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Describe a popular/well known person in your country: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • Who is this person?
  • What has this person done?
  • Why is this person well-known?
  • Explain why you admire this person.
Show all 104 answers

Cue 1:Who is this person?

  • Introduce the person by name and their profession or role in society.
  • Provide a brief background about their origins or early life.

Example

The person I want to talk about is Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who was a renowned scientist and the 11th President of India. He was born in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and came from a humble background, which makes his achievements even more inspiring.

Cue 2:What has this person done?

  • Highlight key achievements or contributions of the person.
  • Mention any significant projects or initiatives they were involved in.

Example

Dr. Kalam played a pivotal role in India's space and missile programs, particularly in the development of the Agni and Prithvi missiles. He also contributed to the Indian satellite launch vehicle program, which helped India become a significant player in space technology.

Cue 3:Why is this person well-known?

  • Explain the impact of their work on society or the country.
  • Discuss any awards or recognitions they have received.

Example

He is well-known not just for his scientific contributions but also for his inspirational speeches and writings. He received several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor, which solidified his status as a national icon.

Cue 4:Explain why you admire this person.

  • Share personal feelings about the person's character or values.
  • Connect their achievements to your own aspirations or values.

Example

I admire Dr. Kalam for his humility and dedication to education. He believed in empowering the youth and often encouraged students to dream big. His life story motivates me to work hard and contribute positively to society, just as he did.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is not only a celebrated scientist but also a beacon of hope for many in India. His legacy continues to inspire countless individuals to pursue their dreams and serve their country with integrity and passion.

    Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.

    Tips to answer this Cue Card

    1: Avoid Vague Descriptions

    Using vague language can make your answer unclear and unengaging. It's important to provide specific details about the person to make your response more interesting.

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    Tip

    Use specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate who the person is and what they have done.

    2: Don't Overlook Personal Connection

    Failing to explain why you admire the person can make your answer feel incomplete. Personal connections add depth to your response.

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    Tip

    Share a personal story or reason that highlights your admiration for the person to make your answer more relatable.

    Avoid Repetition of Information

    Repeating the same information can make your answer sound monotonous and unstructured. It's important to keep your response varied and engaging.

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    Tip

    Organize your thoughts and ensure each part of your answer addresses a different cue without redundancy.

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    IELTS Cue Cards asked last week

    Reported by Leap students who gave IELTS

    Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

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    Pitampura Test Centre, New Delhi

    Answer

    I like to taste different types of cuisine. Here I would like to talk about my favorite dish at my traditional festival of Onam which is Sadya. Sadya is popular in my city. We are experimenting these cuisines on Onam festival day. Onam is a famous festival in my city. All family members get together in my home and we make a delicious Sadya. There are many ingredients includes that Sadya. Moreover, we make a big feast that day as well as we create a lot of memories together and we wear that day the traditional dress called Sari and men wear the Dhotis. That festival is really important to us because the whole day we are conducting different kinds of games at our homes and all the family members came together. It's a memorable day in my life. This is the festival. We are making the Sambar and Aviyal. These all the kinds of foods are making with the vegetables.
    Talk about a toy you liked in your childhood
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 8

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    Sector 34 Test Centre, Chandigarh

    Answer

    The toy which I liked in my childhood was a panda doll, which makes me pleasant and makes me more blush. The pandas are the most beautiful creatures of the world, which looks gigantic and has pooshy cheeks and they are like stars in the clouds and they dream in me. Furthermore, these have been given by my father. My father is a very very beautiful artistic person, who makes me think of that. Every day you will face every difficulties and make you suffer and move forward. Pandas are always seen in Japanese countries. It is my lifelong dream to visit a Japanese country and click a photo with the original pandas, which makes sounds better.
    Describe a time you were in a place where you didn't know the local language
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 6.5

    location icon

    Whitefield Test Center, Bengaluru

    Answer

    As India is a very large country full of diversity, so there are many places which have their own language and speak their native language. The place which I visited and I didn't know about their language was Leladakh, which is about 300 km away from my hometown and it is a very good place as it consists of different kind of trees, animals and have many scenic views and I visited over there last year in summers as it was the best time to visit because it has many, it was cold over there and we had summers in our area so it was the best time to visit over there and I went over there with my whole family.
    Describe a time when your friend damaged something you owned
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7

    location icon

    Begumpet Test Centre, Hyderabad

    Answer

    When I was a kid, I had a little pencil box which had these four buttons which gave the pencil box an operative use. When you press the button, the box would open up. When you press the second button, a little part of it would slide out. Basically it was just a little electronical and a fun thing to have and I owned it when I was in 6th. One day after break, I was standing and talking there with one of my friends and another friend of mine was running through the hallway and accidentally she pushed my shoulder and my pencil box hit the ground and it broke into multiple pieces to the point that it was not functional anymore.
    Describe a book you recently read
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

