Part 2 cue card
Describe a movie star you admire.
You should say:
- Who the actor is
- What kind of movies they act in
- What you like about them
- And explain why you admire this movie star so much
Source practice test: IELTS Speaking Test 13
Band 9 model answer
Expert-level long turn
The movie star I would like to talk about is the actor Irrfan Khan, who sadly passed away a few years ago but who remains, in my opinion, one of the finest actors India has produced.
He worked across both Indian cinema and international films, so his range was remarkable. He appeared in major Hollywood productions like Life of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire, but he was equally at home in small, character-driven Indian films such as The Lunchbox, where very little happens on the surface yet the emotion is incredibly powerful.
What I admire most about him is his restraint. A lot of actors rely on big, dramatic gestures, whereas he could convey an entire inner world with a tiny change of expression or a pause. He made acting look effortless, which is, of course, the hardest thing to do.
The deeper reason I admire him, though, is his journey. He came from a fairly ordinary background and broke into an industry obsessed with conventional good looks and family connections, succeeding purely on talent and persistence. For me, that is genuinely inspiring, because it suggests that substance can win out over image, and that is a quality I respect far more than fame itself.
Why this scores Band 9
- Fluency and Coherence: a coherent, well-paced answer that covers every bullet and develops a clear central idea about understated acting.
- Lexical Resource: sophisticated, accurate language ('range', 'restraint', 'character-driven', 'win out over image') with strong collocations.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: relative clauses, contrast structures ('whereas', 'though') and varied tenses handled accurately throughout.
- Pronunciation is assessed live; a Band 9 speaker would also vary pace and emphasis to convey admiration, which the written sample cannot reproduce.
Band 6 sample answer
Competent but limited response
I want to describe an actor I admire. His name is Irrfan Khan. He was a very famous Indian actor, but unfortunately he died a few years ago.
He acted in many kinds of movies. He worked in Indian films and also in Hollywood films like Life of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire. So he was famous not only in India but also in other countries.
I like him because he was a very natural actor. He did not do too much, but you could feel his emotions easily. His acting was simple but very strong, and that is not easy to do.
I admire him a lot because he was not from a rich or film family, but he became successful only because of his talent and hard work. This is very inspiring for me because it shows that if you have talent and you work hard, you can succeed without any connections.
Why this sits around Band 6
- Fluency and Coherence: the response covers all the bullets clearly, though the linking is basic ('So', 'also', 'because') and a couple of ideas are repeated.
- Lexical Resource: adequate descriptive language ('very natural', 'simple but very strong') but limited range and some reliance on 'very'.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: simple structures used accurately, with little of the complexity expected at Band 7 and above.
- The answer is relevant and well-developed for its level, which supports Band 6; a wider lexical range would lift it further.
Part 3 discussion questions
What kind of influence do movie stars have on the public?
Their influence is considerable, especially on young people. Fans often imitate stars' fashion, speech and even opinions, which can be positive when a celebrity promotes good causes, but problematic when it encourages unrealistic lifestyles. So I would say their influence is a double-edged sword that depends heavily on how responsibly they use it.
Are movie stars good role models for young people?
Some are and some are not, so it is hard to generalise. The ones who use their platform to support social causes or who are open about their struggles can be excellent role models. Others promote a culture of excess. I think young people should admire specific qualities, like hard work, rather than idolising a celebrity uncritically.
Should celebrities speak about political or social issues?
I believe they have every right to, and given their reach they can draw attention to important issues that might otherwise be ignored. The risk is that fame is mistaken for expertise, so ideally celebrities should speak responsibly and direct people towards credible information rather than simply pushing their personal opinions.
Useful vocabulary for this topic
- a character-driven film:
- a film focused on people and emotion rather than action
- restraint:
- the quality of expressing emotion in a controlled, understated way
- a double-edged sword:
- something with both good and bad effects
- to win out over:
- to succeed or prevail against something
Can I talk about a singer or sportsperson instead of a movie star?
For this exact cue card you should stay with a movie star, because the bullets ask about the kind of movies they act in. Keep a flexible 'person I admire' answer ready too, since examiners often vary the prompt to a singer, a leader or a family member, and the structure you use here transfers directly.