IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe someone with a wide circle of friends: IELTS cue card with sample answer

An IELTS cue card for Speaking Part 2 with a Band 8 sample answer, the one-minute plan behind it, the vocabulary that lifts it and the Part 3 follow-up questions the examiner can ask next.
  • 248 words
  • A person
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe someone with a wide circle of friends

You should say:

  • →who this person is and how you met them
  • →what their personality is like
  • →what sorts of activities they do with their friends
  • →and explain why you think they have so many friends

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

A person

How to answer this cue card: a one-minute plan

  1. 1

    Liam, uni flatmate in Manchester, constantly bumping into acquaintances

  2. 2

    Easy-going, active listener, hosts big dinners, mixes different groups

  3. 3

    Authentic and inclusive, zero pretence, people feel naturally valued

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8248 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

I would like to talk about a good friend of mine named Liam, whom I shared a flat with during my second year at university in Manchester. When we first moved in together, it didn't take me long to realise he was one of those naturally sociable individuals who seems to bump into an acquaintance on practically every street corner.

Personality-wise, he is exceptionally easy-going and has this uncanny ability to make people feel comfortable right away. Unlike some people who only engage in superficial small talk, Liam takes a genuine interest in whoever he is chatting to. He remembers the smallest anecdotes about people's families or hobbies, and he is remarkably generous with his time. If a friend needs a hand moving house or simply wants a sympathetic ear over a coffee, he will gladly make time for them.

As you would imagine, his social calendar is almost always jam-packed. He organises weekly five-a-side football games, hosts lively Sunday roasts for huge groups, and often plans weekend camping trips. What is fascinating is that he constantly mixes his social circles, introducing his childhood mates to university colleagues or people from his local running club.

Ultimately, I think he has such a vast circle of friends because he is entirely free of pretence. He never judges people or treats friendship like a transactional game. Instead, he radiates positive energy and makes everyone in the room feel included, which is why people simply gravitate towards him wherever he goes.

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8 words

Useful vocabulary for this cue card

  • bump into

    meet someone unexpectedly

  • sympathetic ear

    a willing and understanding listener

  • jam-packed

    extremely full or busy

  • social calendar

    a schedule of social events and plans

  • social circles

    groups of friends and acquaintances

  • pretence

    an attempt to appear something one is not

  • transactional

    based purely on mutual exchange rather than genuine care

  • gravitate towards

    be naturally attracted or drawn to someone

5 questions

Part 3 follow-up questions

  1. 1How has the way people make friends changed compared to the past?
  2. 2Is it better to have a few close friends or a large network of acquaintances?
  3. 3Why do some people find it much harder to form friendships in adulthood?
  4. 4Do you think online platforms will eventually replace face-to-face socialising?
  5. 5What are the potential downsides of maintaining a very large social circle?

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. Read Band 8 answers to these Part 3 questions: friendships and social connections.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe someone with a wide circle of friends"?+

Liam, uni flatmate in Manchester, constantly bumping into acquaintances

How long should I speak on an IELTS cue card?+

You get one minute to prepare, then speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.

How is the cue card scored?+

Part 2 is not scored on its own. Your whole Speaking test gets one band from four criteria: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. The cue card is where the examiner hears whether you can keep going for two minutes.

Can I use this sample answer in the exam?+

Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.

Keep practising

More cue cards: a person

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