Describe a Person Who Influenced You IELTS Cue Card

Get ready to practice the “Describe a person who influenced you” IELTS cue card with 3 model answers, useful vocabulary and IELTS Speaking Part 3 follow-up questions. Use these sample answers to practice the topic, build your speaking confidence and work towards a higher IELTS band score.

Describe a Person Who Influenced You- Band 8

Who is this person?

The person who has had a great influence on me is my best friend. He played a major role in helping me choose my career, and I genuinely admire him for the way he has built his professional life. We both did our undergraduate degree in Computer Science Engineering, but he was always more interested in digital marketing and social media marketing than in a traditional career in IT.

Tips: Introduce the person who influenced you and explain your relationship with them.Explain why they influenced you Briefly mention what you admire about them.

How do you know them?

I've known him since college. We used to spend a lot of time together, and I gradually became aware of his interests and the things he was passionate about. While most of us were focused on our studies and getting a job after graduation, he would spend hours learning about digital marketing, exploring new trends and experimenting with different types of online content.

Tip: Explain when or where you met the person and describe how you got to know about them.

What have they done?

He started creating content for YouTube and Instagram, where he experimented with video editing, SEO and meta ads. He was also quite good at editing videos, and the content he posted often attracted around a million views. 

What I found interesting was that he didn't just stick to what he already knew. His dedication to learning about new updates and trying different approaches really impressed me.

Initially, some of our college staff thought he was wasting his time. But he continued working on what he loved, and all that effort eventually paid off. Today, he works at Amazon as a social media and campaign manager, which is a remarkable achievement.

Tips: Describe the person's actions, efforts or achievements. Include specific examples to show what they have done and how they achieved it.

Explain why they influenced you

The main reason he influenced me was that he had the courage to pursue what he genuinely enjoyed rather than simply following the crowd. At a time when most people around us were trying to get into traditional jobs, he chose a different path and worked hard to make it happen. Watching his journey made me realise that we don't always have to follow the same career path as everyone else.

I'm really proud of him, and his journey encouraged me to choose a career that I genuinely enjoy instead of settling for something just because it's a traditional option. In a way, seeing him succeed gave me the confidence to trust my own decisions, and that's why I consider him one of the most influential people in my life.

Tips: Describe how their influence affected your own life and why you admire them.

Describe a Person Who Influenced You- Band 7

Who is this person?

The person who influenced me the most is my aunty. She played a big role in changing my perspective towards learning, especially when it came to mathematics. I used to hate maths as a child, and I never thought I would become good at it.

How do you know them?

She is my neighbour, and she used to spend a lot of time helping me with my studies. Whenever I struggled with maths, she would sit with me and teach me simple calculations. She was very patient and would explain the concepts in an easy way until I understood them.

What have they done?

What really impressed me was that she wasn't even a maths graduate, but she still made an effort to help me. She would spend hours learning the concepts, teaching me and finding simple ways to explain things that I found difficult. Even in her 50s, she was willing to learn and put in the effort to help me improve.

Explain why they influenced you 

What inspired me the most was her willingness to put in the effort, even though maths wasn't her area of expertise. I used to think that if I wasn't good at something, there was no point in trying too hard. But seeing her spend so much time teaching me made me question that mindset. I thought to myself, if she could do that in her 60s, why couldn't I put in the effort to improve at something I struggled with?

That experience changed my perspective on learning. I started taking maths seriously, practised regularly and gradually got better at it. Eventually, I cleared the SBI PO exam and am a bank manager now. When I look back, I feel that my aunty didn't just help me with maths. She changed the way I approach challenges. That's something I'll always be grateful to her for.

Describe a Person Who Influenced You- Band 6

Who is this person?

The person who has influenced me the most is my mother. She has always been a strong and independent woman, and I really admire the way she handles her life. Even though she has health issues, she never gives up easily and always tries to do things on her own.

How do you know them? 

Since she is my mother, I've been watching her and learning from her since childhood. After getting married, she didn't take up a job, but she always told me that we should never depend on others for everything, especially when it comes to money. She believes that having our own income gives us the freedom to make our own decisions.

What have they done?

One thing that really inspired me was her decision to start a boutique on the first floor of our house when she was in her 40s. Despite her health problems, she took the risk and started her own business. Whenever customers came in, she would stand for hours and attend to them. It wasn't easy for her physically, but she kept going and slowly built her business.

Explain why they influenced you

What I admire most about my mother is that she doesn't let her health problems stop her from doing what she wants. She could have easily decided to stay at home and depend on my father, but she chose to start something of her own. Today, she has the freedom to spend her money the way she wants and make her own decisions without having to depend on anyone. 

She is a woman who has worked hard to build a life on her own terms, taught me to be financially independent and make my own decisions. That's why she has influenced me so much.

Vocabulary for Describe a Person Who Influenced You IELTS Speaking Cue Card

Words/Phrases	Meaning	Example
Influence	A strong effect on someone or their decisions	My best friend has had a great influence on my career choice.
Undergraduate	Relating to a university degree obtained before a postgraduate degree	We both did our undergraduate degree in Computer Science Engineering.
Passionate	Having a strong interest in something	He was always passionate about digital marketing and social media.
SEO	The process of improving a website to increase its visibility in search engine results	He experimented with video editing, SEO and meta ads.
Meta Ads	Paid advertisements run on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram	He experimented with video editing, SEO and meta ads.
Dedication	The quality of being committed to a task or purpose	His dedication to learning about new updates and trying different approaches really impressed me.
Paid Off	Produced a good result after effort	He continued working on what he loved, and all that effort eventually paid off.
Following the Crowd	Doing what most other people do instead of making your own choice	He chose a different career path instead of following the crowd.
Area of Expertise	A subject or skill in which someone has good knowledge	Maths wasn't her area of expertise, but she still made an effort to teach me.
Perspective	A particular way of thinking about or viewing something	That experience changed my perspective on learning.
Put in the Effort	To work hard to achieve something	My aunty inspired me to put in the effort to improve at things I struggled with.
Financially Independent	Able to support yourself without relying on someone else's money	My mother taught me the importance of being financially independent.
Boutique	A small shop that sells fashionable clothes or other specialised products	My mother decided to start a boutique on the first floor of our house.

Describe a Person Who Influenced You IELTS Speaking Part 3 Follow-up Questions

1. Do you think teachers can influence students' future careers?

Yes, I think teachers can have a strong influence on students because they help them recognise their strengths and interests. A teacher who encourages a student can give them the confidence to explore a particular subject or career. Sometimes, a few encouraging words can make a lasting difference.

2. Why do some people find it difficult to follow their own dreams?

I think fear of failure is one of the main reasons. Some people worry about disappointing their families or making the wrong career choice. Financial pressure can also stop them from pursuing what they really enjoy, so they choose a safer option instead.

3. Do you think people are influenced more by their family or their friends?

I think it depends on the person's age and situation. Children are usually influenced more by their parents because they depend on them and learn many things from them. However, as people grow older, their friends can have a greater influence on their interests, lifestyle and career choices.

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