What a question clock is
A question clock is a time map for a short spoken answer. Instead of guessing, you spend fixed slices on four jobs: claim (your main point), reason (why it holds), example (one concrete case), and takeaway (result or implication). A time slice is a tight range you allot to a job, such as 10 to 12 seconds. WPM means words per minute, a simple pace metric. A planning pause is a short silence you choose between thought groups.

Why 60–75 seconds
Most follow-up turns in IELTS Speaking hover around one minute. Answers longer than 75 seconds invite interruptions; answers shorter than 45 seconds feel under-developed. Clock drills make your delivery predictable without sounding scripted.

The 4-slice Clock (60–75 s)

• 0–8 s: Claim
  One sentence with a verb of effect: increases, reduces, enables, undermines.
• 8–28 s: Reason
  Explain the mechanism. Use one linking pair like because or as a result.
• 28–55 s: Example
  Name a place, group, time, or small number.
• 55–70 s: Takeaway
  State the outcome or condition: this works if…, in the long term…, provided that….

Control targets

• Pace: 110–150 WPM for clear delivery.
• Thought groups: 12–18 per minute, 4–7 words each.
• Planning pauses: 0.3–0.5 s between groups.
• Fillers per minute: start under 3, aim under 1.
• Final falls on statements: ≥70 percent.

Example 1 — “Should public parks get more funding”

Claim (0–8 s): Public parks deserve more funding because they improve community health.
Reason (8–28 s): Small green routes nudge inactive residents to walk daily, which reduces stress and encourages light social contact.
Example (28–55 s): In my area of Dhaka, shaded paths and benches raised foot traffic by about two hundred people a day within two months, based on counters by the gate.
Takeaway (55–70 s): With steady upkeep rather than one-off projects, parks lower clinic pressure and make dense districts more livable.

Why it works: one idea, one mechanism, one named example, one concrete result.

Example 2 — “Are online courses as effective as classroom learning”

Claim (0–8 s): Online courses are effective for access, but not for every skill.
Reason (8–28 s): Recorded lectures let commuters study on a flexible schedule, yet teamwork and lab practice need real-time guidance.
Example (28–55 s): My friend completed a data analysis course after work, but the final project only clicked when she joined a weekly in-person clinic.
Takeaway (55–70 s): A blended plan works best, where theory stays online and application happens in short workshops.

Mini case — Rayan in Dhaka

Rayan spoke fast and ran out of air. He trained with the 4-slice clock for 14 days. Routine: two answers per day with a metronome at 120 bpm, one buffer opener such as “That is a fair question,” and a log of WPM, fillers, and time per slice. Results after two weeks: pace settled at 130 WPM, fillers fell from 4.2 to 1.3 per minute, and his average answer length moved from 42 seconds to 66 seconds with full development. Mock feedback shifted from rushed to controlled.

Drills with measurable targets

• Clock Cards (6 minutes)
  Write four sticky prompts. For each, jot four bullets: claim, reason, example, takeaway. Record one take per prompt. Target: 60–70 s with all four slices present.
• Slice Timing (3 minutes)
  Use a timer that beeps at 8, 28, 55, and 70 s. Speak one answer. Target: enter each slice within ±3 s.
• Example Bank (4 minutes)
  Build ten one-line examples labeled by lens: cost, access, safety, fairness, long term. Target: retrieve a fitting example in ≤5 s before speaking.
• Final Fall Pass (2 minutes)
  Say three full statements with a clear downward end. Target: ≥2 of 3 with audible final falls.

Common mistakes

• Two claims in one answer: split your point, then neither gets developed.
• List instead of reason: three points with no mechanism is weak development.
• Example with no anchor: “for example, in my city” with no time or number.
• Rising ends: every sentence ends upwards, which sounds unsure.
• Over-timing: staring at the clock so much that tone becomes robotic.

Edge cases and safe moves

• Challenging follow-up: take a 700 ms planning pause, then compress the reason to one clause and keep the example.
• Opinion change mid-answer: restart the claim slice with “On second thought, the better argument is…”. Examiners value clarity over stubbornness.
• Abstract topics: choose a universal lens, then add a small number, for example, “by about 15 percent” to ground the claim.

Tips and tricks

• Pre-write lens triggers for reasons: cost, access, safety, fairness, long term.
• Keep a buffer opener ready: “That is a fair question” or “From my experience”. It buys one breath without filler.
• Use labeled demonstratives in takeaways: this policy, this trend, this cost.
• If speed creeps up, force a two-beat pause after the first slice.

To avoid

• Starting without a breath.
• Stacking claims and examples in one long group.
• Overloading numbers. Use one number per answer unless asked.

Glossary

Question clock: a fixed time plan for a short answer.
Time slice: a small time range reserved for one job.
WPM: words per minute, a pace metric.
Planning pause: brief chosen silence between thought groups.
Lens: the angle of analysis such as cost or access.
Final fall: a downward pitch that signals completion.

Next steps
Pick four prompts. For each, write a four-bullet clock card, then record one take with beeps at 8, 28, 55, and 70 s. Log WPM, fillers per minute, and whether all slices were present. Repeat in two days and push one metric from amber to green.

1. Actionable closing — Cheatsheet

Clock map

• 0–8 s: Claim with an effect verb
• 8–28 s: Reason with mechanism
• 28–55 s: Example with place or number
• 55–70 s: Takeaway or condition

Targets

• Pace 110–150 WPM
• 12–18 thought groups per minute
• Pauses 0.3–0.5 s between groups
• Fillers < 1 per minute
• Final falls ≥ 70 percent

Micro-prompts

• Claim verbs: increases, reduces, enables, undermines
• Reason openers: because, as a result, due to
• Example anchors: in Dhaka, in 2022, about 15 percent
• Takeaway cues: therefore, in the long term, if schools provide…

Do

• Plan four bullets before speaking
• Use one number and one place in your example
• End statements with a clear fall

Avoid

• Two claims in one minute
• Lists with no mechanism
• Watching the timer instead of the examiner

CTA: Make four clock cards, set beeps at 8, 28, 55, and 70 seconds, and record your set tonight. Track WPM, slice hits, and fillers per minute. Aim for three clean hits out of four and a total length between 60 and 75 seconds.