Speaking Practice · Week 3 (Writing) · Day 5
Speaking Part 2 · Describe an Activity / Skill
Download PDF ↓About today's practice
The final Part 2 card before Speaking week, when the parts come together. Today’s session is the full Writing mock, so treat this as primarily home practice — but it’s an ideal warm-down if a group finishes early.
Part 2 is the long turn: you get exactly one minute to make notes, then speak for one to two minutes without interruption. Use the prep minute to jot ideas against each bullet.
Describe a skill you would like to learn
You should say:
- what the skill is
- how you would learn it
- how long you think it would take
- and explain why you want to learn it
You have one minute to plan, then talk for one to two minutes.
More cue cards (same category)
Describe an activity you do to keep fit
You should say:
- what it is
- how often you do it
- how you got started
- and explain why you enjoy it
You have one minute to plan, then talk for one to two minutes.
Describe something difficult you learned to do
You should say:
- what it was
- why it was difficult
- how you managed it
- and explain how you felt afterwards
You have one minute to plan, then talk for one to two minutes.
Describe a skill you think everyone should have
You should say:
- what it is
- why it matters
- how someone could learn it
- and explain who taught you (or could)
You have one minute to plan, then talk for one to two minutes.
Model note-plan & sample answer
1-minute note-plan: SKILL: playing the guitar properly · LEARN: weekly teacher + short daily practice · TIME: a year or two · WHY: play with friends, a reliable way to unwind Sample long turn (~2 minutes): The skill I’d love to learn properly is playing the guitar. I can strum a few chords, but I’d like to actually play — to sit down and make something that sounds good. How would I learn it? A mix, I think: a teacher once a week to fix my bad habits, plus short daily practice, because I’ve read that consistency beats long, rare sessions. Realistically it would take a year or two to get genuinely comfortable. Why do I want to? Two reasons. First, several of my friends play, and I’d love to join in rather than just listen. And second, I’ve noticed that people who play an instrument seem to have this reliable way to switch off and unwind — and I could really use one of those.
Part 2 follow-up questions
- Is it easier to learn new skills as a child or as an adult?
- Should schools teach more practical skills? Which ones?
- Why do some people give up on new skills quickly?
Pair-work sequence (~30 min) ▸ Model & prep · 5 min — Read the card aloud. Show how to turn the four bullets into a quick note-plan — one phrase each — inside the 1-minute prep window. ▸ Talk · round 1 · 10 min — A times B’s 1-min prep + up-to-2-min talk and notes one strength and one fix; swap (~5 min each).
▸ Talk · round 2 · 12 min — Re-pair. Same card — or a fresh one from the extras below — second attempt, smoother, with a clear past–present–future shape and at least one vivid descriptive phrase. Swap. ▸ Feedback · 3 min — Hands up: who lasted the full two minutes the second time? Spotlight one good signposting phrase you heard.
Listen for / feedback: Did they keep going for the full two minutes without drying up? Did they touch all four bullets? Flag anyone who finishes in 40 seconds — they need feelings, detail and a short story. Praise good signposting: “The thing I remember most is…”, “What made it special was…”.
Flexibility: Heads-up: today’s 90 minutes are taken by the full practice test, so treat this set as home practice by default. Only run it in the room as a 10-minute warm-up if a group finishes the test early — otherwise send it home and review answers tomorrow.