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 2 Cue Card
Describe an advertisement with a famous person in it
You should say:
- Who the person is
- Where you can see it
- What the advertisement is about
- How you feel about the advertisement
You will have one to two minutes to talk about this topic.
Part 3 Discussion Questions
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertisements?
- Why are many advertisements endorsed by celebrities? How useful are they?
- What is the most important factor in an advertisement?
- Why are some advertisements boring?
- Is advertising important for a company? Why?
- Which is more effective, online advertising or offline advertising?
Band 6 & 7 Model Answers
Compare a Band 6 and a Band 7 answer for each question, see what lifts the score, then record your own and get it graded against British Council & IDP criteria.
Part 2 — Model Answer
I’d like to talk about a poster advert I saw with David Beckham in it. It was on a bus stop near my office and also on a billboard in the city centre. The advert was for a sportswear brand and showed him wearing a new pair of trainers. The text said the shoes are lightweight and good for running. The picture was clear and Beckham was smiling, which made it look friendly. I think the advert worked because I noticed the brand name and remembered the shoes later. I don’t buy everything just because a famous person is in an advert, but it does make me pay more attention.
I want to describe a TV advert I saw recently that features Emma Thompson, a well-known British actor. The advert runs during primetime and I first noticed it on a major terrestrial channel while watching the news. It’s for a supermarket chain promoting a range of ready-made meals aimed at busy families, and the idea is to show that you can get restaurant-style food at home without too much effort. Emma appears in a relaxed kitchen setting, tasting dishes and making small jokes with a child actor, which makes the advert feel warm and trustworthy. The visuals are bright and the soundtrack is gentle, so it doesn’t feel pushy. I feel positively about the advert because it’s short, clear and uses humour subtly; it made me actually think about trying one of the meals on a weeknight. I also appreciate that the celebrity isn’t overpowering the product — she’s there to suggest quality rather than distract with glamour. Overall, the advert makes sensible use of a familiar face, has a clear message and stays memorable without being annoying, so I think it’s an effective example of celebrity endorsement. She’s widely respected and often seen in thoughtful roles. You can also see it online on the supermarket’s website. They even show the price and suggested reheating instructions. So overall I felt convinced but not manipulated.
Part 3 — Model Answers
What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertisements?
Advertisements are useful because they tell people about new products and offers, and they can help companies sell more. They can be annoying though if they are too frequent or too loud. Some adverts also make things seem better than they are, so customers might be disappointed later.
Advertisements bring clear benefits: they raise awareness of new products, help firms compete and can even fund free media like websites or TV shows. They influence trends and give consumers more choice. Yet adverts can mislead with exaggerated claims, encourage unnecessary spending and clutter public spaces. For instance, too many pop-up ads online make browsing irritating and can damage a brand’s reputation if users feel tricked.
Why are many advertisements endorsed by celebrities? How useful are they?
Many ads use celebrities because people recognise them and may trust what they say. A famous face can make an advert more noticeable. But it doesn’t always work if the celebrity doesn’t suit the product or if they’re involved in a scandal.
Celebrities are used because they bring instant recognition and can transfer qualities — like glamour or reliability — to a product, a phenomenon known as the halo effect. They’re especially useful when the star fits the brand’s target audience. However, endorsements only work if there’s credibility; a mismatched pairing or a celebrity controversy can quickly undo any benefit. For example, a sports star selling unhealthy food may look inconsistent and people will be sceptical.
What is the most important factor in an advertisement?
The most important thing in an advert is a clear message. People should understand what the product is and what it does. If the message is confusing, the advert won’t work.
The single most important factor is a clear value proposition — the main benefit that tells customers why they should care. That needs to be paired with the right audience targeting and a memorable execution, whether through a strong slogan, striking visuals or a call to action. Placement and timing also matter: even a brilliant advert will fail if seen by the wrong people at the wrong time.
Why are some advertisements boring?
Some adverts are boring because they repeat the same idea without much creativity. They might just list features and not show why the product matters. Also, dull music or poor pictures make an advert forgettable.
Adverts become boring when they lack originality or emotional connection; they often rely on generic claims and stock imagery instead of a compelling story. Poor targeting can make a well-made ad feel irrelevant to its audience, and excessive focus on technical specs without showing benefits bores people. To take an example, a long voice-over full of jargon will lose viewers quicker than a short, lively demo.
Is advertising important for a company? Why?
Yes, advertising is important because it helps a company tell people about its products and get customers. Without advertising, small companies would find it harder to grow and to compete with bigger firms.
Advertising is essential for most companies: it builds brand awareness, communicates benefits and supports sales growth. It also helps shape a company’s identity and can give it a competitive edge in crowded markets. That said, new businesses sometimes rely on word-of-mouth and clever social media instead of big ad spends, but even then some targeted advertising usually accelerates growth.
Which is more effective, online advertising or offline advertising?
Online adverts are good because they target people and you can see how many people clicked. Offline adverts like posters or TV can reach people who don’t use the internet and may feel more trustworthy to some people. Both have their uses.
Which is more effective depends on the goal. Online advertising offers precise targeting, immediate analytics and usually lower cost per impression, so it’s ideal for direct response and measurement-driven campaigns. Offline advertising — TV, radio, billboards — can deliver broader reach, stronger brand recall and a sense of legitimacy, especially for older demographics. In practice, an integrated approach that uses both channels often delivers the best results.
How to answer Describe an advertisement with a famous person in it IELTS Speaking questions
For the Describe an advertisement with a famous person in it 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 the person is
- Where you can see it
- What the advertisement is about
- How you feel about the advertisement
- 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 |
|---|---|
| What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertisements? | Name the thing first, then describe a specific feature or example. |
| Why are many advertisements endorsed by celebrities? How useful are they? | Answer with one main cause, then support it with a concrete example. |
| What is the most important factor in an advertisement? | Name the thing first, then describe a specific feature or example. |
| Why are some advertisements boring? | Answer with one main cause, then support it with a concrete example. |
Vocabulary focus
Useful language already demonstrated in the model answers includes raise awareness, exaggerated claims, clutter public spaces, halo effect, endorsement, mismatch, value proposition, call to action. 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 an advertisement with a famous person in it practice FAQ
How should I use the Describe an advertisement with a famous person in it 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.