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SpeakingAugust 18, 20264 min read

Speaking Part 2: what to write in your 60 seconds

You get one minute with the cue card. Most people waste it writing sentences. Here's what to write instead.

In Part 2 you get a card, one minute to prepare, and 1–2 minutes to talk. The biggest mistake is writing full sentences in that minute. You then read them out — and read-aloud speech is instantly audible, which costs you marks.

Write five or six words

One keyword per bullet on the card, not a sentence. For "A teacher who helped you": Nilufar / year 9 / patience / the test / read daily / confidence.

Make the last keyword your answer to "why does this matter". The final bullet always starts with "and explain why...", and it's the one people skip.

One story, not three facts

Two minutes sounds long, but a single specific episode fills it by itself. Three separate facts run out at about 40 seconds, and then you start repeating yourself.

What if you run out of time

The examiner stops you — which is a good sign, not a bad one: you spoke for the full two minutes. Finishing at 50 seconds is what costs marks.

When practising, set a timer and record yourself. The first playback is uncomfortable; by the third you start hearing your own mistakes, which teaches faster than any examiner.

You've read it — now practise

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