Describe a person you admire
The full IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card, a band-8 model answer you can learn from, the Part 3 questions that follow, and examiner strategy. Free, no sign-up.
Describe a person you admire.
You should say:
- who this person is
- how you know them
- what they do
- and explain why you admire them
You will have one minute to prepare and should then speak for one to two minutes.
Band-8 model answer
I'd like to talk about my grandmother, who has always been someone I deeply admire. I've known her my whole life, obviously, but it was only as I got older that I really came to appreciate her strength. She grew up in a small village with very little formal schooling, yet she taught herself to read and eventually built up a small tailoring business that supported the whole family. What I admire most is her resilience — no matter how hard things got, she never complained or gave up. She also has this remarkable ability to make everyone around her feel valued; whenever I visit, she listens to me with complete attention, as if whatever I'm saying is the most important thing in the world. The main reason I admire her, though, is that she embodies qualities I aspire to myself: patience, generosity and quiet determination. In many ways she's shaped the person I've become, and whenever I hit a difficult patch, I still find myself asking what she would do in my situation.
Why this answer scores band 8
- ✓Idiomatic phrasing: 'came to appreciate', 'hit a difficult patch', 'find myself asking'
- ✓A range of tenses used naturally (present, past, present perfect)
- ✓Spends most of the answer on the 'explain why' bullet — where the marks are
Part 3 follow-up questions
After the cue card, the examiner discusses the topic in more depth. Practise these aloud too — Part 3 is where the highest bands are won or lost.
Examiner strategy for this cue card
Practise this answer out loud in a real Speaking test
Record a full IELTS Speaking test with Part 1, 2 and 3 and get instant AI feedback on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.
Describe a person you admire — FAQ
How do you answer the 'Describe a person you admire' IELTS cue card?
Spend your one minute of preparation noting a few keywords for each prompt (who this person is; how you know them; what they do; and explain why you admire them), then speak for the full two minutes. Cover each point briefly but give most of your time to the final 'explain why' prompt, where the marks are. A full band-8 model answer is shown on this page.
How long should the IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?
You should talk for up to two minutes without stopping. It is better to keep going and cover the topic in depth than to finish early — the examiner will stop you when the time is up.
What Part 3 questions follow 'Describe a person you admire'?
Part 3 broadens the topic into a discussion. For this cue card, expect questions such as: Why do you think some people become role models for others? Do you think celebrities and influencers make good role models? How has the idea of a role model changed between generations?