IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a person who likes to look after the natural world: IELTS cue card with sample answer

An IELTS cue card for Speaking Part 2 with a Band 8 sample answer, the one-minute plan behind it, the vocabulary that lifts it and the Part 3 follow-up questions the examiner can ask next.
  • 262 words
  • A person
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe a person who likes to look after the natural world

You should say:

  • →Who this person is
  • →What he or she does
  • →How he or she does it
  • →How often he or she does it
  • →And explain how you feel about this person

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

A person

How to answer this cue card: a one-minute plan

  1. 1

    Choose someone you know well to make describing their daily habits feel more natural.

  2. 2

    Use specific, sensory details about what they do to make your story stand out.

  3. 3

    Structure your response chronologically, moving from their identity to your personal feelings about them.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8262 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

I’d like to talk about my uncle, Arthur, who is a committed environmentalist living in a small coastal village in Cornwall. He has always had a profound connection with the ocean, but in the last decade, he has turned that passion into a full-time mission to preserve the local marine ecosystem. His primary focus is the restoration of seagrass meadows, which are essential for carbon sequestration and providing habitats for local sea life. He does this by meticulously surveying the shoreline at low tide, identifying areas where invasive species have choked out native flora, and then manually clearing debris or replanting indigenous seagrass seeds he cultivates in his own home greenhouse. He is out on the beach at least four mornings a week, regardless of the British weather, rain or shine. He often brings a small group of local volunteers with him, teaching them about biodiversity along the way. I feel immense admiration for Arthur because he embodies the idea that individual action can create tangible change. While many people simply express concern about the climate crisis, he chooses to get his hands dirty, quite literally. Watching him work, knee-deep in the cold Atlantic water, reminds me that environmental stewardship isn't about grand, abstract gestures; it is about consistent, quiet labour. His unwavering dedication to a patch of coastline he doesn't own, but feels responsible for, has completely shifted my own perspective. He has taught me that we are not just inhabitants of our environment, but its custodians, and that realisation is what makes me so proud to call him my uncle.

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8 words

Useful vocabulary for this cue card

  • committed environmentalist

    a person who is dedicated to protecting nature

  • profound connection

    a very deep and strong emotional link

  • marine ecosystem

    a community of living organisms in the ocean

  • carbon sequestration

    the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon

  • indigenous

    originating naturally in a particular place or area

  • tangible change

    clear, real effects that can be seen

  • environmental stewardship

    the responsible planning and management of natural resources

  • custodians

    people who take care of or protect something

6 questions

Part 3 follow-up questions

  1. 1Do you think parents should teach their children how to protect the environment?
  2. 2What laws about the environment are effective in your country?
  3. 3Which do you think people prefer, rewards or punishment, when it comes to government intervention in environmental protection?
  4. 4Is it easy for children in cities to get close to the natural world?
  5. 5What can people do to protect the natural world?
  6. 6Is it important to teach students environmental protection at school?

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. See how to answer IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe a person who likes to look after the natural world"?+

Choose someone you know well to make describing their daily habits feel more natural.

How long should I speak on an IELTS cue card?+

You get one minute to prepare, then speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.

How is the cue card scored?+

Part 2 is not scored on its own. Your whole Speaking test gets one band from four criteria: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. The cue card is where the examiner hears whether you can keep going for two minutes.

Can I use this sample answer in the exam?+

Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.

Keep practising

More cue cards: a person

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