IELTS Speaking Part 2 — Describe a Person Who Inspired You
IELTS Speaking Part 2 — Describe a Person Who Inspired You
A student of mine froze on “Describe a person who inspired you” — not from lack of English but lack of a map. We built one: who, how you met, what they did, why it matters. She passed.
IELTS Part 2 is one minute of preparation, two minutes of speaking. Examiners don’t need brilliance — they need structure, past tenses, and specific detail. Here is the map.
🎯 Language Focus
| Cue-card part | Move | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Who | introduce + relationship | “My old manager, Sarah — I worked under her for three years.” |
| How you met | one past-simple sentence | “I met her on my first day at the casino.” |
| What they did | 2–3 concrete examples | “She stayed after every shift to coach the new staff.” |
| Why they inspire | link to your life now | “Because of her, I became a teacher.” |
| Fill time | expand one example with senses | “I remember the smell of the kitchen at midnight…” |
| If you finish early | add a reflection | “Looking back, I think…” |
✏️ Quick Practice — Try It, Then Check
1. The four parts of the answer map?
2. How long do you speak in Part 2?
3. Better: three facts or one detailed example?
4. Which tenses dominate a “person who…” card?
5. A filler that buys time professionally?
6. You finish with 20 seconds left. Do what?
7. Start the card: “Describe a place you love.”
8. “Inspired” — preposition? Inspired ___ her courage.
🗣️ Your Turn (60 seconds)
Set a timer: 1 minute to note four words on the card “a person who inspired you” — then speak for 2 minutes using the map. No stopping. Imperfect is fine; structured is the goal.
💡 Your 5-Minute Takeaway
Who → how you met → what they did → why it matters. One detailed example beats a list, fillers buy you thought-time, and “Looking back…” rescues an early finish.
Independent educational resource. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Confers no qualification. Grammar reference: Swan, Practical English Usage. Frameworks: PPP, TBLT, ESA (standard ELT methodology).