Describe a successful person who you once studied or worked with: IELTS Exam Cue Card

Bhargavee Sisodia

03 Jul 2024

The IELTS test is the internationally recognized English language proficiency test considered as the eligibility criteria to gain entry into institutions situated in English-speaking countries. In the IELTS test, your vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar usage, coherence and clarity in using the language, and communication ability will be tested. 

Whether you are going for the Academic test or General Training Test, the speaking part of the IELTS test is a common and key module to obtain excellent scores. It gives you the benefit of conveying subjective and abstract opinions. There is no right way to answer any questions in this section, but you must make sure that your ideas are connected, and well-structured. 

The IELTS speaking test is where you will be assessed for your efficiency in formulating speech and engaging in interactive discussions. So, do not try to overlook the speaking test in the IELTS exam. This is where you can grasp the opportunity to shine. There are three parts to the speaking test in the IELTS exam which are as follows: 

1. Introduction part

   For this part, you will introduce yourself. Then, the examiner will ask you a set of questions on basic topics e.g. personal life, hobbies, interests, family, etc. 

2. Cue card Task

   The cue card task is the 2nd part of the speaking test. Here you are given a simple topic to speak on elaborately, for two minutes. 

3. Two-way discussion

   Following the cue card task, you will need to engage in a discussion with the examiner. For each of the three to four follow-up questions, you will have to answer them in detail by including one or two examples. 

While doing the IELTS speaking test, you should be confident while speaking. It is not necessary to use a lot of words and information, but even if you are done speaking before the given time, i.e. two minutes, the content must certainly bring quality with appropriate reflection of your ideas. For the IELTS exam, you need a lot of practice regularly which is planned initially. Unless you do that, your IELTS exam preparation won't be worthwhile. To sit confidently, make sure that you take at least one IELTS practice test daily, and attempt speaking on various IELTS speaking topics along with forming answers to relevant IELTS speaking questions. 

You might have understood the format of the IELTS speaking test so far. Now, let's work on how to respond to the cue card topic: Describe a successful person who you once studied or worked with, before learning a few sample answers. We have put the steps to answering the cue card topic which you might have a look at first:

• Start with an introduction:

  A short introduction is central to responding to any topic in the cue card task of the IELTS test. For this topic, you can mention the person you will speak about and how you know him/her.

• Make use of the prompts to structure answers in the best way. You can try specifically responding to these:

1. Who is the person? 
2. When did you study or work with the person? 
3. What did you study/work on together? 
4. Why did he/she turn out to be successful? 
5. How is your experience collaborating/ studying/ working with him/ her? 

• Conclusion

  End your monologue with a conclusion where you can highlight the impact, values, and learning that you obtained from the person. And state how it has changed your perception of success. 

IELTS Exam Sample 1 for the topic “Describe a successful person who you once studied or worked with.”

Introduction

During my third year of college, I got lucky to have the chance to collaborate with an entrepreneur and digital marketing expert, Mr. Ajay Sharma, who was just launching his new digital marketing. 

Who is the person? 

Mr. Ajay was a college graduate, who was known for his remarkable entrepreneurial spirit and resourcefulness in leading marketing initiatives, particularly those in the digital sphere. He was a stellar tech savvy at a young age and had earned the title of ‘Youngest Future Leader’ in the digital marketing category. 

When did you work with him? 

I got to work with him when I had finished the 5th semester of my bachelor's and secured a summer internship at his agency. The placement was an opportunity from my college to which I had applied and got chosen as a content writing intern. In a month, I gained insights into the inner workings of the company and was supervised by him to achieve my tasks. 

What did you work on together? 

As I was a newbie, he asked me to research a few assigned topics and write short-form content. He mentored and guided me with every step in incorporating keywords, optimizing the content, editing, and publishing it online. Along with other writers, I got to present my ideas and had follow-up discussions, most of them receiving approvals. 

Why did he turn out to be successful? 

I feel like him being a voracious learner, and staying open to learning from beginners as well as from a plethora of thought-leaders in business and digital landscape has driven him towards growth and a successful career. He was very systematic and capable of organizing his tasks and managing multiple clients without any hassle. Probably, it would have been his strategy-oriented and business-focused approach and managerial ability that earned him success at a young age. 

How was your experience working with him? 

