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

[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand over to you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]

Describe someone you know who has started a business.

You should say:

• who this person is
• what work this person does
• why this person decided to start a business

and explain whether you would like to do the same kind of business as this person.

[Instruction: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

[Examiner: All right? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so don't worry if I stop you. I'll tell you when the time is up. Can you start speaking now, please?]

Model Answer 1:

Who this person is:
Thank you very much for this excellent topic. Today, I'd like to talk about a friend of mine who recently started her own business. Her name is Sarah, and she has always been passionate about baking. She used to make cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts for friends and family as a hobby, but eventually decided to turn it into a business.

What work this person does:
Sarah's business involves making cakes, dessert items, pasty items and other food items. Sarah mainly specialises in baking custom cakes and desserts for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and corporate events. She offers a variety of flavours and designs to choose from and can customize orders to fit specific dietary needs or preferences. Sarah has two employees to help her, but she pretty much does everything for the business including shopping, baking, handling customers and orders, accounts and finance management.  

Why this person decided to start a business:
Sarah decided to start this business because she wanted to pursue her passion for baking and turn it into a career. She saw an opportunity to provide high-quality, personalized desserts and cakes for people in her community and wanted to take the chance to make it a reality.

And explain whether you would like to do the same kind of work as this person:
While I admire Sarah's dedication and hard work, I don't think starting a business is for me. I appreciate the freedom and independence that comes with being your own boss, but I also recognize the risks and challenges that come with entrepreneurship. I prefer the stability and structure of a traditional job, but I have a lot of respect for those who take the leap and start their own business. And in the future even if I start a business, that would not be a baking business as I do not feel passionate about it. I would rather want to be a lawyer as it is my dream and passion.

Model Answer 2:
Where I live, a young person has recently started a business of his own, and he is hoping to make it a success soon. He doesn’t exactly attract much attention or favourable opinions from people around him, but, my childhood friend, Robert Blunt, didn’t really care about any of that because he finally had found what he would like to do for the rest of his life.

Robert is the son of a wealthy family who sent him to some really great schools for his education. My good friend, Robert, didn’t disappoint them because he did pass from a very prestigious university in his country and got a top-class job after that as a Junior Accounting Analyst at a very prominent accounting firm in his country. So, we were all happy for him, and everything went well for a couple of years until one day, suddenly, he told me that he was going to leave his job and start a café business in his hometown. For a while, I thought Robert was joking, but then I realized that he was really serious about it. When asked, why he was taking such a radical decision, Robert told me that he just couldn’t continue sitting behind his desk at his work alone and crunching numbers for the rest of his life like a “robot”, and that he would rather do something where he could communicate with different types of people every day. However, his parents tried to dissuade him from leaving his job, but he was determined and finally got his wish.

Frankly speaking, even though I didn’t like his business initially, especially, because of all the noises around him at his cafe, I started to like it slowly and slowly. It was indeed fun to be able to serve all kinds of people with some freshly-brewed coffee and make them smile. In fact, I see my friend’s business as some “unique” opportunity to learn about different kinds of people and their interests while making some good money! Besides, being able to experiment with different kinds of snacks and drinks ideas and tasting them is no less fun either! So, yes, I would certainly like to do the same kind of work as my friend does.

Model Answer 3:
Entrepreneurship or starting a business is not a “thing” for everybody for a lot of reasons. Of course, when it comes to one of my female cousins, who is an entrepreneur to the core, it is not a very difficult thing. And today here, I would like to share her story.

So, why I have described her as “an entrepreneur”? Well, trust me, I have my reasons. Besides, what would you call a person when she barely started high school at the age of 11/12 while already starting to sell her homemade cookies and candies to her friends at school?! Not only that, but she also earned a good amount (“good” for a 13/14 years old child, of course) of money by training bicycle riding other children of her age. In this way, she tried at least 6/7 businesses before graduating from high school. 

Of course, her parents and grandparents, all of whom were either involved with agriculture/farming or service persons, didn’t exactly want her to take business as her profession. So, she got herself a job as a marketing manager after finishing her graduation, only to find out that she was too independent-minded and free-spirited to work for anybody or any “boss”. 

In fact, after doing that job for only 6 months or so, she started her own business (a shop) to sell readymade garment products, only to find out that she wasn’t exactly doing as good as she expected in her business. But, she wasn’t the one to give up so easily. So, she decided to go “online”, trying to sell her products on the internet. In the end, she did succeed in creating a good reputation for her business and products, but that success came only after too much hard work and many sleepless nights. 

