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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe a historical figure whom you know about.

You should say:

• who he/she is/was
• how he/she is famous
• where and when he/she lived

and explain his/her contribution to the world.

Model Answer 1:
There are many historical figures in this world who we know about. But, none of them, in my humble opinion, is as influential in the world of literature and language as William Shakespeare. So, today, I would like to talk about this great historical figure.

William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor who is/was widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist of all times. He is also often considered as England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon".

Even though it is not known for sure about the exact date on which this extraordinarily-talented writer was born, but the parish register of Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, shows that he was baptized there on April 26, 1564. However, his birthday is traditionally celebrated on April 23.  Anyway, His many works are about life, love, death, revenge, grief, jealousy, murder, magic and mystery. He wrote the blockbuster plays of his day, but some of his most famous are Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet.

It has been almost 400 years since he died, but people still celebrate his work all around the world. By the way, it is hard to believe but William Shakespeare actually became famous by writing stories in his spare time (yes, again, in his spare time!).

Anyway, talking about the contribution of William Shakespeare, He contributed significantly to the growth of English vocabulary and phrases which have enriched the language, making it more colourful and expressive. Shakespeare's influence on art, literature, language and the vast array of the creative arts has long been known and documented. In fact, he is the most-read playwright in the Western Hemisphere, and the English language is littered with quotes and phrases that originated from his works. Being considered as the author of the most remarkable tragedies and comedies of all time, his plays are also being translated today in over 50 languages and performed across the globe for audiences of all ages. Finally, William Shakespeare is also the inventor of the “iambic pentameter”, a form of poetry that is still widely used today.

Model Answer 2:
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most significant persons in world history and he is often considered as the most diversely talented person ever to have lived in human history. His full name was ‘Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci’ and lived from 1452 – 1519 mainly in Italy. He had an incomparable talent and he excelled as a painter, engineer, mathematician, architect, geologist, writer, cartographer, inventor, botanist, sculptor, anatomist, and musician.

He probably would have been a famous person in history only because of his perfection and talent in art, let along the other talents he had. He was a genius and a second to none figure of Renaissance humanist ideal. The talent, curiosity and logic he presented at his time of living were simply superhuman. His famous painting includes Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Vitruvian Man, The Creation of Adam and the world now revere these works as the greatest artworks of all time. In many art colleges and institutes, his works are considered to be the model works and grammar for fine work on art. His arts, paintings and notebooks compose a contribution to later generations of artists.

He is also esteemed for his ingenuity in technology and many of his ideas inspired some later invention in the field of science and engineering. His contribution in technology includes the conceptualization and experiments in solar power, flying machines, armoured vehicles, calculating machine etc. He was a high-class inventor and visionary of science. His other inventions like bobbin winder, optics and hydrodynamics were well ahead of his time. He has great contribution in anatomy, civil engineering and optics as well.   It would require a large volume of books to list down his contributions and talents. He would be revered throughout the history and in my opinion, he is one of most influential and famous historical figure the world has ever seen.  

Similar Cue Card Topics

Your ability to talk about this Cue Card would enable you to talk about the following Cue Cards as well:

1. Describe a famous person you know about.
2. Describe a scientist or artist you know about.
3. Describe a famous painter you know about.
4. Describe an important historical figure.
5. Describe a talented person you know about.

• IELTS Cue Card
• Candidate Task Card

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