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How To Begin Your Part 2 Talk –

For many people, the hardest section of the IELTS Speaking exam is Part 2 because you
have to talk continuously for 2 minutes. Most probably, you rarely do that in your own language,
let alone in a foreign language. Don’t worry, it’s actually not that difficult.

You need just two things:

Knowledge of how to quickly plan your talk.

Lots of practise.

It doesn’t matter what subject you get in Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking exam as long as
you know how to effectively create an outline for your talk in the 1 minute planning time you're
allowed before you have to start speaking. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to deliver a short
monologue on any topic. Please make good use of them and practise as much as you can.

How To Begin Your Part 2 Talk

You should never try to memorise answers for the IELTS Speaking Exam. However,
it is a good idea to create and practise a few opening phrases that can be adapted for use with a
wide range of topics. Use one of these in your first sentence to introduce your talk.

7 Adaptable Phrases

1) the one I’d like to tell you about is…

2) my favourite was…

3) I’d like to talk about...

4) Let me tell you about…

5) Personally, I would’ve to say…

6) the one who/that stands out is… 

     7) I’m gonna tell you about...

Some examples of how to use them in your IELTS Speaking exam:

1) Describe something you do to stay healthy.

I do many things that contribute to a healthy lifestyle but the one I’d like to tell you about
is…

2) Describe a TV programme you have watched recently.

I’ve watched several good TV programmes recently but my favourite was…

 
3) Describe a day out that you enjoyed.

I’d like to talk about the time I went to…

 
4) Describe a special friend.

Let me tell you about  my friend Kia.

 
5) Describe a programme or an app that you think is useful.

Personally, I would’ve to say that it’s ...

 
6) Describe the best teacher you have ever had. 

I’ve been lucky enough to have had several really good teachers but the one who stands out
is…

 
7) Describe a photograph you particularly like.

I’m gonna tell you about a photograph I took...

For some of these introductions, you could follow the first sentence with a phrase such as:

I’ve chosen this… because…

For example:

Describe a place that is special to you.

I’d like to tell you about a field not far from where I live. I’ve chosen this place because  it’s
where I love to walk my dog.

Now you have a two sentence opening and have set yourself up nicely for the main part of your
talk.

Top Tips For Extra Marks in Your IELTS Speaking Exam

Using any of these opening sentences will get you off to a great start with Part 2 of your
IELTS Speaking exam. However, there are a few simple things that can be done to your opening
sentences to increase your score.

Improving Your Opening Sentence

 
Topic: Describe a TV programme you have watched recently.

Opening sentence: I have watched several good TV programmes recently but my favourite

was…

There’s nothing wrong with this sentence but we can easily make it better.
Many students repeat the words on the cue card such as ‘watched’ and ‘recently’ like in the
given example.

In order to get a Band 6 .0 and above, you will need to paraphrase the topic sentence and show
that you are able to use your own language. Like this,

I have seen several good TV Programmes  in the past few weeks but my favourite was…

Simply changed a couple of the key words to show the examiner that you are able to say
something in more than one way. This will gain you marks.
You could also name a particular type of TV programme instead of repeating ‘TV programme’.

documentaries
comedies
dramas

thought-provoking documentaries
extremely hilarious comedies
intriguing  romantic dramas

For example:

I have seen several thought-provoking documentaries in the past few weeks but my favourite
was...

Finally, don’t forget to use contractions. Instead of ‘I have,’ contract to ‘I’ve’. If you do, you will
get a better score for your pronunciation.
 

So let’s conclude by looking at the opening sentence and an improved version.

Topic: Describe a TV programme you have watched recently.

1. I have watched several good TV programmes recently but my favourite was…

2. I’ve seen several thought-provoking documentaries in the past few weeks but my
favourite was...

The second version is a much stronger sentence and would make an excellent opening to
a talk on this topic.

If you’re aiming for a Band 6.0 and above in your IELTS Speaking exam, these are the
sorts of things you need to be able to do with language. The more you practise, the better you
will get.
 It is little things like this that will gain you the marks needed to get a high band score.
Just think about the language you’re using and show the examiner how flexibly you can use it.
Once you’ve got the introduction out of the way, you are straight into the main part of your talk.