In IELTS Speaking Part 2 you get this card, one minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak. Below: the notes a strong candidate might make in that minute, a natural Band 7–8 answer, the words that make it work, and the Part 3 discussion the examiner usually moves on to.
The cue card
Describe a change that improved your life
You should say:
- what the change was
- when it happened
- how it affected you
- and explain why it was an improvement
One-minute notes
Notes in the preparation minute should be keywords, not sentences — one line per bullet, plus the one detail that makes your story yours. Something like:
- moved closer to work — 90 min commute → 15 min walk
- last year, after a promotion
- +2 hours a day: sleep, cooking, evening classes
- smaller flat, higher rent
- improvement: got my evenings back; less stressed
Band 7–8 sample answer
A change that genuinely improved my life was moving to a flat much closer to where I work. It sounds like a very ordinary thing, but it made a bigger difference than almost anything else I've done.
It happened last year. Before that, I was living on the edge of the city, where rents are cheaper, and commuting by two buses and a train. On a good day it took an hour and a half each way, and on a bad day it took a lot longer. When I got a small promotion and a bit of a pay rise, I finally decided to move.
The effect was almost immediate. My journey went from three hours a day to a fifteen-minute walk, so I suddenly had an extra two and a half hours every single day. At first I didn't know what to do with it. Then I started sleeping properly, cooking instead of buying takeaways, and eventually I signed up for an evening course in photography, which I'd been talking about for years.
Of course there were downsides. The new flat is noticeably smaller and the rent takes a bigger share of my salary. But it was clearly an improvement, because the thing I'd been short of wasn't money or space — it was time and energy. I'm much less stressed now, and I think I'm nicer to be around as well. If anyone asks me for advice about choosing where to live, I always tell them to think about the commute first.
About 254 words — roughly two minutes at a relaxed pace. Notice what it does: one specific story instead of general statements, every bullet covered, natural spoken linking rather than "firstly… secondly…", and the "why" part of the card answered properly at the end — that is where many candidates run out of things to say. Use it to see the structure; don't memorise it. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and your own story will always sound more fluent.
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Useful vocabulary
- make a difference — to have an important effect
- commute — the regular journey between home and work
- a pay rise — an increase in salary
- be short of — to not have enough of something
- a turning point — a moment when things start to change
- for the better — in a way that improves things
Part 3: questions and model answers
After your two minutes, the examiner moves to a discussion linked to the card's topic. These questions are more abstract: give an opinion, a reason and an example, and it's fine to say "it depends" — as long as you explain on what.
Why do people find change difficult?
Mainly because change brings uncertainty, and most people find a familiar situation comfortable even when it isn't ideal. There's also the effort involved — learning new routines, new people, new skills. Older people especially may feel they've already invested a lot in the way things are.
Are large life changes better made when young?
In some respects, yes. Young people usually have fewer responsibilities, like children or a mortgage, so the risk is lower. But some of the best changes people make come later, when they finally know what they really want. So I'd say timing matters less than how well the decision is thought through.
How do societies adapt to rapid change?
Through education and support, ideally. When technology or the economy changes quickly, some people adapt easily and others get left behind. Societies that offer retraining, and that don't make people feel ashamed for needing it, seem to adapt much better than those that leave it to individuals.
Should governments help people whose jobs disappear?
Yes, I think they have a responsibility to. If a whole industry disappears because of automation or trade decisions, it isn't the workers' fault. Temporary financial support combined with practical retraining programmes would help people move into new jobs rather than falling into long-term unemployment.
More cue cards about experiences and events
- Describe a journey you remember well
- Describe an important decision you made
- Describe a time someone helped you
- Describe a goal you achieved
- Describe a time when you were very busy
- Describe an interesting conversation you had
- Describe a time you were late for something important
- Describe a celebration you enjoyed
- Describe a time you changed your mind about something
- Describe a piece of good advice you received
- Describe a time you taught someone something
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