into a flatbread, and my mom used to make something called suji, which is sweet semolina.”
Part 2 Topic Categories: Preparation Strategies
Part 2 topics generally fall into several categories. Here are strategies for each:
Person-based topics
Examples: “Describe a person who has influenced you” or “Describe someone you admire”
Strategy: Focus on specific qualities and concrete examples of how they demonstrated these qualities. Include how they affected you personally rather than just listing their achievements.
Object-based topics
Examples: “Describe a gift you have received” or “Describe a piece of technology”
Strategy: Use detailed sensory descriptions (appearance, texture, smell) and explain the object’s personal significance or practical uses.
Experience-based topics
Examples: “Describe a time when you helped someone” or “Describe a holiday you enjoyed”
Strategy: Use the storytelling approach with a clear chronology. Include your emotional responses before, during, and after the experience.
Place-based topics
Examples: “Describe a place you would like to visit” or “Describe your favorite restaurant”
Strategy: Create a vivid picture using sensory details. Explain both physical attributes and the atmosphere/feeling of being there. Share personal connections to the place.
Future/Hypothetical topics
Examples: “Describe a skill you want to learn” or “Describe a job you would like to have”
Strategy: Be specific about your plans or wishes. Use a mix of future tenses appropriately. Explain detailed reasons for your choices and aspirations.
Practice Exercise: Expand Your Part 2 Responses
Let’s practice transforming basic answers into Band 9 responses using expansion techniques:
Topic: “Describe a book you have recently read.”
Basic response (30 seconds):
“I recently read Harry Potter. It’s about a young wizard who goes to a magic school. I read it because my friends recommended it. I learned about friendship and courage. I would recommend it to others because it’s interesting.”
Expansion strategies:
- Add specific details – Which Harry Potter book? When and where did you read it?
- Describe sensory experiences – How did the book make you feel?
- Include personal connections – How did it relate to your life?
- Add opinions and evaluations – What specifically made it worth recommending?
Topic: “Describe a place you enjoy visiting on weekends.”
Basic response (40 seconds):
“I like going to the park near my house. It’s a big park with many trees. I usually go there on Sunday mornings. I like it because it’s peaceful and I can exercise there. It makes me feel relaxed.”
Expansion strategies:
- Describe the location in detail – What specific features does it have?
- Talk about activities – What exactly do you do there?
- Include other people – Do you go alone or with others?
- Tell a specific story – Describe a memorable visit
🏆 Your Practice Challenge
Try expanding these basic responses into full 2-minute Band 9 answers:
- “Describe a teacher who has influenced you.”
- “Describe a film or TV show you enjoyed watching recently.”
- “Describe a special meal you remember.”
Record yourself speaking for the full two minutes. Focus on addressing all the typical bullet points (what, when, why, how you felt).
Self-Assessment Checklist: How Band 9 Is Your Part 2 Response?
| Criteria | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| Did I address all bullet points on the card? | □ |
| Did I speak for the full two minutes? | □ |
| Did I include specific details and examples? | □ |
| Did I use a variety of descriptive vocabulary? | □ |
| Did I use a range of grammatical structures? | □ |
| Did I organize my response with a clear structure? | □ |
| Did I include my personal feelings or opinions? | □ |
| Did I speak at a natural pace without excessive pauses? | □ |
| Did I use appropriate transition words between ideas? | □ |
| Did I conclude with a natural ending rather than an abrupt stop? | □ |
Conclusion: Putting It All Together
Key Takeaways
- Use your preparation time effectively to note key points
- Structure your response with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion
- Address all bullet points on the topic card
- Include specific details, examples, and personal experiences
- Speak at a natural pace for the full two minutes
Remember
Part 2 isn’t about having the perfect answer—it’s about demonstrating your ability to organize your thoughts and speak at length on a given topic. Choose topics from your real life when practicing, as these will be easier to speak about naturally. With preparation and practice, you can develop the confidence to excel in this challenging part of the test.
Success in IELTS Speaking Part 2 comes from combining effective preparation with natural delivery. By studying these Band 9 examples and implementing the strategies we’ve discussed, you’ll be well-equipped to deliver impressive responses in your test.
Remember that the examiner is not judging the content of your response (whether your story is exciting or ordinary) but rather your ability to communicate in English. So focus on how you express yourself rather than trying to impress with extraordinary content.
Next Steps
Ready to see more Band 9 examples? Check out our videos analyzing Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking test, where we break down techniques for discussion and opinion-based questions.
Good luck with your IELTS preparation!
Did you find this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below which specific IELTS Speaking challenges you’d like us to address in future articles.
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