Describe a Person Who Has Influenced You — Cue Card

Updated 2 July 2026 · 3 min read · ieltspractice.app

This is one of the most common Speaking Part 2 cue cards, and a version of it appears in almost every exam period. The good news is that you do not need an impressive story. You need a real person, a few honest details, and a clear reason they mattered to you. Below is a full Band 9 sample, plus the thinking behind it so you can build your own.

The cue card

Describe a person who has had an important influence on your life. You should say: who this person is, how you know them, what they have done, and explain why they have influenced you.

You get one minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak. Use that minute: jot down a name and three or four quick notes against the bullet points.

A Band 9 sample answer

I would like to talk about my aunt, Priya, who has probably shaped the way I think more than anyone outside my parents. She is my mother's younger sister, and because she lived with us while I was growing up, I saw her almost every day.

What stands out about her is that she trained as a nurse in her thirties, after years of being told it was too late to start again. She would come home exhausted from her shifts but still sit with me and help with my homework, and she never once complained.

The reason she has influenced me so deeply is that she quietly proved that it is never too late to change direction. Whenever I feel like giving up on something difficult, I think of her walking into a classroom full of people half her age, and it puts my own excuses into perspective. In a very real sense, she is the reason I went back to study.

Why this answer works

It sounds like a real person, not a memorised script. The small details — the exhaustion, the homework, the age gap in her class — make it believable and easy to follow.

It also answers every bullet point and, crucially, spends the most time on the last one: why she influenced you. That is where the examiner is really listening.

Part 3 follow-up questions

In Part 3 the examiner moves to broader questions, such as: Who influences young people most today, parents or friends? Can famous people be good role models? Do you think influence is always positive?

Answer these the same way you would any Part 3 question: give your view, a reason, and a quick example. There is no need to link every answer back to your aunt.

Useful language for this topic

To describe influence: shaped the way I think, had a lasting impact on me, set an example, inspired me to.

To sound natural and personal: what stands out about her is, in a very real sense, it puts my excuses into perspective. Phrases like these lift your fluency without sounding rehearsed.

Quick check

Test yourself — tap an answer to see if you are right.

1. Which bullet point deserves the most time?

2. What makes a cue card answer sound natural?

3. How long should you speak in Part 2?

Frequently asked questions

Can I talk about someone I have never met?

Yes. You can describe a public figure or an author who influenced you, as long as you can explain the influence clearly. A person you know well is usually easier to speak about naturally.

What if I run out of things to say before two minutes?

Add a specific example or a short story. Details like a particular moment or conversation are the easiest way to keep talking naturally.

Do I have to use the exact bullet points?

The bullet points are a guide, not a checklist you must tick rigidly. Cover the main ideas, but spend the most time explaining why the person influenced you.

Is it fine to prepare this topic in advance?

Prepare the person and a few real details, not a word-for-word script. Memorised answers sound flat and examiners notice them quickly.