Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way: IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card and Part 3 Questions
Part 2 cue card
Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way
You should say:
- Who this person is
- What the problem was
- How he or she solved it
- And explain why you think he or she did it in a smart way
You will have one to two minutes to talk about this topic.
Read the complete transcript
One person who solved a problem in a smart way was my neighbour, Maria, who runs a small bakery. The problem came when her delivery van broke down during the busiest week before a local festival and she risked missing dozens of orders. She acted quickly: first she called nearby bakeries to borrow oven space, then she posted an honest update on social media offering time slots and small discounts, and finally she hired a cyclist to deliver nearby orders while older customers came to collect. As a result she fulfilled most orders and kept customers happy. I think her approach was smart because she used several simple strategies together — communication, collaboration and small incentives — rather than panicking or cancelling. For example, one bakery lent her a mixer because she had built a good relationship with them over the years, which shows the value of networking. A neighbour with extra staff even stayed late to help decorate the cakes, which meant nothing was delayed. Later she gained new regular customers who mentioned the festival story when they ordered. Overall her calm, practical thinking and willingness to use community resources made the solution efficient and sustainable.
Preparation status: Predicted topic cycle. This independent practice resource is not an official IELTS paper, and the questions in your test can be different. How topics are labelled.
Part 3 discussion questions
Move one question at a time: listen, answer, compare and retry. The complete question text remains in the page HTML for accessibility and search.
- 01Do you think children are born smart or they learn to become smart?
- 02How do children become smart at school?
- 03Why are some people well-rounded and others only good at one thing?
- 04Why does modern society need talents of all kinds?
See the topic before you speak
Use the images as idea prompts. Describe what you notice, connect it to your experience, then answer the real question.
Model answers, heard side by side
Start with the simpler answer, switch bands to hear how the same task can be developed, then record a personal response. These are teaching examples, not official answers or score guarantees.
Part 2 — Model Answer
Part 2 cue-card response
The person was my colleague Tom at a small marketing firm. The problem was we had to finish a big presentation in a week but two team members were ill, so we were short-staffed. Tom solved it by quickly reorganising the tasks, doing extra research himself and asking an intern to help with the slides. He also worked late two nights to pull everything together. In the end the presentation went well and the client was happy. I think he was smart because he stayed calm, used people’s strengths and managed the time. He made a clear plan and everyone knew what to do, so we finished on time.
One person who solved a problem in a smart way was my neighbour, Maria, who runs a small bakery. The problem came when her delivery van broke down during the busiest week before a local festival and she risked missing dozens of orders. She acted quickly: first she called nearby bakeries to borrow oven space, then she posted an honest update on social media offering time slots and small discounts, and finally she hired a cyclist to deliver nearby orders while older customers came to collect. As a result she fulfilled most orders and kept customers happy. I think her approach was smart because she used several simple strategies together — communication, collaboration and small incentives — rather than panicking or cancelling. For example, one bakery lent her a mixer because she had built a good relationship with them over the years, which shows the value of networking. A neighbour with extra staff even stayed late to help decorate the cakes, which meant nothing was delayed. Later she gained new regular customers who mentioned the festival story when they ordered. Overall her calm, practical thinking and willingness to use community resources made the solution efficient and sustainable.
Part 3 — Model Answers
Do you think children are born smart or they learn to become smart?
I think both. Some children seem to be born with a natural curiosity or good memory, which helps them learn quickly. But most smart behaviour comes from learning and practice — teachers, parents and the environment matter a lot. So it's a mix of nature and nurture.
I’d say it’s a mixture. Certain temperaments or cognitive strengths — like quick recall or good concentration — can be innate, but intelligence is shaped hugely by experience. A child given stimulating activities, encouragement and good schooling will usually develop skills that look like ‘being smart’. Research also shows early childhood environment and nutrition make a real difference, so nurture often amplifies any inborn talent.
How do children become smart at school?
Children get smart at school by listening to teachers, doing homework and practising skills. Group work and tests also help them learn. Repetition and a good routine make a difference.
Schools develop children’s abilities through a combination of structured teaching and opportunities for active learning. Good teachers explain concepts clearly, set purposeful tasks, give feedback and encourage curiosity through projects and discussions. Peer work, practical experiments and formative feedback help children apply knowledge rather than just memorise facts, and that builds lasting understanding.
Why are some people well-rounded and others only good at one thing?
Some people are well-rounded because they try lots of things and have wide interests, while others focus on one talent and get very good at it. Opportunities, personal taste and time play a big role.
Being well-rounded often comes from broad exposure and encouragement to try diverse activities, whereas specialists usually focus intensely on one area. There are trade-offs: deep practice gives expertise, while variety builds adaptable skills. Cultural values, family support and economic incentives also influence whether someone becomes a generalist or a specialist.
Why does modern society need talents of all kinds?
Modern society needs different talents because life is complicated. We need doctors, engineers, artists and cleaners — everyone helps the system work. If only one kind of person existed, many tasks wouldn't get done.
A modern society is highly interdependent, so it needs a wide range of talents to function and innovate. Scientists and engineers drive technological progress, teachers and carers maintain social wellbeing, while artists and designers contribute creativity and cultural identity. A diversity of skills also makes the economy more resilient and allows teams to solve complex problems that no single specialist could manage alone.
How to answer Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way IELTS Speaking questions
For the Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way cue card, use the preparation minute to build a route through the talk. Choose a clear subject, add two specific moments or details and end with why it matters. Then use the linked Part 3 questions to practise broader explanation and comparison.
Cue-card prompts:
- Who this person is
- What the problem was
- How he or she solved it
- And explain why you think he or she did it in a smart way
- Opening: identify the person, place, object or event.
- Development: describe two details or moments in a logical order.
- Extension: explain a reason, result, comparison or problem.
- Reflection: finish with why the subject is memorable or important.
Question-by-question approach
| Practice question | Useful answer move |
|---|---|
| Do you think children are born smart or they learn to become smart? | State a likely view, explain the reason and add one condition or example. |
| How do children become smart at school? | Describe the process or difference in a clear order and add a result. |
| Why are some people well-rounded and others only good at one thing? | Answer with one main cause, then support it with a concrete example. |
| Why does modern society need talents of all kinds? | Answer with one main cause, then support it with a concrete example. |
Vocabulary focus
Useful language already demonstrated in the model answers includes a mixture, stimulating activities, amplify talent, formative feedback, active learning, apply knowledge, trade-offs, deep practice. Learn the meaning and a natural word partnership, then use each item in a different answer instead of copying a complete script.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Giving a memorised response that only partly answers the question.
- Adding difficult vocabulary without checking meaning or collocation.
- Restarting after every error instead of correcting briefly and continuing.
- Reading the model answer before recording your own first attempt.
Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way practice FAQ
How should I use the Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way cue card preparation minute?
Write keywords for an opening, two or three details and a final reflection. Do not try to write complete sentences.
Do I have to cover every cue-card bullet?
The prompts help you organise the talk. Covering them is useful, but a coherent one-to-two-minute response matters more than mechanically ticking off each line.
How are Part 3 questions connected to Part 2?
They develop the same broad theme through reasons, comparisons, social effects or future possibilities, so answers normally need more explanation than Part 1.
