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Describe a creative person you know

Try the card on the exam timer first, then read the band-8 sample answer and the Part 3 questions that follow it.

Practice it like the exam

Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe a creative person you know.

You should say:

  • who this person is
  • what they do that is creative
  • how you know them

and explain why you think this person is creative.

Ready

1 minute to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak. It switches on its own.

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Band 8 sample answer

234 words · about 2 minutes at a natural pace · Phrases from the vocabulary list are highlighted.

The creative person I know best is my friend Laylo, who is studying fashion design. I met her in a drawing club at school, and we've been close friends ever since. She's one of those people who seems to see the world in colour.

She creates clothes, but her creativity goes beyond that. For example, she once turned her grandmother's old curtains into a beautiful jacket with hand-sewn patterns. She also illustrates her own sketches, makes jewellery from recycled materials, and designs posters for school events. Whenever I need a gift idea, I ask her, because she always suggests something completely unexpected.

I think she is creative for a few reasons. Firstly, she has a very strong imagination. She can look at a plain piece of fabric and describe in detail what it could become. Secondly, she isn't afraid of mistakes. When something doesn't work out, she simply unpicks it and tries another approach, and sometimes the mistake leads to a better design. Thirdly, she gets inspiration from everyday life, like traditional embroidery, street fashion, or the colours of a market stall.

My own drawing is quite ordinary, so watching her work is fascinating. She has taught me that creativity takes curiosity and a willingness to experiment as well as talent. Recently she showed her collection at a university exhibition, and many people congratulated her. I'm convinced she'll have a successful career in design.

What to notice

  • It takes the points on the card in order, so the examiner can follow it.
  • Each point gets a specific detail or a short story, which is what keeps a talk going for two minutes.
  • The "explain" line at the end gets the most time, because that is where you give an opinion and show your range of language.

We wrote this answer for practice; it does not come from IELTS. Take its structure and phrases and tell your own story, because examiners notice memorised answers.

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Useful vocabulary

PhraseMeaning
think outside the boxthink in an original way
come up with ideasproduce new ideas
a vivid imaginationstrong ability to picture new things
artistic flairnatural creative talent
original and innovativenew and inventive
draw inspiration fromget ideas from

Plan it in one minute

Choose what to talk about in the first ten seconds, then write two or three key words for each point. Full sentences take too long to write and to read back.

Who or what you could talk about

  • A friend who designs, draws or writes music
  • A relative who makes things by hand
  • A colleague who solves problems in unexpected ways

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swho this person is
  2. 25 swhat they do that is creative
  3. 25 show you know them
  4. 45 sand explain why you think this person is creative.

Part 3 questions

In the exam these come straight after your talk, on the wider subject: Creativity. Answer each in 3–4 sentences, with your view, a reason and an example.

  1. Do you think creativity is something people are born with or can learn?
  2. Are creative jobs as valuable as other jobs?
  3. Does the education system encourage creativity enough?
  4. How does technology affect creativity?
  5. Why are creative skills becoming more important in the workplace?

Frequently asked questions

How should I describe a person in an IELTS cue card?

Pick someone you know well enough to tell a story about: that is easier to stretch to two minutes than a famous name. Say who they are and how you know them in a few sentences, spend most of your time on one or two specific moments, and finish with why they matter to you.

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