In the minds of ESL exam candidates, e ssay writing is one of the most daunting tasks they are required to complete, regardless of the level of the exam, the administering body or the ease with which they themselves use the language. The same applies to students who are asked to write an essay by their teachers at school. In the previous sample essays posted on the blog, the main point I stress is the need to become acquainted with this form of writing (as opposed to writing a letter, review or report, for instance), to get a feel of what authorial voice is and how to organize and progressively express the arguments you wish to make in a coherent manner. Unfortunately, the best way to prepare for exam writing or learn how to write good essays for school is to read as many essays from as many sources as possible, then write as
Please note that the following questions can be used by teachers and students or anyone who wants to improve their spoken English. All you have to do is talk about the topic with your speaking partner or tutor or even practice with the help of a stopwatch by timing your answer. A reasonable answer should last about 2-5 minutes.For those preparing for the IELTS exam, this is the second list of cue card questions for Part 2 of the Speaking component. You can find the first list here. Practice these questions by timing yourself and sticking to 2 minutes for each topic.
IELTS candidates should also read the tips for Part 2 of the Speaking section here:IELTS Speaking: Part 2 Sample Questions (List 1) & Tips.
You can find more information about the Speaking exam if you also read
IELTS Speaking: The Basics
10 More IELTS Cue Card Questions
Say:
- how this method works
- where or whom you heard it from
- when you started using it
- if there are drawbacks to this method
- why this method suits your way of working
2) Describe a website you regularly visit.
Say:
- what the name of the website is
- how often you visit it
- what the website contains
- why you visit this website regularly
3) Describe an event in your life that you recently celebrated.
Say:
- what the event was
- who you celebrated it with
- what preparations you made before the celebration
- what happened during the celebration
- whether you enjoyed yourself
4) Describe a quiet place you know.
Say:
- what the name of the place is
- where it is
- what it looks like
- what you do when you go there
- why you enjoy this place
5) Describe a sportsperson you admire.
Say:
- who the sportsperson is
- what sport this person is involved in
- what this person is like
- why you admire this person
6) Describe something you lost.
Say:
- what it was you lost
- when you lost it
- where you were when you realized you had lost it
- what you did after you realized you had lost it
- how precious to you this item was
7) Describe a situation when you had to be polite.
Say:
- who you were with
- what you were doing
- why you had to be polite
- what the result was
8) Describe a skill you learned outside school or college.
Say:
- what this skill was
- how you learned it
- how easy or difficult it was for you to learn it
- why you thought it was necessary for you to learn it
9) Describe a river or lake in your country.
Say:
- what its name is
- where it is
- what is special about it
- how you know of it
- why you visit it / why you don't visit it
10) Describe a subject you studied at school.
Say:
- what subject it was
- what a typical lesson was like
- what the classroom the lessons were held in looked like
- what made this subject exciting or boring