IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe an engaging podcast presenter

A Band 8 model answer with the one-minute plan behind it, the vocabulary that lifts it, and the Part 3 questions that follow.
  • 268 words
  • A film, book, song or programme
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe an engaging podcast presenter

You should say:

  • →who this presenter is and what their programme is about
  • →when and how you first started listening to them
  • →what their presenting style is like
  • →and explain why you find their style so engaging.

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

A film, book, song or programme

How to plan it in one minute

  1. 1

    Jot down the presenter's niche, tone, and where they broadcast.

  2. 2

    Note a specific memory of discovering the programme while commuting or relaxing.

  3. 3

    List two or three distinctive qualities like active listening and witty humour.

Model answer

Band 8 model answer

Band 8268 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

I’d like to talk about a presenter who hosts a weekly science and culture programme on a major audio-streaming app. The host is a former university lecturer based in London who invites researchers, historians, and ordinary people with bizarre life experiences onto the show to explore unusual phenomena.

I actually stumbled across this programme about two years ago. I was commuting to work on a rather dreary, crowded train, and I’d grown thoroughly fed up with listening to the same old playlists on repeat. I decided to browse the educational section of my app, spotted an episode discussing the science of sleep, and immediately downloaded it. By the end of that forty-minute journey, I was completely hooked.

What really sets this presenter apart is her tone. She has this wonderfully warm, understated delivery that makes you feel as though you’re sitting across from her in a quiet coffee shop. Rather than lecturing her audience or using dense academic jargon, she uses brilliant everyday analogies to demystify complex ideas. She also possesses a dry sense of humour, so she knows precisely when to insert a witty observation to lighten a heavy topic.

I suppose the main reason I find her so engaging is her genuine sense of curiosity. A lot of interviewers seem eager to steer the conversation back to themselves or interrupt to show off their own knowledge, but she does the exact opposite. She’s an active listener who asks perceptive follow-up questions, giving her guests ample room to speak. That balance of intellect, empathy, and conversational flair makes every single episode feel compelling from start to finish.

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8 words

Vocabulary from the answer

  • stumbled across

    found something unexpectedly or by chance

  • hooked

    completely captivated and unable to stop doing something

  • understated

    pleasingly subtle and not overly showy or dramatic

  • jargon

    specialised words used by a profession that are hard for outsiders to understand

  • analogies

    comparisons between two things to help explain an idea

  • demystify

    make a difficult subject clearer and easier to understand

  • perceptive

    showing keen insight and an ability to understand things quickly

  • conversational flair

    a natural, engaging talent for talking to people

5 questions

Part 3 questions that follow this card

  1. 1Why have on-demand audio programmes gained such immense popularity in recent years?
  2. 2How does listening to an audio broadcast differ from watching a visual programme in terms of audience engagement?
  3. 3To what extent do audio presenters influence the opinions of their listeners compared to traditional journalists?
  4. 4What potential drawbacks might arise from the sheer volume of niche audio content available today?
  5. 5How might broadcasting formats change in the coming decades as technology develops?

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. Read Band 8 answers to these Part 3 questions: the evolution of modern audio media.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe an engaging podcast presenter"?+

Jot down the presenter's niche, tone, and where they broadcast.

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.

Keep practising

More cue cards: a film, book, song or programme

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