Describe a new law you would like to introduce in your country
IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card with a full sample answer, a Band 9 model of the two-minute long turn.
The cue card
Describe a new law you would like to introduce in your country
You should say:
- what law it is, what changes it brings
- whether it will be popular
- how you came up with the new law
- how you feel about it
Sample answer
A new law I would love to see introduced in my country is one that makes recycling compulsory for all households and businesses, backed by proper systems to support it.
Essentially, this law would require everyone to sort their waste into different categories - such as plastic, paper, glass and organic waste - and it would oblige the government to roll out convenient recycling bins and collection services in every neighbourhood. Businesses, particularly larger ones, would face penalties if they failed to manage their waste responsibly. The knock-on effect would be a substantial cut in the amount of rubbish sent to landfill, which would in turn help safeguard the environment and curb pollution.
As for whether it would go down well, I suspect opinions would be somewhat split, at least initially. Environmentally conscious people, particularly the younger generation, would almost certainly welcome it with open arms. However, some might find it a hassle or resent the extra effort and the looming fines, at least until they settled into the new routine. Over time, though, I believe most people would come round to appreciating its benefits.
I arrived at this idea because I've noticed that waste management is a growing headache in my country, and recycling has unfortunately yet to become an ingrained habit. I've travelled to a few countries where recycling is deeply embedded in daily life, and I was genuinely impressed by how clean and well-organised everything was. That experience drove home just how much of a difference a well-enforced law could make back home.
Personally, I feel very strongly about this issue, as I genuinely care about safeguarding the planet for future generations. I believe individual efforts alone simply aren't enough, and that meaningful change hinges on proper laws and infrastructure. So if I had the power, introducing this recycling law would rank among my top priorities, because I'm convinced it would pave the way for a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable country for everyone.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 2 answer sounds like. What it cannot tell you is how yours sounds — whether you hesitate, repeat the question back, or run out of things to say at forty seconds.
You can record an answer to this exact question and get it marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and pronunciation — the same four criteria the examiner uses.
Common questions
How long should I speak for in Part 2?
Between one and two minutes. The examiner stops you at two, so aim to still be talking at the ninety-second mark rather than finishing early — running out at forty seconds is the most common problem in this part.
What do I do with the one minute of preparation time?
You get one minute and a pencil and paper. Most candidates waste it writing full sentences they then read aloud, which sounds flat. Note a few keywords against each bullet instead, so you have four things to talk about rather than a script.
Do I have to cover all four bullet points?
They are prompts, not a checklist, and you are not penalised for skipping one. In practice they are the easiest way to fill two minutes, so covering them is usually the simplest way to keep going.
Does it matter if the story is not true?
No. You are assessed on your English, not on whether the events happened. Inventing detail is fine and often easier than recalling a real memory under pressure.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.