    location icon

    CBD Belapur Test Centre, Navi Mumbai

    Answer

    It Ends With Us is a book I read recently. It's by the author Colleen Hoare. It's mainly a story about two teenagers, Atlas and Lily, and how they just handle their life going through high school, adolescence, and just domestic violence at home. Both of them come from very, very different families. However, they have one common determining factor between them, which is domestic violence. The abuse that they've seen their moms go through is just insane, and they connect through that on a different level. They're actually in the same high school, but they never speak to each other until Atlas actually crashes into an empty house next to Lily's villa. When Atlas is homeless and he doesn't have anywhere to go, he just comes and breaks into the house next to Lily's, and Lily helps him with all the daily necessities like clothes and food, medicines and stuff. Furthermore, their friendship blossoms into love, but it doesn't really fructify as Atlas has to leave. This book really gave me a lot of knowledge about domestic abuse and how to deal with it.

    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 8

    Today, I would like to describe a person who inspires me the most, Dr. A. B. J. Abdul Kalam, also known as the Vizier Man of India. Dr. Kalam was not only a great scientist, but also a beloved resident of India. What inspires me most about him is his simplicity and humility. Despite holding the highest office in the country, he lived a very modest life. He always believed in dreaming big and working hard to achieve those dreams. His contribution to India's space and defense programs made the nation proud. More than that, he dedicated his life to encouraging young people to believe in themselves. His famous quote, Dream, Dream, Dream, Dream transform into thoughts, and thoughts result in action, continues to motivate millions, including me. I admire Dr. Kalam because he has proved that success does not depend on where you come from, but on how determined and hardworking you are. He is remembered as a teacher at heart, and I think that is the most beautiful legacy anyone can leave behind. For me, Dr. Kalam is not a leader, but an inspiration to live with purpose, humility and dedication.

    Band 8

    I would like to talk about Virat Kohli, who is undoubtedly one of the most popular and respected figures in India. He is a professional cricketer and a former captain of the Indian national team, often regarded as the greatest batsman of the modern era. What makes him so well-known is not just his extraordinary talent, but also his consistency and determination. Over the years, he has broken countless records, and his aggressive yet confident playing style has earned him fans all over the world. In fact, many people in India say that when Virat is batting, the entire nation seems to pause because everyone wants to see him play. Beyond the cricket field, he is also admired for his discipline and commitment to fitness. He has completely transformed the way athletes in India approach health and training. Moreover, he uses his fame for positive causes. Through his foundation, he supports underprivileged children and promotes education and supports among the youth. What I personally admire is his ability to handle both success and failure with remarkable maturity. He is very expressive. When he is happy, he celebrates passionately, and when he is disappointed, he accepts responsibility openly. This honesty makes him relatable, despite being such a huge success. To me, Virat Kohli is not just a sport icon. He represents hard work, resilience, and leadership. That is why he is admired not only in India, but across the globe.

    Band 7

    A well known person in my country right now is Priyanka Chopra. I say Priyanka Chopra, not only because she's well known in my country, India, but she's also well known globally. I feel she is one of those actors who rose to her fame and took that fame and molded it in something so special. I say this because she started off as a Miss World 2000 winner and the way she eloquently carried herself throughout that pageant was truly inspirational. I am not such a big fan of such pageants but I would definitely say that she is an inspiration to many girls out there because she teaches you how to be bold and take what's yours. She fought for her rights as a woman in the film industry and she definitely was able to achieve that fame amongst her male counterparts and she also took part or dabbled in music which she might have not felt her best suit and she again came back to the film industry. She worked alongside many Hollywood celebrities as well, furthermore increasing the charm of an Indian woman. So I take great pride in saying that she is from India and she is a brilliant actress.

    Band 7

    A popular person in my country is Diljit Dosanjh. He is a singer and he is especially very well known in my community because he is a Punjabi. He sings really well and has millions of fans all around the world. He greets people with kindness and has also represented our country in popular Hollywood TV shows and even Met Gala. Even though he makes and earns a lot of money, he is really down to earth and always supports his country and community. He always donates and is never afraid of speaking for his world and his community.

