Master the Cue Card: Practice real IELTS Speaking Part 2 questions and model answers!
In this section, you'll find a typical Part 2 "cue card" question, guiding prompts, and a sample answer. Listen, read, and practice to boost your fluency and confidence for the real exam.
Describe a special cake you received from others
You should say:
My birthday falls on June 23rd. During these days, there is summer vacation in schools, and most of my friends go out to visit their relatives. So, I mostly celebrated my birthday with my family - my parents and my sister. However, last year because of the pandemic, most of my close friends were home, and they gave me a surprise party on my birthday. The best part of the party was the cake. It was a very well-thought-of cake. The cake was in the shape of a mouth, and above it, there was a can of cola, with dark chocolate pouring down into the mouth of the cake. My friends specially got it custom made. Cola and dark chocolate are my favorite things in the world. The cake showed me that my friends really thought about me. Secondly, it just looked amazing. I never thought anyone could make such a cake in my small town. So, I couldn't even believe the cake. Everything was edible, even the can was made out of cake. For ten minutes, everyone was busy taking pictures of the cake. Even my friends said that the cake turned out better than they expected. But that was just the looks. It tasted even better than it looked. I don't like sweet food; in fact, I hardly have desserts because of this reason. My friends had even made sure that the cake had minimal sugar. It was sweet, but it was the right amount of sweet. And finally, there was a surprise element - the cake had a hint of coffee. Coffee is also one of my favorites, and the coffee just uplifted the taste of the dark chocolate even more. Overall, it was one of the best birthdays I ever had. It was one of the rare times I was able to celebrate it with my friends, and their thoughtfulness with the cake made me realize how lucky I am to have such friends.
When it happened: The answer starts by establishing the time frame: “last year, because of the pandemic.” This sets the scene and provides context for why the friends were home.
Where it happened: While not explicitly stating a location like “my house,” the context of a “surprise party” at home is implied. The speaker also mentions their “small town,” which provides a sense of place.
Who you got the cake from: The speaker clearly states they received the cake from their “close friends” who gave them the surprise party.
Explain why it's a special cake: This is the core of the response, and the speaker provides multiple reasons:
The sample answer uses a variety of grammatical structures to achieve fluency and complexity, which is key to a high IELTS score.
1. Present Tense for General Truths: Used to talk about
routines, habits, or facts that are generally true.
Examples from the answer: "My birthday falls on June 23rd" and "I mostly celebrate my birthday with my family."
Tip: Use the simple present tense to set up the background or provide general information before you start your main story.
2. Past Simple Tense for Narrating the Story: Used to
describe completed actions in the past. It's the primary tense for telling a story.
Examples from the answer: "they gave me a surprise party," "the cake was in the shape of a mouth," and "it tasted even better."
Tip: Make sure to use the simple past tense when describing specific past events.
3. Past Perfect Tense: Used to talk about an action that
happened before another action in the past.
Example from the answer: "My friends had even made sure that the cake had minimal sugar." This shows that their friends' action of making the cake was completed before the speaker tasted it.
Tip: This is a great way to show a more advanced understanding of English grammar. Use it to clarify the sequence of events.
4. Relative Clauses: Used to add more information to a
noun. It makes sentences more descriptive and complex.
Example from the answer: "It was one of the rare times I was able to celebrate it with my friends." Here, "I was able to celebrate it with my friends" is a clause that describes "the rare times."
Tip: Use words like who, which, that, or where to link these clauses to the main part of your sentence.
| Word/Phrase | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Surprise party | A party given for someone without their knowledge. | My family threw me a surprise party for my graduation. |
| Well-thought-of | Something that has been carefully considered or planned. | The company's new policy was very well-thought-of and everyone liked it. |
| Custom-made | Made specifically for a particular person or purpose. | My new suit was custom-made by a tailor. |
| Edible | Safe or fit to be eaten. | The decorations on the cake were all edible. |
| Turned out | To develop in a particular way or have a particular result. | The weather turned out to be perfect for our picnic. |
| Minimal sugar | The smallest or least possible amount of sugar. | The recipe for the healthy cookies called for minimal sugar. |
| Uplifted the taste | To improve or enhance the flavor of something. | A pinch of salt can really uplift the taste of chocolate. |
| Thoughtfulness | The quality of being considerate or caring towards others. | Her gift showed great thoughtfulness. |
Understand the Prompt: Before you speak, quickly identify the 4 Ws: When, Where, Who, and Why. This will give you the main points to cover.
Start with the "When": Begin by setting the scene with a general statement about the event, just like the sample answer does. This helps you ease into the topic.
Tell a Story, Don't List: Instead of just listing facts, try to create a narrative. Describe the cake, the people, and your feelings. Use adjectives (like amazing, special) and adverbs (specially, even better) to add detail.
Use Past Tense: Since you are describing a past event, the simple past tense will be your main tool. Practice using it correctly.
Expand on "Why": The "why" is the most important part. Dedicate the majority of your time to explaining why the cake was special to you. Think about different aspects: the look, the taste, and the emotional meaning.
Practice Speaking Aloud: Read the sample answer out loud to get a feel for the rhythm and flow. Then, try to create your own answer for a different topic, following the same structure. Don't worry about being perfect; focus on being clear and covering all the points.
In this part-3 of the IELTS Speaking test, you will answer questions related to the cue card topic above. These questions require you to discuss more abstract ideas and issues.
What do you think of people using mobile phones during meals?
Do people nowadays cook at home as frequently as people did in the past?
Do you think it's good to communicate when eating with your family?
Why are some people willing to spend a lot of money on meals on special days?
Is there any food in your country that is eaten at special times or occasions?
What are the differences between special food in your country and other countries?