Describe a person who is very good at their job

In IELTS Speaking Part 2 you get this card, one minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak. Below: the notes a strong candidate might make in that minute, a natural Band 7–8 answer, the words that make it work, and the Part 3 discussion the examiner usually moves on to.

The cue card

One-minute notes

Notes in the preparation minute should be keywords, not sentences — one line per bullet, plus the one detail that makes your story yours. Something like:

• the nurse who looked after my grandfather
• hospital, 2 weeks last winter
• calm in emergencies, explained everything to the family
• remembered small details — his tea, his radio station
• good: skill + kindness + never seemed rushed

Band 7–8 sample answer

I'd like to talk about a nurse who looked after my grandfather when he was in hospital for about two weeks last winter. I never found out her surname, but everyone on the ward called her Selin.

I saw her work quite closely, because our family took turns staying with my grandfather during the day. The ward was clearly understaffed, and the nurses were running from one bed to another for twelve-hour shifts. Even so, Selin had a way of making every patient feel as if they were her only one.

What made her so good was a combination of things. On the technical side, she obviously knew exactly what she was doing — during one frightening night, when my grandfather's breathing got worse, she was calm, quick and completely in control. But she was also brilliant with the families. She explained everything in plain language, without medical jargon, and she never seemed annoyed when we asked the same question twice. And she remembered tiny details: how my grandfather liked his tea, and which radio station he wanted on in the morning.

I think she's good at her job because she never treated it as just a job. Plenty of people are skilled, and plenty are kind, but she was both, under huge pressure, without ever appearing rushed. When my grandfather left the hospital, he wrote her a thank-you card, which for him — a man who doesn't write anything — says a lot.

About 244 words — roughly two minutes at a relaxed pace. Notice what it does: one specific story instead of general statements, every bullet covered, natural spoken linking rather than "firstly… secondly…", and the "why" part of the card answered properly at the end — that is where many candidates run out of things to say. Use it to see the structure; don't memorise it. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and your own story will always sound more fluent.

Useful vocabulary

• understaffed — without enough workers
• take turns — to do something one after another
• in plain language — in simple words that anyone understands
• jargon — special words used by one profession
• under pressure — in a stressful situation with high demands
• go the extra mile — to do more than is expected

Part 3: questions and model answers

After your two minutes, the examiner moves to a discussion linked to the card's topic. These questions are more abstract: give an opinion, a reason and an example, and it's fine to say "it depends" — as long as you explain on what.

Is talent or hard work more important in a career?

I'd say hard work matters more over a whole career. Talent might give someone an early advantage, but people who keep practising and learning usually overtake people who rely on natural ability. That said, the best performers in most fields seem to have both.

Should people be paid according to how well they do their job?

In principle, it sounds fair. In practice, it's difficult, because many jobs are hard to measure. A salesperson's results are easy to count, but how do you measure a good teacher or nurse? Performance pay can also encourage people to focus only on what's measured and ignore everything else.

Why do some people stay in the same job for their whole life?

Some find work they genuinely enjoy and see no reason to leave. Others value security, especially if they have a family. And in some cases people stay because changing feels too risky, or because their skills are very specific to one company.

How can employers keep their best workers?

Paying fairly is the starting point, but it isn't enough on its own. People also stay where they feel respected, where they can keep learning and where they have some flexibility. Good managers make a huge difference — many people leave a manager rather than a company.

More cue cards about people

• Describe a person who has influenced you
• Describe an older person you admire
• Describe a friend you have known for a long time
• Describe a teacher who helped you
• Describe a person you know who speaks a foreign language well

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