Anyway, I am so happy about my cousin’s success, but I wouldn’t really want myself in her shoes or start a business because I'm not just as hard-working and dynamic as her. I wouldn’t want to start such a business also because I am just not a “risk-taker” with whatever little money I have.

Idea generation for this Candidate task card / Cue card topic:

Starting a business is a significant step that requires determination, creativity, and financial investment. Below are some examples of people who have started their own businesses, along with brief responses to the cue card questions.

1. Tech Startup Founder – A tech startup founder is someone who launches a software company, app, or online platform. My cousin David has recently started a startup based on AI that solves traffic issues through live video analysis and intelligent algorithms. He is a software engineer and started this business to reduce road congestion. I would not be interested in this business because I work in the finance sector and have no plans to start a business yet.

2. Restaurant Owner – A restaurant owner manages a food business, serving meals to customers. My friend Sarah opened a small Italian restaurant in our city last year. She has always been passionate about cooking and wanted to bring authentic Italian flavors to the local community. She started the business after getting professional culinary training. I would not like to run a restaurant because it requires long working hours and constant supervision.

3. E-commerce Business Owner – An e-commerce business owner sells products online through websites or platforms like Amazon or eBay. My neighbor James started an online clothing store, selling eco-friendly apparel. He wanted to promote sustainable fashion and reduce environmental impact. His business has grown quickly due to high demand for sustainable products. I might be interested in this business because online shopping is booming, and it offers flexibility.

4. Freelance Consultant – A freelancer provides expert services independently, such as marketing, IT, or business consulting. My uncle Richard left his corporate job and started a consulting business in digital marketing. He wanted to have more control over his work schedule and help small businesses improve their online presence. I think freelancing is a great option, and I might consider it in the future for extra income.

5. Handmade Crafts Business – A person who sells handmade products like jewelry, paintings, or customized gifts. My friend Lily runs a successful business selling handmade candles and decorative items. She started it as a hobby but turned it into a full-time business after receiving many orders. I admire her creativity, but I am not interested in this field as I do not have artistic skills.

6. Fitness Trainer – A person who runs a gym or offers personal training services. My cousin Mark opened a small gym in our town to help people stay fit and healthy. He has been passionate about fitness since his teenage years and got certified as a trainer. I am not interested in this business because I prefer working in finance rather than health and wellness.

7. Real Estate Business Owner – A person who buys, sells, or rents properties for profit. My friend Alex started a real estate agency last year, helping people find rental apartments and buy homes. He was always interested in property investment and decided to turn his passion into a business. I might consider this business in the future because real estate is a profitable field.

8. Digital Marketing Agency Founder – Someone who helps companies grow their brand through SEO, advertising, and social media marketing. My friend Emily launched a digital marketing agency that assists small businesses with online promotions. She realized many businesses struggle with social media, so she started offering professional marketing services. I like the idea, but I prefer finance-related businesses.

9. Home-Based Bakery Owner – Someone who sells baked goods from home or through a small shop. My aunt Susan started a home-based bakery making customized cakes and pastries. She was always passionate about baking and decided to turn it into a business after receiving many requests from friends and family. I admire her dedication, but I wouldn’t start this business because I am not interested in baking.

10. Online Education Business Owner – A person who provides courses or tutoring online. My teacher Mr. Johnson started an online English tutoring platform for international students. He wanted to help people improve their language skills and access high-quality education from anywhere. I think online education is a great business, but I would prefer a different sector.

These are just a few examples of business owners and their journeys. Choose an example that suits you and expand on it for your answer.

Part 3 - Details Discussion:

Discussion topic: "Choosing work"

Q.  What kinds of jobs do young people not want to do in your country?
Q.  Who is best at advising young people about choosing a job: teachers or parents?
Q.  Is money always the most important thing when choosing a job?

Discussion topic: "Work-Life balance"

Q.  Do you agree that many people nowadays are under pressure to work longer hours and take less holiday?
Q.  What is the impact on society of people having a poor work-life balance?
Q.  Could you recommend some effective strategies for governments and employers to ensure people have a good work-life balance?

Answer to these Part 3 questions - Speaking Sample 106: Part 3 - Details Discussion

• IELTS Cue Card
• Candidate Task Card
• Speaking Part 2

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