When I recount my experience with him, it was pleasant. He knew well how to balance professionalism and friendliness. While working with him, I never found a day when he was being bossy and arrogant with anyone. Even if I had to learn through multiple revisions, he never came up to me with rudeness. He was kind enough to correct and help me comprehend when I couldn't get a grasp on certain technical things. 

Conclusion

As and when I got acquainted with him, I knew he was someone who would be my role model when it comes to navigating my career. It was impactful as I got the push to initiate collaboration, which has today helped me form viable networks with professionals. Apart from earning technical know-how, I have become mindful of how to manage my time and stay organized while achieving my goals. 

IELTS Exam Sample 2 for topic “Describe a successful person who you once studied or worked with.” 

Introduction 

I was lucky to get enrolled at the same institute and study program as that of one of the renowned personalities of India, whose excellence in academia and art has led her to conquer heights and reach places in life. 

Who is the person? 

The person I am talking about is none other than Meehika Mehta, the sensational author from India, who graduated from Christ University. She was my senior in university. As a student, she was the sweetest person, and she used to be the head of many clubs, whether art, drama, or writing clubs.

When did you collaborate with her? 

On a usual morning in September, when one of our professors announced to us about participating in an upcoming project that was to be judged at the national level, we sent our proposals via email to her. Out of the selected students, I was on the list too. It was on the next day, when the seniors, including Meehika, came to our class and told me that I was expected to be on her team that I got to know it to be a collaboration. I was so excited to hear that, and I happily volunteered to work on the project with her. 

Why did she turn out to be successful? 

Speaking about her personality, she was bold, opinionated, and very open-minded. She had a good knowledge of books, and movies, which were mostly classics. Her passion and ingenuity in getting to the core of things, and decoding the meaning behind them with varied viewpoints is unmatched. Even the professors used to be in awe of her articulateness and insights. Very often, I used to hear how she was growing out to be a notable young personality in India’s literary and media arena, as she continued earning recognitions and awards.

How was your experience working with her? 

It was a memorable experience when I got to work with her on the project. Not only did I enjoy the brainstorming sessions to craft the project, but I also had the best opportunity to broaden my concepts and insights on media, art, history, and literature, especially due to her efforts in enlightening us about them. Being a good listener, and team leader, she managed the team so well and assigned us responsibilities which we were best at, leading us to winning the prize.

Conclusion

This project gave me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate in a team-based project with pride. Earlier I wasn't keen on doing team-based activities, but this event changed my perception of how to achieve success through perseverance, collaboration, and teamwork. After all, I cherish those days and the connection I built with her even now. 

Follow-up Questions 

As soon as you are done speaking on the cue card topic, you will be asked three to four follow-up questions to justify your viewpoints. Here we have prepared a list of probable questions for this IELTS speaking topic.

Question 1. List some qualities of successful people that make them the best at what they do.

Answer 1: Successful people possess qualities like discipline, creativity, passion, perseverance, mindfulness, and confidence. They have strong opinions and are good at supporting their opinions with reasons. They live as per what they preach and do not procrastinate on work. 

Question 2: What do you consider to be the measure of success?

Answer 2. In the societal context, for most societies, accumulating financial wealth is considered equivalent to success. Wealthy individuals are seen to have more prestige, respect, power, and social status in countries like India. However, there is another way to look at the true essence of success. Beyond materialistic and monetary wealth, it is the level of fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness that they gain from involving in work or initiatives, which can indicate success and overall well-being.

Question 3: Do successful people live a life of satisfaction and fulfillment?

Answer 3: This statement is not true for every successful person as the definition and perception of success varies from one to another. Suppose a person does social work and has no such monetary wealth as that of a reputed businessman who is also considered a successful being in the eyes of society. But the first one might still lead a life of fulfillment serving people and the needy, while the businessman might not always be loved by people despite having riches.  

Question 4: What qualities of a leader make them admirable?

Answer 4: A leader can have the power to assert, but they will never be respected and admired if they are not good listeners, empathetic, and communicators. They need to be accommodative of their team's or people's needs, voice out opinions on their behalf, and guide them through difficulties. 

Conclusion

At D-VIVID, our team of IELTS language trainers will engage you in IELTS preparation with personalized attention. You won't have to worry about where to get the IELTS practice test as they will keep you on the flow with regular practice. D-VIVID expert team is committed to making you feel confident about sitting in the IELTS test by preparing you to attempt IELTS speaking topics and tackling IELTS speaking questions creatively and fluently.