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Describe an advertisement with a famous person in it: IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card and Part 3 Questions

IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3 · Current season: 7.15-8.07 Predicted · Updated 2026-08-07

Illustrated speaking scene for the IELTS cue card Describe an advertisement with a famous person in it
AI-assisted teaching visual · IELTSpeaking original
One minute to prepare

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.

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.

Question playlist

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.

  • 01What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertisements?
  • 02Why are many advertisements endorsed by celebrities? How useful are they?
  • 03What is the most important factor in an advertisement?
  • 04Why are some advertisements boring?
  • 05Is advertising important for a company? Why?
  • 06Which is more effective, online advertising or offline advertising?
Visual warm-up

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.

Visual speaking prompt 1 for the topic describe an advertisement with a famous person in it
Prompt 1Notice three concrete details, then answer without writing a script.
Visual speaking prompt 2 for the topic describe an advertisement with a famous person in it
Prompt 2Change the viewpoint or example and record a second, more specific answer.
Listen · compare · repeat

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

Band 6 model

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.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer is longer, uses a wider range of vocabulary and grammar, and adds specific detail and an extra sentence for each bullet point, which makes it more developed and persuasive.

Part 3 — Model Answers

What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertisements?

Band 6 model

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.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer provides balanced points, concrete example and more precise language, lifting it above the simpler Band 6 reply.

Why are many advertisements endorsed by celebrities? How useful are they?

Band 6 model

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.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer explains the psychological mechanism and gives a concrete example, showing more depth and precision than the Band 6 reply.

What is the most important factor in an advertisement?

Band 6 model

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.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer expands the idea of a clear message into value proposition, targeting and placement, demonstrating better organisation and vocabulary.

Why are some advertisements boring?

Band 6 model

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.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 reply analyses several causes and gives an illustrative example, using more nuanced language than the Band 6 response.

Is advertising important for a company? Why?

Band 6 model

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.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer gives broader reasons and recognises exceptions, showing greater sophistication and balance than the Band 6 answer.

Which is more effective, online advertising or offline advertising?

Band 6 model

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.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer compares strengths and gives a recommendation for integration, using more complex structures and specialised vocabulary than the Band 6 reply.

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
  1. Opening: identify the person, place, object or event.
  2. Development: describe two details or moments in a logical order.
  3. Extension: explain a reason, result, comparison or problem.
  4. Reflection: finish with why the subject is memorable or important.

Question-by-question approach

Practice questionUseful 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.

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