English Practice

Lesson 3 of 6 · Intermediate · Speaking · 18 min · +40 XP

Ace Part 2: plan and develop your long turn

Use brief notes to organise a one-to-two-minute talk about an experience.

Every little practice counts

Level 1 0 XP

0 / 200 XP
0 day streak Best: 0 days
  1. Mon, Sep 14: no completion
  2. Tue, Sep 15: no completion
  3. Wed, Sep 16: no completion
  4. Thu, Sep 17: no completion
  5. Fri, Sep 18: no completion
  6. Sat, Sep 19: no completion
  7. Sun, Sep 20: no completion
0 lessons complete 0 daily challenges solved Make today count →
Your badges & how to earn XP
  • ○ First step Complete your first lesson or daily challenge. Keep going
  • ○ Week in motion Practise on seven consecutive UTC days. Keep going
  • ○ Course finisher Complete every lesson in any course. Keep going
  • ○ Four-skill explorer Complete an IELTS lesson in listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Keep going

Earn 40 XP for each new lesson, 100 bonus XP for finishing a course, and 15 XP for solving the daily question. Finish a new lesson or daily question to build your streak. Days reset at 00:00 UTC. XP levels track practice, not IELTS bands.

Progress belongs to this browser session and expires with it. Keep using the same browser to continue your journey.

Your exam technique

Use keyword notes → set the scene → develop an event → explain its significance.

Plan with keywords

For the Part 2 long turn, you have one minute to prepare and speak for up to two minutes. Use the cue card to make a few keywords: who, where, what happened, and why it mattered. Full written sentences can tempt you to read rather than speak.

Develop an experience

Move from background to a specific event and then a reflection. When you run short, explain a detail or compare your feelings before and after. Natural transitions such as at first, a few days later, and looking back can help the listener follow your experience.

Avoid this common mistake

Writing full sentences during preparation can use up the minute and encourage reading. Choose a few keywords and expand them aloud. Develop a detail when you need more to say.

See it in practice

Starting point

I learned cooking. It was nice. It was very nice.

Using this skill

At first I could only make rice. My cousin showed me how to prepare soup, and after a few tries I cooked dinner for my family. That small success made me less nervous about trying new recipes.

The speaker develops a sequence and explains its significance instead of repeating an adjective.

Speaking practice

Describe a useful skill you learned

Describe a useful skill you learned. Say what the skill is, when and how you learned it, who helped you, and explain why it is useful to you. Prepare with keywords for one minute, then speak for one to two minutes.

Speak aloud and use the checklist to review yourself. The timer does not record or grade your voice. You can also use your own clock: 60 seconds to prepare, then 120 seconds to speak.

01 / Check your understanding

Try the skill

Choose an answer for each question. You can try again after reading the feedback.

1. Which preparation notes are most useful for a spontaneous talk?
2. You have described the event but still have time. What can you add?

02 / Put it into words

Make it your own

After your spoken turn, save the keywords you used and reflect on your organisation. Name one moment that needed a clearer explanation and practise that part again.

Write at least 40 words. Use the checklist and example to review your work; this exercise does not give an automatic IELTS score.

0 / 40 words minimum Save your response with the button below.

Before you finish

  • I used the preparation time for keywords.
  • I spoke aloud and developed the experience.
  • I reviewed one specific improvement.
Read one possible response

Compare the choices this writer made with your own. Many different responses can work.

My keywords were cycling, uncle, quiet street, first independent ride, and confidence. I moved from learning the basics to using the skill to visit friends. The middle needed a clearer example, so I repeated that part and explained how my uncle helped me balance without holding the bicycle.

Earn 40 XP once by answering all questions correctly, reaching the response minimum, confirming your aloud practice, and reviewing your work.