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Describe a person you know who is very organised

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 you know who is very organised.

You should say:

  • who this person is
  • how you know them
  • what they do that shows they are organised

and explain what you think about being organised.

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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

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

The most organised person I know is my classmate Gulshan, who sat next to me throughout my last two years at school. She's a tidy and calm girl, and I used to wonder how she managed to do so many things without ever seeming stressed.

She showed her organisational skills in many ways. First of all, she had a colour-coded planner in which she wrote down every deadline, exam and appointment, as well as her free time and hobbies. Her school bag was always neat, with separate folders for each subject, and her notes were so clear that half the class used to borrow them before tests. She also made a weekly study schedule, and she stuck to it, so she was never studying frantically the night before an exam.

Aside from her studies, she balanced a lot. She played the violin, volunteered at an animal shelter and still found time to meet friends. When I asked how she did it, she said it was simply about planning ahead and doing small tasks regularly rather than leaving them until the last moment.

I think being organised is a very valuable quality. It reduces stress, saves time and allows you to enjoy your free time without guilt. Admittedly, I'm not naturally like that. I used to rely on last-minute efforts, which often ended badly.

Watching Gulshan inspired me to change. I now use a calendar app and a to-do list every day, and I've noticed that my results and my mood have both improved.

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
have everything under controlmanage things well
plan aheadprepare for the future
keep on top of thingsmanage tasks well
to-do lista list of tasks to complete
tidy and methodicalneat and orderly in approach
a stickler for detailsomeone who pays close attention to small things

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 classmate with neat notes and timetables
  • A parent who runs the household efficiently
  • A manager who never misses a deadline

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swho this person is
  2. 25 show you know them
  3. 25 swhat they do that shows they are organised
  4. 45 sand explain what you think about being organised.

Part 3 questions

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

  1. Why are some people more organised than others?
  2. Is being organised important at work?
  3. Can disorganised people learn to be organised?
  4. What tools help people stay organised?
  5. Do you think being too organised can be a bad thing?

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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