    Band 7

    So, one of the most popular or well-known person in India is a journalist called Palki Sharma. So, she has appeared a lot of times on national television and I admire her solely because of the reason, because of the way she communicates her ideas, the way she delivers commentary and the way she comments or discusses matters of importance for our country. Unlike many journalists or reporters that you see on TV, who instead of really addressing a situation that should be addressed and is really important, tend to talk around it just you know to gain attention and viewership. However, she is very direct and open in the way she communicates, her commentary is straightforward and she always delivers ideas in a very respectful yet in a way that puts people in their place.

    Band 7

    One of the most popular and respected people in my country is Narendra Modi, the current Prime Minister of India. He has been serving in this position since 2014 and it widely recognized both in India and abroad. He is famous for his strong leadership, public speaking skills and his role in shaping India's economic and international politics. In terms of personality, he is often described as determined, disciplined and hardworking. He presents himself as a humble person who rose from a very simple background, which inspires millions of people across the country. Many citizens admire him for his ability to connect with the message through his speeches and his use of social media. He is known well in India because of the major invitatives he has introduced such as campaigns for clandestine digitalization and economic reforms. Whether people agree with all his policies or not, it is unable that he has a very strong influence on Indian society and politics. Personally, I find him interesting because his journey from modest beginners to becoming a global leader.

    Band 7

    There are many popular people in our country but my most favorite person among them is Virat Kohli. He is a cricketer who plays for the Indian cricket team and he is a well-known batsman in his era. I am watching him play since I was a kid in class 4 and I became a fan of him when I saw he scored a century against Pakistan in the Lahore Stadium and I was amazed by how he batted and scored runs under difficult situations. He has scored 50 ODI centuries and 27,000 runs in his international career till now and I wish he will score more runs in the future. The most best thing I like about him is his courage and ambition to grow in life and to become a better batsman every day. I remember an incident when he was just 18 years old and he was playing the U-18 World Cup and suddenly his father passed away in the middle of the night. Then he came at his funeral and again the next day he went to the ground to score for his team. He has a strong will and a mindset and I really appreciate it and he also has a charming personality and he is one of the most fittest cricketers in this planet and his fitness is on the next level. He also donates to charity and for poor people and to sports organizations so that the poor people's children can play sports and have good education.

    Band 7

    I would like to describe about the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Damodar Das Modi. He is the Prime Minister of India and I would like to describe him. Narendra Damodar Das Modi is definitely an idol for millions of the Indian citizens. This is because he has taken up the volunteering in order to develop our nation. And he has represented our nation globally and always tried to make us proud in any sense. He has developed Indian railways never like before. He has introduced the high-tech Vande Bharat trains which are on par with the bullet trains in Chinese and Japanese countries. He is definitely an inspiration for many of our youth. And he also supports youth in their career and their interest and mainly focusing on startups. This also makes sure that the concept of Atma Nirbhar Bharat is successful. Thank you.

    Band 7

    I would like to talk about a very well-known person in my country, India. She is none other than Sudha Murthy. She is a woman in her late, I think, 60s, but she is remarkable. She is one of the first women in Karnataka to ever attend an engineering college. At the time when she enrolled, she was the only woman in her class which was filled with only men. She had to face so much struggle because her college did not have a female washroom for her to use. Regardless of all the difficulties that she faced, she was a rank holder in her college. She graduated with flying colors. She is now a philanthropist and an engineer and co-investor of a company. She gave her husband the initial investment that is required to build up a company. So she is a co-founder of a company called Infosys. She has two children, one daughter and a son. Her daughter is the first lady of the United Kingdom. I love her. I admire her very much. She has written so many books for children with great storylines. I enjoy reading all those books. Her storylines are very simple based on Indian culture and she uses simple phrases and sentences in English and uses common names.

    Band 7

    Narendra Modi is the 14th and current Prime Minister of India, serving since 2014 and becoming the first Indian Prime Minister born after the country's independence in 1947. He is famous for transforming Indian politics through his dynamic leadership, economic reforms and his rise from humble beginnings in Varnagar, Gujarat, where he assisted his father at a tea stall. Before becoming Prime Minister, Modi served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014. He is admired for several reasons. Under his leadership, the Bharatiya Janata Party achieved historic electoral success, including consecutive majorities in the National Parliament. Modi launched major initiatives such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Clean India Mission, Digital India, Make in India, Ayushman Bharat and the Goods and Service Tax, all aiming to boost economic growth, hygiene and governance. He is known for his decisive foreign policy, raising India's profile globally, championing causes like the International Day of Yoga and focusing on Make in India to enhance manufacturing and job creation. Modi's tenure has seen significant investments in infrastructure, increased financial inclusion and anti-corruption drives. Many admire his personal story of overcoming hardships, reputation for hard work and his ability to connect with the public through strong oratory, extensive travel and savvy use of digital media.
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