The IELTS cue card task is one of the most important parts of the speaking section. This is also known as the long turn, where you will be given a card with a topic that can be about anything, like an object, a place, a person, etc. Speaking on a random topic can be difficult; therefore, your preparation must be sufficient. This blog can help you with a cue card sample - describe a writer you would like to meet, along with three sample answers, follow-up questions, and lexical resources. Read on
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In the IELTS speaking section, the cue card is the second part where you will be provided a topic followed by bullet points for guidance, requiring a 1-2 minute continuous speech. You will also have one minute for your preparation, in which you can write some notes using a pencil and paper before speaking. At first, you will read the topic in the IELTS cue cards and related information given, then you have to collect some information about it to speak in front of the examiner.
In this IELTS speaking part 2, the goal is to demonstrate your fluency, coherent organization of thoughts, effective vocabulary use, and clear pronunciation on a variety of topics. Now that you have an idea of what the cue card part is, let’s move ahead and understand how to answer it!
To find an effective answer in the IELTS speaking section part 2, use your preparation time wisely and jot down keywords on which you are going to speak. Form your response within a complete structure, with an introduction, main points supported by examples, and a conclusion. Read further and understand better how to answer this part.
By discussing the topic, “Describe a Writer You Would Like to Meet” cue card, you can have more clarity on how to structure the response. Here, the questions related to the topic can be as follows:
Your cue card in the IELTS speaking section will look like the image below. Have a look at the topic and related questions as well.
After reviewing your topic, describe a writer you would like to meet, it's time to move ahead and look for the sample answers. Find different responses and read what you can speak about a writer.
Here is the first sample answer for the cue card topic, which describes a writer you would like to meet- along with proper structure, introduction, main body, and a conclusion.
For many readers, a book is more than just a story; for me, it is a doorway into the second world, which is created and opened by the author. If I ever get a chance to meet, I would like to meet the writer J. K. Rowling, the creator of the Harry Potter series.
The full name of the writer is Joanne Rowling, who is a British author, screenwriter, and producer. The stories written by her shaped my childhood and also inspired me into adulthood. Behind the story of Harry Potter, I really appreciate her creative force. Globally, around 400 million copies of this series have been sold. Additionally, she also writes crime novels under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith and several standalone books for children and adults.
I have watched some interviews and read the biographical information about her remarkable journey. Before she became a writer, her life revolved around being a single mother living in poverty. She wrote her first book in cafes and struggled a lot. By many publishers, her manuscript was rejected, but then Bloomsbury gave her a chance to shine.
If I had the chance to meet her, my questions would go beyond a simple request for writing tips. I would love to find out her writing process, the inspiration behind the story, and how she handled sudden success in her life. Also, I want to know how she navigated such a massive and sudden shift and maintained her creative focus towards writing.
There are multiple reasons why I admire Rowling. Her inspirational journey and imaginative world-building have an impact on my reading habits. I have learnt important life lessons after reading her novels, like what true friendship is, courage, and the battle between good and evil.
Overall, meeting J. K. Rowling would be more than just a fan encounter. For me, it would be an opportunity to speak with a true modern-day legend whose work has left an incredible mark on a generation.
Here is the second sample answer for the cue card, IELTS speaking part 2, describing a writer one would like to meet. It focuses on the well-known Indian author commonly found in literary discussions.
The world of literature is filled with countless remarkable minds, but only a few have captured my imagination like Chetan Bhagat. Meeting with him is really an honor for me. It would be an opportunity to gain insight into the mind of a writer who has bridged the gap between fiction and commentary.
Chetan Bhagat is a prolific Indian author who is popular for his fast-paced novels and themes of ambition, social challenges, and romance. He first gained recognition with his debut novel, Five Point Someone, then Half Girlfriend, and 2 States, which are among the bestselling books. Before writing, Chetan was an investment banker, an unusual background for someone who would come to define an era of Indian popular fiction.
In my opinion, he is a master of creating accessible and engaging stories in the world of literature. Bhagat’s writing is characterized by simplicity and humor and creates a wide audience, especially young adults. He is also an IIT graduate, and his career shift from a high-pressure corporate job to a creative one for storytelling. Besides this, his interest is in social and political issues beyond pure entertainment.
If I get an opportunity to meet, I would like to ask him about his life’s turning point journey. His life was around engineering and the banking field, until he found his true calling and the struggle he faced. Apart from this, what was his inspiration that helped him overcome writer’s block, and how did he deal with the pressure of following up a successful book? I want to know.
I admire Chetan Bhagat for several reasons, such as he made reading modern exciting because I found literature intimidating. But his books were accessible gateways into a world of stories. Next, the power of pursuing one’s true passion from the journey of investment banking really impressed me.
Getting a chance to meet him would be a memorable experience for me. I think he knows how to connect the audience with the magic of words. His story is a powerful reminder that it’s never too late to reinvent oneself.
