IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a person you know who would like to choose a career in the medical field (e.g. a doctor, a nurse)

Describe a person you know who would like to choose a career in the medical field (e.g. a doctor, a nurse)

You should say:

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

How to plan it in one minute

  1. Identify the person clearly and establish your personal connection to them immediately.
  2. Use chronological order to link their past inspiration to their current, specific actions.
  3. Focus on the 'why' by highlighting their personal values or a specific emotional drive.

Band 8 model answer

I’d like to tell you about my younger cousin, Leo, who is currently obsessed with the prospect of becoming a neurosurgeon. I’ve known him his entire life, but we became particularly close about five years ago when I started helping him with his biology revision. It was during those late-night study sessions at my kitchen table that he first mentioned his ambition. He was reading a textbook on the human brain, and he just looked up, completely mesmerised by the complexity of the nervous system, and said he wanted to spend his life unravelling those mysteries. Since then, his focus has been unwavering. He is currently finishing his final year of secondary school, and his academic life is entirely geared towards securing a place at a top-tier medical school. He spends his weekends volunteering as a porter at the local city hospital, where he’s gained a gritty, realistic view of the clinical environment, far beyond the glamour often portrayed on television. He wants to specialise in paediatric neurology because he feels a profound desire to help children suffering from chronic conditions. He is genuinely driven by a blend of intellectual curiosity and a deep-seated altruism. He’s told me he finds the idea of restoring a child’s quality of life more fulfilling than any other career path he could imagine. It’s not just about the prestige of the title for him; he genuinely thrives on the high-stakes problem-solving required in theatre. Watching him dedicate his youth to such a gruelling, noble pursuit is honestly quite inspiring to me, and I have every confidence that he will make a fantastic doctor one day.

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

Vocabulary from the answer

obsessed
having one's thoughts dominated by a single topic
mesmerised
captured by something as if by a spell
top-tier
belonging to the highest level of quality
gritty
showing the harsh or unpleasant aspects of reality
altruism
disinterested and selfless concern for others' well-being
deep-seated
firmly established and difficult to change or remove
high-stakes
involving serious risks if the outcome is bad
gruelling
extremely tiring and demanding in a physical way

Part 3 questions that follow this card

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. See the Part 3 guide.

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Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe a person you know who would like to choose a career in the medical field (e.g. a doctor, a nurse)"?

Identify the person clearly and establish your personal connection to them immediately.

How long should my answer be?

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.

Can I use this model 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.

More cue cards: a person