IELTS-Simon’s video course
IELTS Speaking Part 2: describe a person
Describe a person you know who does something well.
You should say
who this person is
how you know this person
what they do well
and explain why you think this person is so good at doing this.
Here’s my example description from the video lesson. It took me exactly 2 minutes, and I simply
followed the points above. I tried to use some of my ‘theme’ language and a good example to
demonstrate the ‘hard-working’ theme.
I’m going to describe a friend of mine called James. James is an actor by profession. He’s in his
thirties I think. He’s tall, he’s about my height, with dark hair and a friendly face; he’s always smiling
and he cheers me up whenever I see him.
I met James in… at university. He was my next-door neighbour in my hall of residence in the
first year of university. So on that first day when we were moving in to our rooms, James
introduced himself to me and we struck up a conversation, and got to know each other then, and
we became good friends.
James, as I said, is an actor, and I think he’s really good at that. He studied drama at university,
where I met him, and since then he’s been working in theatre, he’s done some small
independent films, and he’s trying to get his break in television or in more popular,
mainstream films. And I think he’ll do it, because for me he seems… when I’ve been to see him in
theatre productions or I’ve seen the short films that he’s been in, he seems to be a really good
actor to me.
Why I think he’s good: well, I think it comes from his work ethic. He’s a really hard worker, he’s
really persistent. He always said he wanted to be a successful actor; it’s not an easy profession to
become successful in, but he has persisted, he’s really intense, he studies each role very
carefully, he gets into character. I remember, for example, not being able to talk to him for about
a week before one of his acting jobs because he was ‘in character’ - he didn’t want to lose
focus. So he’s really intense, and that’s what I think makes him a great actor, and why I think he’ll
be successful.
See the next page for notes.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: describe a person
Describe a person you know who does something well.
You should say
who this person is
how you know this person
what they do well
and explain why you think this person is so good at doing this.
Here’s my example description from the video lesson. It took me exactly 2 minutes, and I simply
followed the points above. I tried to use some of my ‘theme’ language and a good example to
demonstrate the ‘hard-working’ theme.
I’m going to describe a friend of mine called James. James is an actor by profession. He’s in his
thirties I think. He’s tall, he’s about my height, with dark hair and a friendly face; he’s always smiling
and he cheers me up whenever I see him.
I met James in… at university. He was my next-door neighbour in my hall of residence in the
first year of university. So on that first day when we were moving in to our rooms, James
introduced himself to me and we struck up a conversation, and got to know each other then, and
we became good friends.
James, as I said, is an actor, and I think he’s really good at that. He studied drama at university,
where I met him, and since then he’s been working in theatre, he’s done some small
independent films, and he’s trying to get his break in television or in more popular,
mainstream films. And I think he’ll do it, because for me he seems… when I’ve been to see him in
theatre productions or I’ve seen the short films that he’s been in, he seems to be a really good
actor to me.
Why I think he’s good: well, I think it comes from his work ethic. He’s a really hard worker, he’s
really persistent. He always said he wanted to be a successful actor; it’s not an easy profession to
become successful in, but he has persisted, he’s really intense, he studies each role very
carefully, he gets into character. I remember, for example, not being able to talk to him for about
a week before one of his acting jobs because he was ‘in character’ - he didn’t want to lose
focus. So he’s really intense, and that’s what I think makes him a great actor, and why I think he’ll
be successful.
See the next page for notes.
