IELTS Speaking Cheatsheet: Phrases & Templates for Every Part
Ready-to-use phrases and templates for IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 and 3, to buy thinking time, give opinions, and structure your cue-card answer.
These are natural phrases band 7+ candidates use to stay fluent and structured. Learn a few from each group and say them out loud until they come automatically, but adapt them, never recite them word for word.
Buying thinking time (instead of long pauses)
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| That's an interesting question… | Start of any answer, to think |
| Well, let me think about that for a second. | Need a moment |
| I've never really thought about it, but… | Unexpected question |
| It depends, really. On one hand… on the other… | Balanced answer |
Giving and supporting opinions (Part 3)
| Phrase | Function |
|---|---|
| Personally, I'd say that… | State an opinion |
| The main reason is… | Give a reason |
| For example / For instance… | Add an example |
| Some people argue that…, however… | Show two sides |
| I suppose it comes down to… | Conclude |
Cue card structure (Part 2)
You get one minute to prepare and should talk for up to two minutes. Use the prompts on the card as your skeleton and finish with how you felt or why it matters.
| Stage | Phrase to start |
|---|---|
| Open | I'd like to talk about… |
| Details | It all started when… / What makes it special is… |
| Extend | Another thing worth mentioning is… |
| Close | All in all, it was… / That's why it stuck with me. |
Fluency beats fancy words
Examiners reward natural, connected speech far more than rare vocabulary you use awkwardly. Keep it flowing.
See how to put it together in the IELTS Speaking Band 7 roadmap, or take a free IELTS mock and practise these live.
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