A person you admire, a friend, a neighbour, someone famous: “describe a person” is one of the most common types of cue card in IELTS Speaking Part 2. It looks easy, but many candidates run out of things to say after thirty seconds.
The trick is to go beyond appearance. Say how you know the person, tell one short story about them and explain what they mean to you. Below you will find four “describe a person” cue cards with band 7+ sample answers, useful vocabulary, and typical Part 1 and Part 3 questions about people.
You get a cue card and 1 minute to make notes. Then you speak for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover every point on the card, add a short example or story, and finish with the “explain” part.
“Describe a person” cue cards with sample answers
Describe a person you admire.
You should say:
- who this person is
- how you know them
- what they have achieved
and explain why you admire this person.
Sample Answer:
The person I admire most is my aunt Leila, my mother’s younger sister. I have known her all my life, of course, but we became really close when I was a teenager and spent every summer at her house.
What she has achieved is quite remarkable. She left school at sixteen to look after her parents, and for years she worked in a supermarket. Then, at the age of thirty-five, she went back to study, became a nurse and now runs a small team at the city hospital. She did all of that while raising two children on her own.
I admire her because she never complains and never gives up. Whenever I feel that something is too difficult, I think about her studying at the kitchen table after a long shift. She has shown me that it is never too late to change your life, and that is a lesson I try to remember.
Describe a person who helped you in some way.
You should say:
- who the person is
- when they helped you
- what they did
and explain how you felt about it.
Sample Answer:
I would like to talk about my neighbour, an older man called Mr Turner, who lives in the flat below mine. He helped me a couple of years ago, during my first winter living on my own.
One evening in January, the heating in my flat stopped working and the temperature outside was about minus fifteen. I had no idea what to do, and it was too late to call a repair company. Mr Turner heard me on the stairs, came up with a box of tools and spent almost an hour fixing the problem. Then he insisted I have dinner with him and his wife while the flat warmed up.
I felt incredibly grateful, and a little embarrassed, because before that I had only ever said hello to him. It made me realise how much small acts of kindness matter. Since then, we have become good friends, and I always check on them when the weather is bad.
Describe a famous person you would like to meet.
You should say:
- who this person is
- what they are famous for
- what you would talk about
and explain why you would like to meet this person.
Sample Answer:
A famous person I would love to meet is Sir David Attenborough, the British broadcaster who has made nature documentaries for more than seventy years.
He is famous for series like Planet Earth and Blue Planet, which showed millions of people animals and places they would never see otherwise. In recent years he has also become one of the best-known voices on climate change and protecting the natural world.
If I met him, I would ask him which place on Earth surprised him the most, and how the planet has changed since he started filming. I would like to meet him because he made me interested in nature as a child, and I find it inspiring that someone in his nineties is still working to make a difference.
Describe a friend you have known for a long time.
You should say:
- who this friend is
- how and where you met
- what you do together
and explain why this friendship is important to you.
Sample Answer:
My oldest friend is a girl called Marta. We met on the first day of primary school, when we were both seven, because the teacher made us share a desk. So we have known each other for about twenty years now.
These days we live in different cities, so we cannot meet as often as we would like. But we talk on the phone almost every week, and twice a year we try to go somewhere together, usually a weekend trip to the seaside or to a city neither of us has visited.
This friendship is important to me because Marta knows me better than almost anyone. She remembers who I was at seven, at fifteen and at twenty, so I never have to pretend with her. When something goes wrong in my life, she is usually the first person I call.
Useful vocabulary for describing people in IELTS
Try to replace basic words like “nice”, “good” and “kind” with more precise vocabulary:
| Topic | Words and phrases |
|---|---|
| Personality | easy-going, hard-working, generous, determined, down-to-earth, open-minded, reliable |
| Relationships | a close friend, an acquaintance, to get on well with, to look up to, to lose touch with, to have a lot in common |
| Appearance | in his/her thirties, of medium height, a warm smile, always smartly dressed |
| Admiration | a role model, to inspire someone, to set a good example, to make a difference, to overcome difficulties |
| Useful phrases | what I admire most about her is…, he has a great sense of humour, she would do anything for her friends |
IELTS Speaking Part 1: questions about people
Part 1 questions are short and personal. Give a direct answer and add one reason or example.
1Who do you spend most of your free time with?
Mostly with my partner and a couple of close friends. We usually cook together at the weekend or go for long walks.
2Do you prefer to have a few close friends or lots of friends?
I prefer a few close friends. I like knowing that there are people I can really rely on, rather than lots of people I hardly know.
3Who was your best friend as a child?
My cousin, who lived in the same street. We spent almost every afternoon together, building things and getting into trouble.
4Is there anyone in your family you are very similar to?
People say I am very similar to my father. We are both quite calm and we both love fixing things.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: questions about role models and relationships
New to Part 3? See how to give band 7+ answers in Speaking Part 3, with simple and stronger answers compared.
In Part 3 the examiner asks about people and society in general. Give longer answers with reasons, examples and both sides of the argument.
1Why do young people often admire celebrities?
I think it is mainly because celebrities are everywhere: on social media, on television, in advertising. Young people see their lifestyle and success, and it looks exciting. The problem is that they usually only see the result, not the years of hard work, so their image of success can be quite unrealistic.
2What qualities make someone a good role model?
In my view, a good role model is honest, works hard and treats other people with respect. It does not have to be someone famous. A parent, a teacher or a coach who behaves well when things are difficult can have a much bigger influence than a film star.
3Is it easier to make friends now than in the past?
In some ways it is easier, because the internet lets you meet people with the same interests anywhere in the world. On the other hand, many people say they feel lonelier than before, because online contact cannot fully replace meeting face to face. So I would say it is easier to make contacts, but not necessarily close friends.
Practise on your own
Choose one of the cue cards above, set a timer for 1 minute to make notes, and then record yourself speaking for 2 minutes. Listen back and check whether you covered every point and used some of the vocabulary from this page. For more topics, see IELTS Speaking Part 2 topics and cue cards with answers.