IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card · People

Describe a teacher who influenced you

The full cue card, a one-minute plan for its prompts, a sample answer by Lingo Copilot and the vocabulary for this topic.

Start the free evaluation

Describe a teacher who influenced you.

You should say:

who this teacher was
what they taught
what made them special

and explain how they influenced you.

How to plan your answer in 1 minute

A minute is short. Spend it on keywords for each prompt, in the order of the card:

0:00–0:10
Choose your answer
Decide on a teacher who influenced you. Pick something real that you know well, so the details come easily when you speak.
0:10–0:20
Who this teacher was
Write two or three keywords, not sentences: a name, a place, a time or a detail you can expand on.
0:20–0:30
What they taught
Write two or three keywords, not sentences: a name, a place, a time or a detail you can expand on.
0:30–0:40
What made them special
Write two or three keywords, not sentences: a name, a place, a time or a detail you can expand on.
0:40–0:55
And explain how they influenced you
Note one reason and one short example or story. This is the part you can keep developing until the examiner stops you at two minutes.
0:55–1:00
Check the order
Number your notes in the order of the prompts, then use them as a checklist while you talk.

Sample answer

Written for practice. Use it for ideas and phrasing rather than memorising it, then answer about your own experience.

Sample answer by Lingo Copilot · 237 words

So, I want to tell you about my history teacher, Ms. Rivera, who I encountered during my early years at secondary school. She taught world history and politics, and she had a deep influence on the way I think about society and the world around me.

What made Ms. Rivera special was that she was genuinely approachable yet maintained high expectations for every student. Her teaching approach was unlike anything I'd experienced before. Rather than lecturing from a textbook, she presented primary sources and challenged us to form our own interpretations. This unusual method opened my eyes to the idea that history's an ongoing conversation, not a collection of fixed facts. She had a way of bringing out the best in even the quietest students, and her encouragement after a well-argued point could energise an entire lesson.

She also took me under her wing when I considered dropping the advanced stream. Her encouraging words and sharp feedback showed me weaknesses in my reasoning while building my confidence at the same time. She planted the seed of an interest in political philosophy that eventually led me to study it at university.

Looking back, Ms. Rivera was a genuine role model who gave me a deep intellectual curiosity and the belief that careful thinking matters. I still look up to her, and I honestly believe that whatever analytical skills I have today, I owe them to her foundational teaching.

Another sample answer (2 of 3)

Sample answer by Lingo Copilot · 234 words

The teacher I want to describe is Dr. Okafor, a university lecturer who taught advanced economics during my final two undergraduate years. His inspiring mentorship transformed my approach to problem-solving and really shaped the direction of my professional career.

Dr. Okafor was extraordinarily knowledgeable, but what set him apart was his genuine understanding of how students learn. He seemed to see potential in everyone, even those convinced economics was too abstract. His energising presence made every session feel alive. He'd weave current affairs into theoretical frameworks, showing that the models had real-world consequences, and this struck a chord with me from the very first lecture.

What made him so inspiring was his focus on overall development. He didn't merely want us to pass examinations; he wanted us to grow as critical thinkers. He'd hold every student to account for the quality of their reasoning, yet he did so with such warmth that nobody felt humiliated. His connection with the class was extraordinary. He once spent an entire office hour restructuring my dissertation chapter, offering wise advice that cut to the heart of my argument's weakness.

His influence has been lasting and deep. He shaped my outlook on how data should inform decisions and left a lasting impression that education is about growth, not just getting a qualification. I remain in his intellectual debt, and his legacy lives on in every analysis I produce professionally.

Another sample answer (3 of 3)

Sample answer by Lingo Copilot · 240 words

I'd like to discuss my primary school art teacher, Mrs. Tanaka, whose impact on my creative development was greater than I realised at the time. She taught art and design to children aged seven to eleven, and she was truly ahead of her time.

Mrs. Tanaka was in a league of her own among teachers at our small school. While the standard curriculum focused on copying techniques, she introduced fresh teaching methods by encouraging free experimentation. She was remarkably approachable; even the shyest children felt comfortable sharing their work. What made a lasting impression on me was her ability to find something genuinely positive in every piece. Her encouraging words weren't hollow praise but specific observations that showed she was paying attention.

She set the bar high in terms of effort and imagination, yet she was demanding without being intimidating. When I struggled with perspective drawing, she sat beside me and guided me through vanishing points, building my confidence through patience. That experience taught me that a great teacher doesn't just pass on knowledge but helps you discover your own abilities.

The deep influence she had goes well beyond art. She nurtured curiosity and a willingness to take creative risks that I carry into my professional life. Encountering her during those early years was a stroke of fortune. Her teaching approach showed that the best educators bring out the best in their students by combining high expectations with genuine warmth.

Useful vocabulary

inspiringadjective: Having the quality of motivating others to think or act in a certain way
approachableadjective: Friendly and accessible; welcoming interaction from others
rigorousadjective: Extremely thorough, exhaustive, and precise in approach
encouragementnoun: The act of giving support, confidence, or hope to someone
knowledgeableadjective: Possessing extensive information or understanding about a subject
transformativeadjective: Causing a marked change in someone's development or perspective
unorthodoxadjective: Contrary to what is usual, traditional, or accepted in approach
instilverb: To gradually establish an idea, attitude, or habit in someone's mind
rapportnoun: A close and harmonious relationship built on mutual understanding
empatheticadjective: Showing an ability to understand and share the feelings of another person
pedagoguenoun: A teacher, especially a strict or pedantic one; used also in an elevated neutral sense
perspicaciousadjective: Having a keen mental perception and understanding; shrewd in judgement
motivateverb: to encourage someone to take action
edificationnoun: Moral or intellectual improvement through instruction or example

Useful collocations

profound influence
Her profound influence on my academic trajectory is something I reflect on with deep gratitude.
encouraging words
Her encouraging words during a difficult examination period gave me the confidence to persevere.
high expectations
She maintained high expectations for every student, regardless of their starting point.
teaching approach
Her teaching approach was rooted in dialogue and debate rather than passive instruction.
role model
She served as a role model not just academically but in terms of professional ethics.
intellectual curiosity
She ignited an intellectual curiosity in me that has endured well beyond the classroom.
pedagogical innovation
Her pedagogical innovation included peer-assessment exercises that were decades ahead of the mainstream.
well-rounded development
She was committed to well-rounded development, nurturing emotional intelligence alongside academic rigour.
lasting legacy
Her lasting legacy is the cohort of independent thinkers she has produced over three decades of teaching.
formative years
Encountering her during my formative years was a stroke of fortune I did not appreciate until much later.
go above and beyond
He went above and beyond by staying after school to help struggling students.
devoted to the profession
He was truly devoted to the profession and never considered doing anything else.
passion for teaching
You could tell she had a genuine passion for teaching by the way she spoke.
firm but fair
He was firm but fair — he had high standards but always supported us.
put you at ease
He always put students at ease, even when they got answers wrong.

Part 3 questions on this topic

In the test, Part 3 continues with wider questions linked to your Part 2 topic. Questions from our question bank:

Do you think the education system in your country needs to change?
How important is the role of teachers in student development?
Should technology play a bigger role in education?

Practise this cue card out loud

Reading a sample answer is not the same as speaking for two minutes. Take the free IELTS Speaking evaluation: a full test with a timed Part 2 long turn, an estimated band and feedback. This card is also in the app's IELTS question bank.

Start the free evaluation

Scores are AI estimates for practice, not official IELTS results.

Short on time?

Answer one Part 1 question out loud and get an estimated band. No signup.

Try the free IELTS Speaking scorer