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 goal you achieved
You should say:
- what the goal was
- how long it took
- what you had to do
- and explain why you are proud of it
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:
- run a half marathon
- took ~8 months from zero
- running app plan, 3×/week, early mornings
- injury in month 5 — almost quit
- proud: not fast, but I finished what I started
Band 7–8 sample answer
A goal I'm genuinely proud of achieving is running a half marathon, which I did last spring. To give you some context, I'd never been sporty at all. At school I was the person who'd find an excuse to miss the cross-country race every single year.
It took about eight months from start to finish. I began in the autumn with a beginner's plan from a running app, which basically started with one minute of running and two minutes of walking, repeated a few times. I felt slightly ridiculous, but the plan was very gradual, so I never felt completely destroyed.
What I had to do, mainly, was be consistent. I ran three times a week, usually at six in the morning before work, because I knew that if I left it until the evening, I'd talk myself out of it. The hardest moment came around the fifth month, when I hurt my knee and had to stop for three weeks. I honestly thought about giving up then, because I'd lost a lot of fitness and it felt like starting again.
On the day itself, I finished in just over two and a half hours, which is not a fast time at all. But I'm proud of it for exactly that reason: it wasn't about being talented. It was the first time I'd set myself a long, boring, difficult goal and actually seen it through to the end, and it's made me much more confident about taking on other things.
About 250 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
- to give you some context — a natural way to add background information
- gradual — happening slowly, in small steps
- talk yourself out of — to persuade yourself not to do something
- give up — to stop trying
- see it through — to continue until something is finished
- take on (a challenge) — to accept something difficult
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 some people give up on their goals?
Usually because the goal is too big and too far away. If you decide to 'get fit' or 'learn English', there's no clear first step and no quick reward, so motivation fades. People who succeed tend to break goals down into small, measurable steps they can tick off week by week.
Is success mostly about hard work or luck?
I'd say mostly hard work, but luck plays a bigger role than successful people like to admit. Being born in a stable country, having parents who could support your education — those are forms of luck. Hard work decides how far you go from your starting point, but the starting point isn't equal.
How do you think society defines success?
Mostly in terms of money and job titles, unfortunately. Someone with a large salary is seen as successful even if they're miserable. I think there's slowly a shift, especially among younger people, towards valuing free time, health and meaningful work, but it's still a minority view.
Should children be taught to set goals?
Yes, but in an age-appropriate way. Even young children can learn that practising something regularly leads to improvement — learning to ride a bike is a perfect example. What schools should avoid is turning goal-setting into pressure, where children feel they've failed if they don't hit a number.
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 time when you were very busy
- Describe an interesting conversation you had
- Describe a change that improved your life
- 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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