IELTS Speaking · Part 2 · Cue card

Describe a time a stranger helped you

Last updated 21 July 2026

In short

"Describe a time a stranger helped you" is a Part 2 cue card in the IELTS Speaking test. You get one minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes. This guide breaks down how to structure your long turn around all four bullet points, the topic vocabulary to reach for, and the Part 3 questions likely to follow.

The cue card

Describe a time a stranger helped you.

You should say:

where you were
what the situation was
how the stranger helped you
and explain how you felt about it

How to structure your long turn

Spend roughly 20–30 seconds on each prompt. Take the bullets in order — they build a natural narrative — and save the most time for the final 'explain' point.

1
where you were
Cover this in a sentence or two with a concrete, specific detail.
2
what the situation was
Cover this in a sentence or two with a concrete, specific detail.
3
how the stranger helped you
Cover this in a sentence or two with a concrete, specific detail.
4
and explain how you felt about it
This is the most important bullet — give reasons and a personal example, and spend the most time here.

Timing & delivery

Part 2 is the long turn: you get 1 minute to prepare and speak for 1–2 minutes.
Use the preparation minute to jot keywords against each bullet, not full sentences.
Cover all four bullet points, spending the most time on the final 'and explain…' prompt.
It's fine to invent details — you're scored on how you speak, not whether the story is true.

Useful vocabulary for this topic

Natural, Band 7+ language for talking about people and relationships.

get on well with: have a friendly, easy relationship with; “I get on well with most of my colleagues.”
see eye to eye: agree fully with someone; “My brother and I don't always see eye to eye.”
a close friend: a trusted, intimate friend; “She's been a close friend of mine since childhood.”
have a lot in common: share many interests or traits; “We have a lot in common, which is why we clicked straight away.”
keep someone at arm's length: stay emotionally distant from someone; “I tend to keep new acquaintances at arm's length at first.”

Rounding-off questions

After your long turn, the examiner may ask a short question or two before moving on to Part 3.

Do people help strangers as much as they used to?
Would you help a stranger in the same way?

Part 3 questions on people and relationships

This cue card leads into a Part 3 discussion of the wider topic. Expect abstract, opinion-based questions such as these.

Why do you think it can be difficult to keep friendships over many years?
Are people more influenced by their family or by their friends?
How have relationships between people changed because of technology?
Do you think it is easy to make genuine friends as an adult?

See all Part 3 questions on people and relationships

Explore more IELTS Speaking practice

Frequently asked questions

How long should I talk about the "Describe a time a stranger helped you" cue card?

You should speak for one to two minutes without interruption. The examiner gives you one minute beforehand to make notes, then times the long turn and stops you at two minutes.

Can I make up my answer to this cue card?

Yes. IELTS examiners score how you speak — your fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation — not whether your story is true. Inventing realistic details is completely acceptable and often easier than recalling a real event.

What Part 3 questions follow the "Describe a time a stranger helped you" topic?

This cue card leads into a Part 3 discussion on people and relationships. Expect broader, opinion-based questions such as "Why do you think it can be difficult to keep friendships over many years?"

What if I run out of things to say before two minutes?

Lean on the final 'and explain…' bullet. Adding reasons, feelings and a specific example naturally extends your answer, and it's the part that most improves your score.

Next step

Practise "Describe a time a stranger helped you" with an AI examiner

Rehearse this cue card under real exam timing with SpeakMetry's AI examiner, then get an instant band score and feedback on your long turn.

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