IELTS Speaking Topic: In the IELTS Speaking Topic 2025, when asked to Describe a Popular/Famous Person in Your Country, the first name that comes to mind is someone who has truly inspired millions. Every country has individuals who leave a lasting mark, whether it’s through their talent, leadership, or dedication to public service. These people often become role models, especially for the younger generation. In India, we are fortunate to have many such influential personalities, but a few stand out because of their journey, achievements, and positive impact on society. Whether they belong to sports, politics, science, or entertainment, these figures help shape the global image of our nation.
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Describe a Popular/Famous Person in Your Country: IELTS Cue Card
When answering an IELTS Speaking Cue Card question, it is important to start with a structured approach. An introduction with a strong and informative tone makes your response engaging. Here is how you can begin answering the IELTS speaking test question, Describe a Popular/Famous Person in Your Country.
Who is this person? What has this person done? Why is this person well-known? Explain why you admire this person |
Sample 1: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
One of the most respected and famous personalities in my country is Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who is remembered as the ‘Missile Man of India’ and a beloved former President. He was not only a top scientist but also a humble and inspiring figure who connected deeply with the youth of India.
Dr Kalam played a key role in India’s space and defence programs. He contributed significantly to the development of missiles like Agni and Prithvi, which helped boost India’s defence system. In 2002, he became the 11th President of India and served till 2007. Despite holding such a high-ranking position, he always remained simple, soft-spoken, and deeply committed to education and innovation.
He is well-known for his speeches and books, especially Wings of Fire, which continues to inspire countless students and young professionals. Even after his presidency, he continued to teach and motivate the youth till his last breath in 2015.
I look up to Dr Kalam because of his simplicity, knowledge, and love for students. He showed that a person from a small town can rise to great heights through education, hard work, and dreams. His life story is a true example of how dedication and vision can lead to success. He always said, “Dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep,” and I truly believe in this quote.
List of Phrases and Meanings
Phrase | Meaning | Example Sentence |
Connected deeply with | Had a strong emotional or meaningful relationship | He connected deeply with the youth through his motivational talks. |
Played a key role | Was very important in making something happen | He played a key role in India’s missile development. |
Contributed significantly to | Gave an important part or effort to something | She contributed significantly to the school’s success. |
Boost | Improve or increase | The new campaign boosted public awareness about health. |
High-ranking position | A job or role with a lot of power or importance | Despite his high-ranking position, he remained humble. |
Well-known for | Famous because of something | He is well-known for his honesty and dedication. |
Inspire countless students | Motivate a lot of learners | His speech inspired countless students to work hard. |
Look up to | Admire and respect | I look up to my father because he always helps others. |
Rise to great heights | Achieve a lot of success | With hard work, she rose to great heights in her career. |
True example of | A perfect real-life case of something | His journey is a true example of success through struggle. |
Lexical Resources
Word | Synonym | Antonym |
Respected | Honoured | Disrespected |
Contribution | Effort | Neglect |
Humble | Modest | Arrogant |
Innovation | Creativity | Tradition |
Inspire | Encourage | Discourage |
Dedication | Commitment | Carelessness |
Simplicity | Plainness | Complexity |
Defence | Protection | Attack |
Vision | Foresight | Shortsightedness |
Motivated | Inspired | Uninterested |
Word Meaning and Pronunciation
Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
Scientist | /ˈsaɪən.tɪst/ | A person who studies or practices science. |
Innovation | /ˌɪn.əˈveɪ.ʃən/ | A new idea or method. |
Contribution | /ˌkɒn.trɪˈbjuː.ʃən/ | Something given or added to help a cause. |
Defence | /dɪˈfɛns/ | The action of protecting something. |
Inspire | /ɪnˈspaɪər/ | To encourage someone to do something creative or meaningful. |
Simplicity | /sɪmˈplɪs.ə.ti/ | The quality of being easy to understand or do. |
Humble | /ˈhʌm.bəl/ | Not proud or arrogant; respectful. |
Foresight | /ˈfɔː.saɪt/ | The ability to predict or plan for the future. |
Vision | /ˈvɪʒ.ən/ | The ability to imagine a future or goal clearly. |
Dedication | /ˌdɛd.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ | Deep commitment to a task or goal. |
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Sample 2: Virat Kohli
One of the most popular people in India today is Virat Kohli, a world-famous cricketer and former captain of the Indian national cricket team. He is known for his aggressive batting style, strong fitness, and passionate leadership. Virat made his international debut in 2008 and quickly rose to fame as one of the top players in the world.
