Describe a film character played by an actor or actress whom you admire: IELTS Cue Card

Bhargavee Sisodia

09 Jul 2024

The IELTS Speaking test is one of the four components of the IELTS exam where you will be given a topic to speak on. This is primarily to check your grasp of grammar, communication, and overall fluency with English. Thus, having a good score on the IELTS speaking test is important for an overall good score in your IELTS exam.

The speaking test is a one-to-one round with the examiner. After taking your brief introduction, the examiner will give you the topic along with a paper and a pencil. You will get 1 minute to frame your answer in mind and write down the points that you want to include in your answer. Once the 1 minute is over, you will have to present your answer verbally within 2 minutes.

Once your answer is completed, the examiner will ask you a few follow-up questions based on your answer. Since, your performance in the IELTS speaking test will directly impact your IELTS test scores, it is extremely important to include practice as many IELTS speaking topics during your IELTS exam preparation. Being habituated with the various types of IELTS speaking questions will not only boost your confidence but will also ensure that your fluency and reflex to answer the  IELTS speaking topics and follow-up questions get better.

Let us go through one example of the IELTS speaking topics in detail and learn how to frame the answer properly. We will also get an insight into the follow-up questions related to the topic.

IELTS sample test topic: Describe a film character played by an actor or actress whom you admire

To tackle this topic with ease during the IELTS speaking test, you can divide your answers into segments and write them down on paper during the 1 minute of your preparation time. This will help you frame the answer sequentially and not forget any point that you decide to speak. You can write down the keywords against each section's headings for a better flow. Let's break down the topic "Describe a film character played by an actor or actress whom you admire" into smaller sections to frame the answer in the best possible way for the speaking test.

Introduction: Name the actor or actress and the name of the movie. Briefly introduce the character that you are going to speak about in the IELTS speaking test.

When and where did you watch the movie: Give a brief idea of the time and place where you watched the movie. This will be a good transition from the introduction to the description of the character.

Describe the character: Talk about the characteristics and traits of the character. You can talk about any memorable dialogue or scene that has stayed with you.

The reason why you admire the character: Explain the points that you like about the character. Talk about any learnings that you derived from them.

Conclusion: Summarize and end the answer by mentioning why the character is so special to you.

Let's now see how to frame the answer to our IELTS sample test topic for the IELTS speaking test based on the above bifurcations. 

IELTS speaking test sample question 1 : Describe a film character played by an actor or actress whom you admire.

Introduction:

Alia Bhatt is one of my favorite movie actresses and the character Sehmat played by her in the film Raazi is a masterpiece in my opinion. No matter how many times I have watched the movie, Sehmat never makes me feel tired or bored.

When and where did you watch the movie:

I watched the movie in the theater when it was released in 2018. It was the birthday of one of my friends and our group had gone out to watch the film. I clearly remember myself having goosebumps with the way Alia had brought the character Sehmat to life.

Describe the character:

Sehmat was an ordinary girl who was given the responsibility of becoming an undercover agent for India. After being given training by RAW, she was married off to a Pakistani Military Officer and had to move to Pakistan. Her journey through the film depicted her growth from a college student to a strong-headed and courageous woman who did everything in her capacity and beyond for her motherland.

The reason why you admire the character:

Sehmat is not only an epitome of courage but also the flag-bearer of responsibility and selflessness. As her father was on his deathbed, she didn't think twice about putting her life in jeopardy and agreed to take on her father's shoes to be an undercover agent for the country. Sehmat taught me that nothing is impossible if you have the right intention, will, and vision.

Conclusion:

Sehmat from Raazi will always be close to my heart as she made me realize that even if we are not known for our sacrifices by the larger mass of people, there is a lot of pride and satisfaction in working for our country and the people of our country in whatever capacity that we can.

IELTS speaking test sample question 2 : Describe a film character played by an actor or actress whom you admire.

Introduction:

Right from my childhood, I have been an admirer of Shah Rukh Khan and the character Aman Mathur played by him in the movie Kal Ho Na Ho is my absolute favorite.

When and where did you watch the movie:

I remember first watching the movie during our trip to Manali in 2007. Me and my cousin decided to watch TV after our dinner in the hotel room when we found the movie starting on one of the TV channels. Our parents were in the adjacent room playing cards while we bawled our eyes watching the movie and seeing the character Aman die in the climax.

Describe the character:

Terminally ill Aman was an energetic man who believed in living in the moment rather than worrying for the future. He was not only a good friend, lover, and son, but also a kind-hearted and giving human who cared for each and every individual in his life. His way of looking at life was so positive that it felt like there was a silver lining in every dark cloud.

The reason why you admire the character:

Aman knew that he didn't have much time left as he was suffering from a terminal illness and yet didn't let it dull his spirit down. He helped everyone around him and made their life easy: be it helping his neighbors build their restaurant or helping his friend win over the girl he loves. Aman radiated positivity and as much as it makes me feel heavy seeing him die on screen, he taught me that living in the present is important as too much worry about the future will only fill us with anxiety and despair. I started to believe that nobody can see the future so worrying about something unseen is not worth spoiling my present for.

Conclusion:

A large part of me wishes that Aman lived on and continued to spread his positivity, but it is a movie at the end of the day. No matter how much he made me cry with his death, I will always remember to smile because who knows what's there in the future?

IELTS speaking test next section- Follow-up questions

Once your monologue on the IELTS speaking test topic is over, the examiner will ask you a few follow-up questions. This is to gauge how quickly you can think and respond with a fluent and well-framed answer.

IELTS speaking test: Follow-up Questions:

Do you think characters portrayed in the movies impact young viewers and make them follow the traits shown in the characters?

Answer: I believe that movies being a visual medium stay with the viewers for a long time. Especially when youngsters admire or idolize any particular actor or actress, they tend to take the characters played by them seriously and embed the traits of the characters. This is good as long as the character is positive and there is something to learn from them.

Do you prefer watching movies in the theater or at home?

Answer: I prefer watching movies in the theater as the visuals and sounds are way more graphic and vivid in the theater. No amount of speakers and home-theater setup can do justice to the movie experience that we get while watching the movies in the theater.

What according to you is something that shouldn't be encouraged being depicted in movies?

Answer: Normalizing violence is something that I feel shouldn't be showcased in any movie. While the story might demand the depiction of violence, however, I strongly believe that it should be equally portrayed that violence is wrong and there should be repercussions for it. This is because the youth can get a feeling that violence is okay if it is glorified and no repercussions are shown for it.

Do you prefer watching movies alone or do you like to have company?

Answer: If I am watching a movie at home, I prefer watching it alone in my room. However, I do not prefer going to the theater alone, as I believe that going to the movies is not only about watching the film, it is also about the experience and having fun. For me, it is like a day out and that is the reason I prefer going out with my family or friends. That way, not only do I enjoy the movie, but the entire experience becomes memorable.

Conclusion

Your score on the IELTS exam will largely depend on your IELTS score on the speaking test. To ensure getting a high score, your IELTS exam preparation must include solving the IELTS exam sample paper and practicing and speaking on different IELTS speaking topics. The more you take the IELTS sample test with a focus on the IELTS Speaking test, the better your score will be. The journey can be tedious and scary, however, D-VIVID is here to help you at every step of your IELTS preparation. We will help you skillfully prepare for the IELTS exam with resources like the IELTS practice test and numerous IELTS speaking topics. We will tailor a study plan considering your strengths and weaknesses ensuring a top-notch IELTS preparation and a soaring score. If you need help with your IELTS exam preparation, do contact us.