IELTS Speaking Part 2: A Successful Person — Band 6/7/8/9 Sample Answers (2026)
Related guides:
The Prompt
Describe a successful person you know. You should say:
- Who this person is
- How you know this person
- What this person has achieved
- And explain why you think this person is successful
You will have to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say.
Band 6.0 Sample Answer
Sample Answer:
"I want to talk about my uncle, who is a very successful businessman. His name is John, and he is my mother's brother. I have known him since I was a child, and he has always been a role model for me. He started his own company from scratch, and now it is one of the leading companies in our city. He has achieved a lot, including winning several awards for entrepreneurship and expanding his business internationally. I think he is successful because he has worked hard and has a strong vision for his company. He is also a very kind and generous person, always helping others and giving back to the community."
Scoring Breakdown:
- Task Response (TR): 5.0 - Addresses all parts of the task but with some irrelevant details.
- Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 6.0 - Logical organization but some abrupt transitions.
- Lexical Resource (LR): 6.0 - Uses a mix of appropriate and less precise vocabulary.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 6.0 - Makes some grammatical errors but generally understandable.
Band 7.0 Sample Answer
Sample Answer:
"The person I would like to talk about is my former teacher, Ms. Smith. She was my English teacher in high school, and she has always been an inspiration to me. She has achieved a lot in her career, including publishing several books and winning awards for her teaching methods. She is also very passionate about education and has started her own educational foundation to help underprivileged children. I think she is successful because she has made a significant impact on the lives of many students, including mine. She has a unique way of teaching that makes learning enjoyable and engaging. Her dedication and commitment to her students are truly admirable."
Scoring Breakdown:
- Task Response (TR): 7.0 - Addresses all parts of the task with relevant details.
- Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 7.0 - Logical organization with clear transitions.
- Lexical Resource (LR): 7.0 - Uses a range of vocabulary appropriately.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 7.0 - Uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with some errors.
Band 8.0 Sample Answer
Sample Answer:
"I would like to describe my cousin, who is a highly successful athlete. His name is David, and he is a professional basketball player. I have known him since we were children, and he has always been very dedicated to his sport. He has achieved numerous accolades, including winning national championships and representing our country in international competitions. I think he is successful because he has demonstrated exceptional talent, discipline, and perseverance. He has also used his platform to inspire young athletes and promote sportsmanship. His achievements have not only brought him personal glory but have also brought pride to our family and community."
Scoring Breakdown:
- Task Response (TR): 8.0 - Addresses all parts of the task with detailed and relevant examples.
- Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 8.0 - Logical organization with effective use of cohesive devices.
- Lexical Resource (LR): 8.0 - Uses a wide range of vocabulary appropriately and naturally.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 8.0 - Uses a variety of complex sentence structures with minimal errors.
Band 9.0 Sample Answer
Sample Answer:
"The individual I admire for his success is my mentor, Dr. Lee. He is a renowned scientist and professor at a prestigious university. I had the privilege of working with him during my undergraduate studies, and his guidance has been instrumental in my academic and professional development. Dr. Lee has made significant contributions to the field of renewable energy, publishing groundbreaking research and securing numerous patents. His innovative work has not only advanced scientific knowledge but has also had a tangible impact on society. I believe he is successful because he combines intellectual brilliance with a deep sense of social responsibility. He is committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists and has established programs to support underrepresented students in STEM fields. His dedication to both his research and his students exemplifies true success."
Scoring Breakdown:
- Task Response (TR): 9.0 - Addresses all parts of the task with detailed, relevant, and specific examples.
- Coherence and Cohesion (CC): 9.0 - Logical organization with effective use of cohesive devices and clear progression.
- Lexical Resource (LR): 9.0 - Uses a wide range of vocabulary appropriately, naturally, and flexibly.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA): 9.0 - Uses a variety of complex sentence structures with minimal errors and excellent control of grammatical features.
Vocabulary Highlights
- Accolades (noun) - Awards or prizes given for achievements.
- Example: "He has received numerous accolades for his work."
- Dedication (noun) - Commitment to a task or purpose.
- Example: "Her dedication to her students is truly admirable."
- Entrepreneurship (noun) - The activity of setting up businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.
- Example: "He has won several awards for entrepreneurship."
- Impact (noun) - A strong effect or influence.
- Example: "She has made a significant impact on the lives of many students."
- Inspiration (noun) - A person, place, experience, or thing that inspires or stimulates someone.
- Example: "She has always been an inspiration to me."
- Perseverance (noun) - Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
- Example: "He has demonstrated exceptional perseverance."
- Platform (noun) - A position or opportunity to express one's views or promote a cause.
- Example: "He has used his platform to inspire young athletes."
- Prestigious (adjective) - Commanding respect through achievements or qualities.
- Example: "He is a professor at a prestigious university."
- Renowned (adjective) - Known or talked about by many people; famous.
- Example: "He is a renowned scientist."
- Significant (adjective) - Important or meaningful.
- Example: "She has made a significant impact on the lives of many students."
- Tangible (adjective) - Clear and real rather than abstract.
- Example: "His work has had a tangible impact on society."
- Vision (noun) - The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom.
- Example: "He has a strong vision for his company."
- Admirable (adjective) - Deserving respect and approval.
- Example: "Her dedication and commitment are truly admirable."
- Commitment (noun) - The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity.
- Example: "His commitment to his students is exemplary."
- Generous (adjective) - Showing a readiness to give more of something, such as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.
- Example: "He is a very kind and generous person."
Common Mistakes Students Make
- Lack of Specific Details: Many students fail to provide specific examples or details about the person's achievements, making their responses vague and less convincing.
- Poor Time Management: Some students spend too much time on one part of the response, leaving insufficient time to cover all parts of the task.
- Inadequate Vocabulary: Using limited or repetitive vocabulary can make the response sound monotonous and less impressive.
- Grammatical Errors: Frequent grammatical mistakes can detract from the overall quality of the response and lower the score.
- Lack of Fluency: Hesitations, fillers, and unnatural pauses can make the response sound less fluent and reduce the score for speaking fluency.
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