Sample Speaking Part 2, 3: Describe a person who taught you something

Describing a person who taught you something or talking about a person who taught you something is not an uncommon or too difficult topic in the IELTS Speaking test. However, to achieve a high Speaking band score on the topic of Describing a person in the real exam, you need to provide a coherent, logical response with well-connected sentences, use a wide range of vocabulary related to the topic of People, and employ accurate and diverse grammatical structures.

Therefore, below is an outline, ideas, sample response, and valuable vocabulary to develop for the task of Describing a person who taught you something, which has been thoroughly prepared by the teachers at prepedu.com. Review the sample response right away to effectively prepare for the exam at home!

I. Sample IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a person who taught you something

1. Cue card: Describe a person who taught you something

Describe a person who taught you something. You should say: 

• Who this person is

• What he/she is like

• What he/she taught you

And explain how you felt about him/her

2. Outline: Part 2

2.1. Sample idea

• The task "Describe a person who taught you something" requires the test-taker to describe a person who has taught them something, including the following information: 

  • Who this person is

  • What kind of person they are

  • What they have taught you

  • Your feelings about this person

• The task "Describe a person who taught you something" falls under the broader topic of People. The easiest and most effective way to handle this task is to closely follow the cues provided in the question and provide the clearest information possible, avoiding vague responses.

• For the first two questions in the "Describe a person who taught you something" task - "Who is this person" and "What kind of person are they" - you can delve into your personal experience with this person - why you know them, what role or position they have in your life, what qualities about them you can learn from, and what accomplishments or strengths they have.

• Then, in answering the third question, "What have they taught you", you can provide the name of a particular type of knowledge or skill, and delve deeper into the concepts surrounding that skill, its importance, and particularly point out how applying that skill has improved you in some way.

• For the final prompt question asking for "Your feelings about this person", you can turn this part of the response into a conclusion for the entire story by praising the person, and it would be even better if you can use a third conditional sentence to emphasize what this person has done for you, which can help boost your grammar score.

2.2. One-minute note taking

3. Sample Speaking Part 2: Describe a person who taught you something

Below is a sample IELTS Speaking Part 2 response on the topic "Describe a person who taught you something". Review this sample to effectively practice IELTS Speaking at home!

Let's listen to the Podcast of the IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample response - "Describe a person who taught you something":

PREP FOR IELTS · prepedu.com | Describe a person who taught you something | IELTS Speaking Part 2

Today, I’m gonna tell you about my best friend, Sam, who has instructed me on a kind of time-management skill called prioritization. To begin with, Hien and I have been friends for about a decade, so not only is she my best friend but she seems more like a family member to me. 

In terms of her personality, three adjectives that could be used to describe her are ambitious, intelligent and hardworking, or we can call her a high-flyer. She always makes her parents proud of her by achieving so many scholarships from the college and businesses as a whole. 

With respect to the time-management skill she once taught me, prioritization, this practice means urgent or significant tasks are done or dealt with first, so it allows me to allocate time more efficiently. Since I started practising this skill, I’ve been able to improve my labour productivity dramatically. 

All things considered, she is such a real-life role model with countless qualities that I can learn from. Had it not been for her, I would never have been aware of so many useful things that did good to both my academic journeys and my daily life. 

Some key vocabulary used in the IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample response on the topic "Describe a person who taught you something":

• (A) Time-management skill (n): the ability to manage and organize one's time effectively

• Prioritization (n): the act of organizing and doing tasks based on their importance

• High-flyer (n): an ambitious and successful person

• Urgent (adj): requiring immediate action or attention

• Significant (adj): important and meaningful

• Allocate (v): to distribute or assign (time, money, resources)

• Labour productivity (n): the efficiency of workers in producing goods and services

• Real-life model (n): an actual person who serves as an example to emulate

• Academic journey (n): one's path and experiences through education

Note: This sample can also be used for other IELTS Speaking Part 2 topics such as "Describe a person who taught you something important", "Describe a time when you taught a friend/relative something", "Describe someone who has done something nice for you", etc.

II. Sample IELTS Speaking Part 3: Education

Let’s listen Podcast for IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Education:

PREP FOR IELTS · prepedu.com | Topic Education | IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. What qualities do you think a good teacher should have?

There are several positive personality traits that a qualified educator should possess. For the most part, a wonderful teacher should be flexible, so they are able to tailor their teaching styles for the sake of their students. On top of that, great teachers have patience as this kind of trait allows them to deal with students of all levels, especially slow learners, without being discouraged.  

• Tailor one's teaching styles (v): to adapt or modify one's teaching methods or approaches

• For the sake of Sb/St (idiom): for the benefit, interest, or sake of someone or something

• Be discouraged (v): to lose confidence or enthusiasm; to become disheartened

2. Who do you think can learn better? Old or young people?

I’m convinced that the young can acquire knowledge better than the old. Accounts of this vary, but the most outstanding one is that young generations are usually exposed to the digital world and cutting-edge technologies more than older generations, which paves the way for knowledge to be transmitted and distributed to the young more easily.

For example, in this day and age, children can find answers to almost every question thanks to search engines like Google, whereas this was never the case for the previous generations who generally didn’t have access to the Internet. 

• Account (n) = reason: the cause, explanation, or justification for something

• Be exposed to (v): to be in contact with or have experience of something

• Cutting-edge technologies (n): the most advanced and innovative technologies available

• Search engine (n): a software system designed to search for information on the internet

• Have access to Sb/St (v): to be able to reach, enter, or use someone or something

3. What do you think is the best age for children to go to school?

I firmly believe that an ideal age for kids to enter school is between six and eight. This is mainly because these are parts of the formative years that impact children’s intelligence, personality, and social behavior development. In this period, children are given countless opportunities to develop better cognitive flexibility and grow sharper memories compared to those starting school when they are nine or ten years old.  

• Ideal (adj): perfect, optimum, or most suitable

• Formative years (n): the early stages of personal development and growth

• Be given countless opportunities to V (v): to be provided with innumerable chances or occasions to do something

• Develop cognitive flexibility (v): to enhance one's ability to think adaptively and shift perspectives

• Grow sharp memory (v): to cultivate a keen, perceptive, and retentive memory

This article has provided the ideas, outline, sample response, and high-scoring vocabulary for the IELTS Speaking Part 2 topic "Describe a person who taught you something". I wish you an effective IELTS Speaking practice at home and the ability to achieve your target band score of 7.5+ in the upcoming real exam!