# Talk about your favourite person: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - People

Talk about your favourite person.

You should say:
- who this person is
- how you know them
- what they are like
- and explain why they are your favourite person

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

## Band 6 sample

My favourite person is my grandmother. She is seventy-two years old now and she lives with our family in the city. Before she was living in the village, but after my grandfather passed away she moved to our house, so I see her every day.

She is very simple person. She wakes up very early in the morning, around five o'clock, and she does her prayer and then she makes tea for everyone. Even now she likes to cook, although my mother tells her to take rest. Her cooking is the best, especially she makes a very tasty lentil soup and some sweets in the festival time.

The reason she is my favourite is because she always support me. When I was a child, my parents were busy in the job, so my grandmother take care of me most of the time. She told me many stories about her life in the village, how they didn't have electricity and they had to walk long distance for water. From these stories I learned that I should not complain too much about small problems.

Also she never gets angry with me. Even when I got bad marks in an exam, she just said, 'Don't worry, next time you will do better.' I think that kind of words is very important for a young person.

Now I am at university and I am quite busy, but I still try to sit with her in the evening and talk. Sometimes I teach her how to use the video call on her phone. So for me she is not only grandmother, she is also like a best friend.

**Examiner notes.** This answer covers all four cue-card points and keeps going comfortably, which is typical of Band 6. The ideas are clear and personal, such as the stories about walking "long distance for water", but linking is basic ("Also", "So") and vocabulary stays general ("very tasty", "the best"). Errors are frequent but never block meaning: "very simple person" drops an article, "she always support me" misses the -s, and "my grandmother take care of me" slips out of the past tense. Band 7 needs fewer slips and more precise phrasing, like "she has endless patience".

## Band 7 sample

The person I'd like to talk about is my older brother, Daniel, who's five years older than me. He works as a software developer in another city now, so I don't see him as often as I'd like, but we still talk on the phone at least twice a week.

Growing up, we weren't particularly close, to be honest. The age gap meant that when I was ten, he was already a teenager who wanted nothing to do with his annoying little sister. Things changed when I was about sixteen and going through a difficult time at school. I was struggling with maths and I'd lost a lot of confidence, and he was the one who noticed. Without making a big deal of it, he started helping me with my homework every evening, and gradually my marks picked up.

As for what he's like, I'd describe him as calm and quite patient, which is the opposite of me. He rarely loses his temper, and he's very good at seeing a problem from someone else's point of view. He also has a dry sense of humour, so even when he's giving me advice, he usually manages to make me laugh.

The main reason he's my favourite person is that I can be completely honest with him. Whenever I have to make a big decision, like choosing my university course, he's the first person I call. He doesn't tell me what to do, but he asks the right questions, and that helps me work things out for myself.

So although we live apart now, I'd say we're closer than we've ever been.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer tells a small story instead of listing qualities, and it is easy to follow thanks to signposts like "Growing up" and "As for what he's like". Collocations such as "wanted nothing to do with" and "a dry sense of humour" are natural and accurate, and the grammar mixes past perfect ("I'd lost a lot of confidence") with present habits without errors. For Band 8, the speaker would need more precise and less common vocabulary used with full control, and a little more reflection on why the relationship changed, not just what happened.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/talk-about-your-favourite-person).

## Part 3 follow-up questions

1. What qualities do people usually admire in others?
2. Do you think family members or friends have more influence on young people?
3. Why do some young people choose celebrities as role models?
4. Is it easier to make close friends as a child or as an adult?
5. How has social media changed the way people keep in touch with those they care about?

## 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.