Part 2 is the long turn — the only part of the test where you speak alone, without interruption, for up to two minutes. The examiner hands you a cue card with a topic and a few bullets, gives you one minute and a pencil to plan, then you talk. Elicit from the group: why do candidates lose marks here?
The two classic failures
Drying up — running out after 40 seconds.
Memorising — a rehearsed talk that sounds flat and drifts off the actual card.
Today fixes the first by giving you a structure; we keep the talk planned, never scripted.
0:15 – 0:40
Skills Focus: The planning minute & the shape of a long turn
One minute is short, so write keyword notes — a word or two per bullet — and spend the most time on the final bullet, which almost always starts with “and explain…”. That “why” bullet is where the best marks come from.
Model note-plan — “Describe a person you admire”
who
grandmother — Indira
how I know
lived with us / childhood
what like
calm, patient, dry humour
why (most notes)
raised 5 kids alone · never complained · taught me resilience
Four short lines, written in under a minute, are enough to speak for two.
Shape every long turn the same way
Open → Bullets → Why → Round off
Open with one sentence naming the topic: “I’d like to talk about my grandmother, Indira.”
Work through the bullets in order, adding a detail or reason to each — don’t answer in three words and move on.
Spend the most time on the “explain / why” — develop it with reasons and a short example.
Round off so you don’t stop in mid-air: “So that’s why she’s the person I admire most.”
Model long turn (≈ 2 minutes)
“I’d like to talk about my grandmother, Indira. I knew her very well because she lived with us when I was small, so she was part of my daily life all through my childhood. As for what she was like — she was calm and endlessly patient, but she also had a dry sense of humour that would catch you off guard. The main reason I admire her, though, is what she went through: she raised five children largely on her own after my grandfather died young, and I never once heard her complain. Whenever something went wrong, she stayed calm and found a way through — that’s where I first learned what resilience really looks like. So that’s the person I admire the most.”
Signpost language to keep you moving
“The person I’d like to describe is…”
“I’ve known them since…”, “What stands out most is…”
“The main reason is…”, “Looking back, I’d say…”
0:40 – 1:10
Practice: Plan one minute, talk two
In pairs: A reads a card to B, gives one minute of silent planning, then times the talk (stop at two minutes) and asks one rounding-off question. Swap, then re-pair and run a second card faster.
Exercise 1 — Cue cards
Each card has three descriptive bullets and one “explain / why”.
Card 1 — Describe a place you like to spend time in: where it is · how often you go · what you do there · and explain why you like it.
Card 2 — Describe an object that is important to you: what it is · how you got it · how you use it · and explain why it matters.
Card 3 — Describe a teacher who influenced you: who they were · what they taught · what they were like · and explain how they influenced you.
Pair work — a second set of three cards so each partner (and the faster second run) gets a different topic:
Card 4 — Describe a photo you like: what is in it · when it was taken · who took it · and explain why you like it.
Card 5 — Describe a small business you know: what it is · where it is · how you came to know it · and explain why you would recommend it.
Card 6 — Describe a habit you would like to start: what the habit is · why you want to start it · how you would build it into your day · and explain how it would help you.
Choose one card. Spend the timed minute writing a keyword note-plan below (not sentences). Saves automatically.
Your one-minute note-plan
Keywords only · one line per bullet
Words: 0Not saved yet
01:00
Plan in 1 min
Peer feedback grid
Your listener checks each point after you speak. Rate + (strong), ✓ (adequate), – (needs work).
Check
Done?
Notes
Talked close to 2 minutes
Covered every bullet, in order
Spent most time on the “why”
Clear opening & rounding-off
1:15 – 1:30
Wrap-Up & Homework
Tonight's homework
Record one two-minute long turn on a new card. Check: did you cover all four bullets and reach two minutes?