Describe something you can't live without (not a phone or computer)
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 something you can't live without (not a phone or computer)
You should say:
- what it is
- how you got it
- how you use it
- and explain why you can't live without it
Sample answer
I'd like to describe something I genuinely feel I couldn't live without, and since it can't be a phone or computer, I'd choose my headphones.
My headphones are a pair of good-quality wireless earbuds that go with me virtually everywhere. They may seem like a small, simple item, but they've become an absolutely essential part of my daily life.
I bought them for myself about two years ago after saving up for a while. I'd been using cheap, tangled wired earphones that kept breaking, so I finally decided to invest in a decent pair, and it turned out to be one of the best purchases I've ever made.
I use them constantly throughout the day for all sorts of purposes. In the mornings, I listen to music or podcasts while getting ready, and I use them during my commute to make the journey more enjoyable. When I'm studying or working, I put on some background music to help me concentrate and block out distractions. I also use them for exercising, watching videos and making calls, so they're in my ears for a large part of the day.
There are several reasons why I feel I can't live without them. Firstly, music and podcasts play such a big role in my life, helping me relax, stay motivated and unwind after a stressful day, and my headphones are what make that possible anywhere I go. Secondly, they help me stay focused and productive by creating my own little bubble of concentration in noisy environments. On a practical level, they also allow me to enjoy audio without disturbing the people around me.
In essence, my headphones have become far more than just a gadget; they're a tool that enhances almost every part of my daily routine. Whenever I accidentally leave them at home, I feel genuinely lost without them, which just goes to show how much I've come to rely on them.
319 words — roughly 2–3 minutes at a natural speaking pace.
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 say and can speak naturally from them.
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.