Describe a subject you enjoyed at school

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

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:

• geography, age 14–17
• Mr Demir — field trips, maps on the wall
• learned: climate, cities, why countries are rich/poor
• connected news to real places
• enjoyed: everything had a "why"; made me want to travel

Band 7–8 sample answer

The subject I enjoyed most at school was geography, particularly during my last three years, between the ages of fourteen and seventeen.

A lot of that was down to the teacher, Mr Demir. He was quite eccentric — his classroom walls were completely covered in old maps, and he'd get genuinely excited about things like rock formations. But the thing he did that nobody else did was take us outside. Two or three times a year he organised field trips: once we spent a day measuring the speed of a river, another time we interviewed shop owners about how the town centre had changed.

We learned a really wide range of things. On the physical side, there was climate, volcanoes and rivers. On the human side, we studied why cities grow, why people migrate and, most interestingly for me, why some countries become rich while others stay poor. That topic still fascinates me today.

I think I enjoyed it because everything had a 'why' behind it. In some subjects we had to memorise facts without really understanding their purpose. In geography, every fact connected to something real, and it helped me understand the news. When I heard about a flood or a crisis somewhere, I could picture the place and understand some of the reasons behind it. It also made me desperate to travel and see these places for myself, which I've been doing ever since.

About 236 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.

Useful vocabulary

• be down to (someone) — to be caused by or thanks to someone
• eccentric — unusual in a slightly strange but likeable way
• a field trip — a school visit to study something outside
• fascinate — to be extremely interesting to someone
• be desperate to — to want something very much
• spark an interest — to make someone start being interested

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.

Which school subjects are most useful in adult life?

Maths, for everyday things like budgeting and understanding statistics in the news, and languages, for communication and work. I'd also include writing skills, because almost every job involves clear written communication. Some subjects are useful less for their content than for the thinking skills they develop.

Should students choose their own subjects from an early age?

Up to a point. Students should have some choice, especially in their later years, because motivation matters a lot. But choosing too early can close doors — a fourteen-year-old might drop science and regret it later. A broad education first, with gradually more choice, seems most sensible.

Are practical subjects as important as academic ones?

I think so. Not everyone is suited to academic study, and practical skills like electrical work or cooking are essential to society. The problem is that practical subjects are often seen as second-best, which discourages talented students from choosing them.

How should schools prepare students for work?

By teaching skills employers actually need — teamwork, communication, problem-solving — and by connecting lessons to real work, for example through internships or visits from professionals. Many students leave school without any idea what different jobs actually involve.

More cue cards about school and work

• Describe a time you worked with a team
• Describe a job you would like to do
• Describe your first day at a new school or job

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