100 IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card Starters (Free PDF)
Natural opening lines for person, place, object, event, skill and experience cue cards. Start fast, then add detail. Free printable PDF with DailyEnglishPro.com branding.
14 min readPublished Oct 8, 2026
How to use this list
The first 15 seconds of Part 2 decide how calm the next two minutes feel. These 100 starter lines cover person, place, object, event, skill, experience and media cue cards, plus flexible wildcard openers.
A starter is not a script. Choose the pattern, replace the details with your own, then move straight into specific facts: who, where, when, what and why.
- Pick one starter for each cue type and rewrite it with your own details
- Practise saying the first two sentences smoothly, then continue freely for two minutes
- Record yourself on Speaking practice and check you did not stall after the opener
- Download the PDF and rehearse before a timed mock test
Person cue cards
Describe a teacher, friend, relative, neighbour or someone you admire.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| I'd like to talk about my old English teacher, who really shaped how I study. | Person: teacher |
| The person I'm going to describe is my closest friend from university. | Person: friend |
| I'm going to talk about my grandmother, who has always been a role model for me. | Person: family member |
| Someone I really admire is a colleague I worked with a few years ago. | Person: admired person |
| I'd like to describe a neighbour who once helped me out in a tough situation. | Person: neighbour |
| The person that comes to mind is my cousin, who is incredibly good at sports. | Person: skilled person |
| I'll talk about a famous person I respect, a scientist who changed how people see health. | Person: public figure |
| Let me tell you about a person who always makes me laugh. | Person: funny person |
| I'd like to talk about someone who has had a big influence on my career choice. | Person: influencer |
| The person I have in mind is a relative who lives abroad and whom I rarely see. | Person: relative abroad |
| I'm going to describe a child I know who is remarkably creative. | Person: child |
| One person who stands out is a stranger who gave me useful advice on a train. | Person: stranger |
| I'd like to talk about a successful person I met through my family. | Person: successful person |
| I'll describe a person who is very good at cooking and loves feeding others. | Person: cook |
| The person I want to describe is a leader I once worked under, and I learned a lot from her. | Person: leader |
Place cue cards
Describe a city, building, park, restaurant, holiday spot or quiet corner.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| I'd like to describe a city I visited last year that left a lasting impression. | Place: city |
| The place I'm going to talk about is a small cafe near my home. | Place: cafe |
| I'll talk about a park where I often go to clear my head. | Place: park |
| One place I've always wanted to visit is a mountain village in the north. | Place: place to visit |
| Let me describe the library I used to study in when I was a student. | Place: study place |
| I'd like to talk about a beautiful beach I went to on a family trip. | Place: beach |
| The building I have in mind is an old temple in my hometown. | Place: historic building |
| I'm going to describe a quiet place where I like to relax after work. | Place: quiet place |
| I'll talk about a restaurant that serves the best local food I know. | Place: restaurant |
| The place I'd like to describe is a museum I visited with my classmates. | Place: museum |
| I'd like to talk about a place in my country that tourists often overlook. | Place: hidden place |
| Let me tell you about a market where I used to shop with my parents. | Place: market |
| The room I'm going to describe is my bedroom, which is small but very cosy. | Place: room |
| I'll talk about a crowded place I went to and how I felt there. | Place: crowded place |
| I'd like to describe a place where I felt completely at ease. | Place: comfortable place |
Object cue cards
Describe a gift, device, piece of clothing, book or something you own.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| I'd like to talk about a gift I received that meant a great deal to me. | Object: gift |
| The object I'm going to describe is my laptop, which I use every single day. | Object: device |
| Let me talk about an old watch that once belonged to my father. | Object: family item |
| I'll describe a piece of clothing I bought that I never wear but can't throw away. | Object: clothing |
| The thing I'd like to describe is a book that completely changed my outlook. | Object: book |
| I'm going to talk about a piece of furniture that I find really useful. | Object: furniture |
| One item I could not live without is my phone, and here's why. | Object: essential item |
| I'd like to describe a photo that I keep on my desk. | Object: photo |
| I'll talk about a toy I loved as a child and still remember vividly. | Object: childhood item |
| The object I have in mind is a bicycle that I've had for many years. | Object: vehicle |
| Let me describe a useful app that I have on my phone. | Object: app |
| I'd like to talk about something I bought online and was pleasantly surprised by. | Object: online purchase |
Event cue cards
Describe a celebration, trip, party, meeting, wedding or festival.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| I'd like to talk about a family celebration that I enjoyed a lot. | Event: celebration |
| The event I'm going to describe is a wedding I attended last summer. | Event: wedding |
| Let me describe a festival in my country that people look forward to all year. | Event: festival |
| I'll talk about a birthday party that did not go as planned. | Event: party |
| One memorable trip I took was a weekend away with my friends. | Event: trip |