He has achieved many incredible milestones in his career, such as scoring over 70 international centuries and winning prestigious awards like the ICC Player of the Year and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. Under his captaincy, India reached new heights in Test cricket and became the number one team in the world. Apart from his cricketing skills, he is also admired for his discipline, strict workout routine, and unwavering dedication to the sport.
Virat Kohli is well-known not only for his sporting success but also for his bold personality and charity work. He runs the Virat Kohli Foundation, which supports underprivileged children and promotes sports in India.
I admire Virat Kohli because he never gives up. Even during tough matches or after failures, he bounces back stronger. His confidence, energy, and focus inspire millions of youth across the country, including me. He proves that with strong willpower and consistent effort, anyone can achieve greatness. His journey is a powerful reminder that fame and success come through years of hard work, not overnight.
List of Phrases and Meanings
Phrase | Meaning (Student-Friendly) | Example Sentence |
World-famous cricketer | A cricketer known all around the world | Sachin Tendulkar is a world-famous cricketer from India. |
Aggressive batting style | A powerful and attacking way of playing cricket | His aggressive batting style puts pressure on the bowlers. |
Passionate leadership | Leading with strong emotion and dedication | His passionate leadership helped the team stay motivated. |
Rose to fame | Became famous or popular | She rose to fame after her first international performance. |
Incredible milestones | Great achievements or important goals | Winning the Olympic gold was one of his incredible milestones. |
Reached new heights | Achieved even more success than before | The company reached new heights under the new CEO. |
Unwavering dedication | Strong and consistent commitment | Her unwavering dedication helped her win the championship. |
Never gives up | Doesn’t stop trying even in difficulty | He never gives up, no matter how hard things get. |
Bounces back stronger | Recovers from a problem and becomes better | After the injury, she bounced back stronger than before. |
Inspire millions of youth | Motivates many young people | His journey inspires millions of youth to chase their dreams. |
Strong willpower | Mental strength to keep going or resist giving up | You need strong willpower to wake up early every day and study. |
Powerful reminder | Something that clearly shows or teaches a lesson | Her story is a powerful reminder of what courage looks like. |
Years of hard work | A long time spent working with effort and focus | Success is the result of years of hard work and practice. |
Well-known not only for | Famous for more than one quality or reason | She is well-known not only for acting but also for her charity work. |
Underprivileged children | Kids who don’t have enough money, resources, or support | His foundation supports underprivileged children with food and education. |
Lexical Resources
Word | Synonym | Antonym |
Popular | Famous | Unpopular |
Dedication | Devotion | Laziness |
Passionate | Energetic | Indifferent |
Achievement | Success | Failure |
Inspire | Motivate | Discourage |
Confident | Self-assured | Doubtful |
Leadership | Command | Submission |
Aggressive | Bold | Timid |
Routine | Schedule | Irregularity |
Charity | Donation | Greed |
Word Meaning and Pronunciation
Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
Century | /ˈsɛn.tʃər.i/ | In cricket, a score of 100 or more runs by a single player. |
Dedication | /ˌdɛd.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ | Complete commitment to a task or purpose. |
Inspire | /ɪnˈspaɪər/ | To fill someone with the urge to do something great. |
Aggressive | /əˈɡrɛs.ɪv/ | Ready to attack or be bold, especially in sports. |
Foundation | /faʊnˈdeɪ.ʃən/ | An organisation set up for a charitable purpose. |
Routine | /ruːˈtiːn/ | A regular way of doing things. |
Underprivileged | /ˌʌn.dəˈprɪ.vəl.ɪdʒd/ | Not having enough basic needs or opportunities. |
Willpower | /ˈwɪlˌpaʊər/ | Strong determination to do something difficult. |
Discipline | /ˈdɪs.ə.plɪn/ | Training to follow rules or improve behavior. |
Confidence | /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/ | A belief in one’s own abilities or qualities. |
One of the most famous and well-respected individuals in India is Ratan Naval Tata, the former chairman of the Tata Group, one of India’s largest and most successful multinational conglomerates. The leadership of Ratan Naval Tata and innovative ideas have left a lasting impact on the Indian business scenario.
Under his leadership, the Tata Group expanded internationally and acquired prominent companies, including Jaguar Land Rover and Corus Steel. He is best known for his vision in modernising Tata Group’s businesses and pushing for corporate social responsibility initiatives. Apart from his business acumen, Ratan Naval Tata is also admired for his humility, ethics, and generosity. He believes in the idea of giving back to society, and the Tata Trusts, which focus on areas like education, healthcare, and rural development, reflect this philosophy.
Ratan Naval Tata is famous not just for his success in business but also for his ability to maintain his integrity in the face of challenges. He stepped down from the role of chairman in 2012, but his legacy continues to inspire entrepreneurs, students, and business leaders across the world.
