IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a movie you watched recently and would like to watch again: IELTS cue card with sample answer

An IELTS cue card for Speaking Part 2 with a Band 8 sample answer, the one-minute plan behind it, the vocabulary that lifts it and the Part 3 follow-up questions the examiner can ask next.
  • 251 words
  • A film, book, song or programme
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe a movie you watched recently and would like to watch again.

You should say:

  • →What type of movie it was?
  • →What it was about?
  • →Where you watch it?
  • →And explain why you would like to watch it again.

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

A film, book, song or programme

How to answer this cue card: a one-minute plan

  1. 1

    Note the genre and title first to anchor your narrative.

  2. 2

    Use bullet points to map out the plot summary briefly.

  3. 3

    Draft two reasons for rewatching to ensure you speak for two minutes.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8251 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

I recently had the pleasure of watching a film titled 'The Last Horizon' on a quiet Sunday afternoon in my living room. It is a gripping science-fiction drama that blends philosophical questions with stunning visuals. The plot follows a lone astronaut stationed on a remote lunar base, tasked with maintaining a signal relay that connects Earth to a distant colony. As the months drag on, he begins to question his own reality when he starts receiving transmissions that seem to originate from his own past, leading to a profound psychological struggle. I initially stumbled upon it while browsing a streaming platform, looking for something that offered more substance than the usual mindless action flick. The cinematography was breathtaking, particularly the way the director captured the stark, cold isolation of the moon, which really added to the sense of claustrophobia. I would definitely watch it again because the narrative is layered with subtle clues that I am certain I missed the first time around. Each scene is packed with intricate details, and I feel that a second viewing would provide much more clarity regarding the protagonist's mental state. Furthermore, the haunting musical score really stayed with me long after the credits rolled. It is rare to find a movie that manages to be both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. I believe that revisiting it would allow me to fully appreciate the nuanced performances and the director's unique vision, which were slightly overshadowed by my initial curiosity about the plot's twists and turns.

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8 words

Useful vocabulary for this cue card

  • gripping

    holding the attention or interest extremely tightly

  • stark

    severe or bare in appearance or outline

  • claustrophobia

    an extreme fear of being in small spaces

  • layered

    having many different levels or complex meanings

  • resonant

    deep, clear, and continuing to sound or affect

  • nuanced

    characterized by subtle shades of meaning or expression

  • overshadowed

    made to seem less important or significant

  • substance

    the quality of being meaningful or important

6 questions

Part 3 follow-up questions

  1. 1Where do people normally watch movies?
  2. 2What are the differences between watching movies at home and in a cinema?
  3. 3Why are there fewer people going to the cinema to watch movies nowadays?
  4. 4Why do people of different ages like different types of movies?
  5. 5Are actors or actresses important to movies? Why?
  6. 6What makes a movie a blockbuster?

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. See how to answer IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe a movie you watched recently and would like to watch again."?+

Note the genre and title first to anchor your narrative.

How long should I speak on an IELTS cue card?+

You get one minute to prepare, then speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.

How is the cue card scored?+

Part 2 is not scored on its own. Your whole Speaking test gets one band from four criteria: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. The cue card is where the examiner hears whether you can keep going for two minutes.

Can I use this sample answer in the exam?+

Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.

Keep practising

More cue cards: a film, book, song or programme

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