| I'd like to describe a time when I attended a concert, and it was unforgettable. | Event: concert |
| I'm going to talk about a sports match I watched live. | Event: sports event |
| The event that comes to mind is my graduation day. | Event: graduation |
| I'll describe a meeting I took part in that turned out to be productive. | Event: meeting |
| Let me talk about a time when I had to wait a long time for something. | Event: waiting |
| I'd like to describe a day when everything went wrong, but it ended well. | Event: eventful day |
| One event I'll never forget is a surprise party my friends organised. | Event: surprise |
| I'm going to talk about an occasion when I got lost in a new place. | Event: getting lost |
| I'll describe a time when I helped organise a community event. | Event: community event |
| The special day I'd like to describe is the first day at my current job. | Event: first day |
Skill and activity cue cards
Describe something you learned, a hobby, a sport or a thing you want to improve.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| I'd like to talk about a skill I learned as a teenager that I still use. | Skill: learned skill |
| The activity I'm going to describe is cooking, which I took up during lockdown. | Skill: hobby |
| Let me describe a sport I enjoy playing with my friends on weekends. | Skill: sport |
| I'll talk about a skill I'd like to learn in the future, which is playing the guitar. | Skill: future skill |
| One thing I'm quite good at is organising my time, and I'd like to explain how I do it. | Skill: personal strength |
| I'd like to describe a time when I learned something new from a video. | Skill: online learning |
| I'm going to talk about a language I'm learning besides English. | Skill: language |
| The hobby I have in mind is photography, which I've enjoyed for years. | Skill: creative hobby |
| Let me talk about a difficult task I managed to finish. | Skill: difficult task |
| I'll describe a time when I taught someone how to do something. | Skill: teaching |
| I'd like to talk about an outdoor activity that helps me stay healthy. | Skill: outdoor activity |
| The new thing I tried recently was a pottery class, and I loved it. | Skill: new experience |
Experience and time cue cards
Describe a time you felt proud, a decision, a mistake, a change or a memory.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| I'd like to talk about a time when I felt really proud of myself. | Experience: pride |
| The occasion I'm going to describe is when I made an important decision. | Experience: decision |
| Let me talk about a time when I made a mistake and learned from it. | Experience: mistake |
| I'll describe a time when I had to be patient, which was hard for me. | Experience: patience |
| One time I felt very nervous was before my first job interview. | Experience: nervous |
| I'd like to describe a change in my life that turned out for the better. | Experience: change |
| I'm going to talk about a time when I received good news unexpectedly. | Experience: good news |
| The time that I'd like to describe is when I helped a stranger. | Experience: helping |
| Let me tell you about a time I was late for something important. | Experience: being late |
| I'll talk about a time when I had to speak in front of many people. | Experience: public speaking |
| I'd like to describe a time I took advice from someone and was glad I did. | Experience: advice |
Media, culture and ideas cue cards
Describe a film, song, TV show, website, news story or tradition.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| I'd like to talk about a film that I've watched more than once. | Media: film |
| The song I'm going to describe always reminds me of my school days. | Media: song |
| Let me describe a TV programme that my family enjoys watching together. | Media: TV show |
| I'll talk about a website that I find really helpful for study. | Media: website |
| One piece of news that caught my attention recently was about a local project. | Media: news |
| I'd like to describe a traditional custom in my country that I value. | Culture: tradition |
| I'm going to talk about a piece of art that I saw in a gallery. | Culture: art |
| The advertisement I have in mind was funny and very memorable. | Media: advertisement |
| Let me talk about a podcast that I listen to on my way to work. | Media: podcast |
| I'll describe a historical figure whose story I find inspiring. | Culture: history |
Wildcard and flexible starters
Safe openers that work for almost any cue card when you need a second to think.
| Starter | Cue type |
|---|---|
| Well, the first thing that comes to mind is... | Any: thinking opener |
| That's an interesting topic, and I'll start with the background. | Any: topic opener |
| Let me begin by saying what, where and when. | Any: structure opener |
| I'll go through the points on the card one by one, starting with who. | Any: card points |
| I haven't thought about this for a while, but let me try. | Any: unprepared topic |
| To give you a bit of background first, | Any: background |
| The main reason I chose this is that it is very personal to me. | Any: reason opener |
| I'll try to be as specific as I can. | Any: detail promise |
| There are a few things I'd like to mention about this. | Any: list opener |
| Let me paint a picture of it for you. | Any: descriptive opener |
Practise next
Frequently asked questions
Should I memorise these starters word for word?+
No. Learn the pattern and swap in your own details. Memorised openers sound flat if they do not match the cue card.
Do I need a starter for every cue card?+
Not strictly, but a smooth opening reduces hesitation. One reliable starter per cue type is enough.
How long should my opening line be?+
One or two sentences. State what you will talk about, then move into details. Do not spend 20 seconds on a long introduction.
Where is the free PDF?+
Tap Download free PDF above the practice CTA. Every page includes DailyEnglishPro.com plus links to mocks and Pro.