IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe the person in your family who you most admire: 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.
  • 264 words
  • A person
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe the person in your family who you most admire.

You should say:

  • →What their relationship is to you?
  • →What they have done in their life?
  • →What do they do now?
  • →And explain why you admire them so much.

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 a real person to make your description sound more authentic and natural.

  2. 2

    Use the bullet points to create a chronological narrative flow for your talk.

  3. 3

    Focus on one or two specific character traits to explain your admiration clearly.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8264 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

The person I look up to most in my family is my maternal grandfather, Arthur. He has been a constant source of inspiration for me since I was a child. Growing up in a small, coastal town in Cornwall, Arthur left school at fourteen to work in the local shipyards. His life has been defined by incredible resilience; he survived the harsh conditions of the post-war era, eventually working his way up to become a master carpenter, a trade he mastered through sheer grit rather than formal education. He spent decades crafting bespoke furniture for families across the county, often staying up late into the night to finish a project, smelling perpetually of sawdust and cedar wood. Now in his late eighties, he is officially retired, though he spends most of his days pottering around his greenhouse or restoring antique clocks in his shed. I admire him so much because of his unwavering integrity and his quiet, understated wisdom. He never boasted about his achievements, even when times were tight, and he always prioritised the needs of his family over his own desires. What strikes me most is his insatiable curiosity about the world; despite his limited schooling, he taught himself to speak basic Italian just so he could read Dante in the original language. He embodies the idea that true success is not measured by wealth or status, but by the character one builds and the kindness one shows to others. His humility and dedication continue to serve as my personal moral compass whenever I face a difficult decision in my own life.

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8 words

Useful vocabulary for this cue card

  • resilience

    The capacity to recover quickly from difficult situations.

  • bespoke

    Made for a particular customer or specific user.

  • pottering

    Moving around in a relaxed or unhurried way.

  • understated

    Presented in a subtle or restrained, simple way.

  • insatiable

    Impossible to satisfy, especially regarding a strong desire.

  • moral compass

    An inner sense of what is right versus wrong.

  • grit

    Strength of character and sheer mental determination.

  • perpetually

    In a way that never ends or changes.

6 questions

Part 3 follow-up questions

  1. 1Is family important in your country?
  2. 2How has the size of the family changed in the last few decades in your country?
  3. 3Why is the number of joint families decreasing in modern times?
  4. 4How do you think the family will change in the future?
  5. 5What role do grandparents play in the family in your country?
  6. 6Who do you think should be responsible for the care of the elderly, the family or the government?

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 the person in your family who you most admire."?+

Choose a real person to make your description sound more authentic and 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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