IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe someone who had a big influence (good or bad) on you when you were a young child growing up

Describe someone who had a big influence (good or bad) on you when you were a young child growing up.

You should say:

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

How to plan it in one minute

  1. Choose a specific person to make your anecdotes feel authentic and easy to describe.
  2. Use a specific shared activity to anchor your points about their personality and influence.
  3. Draft a brief timeline in your notes to ensure you cover each bullet point sequentially.

Band 8 model answer

When I look back on my primary school years, the person who stands out most is my grandfather, Arthur. He was a retired carpenter, a man of few words but immense presence, possessing a quiet, rugged patience that seemed to anchor our entire family. Our relationship was defined by a shared curiosity; he wasn't the type to lecture me, but rather to show me how things functioned. We spent countless Saturday afternoons in his dusty, cedar-scented workshop at the back of his garden, where he taught me how to handle a chisel and plane. He treated my clumsy attempts at woodworking with profound seriousness, never once dismissing my ideas, no matter how impractical they were. He was incredibly methodical, often reminding me that measure twice, cut once was a philosophy that applied as much to life as it did to timber. His influence on me was transformative, primarily because he nurtured my critical thinking and independence. Before I met him, I was prone to giving up when tasks became difficult. However, watching him patiently sand down a piece of oak until it was perfectly smooth taught me the value of perseverance and meticulous attention to detail. He instilled in me the belief that anything worth doing required time and effort. Even now, whenever I face a complex challenge in my professional life, I find myself slowing down and adopting his deliberate approach. He didn't just teach me how to build furniture; he taught me how to build a resilient mindset, and that is a gift that has shaped my character far more than any school subject ever could.

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

Vocabulary from the answer

immense presence
having a powerful effect on those around you
cedar-scented
smelling strongly of a type of wood
impractical
not sensible or realistic for a specific purpose
methodical
done in a systematic and very orderly way
transformative
causing a marked change in someone or something
meticulous
showing great attention to detail and precision
resilient
able to withstand or recover from difficult conditions
deliberate
done consciously and with careful, slow intention

Part 3 questions that follow this card

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

Say it out loud and get a band

Record this card with the AI examiner: one minute of prep, two minutes to speak, then a band for fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation with the words that cost you.

Practise this cue card

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app and record cue cards anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe someone who had a big influence (good or bad) on you when you were a young child growing up."?

Choose a specific person to make your anecdotes feel authentic and easy to describe.

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