If you're preparing students for IELTS in 2026, you already know the speaking test hasn't changed — but the topics cycle constantly. Every four months, IELTS introduces a new pool of Part 2 cue card topics, and students who've practised with current topics consistently outperform those who haven't.
Here's the complete breakdown of Part 2 topic categories, organised by theme, with practice questions for each. Whether you're an IELTS teacher running classroom sessions or a student preparing with a study partner, this list covers everything you need.
How Part 2 works (quick refresher)
The examiner gives the candidate a cue card with a topic and four bullet points. The candidate has one minute to prepare and then speaks for one to two minutes. The examiner doesn't interrupt — this is a monologue.
The topics always follow the same pattern: "Describe a [person/place/event/thing/experience]..." followed by bullet points like "when this happened," "who was involved," "what you did," and "explain how you felt about it."
The key to scoring well isn't memorising answers — it's building the skill of organising your thoughts in 60 seconds and speaking fluently for two minutes. That only comes through practice.
Tool tip: YapYapGo has a dedicated IELTS Speaking mode covering Parts 1, 2, and 3. Part 2 includes a built-in one-minute prep timer followed by a two-minute speaking timer — exactly mirroring real exam conditions. It's designed for classroom use, so every student in the room practises simultaneously in pairs.
People topics
These cue cards ask you to describe a person who has influenced you, taught you something, or played a specific role in your life.
- Describe a person who has inspired you to do something
- Describe a teacher who had a big impact on your learning
- Describe someone you know who is good at their job
- Describe a friend you've known for a long time
- Describe a person who helps others in their community
- Describe someone you'd like to spend more time with
- Describe a family member you admire
- Describe a person who is good at making people laugh
- Describe someone who taught you a useful skill
- Describe a person from another country you'd like to meet
Places topics
Place-based cue cards ask about locations you've visited, lived in, or would like to go to.
- Describe a place you visited recently that left an impression on you
- Describe a city you would like to visit in the future
- Describe a quiet place you like to go to relax
- Describe a building you find interesting or beautiful
- Describe a park or garden you enjoy spending time in
- Describe a place in your country that tourists should visit
- Describe somewhere you went that was very crowded
- Describe a neighbourhood you know well
- Describe a place where you go to study or work
- Describe a natural landscape that impressed you
Events and experiences topics
These focus on things that have happened to you — memories, achievements, challenges, and turning points.
- Describe an event you attended that you enjoyed
- Describe a time you helped someone
- Describe a challenging experience that taught you something
- Describe a celebration or festival you took part in
- Describe a journey you remember well
- Describe a time you had to wait for something
- Describe an achievement you're proud of
- Describe a time you received good news
- Describe a mistake you made and what you learned from it
- Describe a time you tried something new
Objects and things topics
Cue cards about specific items — gifts, possessions, inventions, or things you've used.
- Describe a gift you gave someone that they really liked
- Describe a piece of technology you couldn't live without
- Describe something you own that is important to you
- Describe a book, film, or TV show you'd recommend
- Describe a photograph you like
- Describe an invention you think has changed the world
- Describe something you bought recently that you're happy with
- Describe a game or sport you enjoy
- Describe a piece of clothing you like wearing
- Describe a website or app you use regularly
Activities and habits topics
These ask about things you do regularly, hobbies, and routines.
- Describe a hobby you enjoy in your free time
- Describe an activity you do to stay healthy
- Describe something you do differently from other people
- Describe a skill you'd like to learn
- Describe a daily routine you follow
- Describe a creative activity you enjoy
- Describe something you do to help the environment
- Describe a social activity you enjoy with friends
- Describe a subject you enjoyed studying
- Describe something you do to relieve stress
Abstract and opinion topics
These are the harder cue cards — they ask about concepts, values, and hypothetical scenarios. They tend to appear more at higher band levels but can come up for anyone.
- Describe a rule or law you think should be changed
- Describe a goal you've set for yourself
- Describe a decision you made that was difficult
- Describe something you would change about your education
- Describe an ambition you have for the future
- Describe a time when you changed your opinion about something
- Describe a value or quality you think is important in life
- Describe something your country is known for
- Describe an important choice you'll need to make soon
- Describe something that makes your generation different from your parents' generation
How to practise effectively in class
Most IELTS teachers face the same problem: the speaking test is one-to-one, but your class has 20–30 students. You can't give each student a full mock test every lesson. But you can get every student practising Part 2 simultaneously.
The pair practice format: One student is the "examiner" (they read the cue card), the other is the "candidate." Start the one-minute prep timer, then the two-minute speaking timer. After each round, swap roles. After two rounds, shuffle pairs entirely.This format means every student completes two full Part 2 practice runs in about 12 minutes. In a traditional one-at-a-time approach, that same 12 minutes would cover exactly one student.
Why pair practice works for Part 2: The research is clear — students who practise under exam-like conditions consistently outperform those who just study model answers. The act of actually speaking under time pressure builds a different kind of readiness than reading or listening. Having a real person sitting across from you creates authentic pressure that solo practice can't replicate.Tool tip: YapYapGo handles the entire Part 2 workflow — cue card display, one-minute prep timer, two-minute speaking timer, automatic pair shuffling, and a question bank that tracks what each class has already seen so you never repeat a topic. It also covers Parts 1 and 3 in the same session. If IELTS prep is a regular part of your week, it eliminates the logistical overhead entirely. Free to start.
The Part 3 connection
Every Part 2 topic leads into Part 3 discussion questions on the same theme. If the Part 2 cue card was "Describe a place you visited recently," Part 3 might ask "Why do you think travel is important for young people?" or "How has tourism changed in your country?"
Practising Part 2 and Part 3 together builds the crucial skill of shifting from personal narrative to abstract discussion — which is exactly where most students struggle and where band scores above 6.5 are earned.
Keep the topics fresh
IELTS recycles and rotates topics on a four-month cycle (January–April, May–August, September–December). The themes listed above are perennial, but specific cue card wordings change. The best preparation isn't memorising answers to specific cards — it's practising the skill of organised, fluent extended speech on any topic within these categories.
A large question bank helps. YapYapGo maintains an extensive IELTS question bank across all three parts, and new questions are added regularly to match current exam cycles. It's worth bookmarking if you teach IELTS regularly.
Sources:
- IELTS.org (2024). Test Statistics. — Over 4 million tests annually, speaking reliability coefficient of 0.90.
- Hao, Z., Baird, J., El Masri, Y., & Double, K. (2025). The Impact of Test Preparation on Performance. Review of Educational Research. — Test prep improves scores by 0.21–0.31 SD.
- Roediger, H. & Karpicke, J. (2006). Test-Enhanced Learning. Psychological Science. — Retrieval practice improves retention by ~50% vs restudying.
- Sato, M. & Ballinger, S. (Eds.) (2016). Peer Interaction and Second Language Learning. John Benjamins. — Peer interaction creates more speaking opportunities than teacher-led formats.