For the IELTS speaking part 2 cue card topic, read the last sample answer below and understand the way to structure responses.
A writer’s work allows people to delve into their unique perspective, and meeting that one person can be a great opportunity for me. Of all literary figures, living or dead, I would like to meet Lewis Carroll. He was the author of the book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The real name of this writer is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who was an English writer, photographer, and mathematician. In his life, he worked as a mathematics lecturer at the University of Oxford. I found his creative genius expression in fantasy and wordplay in the story of Alice.
Lewis wrote his famous story for a girl, Alice Liddell, the daughter of his friend Henry Liddell, who was the dean of Christ Church. Carroll would entertain Alice and her sisters with his creative stories on the River Isis during the boat trips. Alice was the girl who asked him to write the book, and then it was published as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
There is so much that is fascinating about Lewis, and I would like to learn more about the man himself. What inspired him to create a world of talking rabbits, disappearing cats, and mad tea parties, I would ask him if I ever met him. Furthermore, I would want to know how he reconciled his academic life with his imaginative inner world.
For his unique and unconventional brilliance, I admire him. He broke from traditional storytelling to create a narrative where logic is turned on its head. From his stories, I found that it is not always necessary to make sense to be entertaining. I have learned the best thing of my life from his stories that a gentle and quiet personality can contain a universe of creativity.
Meeting the legend of literature, Lewis Carroll, would be an unforgettable opportunity for me. A conversation with him would not just be about his books but about the source of his profound imagination, and it would be an experience I would treasure forever.
Using a wide range of vocabulary for IELTS cue card task is necessary to enable clear and precise expression, avoid repetition, and improve your fluency. In the above three sample answers, there are some lexical resources used, which you can find in the table below, along with their meaning.
| Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Screenwriter | a person who writes a screenplay |
| Producer | a person who deals with the business side of organizing a play, film, etc |
| Adulthood | the time in your life when you are an adult |
| Appreciate | to enjoy something or to understand the value of somebody/something |
| Biographical | the story of someone's life |
| Remarkable | unusual and surprising in a way that people notice |
| Manuscript | a copy of a book, piece of music, etc. before it has been printed |
| Navigated | to sail a boat along a river or across a sea |
| Prolific | (used especially about a writer, artist, etc.) producing a lot |
| Accessible | possible to be reached or entered |
| Characterized | to describe what somebody/something is like |
| Storytelling | the activity of telling or writing stories |
| Intimidating | to frighten or threaten somebody, often in order to make them do something |
| Memorable | worth remembering or easy to remember |
| Perspective | opinion or attitude towards something |
| Reconciled | to make people become friends again after an argument |
| Unconventional | different from what is usual or from the way most people do things |
| Necessary | that is needed for a purpose or a reason |
| Profound | very great; that you feel very strongly |
After completing the cue card part in IELTS, the examiner asks you either four or five follow-up questions. In the details, you can find some of the examples along with answers. Read further and identify how you need to respond for the last part.
1. How do you think the lives of writers today differ from those in the past?
In my opinion, the lives of writers have been changed by technology. Earlier, they used to write manuscripts by hand using their quills and ink, but now, they primarily use computers. Besides, for research, the process was slow for them to collect information, and now they have instant access to a near-infinite amount of information online.
2. Does any book by this writer relate to your life? How?
Yes, I can relate the stories written by this writer to my life. I found Harry Potter’s journey defined by his parents’ death, but also based on true friendship with Ron and Hermione. It shows me the importance of genuine friends and how a powerful friendship can help me overcome life’s challenges.
3. Do you think that a writer's personal life and struggles are relevant to their work?
Yes, in my opinion, writers’ stories of any book are sometimes related to their lives and struggles. For example, Lewis Carroll wrote his book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland because he was asked to write the story he told during boat trips to his friend’s daughter and sister. That was his own inspiration to write a book.
4. What qualities do you think are necessary for a person to be a successful writer?
There are multiple things required for a person to be a successful writer, but the most important is dedication, discipline, and persistence. Writing requires the commitment to sit down and put words on a page or computer, even when uninspired.
5. In your opinion, what is the most challenging part of being a writer?
Everyone has a different aspect of challenges in writing, but the common difficulties are overcoming internal fears like perfectionism and self-doubt. Sometimes, distractions from daily life, work, family, and other commitments are a significant obstacle.
To excel in the cue card section, you should practice well for different topics. The following tips may help you prepare yourself for this part.
To conclude, we have discussed the describe a writer you would like to meet - IELTS cue card, in this blog. Achieving your desired band score in this part is not as difficult as you think. Just follow the rule of practice and dedication, and you will score well. You can also use the IELTS band score calculator for not just speaking, but for other sections as well, and check your performance instantly.
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