# Describe a leader you admire: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Work

Describe a leader in your community or workplace whom you admire.

You should say:
- who this person is
- how you know this person
- what this person does as a leader
- and explain why you admire this person

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

I'd like to talk about my first manager, Marcus, who was the head of the customer support team at the company where I started my career.

I worked under him for about two years, from when I was twenty-three. When I joined, I had no experience at all, and honestly I was quite nervous about talking to angry customers on the phone. He was the person who trained me in my first week, and after that we had a short meeting every Friday to talk about how things were going.

As a leader, he was responsible of a team of around twelve people. He organised our schedules, dealt with the most difficult customer complaints, and reported to senior management. But what made him different was the way he did these things. For example, whenever there was a problem, he never blamed anyone in front of the team. Instead, he would talk to the person privately and help them find a solution. He also always asked for our opinions before making changes, so everyone felt that they were part of the decisions.

I admire him for several reasons. The first is that he was very fair. He treated everyone the same, whether you were new or had been there for ten years. Also, he was a really good listener. When I made a big mistake once and lost an important client's order, I was sure I would get in trouble, but he just sat with me, we fixed it together, and then he explained me how to avoid it next time. I think that's when I learned that a good leader is not someone who gives orders, but someone who helps people to do their best work.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer is coherent and relevant, with a clear example that supports the speaker's view of good leadership. Vocabulary is good ("reported to senior management", "blamed anyone", "get in trouble", "a really good listener"), and the habitual "would" is used correctly ("he would talk to the person privately"). There are two typical errors: "responsible of a team" (rather than "responsible for a team") and "he explained me how to avoid it" (rather than "he explained to me how to avoid it"). The reasons rely on familiar markers ("The first is", "Also"). For Band 8, the speaker would need more precise, idiomatic language about leadership and more varied ways of connecting ideas.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-leader-you-admire).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.