All cue cardsCurrent cycle
IELTS cue cards: September 2026 to January 2027
The current cycle. These are original CD IELTS Prep practice cards written in authentic Part 2 style, built from the topic families circulating in the September 2026 to January 2027 window. They are original practice material, not predictions, recalled questions or leaked exam content — practise the shape of the answer rather than memorising one, because the card you get will not be the card you rehearsed.
Each card follows the real Part 2 format: a Describe prompt, the cue points, one minute to prepare, and one to two minutes of speaking.
PeopleDescribe an older person you enjoy talking to.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a quiet place you like to go to when you need a break.Strategy & vocabularyObjectsDescribe something you own that you have kept for a long time.Strategy & vocabularyEventsDescribe a time when you had to wait for something important.Strategy & vocabularyActivitiesDescribe a physical activity you do to stay healthy.Strategy & vocabularyLearningDescribe a subject you enjoyed studying at school.Strategy & vocabularyFoodDescribe a dish you would choose to cook for guests.Strategy & vocabularyMediaDescribe a radio programme or podcast you listen to regularly.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a time when you helped someone learn something new.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a place you visited that you would like to visit again.Strategy & vocabularyLife decisionsDescribe a piece of advice that helped you make a good decision.Strategy & vocabularyTechnologyDescribe an app or website you use almost every day.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a person you know who is very good at their job.Strategy & vocabularyFamilyDescribe a tradition your family keeps.Strategy & vocabularyPersonal developmentDescribe a goal you are currently working towards.Strategy & vocabularyExperiencesDescribe a time you received good news.Strategy & vocabularyMediaDescribe a film or series that made you think.Strategy & vocabularyMoney and shoppingDescribe something you bought that turned out to be well worth the money.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a natural place you like to spend time in.Strategy & vocabularyExperiencesDescribe a time you solved a problem in a clever or unusual way.Strategy & vocabularyCultureDescribe a language or accent you find interesting.Strategy & vocabularyExperiencesDescribe a situation in which you had to be very patient.Strategy & vocabularyObjectsDescribe an item of clothing that is special to you.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a teacher who expected more from you than you expected from yourself.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a neighbour who is always willing to help others.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a child you know who is very curious about the world.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a person who is well known in your local area.Strategy & vocabularyFamilyDescribe a member of your family you would like to be more like.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a stranger who helped you when you needed it.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe someone who keeps a group of people together.Strategy & vocabularyPeopleDescribe a friendship that has survived a big change in your lives.Strategy & vocabularyFamilyDescribe a relative you have become closer to as an adult.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a city abroad that you know mainly through someone who lives there.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a building in your town or city that has been given a new use.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a little-known historic place that you think deserves more visitors.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a crowded place where you unexpectedly enjoyed yourself.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a place where you used to study that you remember well.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a long journey where the travelling itself was the best part.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a holiday when you stayed somewhere unusual.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a park or garden in your city that you think is well designed.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a shopping area where you like to spend time.Strategy & vocabularyPlacesDescribe a waterside place in a town or city that changes a lot during the day.Strategy & vocabularyObjectsDescribe a gift you chose carefully for someone.Strategy & vocabularyObjectsDescribe a toy or game you loved as a child.Strategy & vocabularyMediaDescribe an advertisement that caught your attention.Strategy & vocabularyMediaDescribe a news story that you followed with interest.Strategy & vocabularyTechnologyDescribe an online video or tutorial that taught you something useful.Strategy & vocabularyCultureDescribe a work of art that you remember seeing.Strategy & vocabularyTechnologyDescribe a piece of technology you found hard to get used to.Strategy & vocabularyObjectsDescribe a letter or message you received that meant a lot to you.Strategy & vocabularyObjectsDescribe something you had repaired instead of replacing it.Strategy & vocabularyMediaDescribe a book you read recently about a subject that was new to you.Strategy & vocabularyPersonal developmentDescribe an achievement outside school or work that you are proud of.Strategy & vocabularyEventsDescribe an occasion when you arrived late and it mattered.Strategy & vocabularyLife decisionsDescribe a decision that was difficult because both choices had something to offer.Strategy & vocabularyEventsDescribe a sporting event you watched that you found exciting.Strategy & vocabularyEventsDescribe a surprise you planned for someone else.Strategy & vocabularyExperiencesDescribe something you did for the first time as an adult.Strategy & vocabularyExperiencesDescribe a mistake you made that you learned something from.Strategy & vocabularyActivitiesDescribe a team project in which the members disagreed.Strategy & vocabularyLearningDescribe something you taught yourself to do.Strategy & vocabularyExperiencesDescribe a time you had to speak in front of a group of people.Strategy & vocabulary
Say it out loud with real exam timing — one minute of notes, two minutes on the clock.
Looking ahead? See the May to August 2026 set, or browse every card by topic family.