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Describe a person who gives you good advice

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

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Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe a person who gives you good advice.

You should say:

  • who this person is
  • how you know them
  • what kind of advice they give

and explain why you think their advice is good.

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

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Band 8 sample answer

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

The person who gives me the best advice is my older sister, Madina. She's six years older than me and works as a project manager in a bank. Because she has already been through university and started her career, I often go to her when I have to make big decisions.

She gives advice on almost everything: which courses to choose, how to prepare for interviews, even how to manage money. For example, last year I received two internship offers and couldn't decide between them. One was at a well-known company, but it was unpaid, whereas the other paid a small salary but was less famous. Instead of telling me what to do, she asked me questions like what I wanted to learn and where I saw myself in five years. We wrote down the advantages and disadvantages together, and the answer became obvious.

I think her advice is good for several reasons. Firstly, she's honest. She never tells me what I want to hear, and sometimes her opinion is difficult to accept, but it's always sincere. Secondly, she is practical. She doesn't give vague suggestions; she offers steps I can actually follow. Finally, she respects my choices. Even if she disagrees, she makes it clear that the decision is mine.

Because of that, I trust her. I follow most of her recommendations, and I rarely regret it. I also hope that one day I will be able to give my own younger relatives the same sort of guidance.

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
ask for guidanceseek help in making decisions
a voice of reasonsomeone who gives calm, sensible views
take someone's advicefollow what they recommend
weigh up the optionsthink carefully about choices
see things from a different perspectiveconsider another point of view
practical and down-to-earthrealistic and sensible

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

  • An older sibling who has already faced similar choices
  • A mentor or former teacher
  • A friend who is thoughtful and honest

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swho this person is
  2. 25 show you know them
  3. 25 swhat kind of advice they give
  4. 45 sand explain why you think their advice is good.

Part 3 questions

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

  1. Who do people usually turn to for advice in your country?
  2. Is it a good idea to follow other people's advice?
  3. Do you think older people always give better advice than younger people?
  4. How can people tell whether advice is good or bad?
  5. Do people ask for advice from the internet more than from friends today?

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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