IELTS cue card: describe a person you admire
An answer plan for the IELTS Speaking Part 2 task about a person you admire, with prompts for who they are, what they did, and why they matter to you, plus follow-up practice.
Speech9 cardsAbout 2 min to speakBeginnerAnyone
Impromptu speaking framework: PREP and past, present, future
Two simple structures for speaking on the spot in exams, interviews and table topics: Point, Reason, Example, Point, and Past, Present, Future, with practice topics.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Why use a framework
When you have seconds to prepare, a structure does the thinking for you. Learn two:
- PREP: for opinions and questions
- Past, Present, Future: for topics, objects and places
Pick one in the first three seconds, then start.
- 2
PREP: Point
State your answer in one sentence.
"I think [teenagers should have part-time jobs]."
No warm-up. Your first sentence is your point.
- 3
PREP: Reason
Give the main reason.
"The main reason is that [it teaches them how to manage money and time]."
One strong reason is better than three weak ones.
- 4
PREP: Example
Make it real with a story, a scene or a comparison.
"For example, [when I worked at a café at sixteen, I learned to plan my homework around my shifts]."
This is the part people remember.
- 5
PREP: Point again
Repeat your point in new words.
"So that's why I believe [a small job is one of the best lessons a teenager can have]."
Then stop. A clean ending sounds confident.
- 6
Past, Present, Future
- Past: "When I was younger, [my town / this habit / this technology] was [___]."
- Present: "Now, [___]."
- Future: "In the future, I think / hope [___]."
Works for almost any noun: a city, a sport, phones, school, food.
- 7
Other quick structures
- Problem, Solution, Benefit: "The problem is [___]. One solution is [___]. That would mean [___]."
- Two sides, then you: "Some people think [A]. Others say [B]. Personally, I [___] because [___]."
- What, So what, Now what: describe it, say why it matters, say what should happen next.
Use these once PREP feels easy.
- 8
Buying time politely
- "That's a great question." (once, not every time)
- "There are a few ways to look at this."
- Repeat the topic: "My favourite season... I'd say autumn."
A short pause looks thoughtful. A long filler looks lost.
- 9
Practice topics
- Is it better to be early or on time?
- The best advice you have received
- Should homework be banned?
- Your favourite place to think
- Something you changed your mind about
- Cities or the countryside?
- A small thing that makes you happy
Draw one at random and speak for one minute.
How to use this template
Impromptu speaking comes up in more places than people expect: speaking exams with surprise questions, job interviews, class discussions, club table topics and meetings where someone says 'what do you think?'. This set teaches two short frameworks that work under pressure. PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point) is ideal when you are asked for an opinion. Past, Present, Future is ideal when you are given a topic or object to talk about, because it naturally fills a minute and shows a range of tenses. One card covers polite ways to buy a few seconds, and the last card is a list of original practice topics you can draw at random. Print the PREP cards together and practise until the pattern becomes a habit.
Tips
- Decide which framework to use in the first few seconds and commit. Changing structure mid-answer causes rambling.
- Spend the most time on the example. A short story is easier to say fluently than an abstract argument.
- Stop after your final point. Adding 'yeah, so, that's it' weakens a good ending.
- Practise with random topics for one minute each, three times a day for a week.
- Record yourself and count filler words. Replace each 'um' with a short silent pause.
- Watch the clock in practice. A one-minute PREP answer is roughly ten seconds for the point, ten for the reason, thirty for the example and ten to close.
Make it fit
- For a 30-second answer, use only Point, Example, Point.
- For a two-minute answer, add a second reason and example in the PREP structure.
- Combine both: use Past, Present, Future as the example section inside a PREP answer.
- For language learners, write the phrases on each card in your target language and practise switching tenses.
Updated October 28, 2026