IELTS Speaking · Part 2 Cue Card
A complete preparation guide: the cue card itself, a 60-second prep framework, a band 7.5 sample answer, topic vocabulary, and likely Part 3 follow-up questions.
Cue card
Describe a piece of clothing you particularly like to wear.
You should say:
Specific to this cue card — not generic advice.
Read it once for shape, then aloud for rhythm. Don't memorise it — examiners can tell.
The piece of clothing I most enjoy wearing is an oversized navy linen shirt I bought on holiday in Vietnam about five years ago. It's lightweight, slightly wrinkled, and has wooden buttons rather than plastic ones, which is one of the reasons I picked it. I bought it from a small tailor in Hoi An who altered the cut on the spot to make it slightly looser at the waist. I wear it about twice a week in the warmer months, usually with jeans or shorts, and almost always when I want to feel pulled together without trying too hard. In winter I sometimes layer it under a heavier jacket, which gives a colour break at the collar. The reason I like it isn't fashion — I'm honestly not very fashion-conscious. It's that the fabric has aged well; linen gets softer the more you wash it, and after five years it feels almost like I've broken it in properly. There's also the holiday association. Every time I put it on I get a small flicker of that week in Hoi An, walking around the old town in the evenings with the lanterns lit. Most of my clothes are utilitarian; this one carries memory.
Phrases used in the sample answer that lift fluency naturally.
altered the cut
adjusted the shape of the garment
on the spot
right then and there
pulled together
looking neat and intentional
broken it in
worn it until it fits perfectly
small flicker of
brief sense or memory of
carries memory
evokes a past experience
The examiner will move from your story (Part 2) to broader, abstract questions (Part 3). Prepare answers for these.