I admire Ratan Naval Tata because of his selflessness and leadership style. Despite his immense success, he remains grounded and committed to social causes. His ability to lead with values and stay true to his principles, no matter the pressure, motivates me to follow a similar approach in life.
List of Phrases and Meanings
Phrase | Meaning (Student-Friendly) | Example Sentence |
Largest and most successful multinational conglomerates | One of the biggest companies with many businesses in different countries | Tata Group is one of the largest and most successful multinational conglomerates in India. |
Innovative ideas | New and creative ways of thinking | His innovative ideas changed the way we use technology. |
Lasting impact | Long-term influence or effect | Her words made a lasting impact on my career choice. |
Expanded globally | Grew into other countries | The company expanded globally under his leadership. |
Visionary thinking | Ability to plan wisely for the future | His visionary thinking helped launch many new products. |
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) | When businesses help society and the environment | The company supports schools as part of its CSR work. |
Business acumen | Strong understanding of business | He has great business acumen and always makes smart decisions. |
Giving back to society | Helping others through time, money, or effort | She donates to charities as a way of giving back to society. |
Famous not only for | Known for more than one good thing | She is famous not only for singing but also for her social work. |
Maintaining integrity | Staying honest and following strong moral values | He maintained integrity even when others chose shortcuts. |
Inspiring legacy | A powerful example left behind that motivates others | His inspiring legacy will live on for generations. |
Selfless leadership | Leading without thinking only about personal gain | His selfless leadership earned him respect from all. |
Down-to-earth | Humble and simple, not arrogant | Despite his success, he remains down-to-earth and polite. |
Lexical Resources
Word | Synonym | Antonym |
Leadership | Command | Subordination |
Humility | Modesty | Arrogance |
Generosity | Selflessness | Greed |
Legacy | Inheritance | Oblivion |
Integrity | Honesty | Dishonesty |
Innovation | Creativity | Stagnation |
Visionary | Forward-thinking | Short-sighted |
Acumen | Insight | Cluelessness |
Responsibility | Accountability | Irresponsibility |
Success | Achievement | Failure |
Word Meaning and Pronunciation
Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
Integrity | /ɪnˈtɛɡ.rɪ.ti/ | The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. |
Generosity | /ˌdʒɛnəˈrɒsɪti/ | The willingness to give freely without expecting anything in return. |
Visionary | /ˈvɪʒəneri/ | A person who has original ideas and is able to plan for the future. |
Acumen | /ˈækjʊmən/ | The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions. |
Leadership | /ˈliːdəʃɪp/ | The action of leading a group or organisation. |
Legacy | /ˈlɛɡəsi/ | Something handed down from the past, especially from one generation to another. |
Humility | /hjuːˈmɪlɪti/ | The quality of being humble and not considering yourself as better than others. |
Responsibility | /rɪˌspɒnsɪˈbɪləti/ | The state or fact of being accountable for something. |
Innovation | /ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən/ | The introduction of new ideas, methods, or products. |
Integrity | /ɪnˈtɛɡ.rɪ.ti/ | The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. |
To sum up, the IELTS Speaking Topic 2025 Describe a Popular/Famous Person in Your Country, gives us a chance to reflect on someone who has influenced us personally or nationally. Famous people are not only known for their achievements but also for the values they stand for. Speaking about them helps show our admiration, understanding of their contribution, and how they inspire us to grow. Whether it’s Virat Kohli’s passion for cricket or Dr Kalam’s wisdom and simplicity, such individuals remind us that greatness comes from hard work, dedication, and a desire to serve others.
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FAQs
Ans. You should talk about someone who is well-known and significant in your country. This could be a political leader, a celebrity, an athlete, an artist, or a historical figure. It’s best to choose someone you know well and can speak about in detail, including their achievements and why they are admired.
Ans. In the IELTS Speaking test, it’s better to talk about a famous person from your own country because the question specifically asks about someone who is well-known in your country. However, you can mention international figures if they have had a significant impact in your country, but your focus should be on their popularity within your country.
Ans. It is important to provide enough detail about the person’s achievements, but avoid going into too much technical detail. Focus on their most significant accomplishments and explain why they are well-known and admired. Keep the explanation clear and straightforward so you can speak confidently.
Ans. Yes, you can talk about a person you personally admire, even if they are not widely known, but be prepared to explain why you find them inspiring or famous in your eyes. The key is to make sure you provide enough detail to justify their significance to you and potentially others in your country.
Ans. For IELTS Speaking Part 2, you should aim to speak for 1-2 minutes. Make sure to cover all aspects of the prompt, such as who the person is, what they have done, why they are famous, and why you admire them. It’s important to speak naturally and stay on topic throughout your response.
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