"Describe a person you admire" is one of the most common cue cards. Choose someone you know well rather than a celebrity: concrete details and stories come much more easily.
The cue card
Describe a person you admire.
You should say:
who this person is
how you know them
what they do
and explain why you admire them.
One-minute notes
- who: aunt Dilnoza, doctor, Bukhara
- how I know her: summers at her house as a kid
- what she does: hospital, night shifts, free check-ups in her mahalla
- why: calm under pressure, never complains, made me want to help people
Model answer (about 2 minutes)
I'd like to talk about my aunt, Dilnoza, who's a doctor in Bukhara. She's my mother's older sister, and she's probably the person who has influenced me most outside my immediate family.
I got to know her really well because, when I was a child, I used to spend every summer at her house. My parents were both working, so I'd stay with her for a month or so, and I remember following her around and asking endless questions.
She works at the regional hospital, mostly in the emergency department, which means she often does night shifts. What really stands out, though, is that on her days off she gives free check-ups to elderly people in her neighbourhood, many of whom can't easily travel to a clinic.
As for why I admire her, the main thing is how calm she stays under pressure. I once saw her deal with a serious accident on the street, and while everyone else was panicking, she just took charge. Besides that, I've never heard her complain about how tiring her job is, even though it obviously is.
I think she's the reason I've always wanted a job where I can actually help people. Even if I don't end up in medicine, I'd like to have even half of her patience.
Useful words and phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| my immediate family | my immediate family |
| stands out | stands out |
| days off | days off |
| calm under pressure | calm under pressure |
| take charge | take charge |
| influence someone | influence someone |
| look up to | look up to |
| end up in | end up in |
How to answer
- Show character through a story, not adjectives: "I once saw her...".
- Give the most time to "explain why": 30 to 40 seconds.
- For childhood memories, "used to" and "would" work well: "I'd stay with her for a month".
- End with how the person influenced you: it closes the answer naturally.
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Part 3: follow-up discussion questions
What qualities make someone a good role model?
I'd say consistency matters most. A good role model behaves the same way when nobody is watching, so young people learn from what they actually do rather than what they say. Patience and honesty come close behind.
Do young people today admire different people from the past?
To some extent, yes. My parents' generation looked up to teachers and doctors in their own community, whereas many teenagers now admire online personalities they've never met. That's not always bad, but it can give them unrealistic ideas about success.
Should famous people be role models?
Is it important for children to have role models in their family?
Part 2 strategy: the cue card guide. Next step: the Part 3 guide.
Practise this topic now
The AI examiner asks you these questions, listens to your answers and shows your mistakes.
