Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.
Many IELTS Part 2 cue cards ask you to describe a person (someone you admire, a teacher who helped you, a friend you have known for a long time) or an event (a celebration, a time you helped someone, a performance you watched).
You already know how to use your minute of preparation and organise two minutes of speech. This lesson gives you the language to make people and events vivid, so the examiner hears a real person and a real story, not a list.
Adjectives on their own are thin: She's kind and hard-working. The examiner has heard that hundreds of times. Strong speakers prove each quality with something the person did, a habit or a moment you remember.
A simple pattern: adjective → evidence → effect on you.
She's incredibly patient. (adjective) When I was failing maths, she stayed after class twice a week to go through problems with me (evidence), and she never once made me feel stupid (effect).
Keep appearance short: one or two details are enough (tall, with grey hair and glasses that are always on top of his head). Character, habits and your relationship with the person are much more interesting to talk about.
| Purpose | Useful language | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Character, with a modifier | incredibly / genuinely / a bit + adjective | He's genuinely generous, but a bit stubborn. |
| Typical behaviour | She's the kind of person who… / He tends to… | She's the kind of person who remembers everyone's birthday. |
| Habits you notice (often affectionate or annoying) | always + present continuous | He's always making jokes, even in serious meetings. |
| Past habits | used to… / would… | When I was little, she would read to me every night. |
| Extra detail | who / whose / which / where | my uncle, whose shop is next to the station |
| Your relationship | I've known her since… / We get on really well. / I look up to him. | I've known him since we were at primary school. |
| Admiration | What I admire most about her is… / The thing that strikes me about him is… | What I admire most about her is her honesty. |
A good event description has four parts:
Atmosphere words help the listener be there: the room was packed, the atmosphere was electric, everyone burst out laughing, you could smell the food from the street.
Match each adjective to the evidence that shows it. There is one extra piece of evidence.
Describe a person who has taught you something important outside school.
You should say:
and explain why this lesson has been important to you.
Complete the talk with the words and phrases in the box. Use each one once.
Cue card: “Describe an event that didn't go as planned.” Put the parts of this talk in the best order.
Listen and repeat. Keep each relative clause or time clause in one smooth group, with a tiny pause before the main idea.
Listen to each sentence, then record yourself saying it the same way. Copy the rhythm, stress and intonation.
1.She's the kind of person who notices when you're having a bad day.
2.What I admire most about him is his patience.
3.My uncle, who runs a small bike shop, can fix almost anything.
4.Just as we were about to leave, the band came back on stage.
5.By the time we got home, it was nearly three in the morning.
6.Looking back, it was one of the best days of my life.
You have one minute to make notes. Plan the four parts: scene, sequence, one highlight and a reflection. Then speak for up to two minutes.
Describe a public event you went to and enjoyed, such as a festival, a concert or a sports match.
You should say:
60 s preparation · 2:00 speaking
Save words to review them later with flashcards.
“I've always looked up to my older sister.”
“I get on really well with my flatmates.”
“Even though she's famous, she's very down-to-earth.”
“He's the most reliable person on the team.”
“My grandfather is too stubborn to use a smartphone.”
“She's so outgoing that she made friends on her first day.”
“The stadium was packed for the final.”
“The highlight of the trip was the boat ride.”
“The bride's father gave a very moving speech.”
“When the cake fell over, everyone burst out laughing.”
“It started to rain, but we carried on watching.”
