“Describe a teacher who influenced you” is a classic Part 2 cue card, and questions about teachers and learning are common in Part 1 and Part 3 too. On this page, you’ll find useful vocabulary, IELTS-style questions, and detailed model answers to help you speak confidently about this topic.
Essential Vocabulary
Here are some key words and phrases to help you talk about teachers in the IELTS test:
- Influential – Having a strong effect on someone or something.
- Mentor – An experienced person who advises and guides someone less experienced.
- Inspire – To make someone want to do or achieve something by giving them ideas or encouragement.
- Approachable – Friendly and easy to talk to.
- Strict – Demanding that rules are obeyed; not lenient.
- Patient – Able to stay calm and not get annoyed when dealing with difficulties.
- Engaging – Interesting and holding your attention.
- Bring out the best in someone – To help someone show their finest qualities or abilities.
- Instil – To gradually cause someone to have a particular feeling, value, or way of behaving.
- Role model – A person whose behaviour, example, or success can be imitated by others.
- Make a lasting impression – To have a long-term effect on someone’s memory or thinking.
- Foster – To encourage the development of something, especially a feeling or skill.
Part 1 Questions: Teachers & Learning
In Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test, you may be asked simple, everyday questions about teachers. Here are some examples:
Question 1: Did you enjoy your time at school?
Answer: “For the most part, yes. I had a few really engaging teachers who genuinely cared about us, and that made a big difference. There were tough days, of course, but looking back, I have mostly fond memories.”
Question 2: Do you prefer strict teachers or relaxed ones?
Answer: “I think a balance is best, honestly. A teacher who is too strict can make students anxious, but one who’s too relaxed might lose control of the class. The best teachers I had were approachable but still kept us focused.”
Question 3: What qualities make a good teacher?
Answer: “Well, I think being patient is probably the most important quality, especially when students are struggling. A good teacher should also be able to inspire their pupils and explain things clearly without making anyone feel stupid for asking.”
🗣️ Part 2 Task: Describe a Teacher Who Influenced You
Question:
Describe a teacher who has influenced you in your education.
You should say:
- where you met them
- what subject they taught
- what was special about them
…and explain why this teacher influenced you so much.
Sample Answer:
“The teacher I’d like to talk about is Mrs Hargreaves, my English literature teacher in secondary school. I had her for about three years, from when I was around fourteen until I sat my GCSE exams, and I’d say she’s probably the most influential teacher I’ve ever had.
What was special about her, well, was the way she made literature feel relevant. Before her class, I honestly thought Shakespeare and the older novels were just things you had to suffer through to pass exams. But Mrs Hargreaves had this knack for connecting old texts to modern life — she’d ask us things like, ‘How would this character behave if they had a smartphone?’ or ‘What would this character post on social media?’ It sounds simple, but it completely changed how I read. She also had a brilliant sense of humour and was incredibly approachable, so we never felt afraid to ask questions or share half-formed ideas in class.
She was also genuinely patient, which I really appreciated, because I wasn’t a particularly confident writer back then. She’d cover my essays in red pen, but the comments were always constructive — pointing out what worked as well as what didn’t. I think that’s what really made her stand out. She acted as a mentor rather than just a teacher, and she truly seemed to bring out the best in every student, even the ones who didn’t think they were ‘academic’.
The reason she influenced me so much is that she instilled a love of reading in me that I still have today. Before her class, I read because I had to. After her class, I read because I wanted to. She also taught me how to think critically about what I was reading, which, looking back, has been useful in pretty much every area of my life — not just in academic work but in how I approach the news, films, even conversations. She made a lasting impression on me, and I still recommend books to friends using techniques she taught us. Honestly, I think a great teacher can change the direction of your life, and she absolutely did that for me.”
Part 3 Questions: Discussing Broader Topics About Teachers
In Part 3, you’ll answer questions about teachers and education in a more detailed and analytical way. Here are some example questions with sample answers.
Question 1: Why do some teachers have such a strong impact on their students?
Answer: “I think it comes down to genuine care, really. Teachers who treat their pupils as individuals, rather than just names on a register, naturally foster trust and curiosity. They tend to be engaging in class but also act as role models outside the subject itself, demonstrating qualities like patience, fairness, and integrity that students absorb without even realising it.”
Question 2: Do you think teachers are valued enough in today’s society?
Answer: “Honestly, I don’t think they are, at least not in many countries. Teachers shape entire generations, yet they’re often underpaid and overworked. In some cultures, particularly in parts of Asia, teaching is still seen as a highly respected profession, but elsewhere it’s viewed as just another job, which I think really undervalues the long-term impact a good teacher can have.”
Question 3: How is the role of teachers changing in the digital age?
Answer: “It’s changing quite dramatically, I’d say. With so much information freely available online, teachers are no longer just sources of knowledge — they’re guides who help students filter, evaluate, and apply what they find. The really influential ones now focus on critical thinking and emotional support, things AI and the internet simply can’t replicate.”
✏️ Practice Activity
Think about a teacher who has influenced you in some way. Try describing them using at least three words from the vocabulary list and incorporate one or two collocations. Think about what they taught, what made them memorable, and how they shaped your thinking or attitude.
Vocabulary Quiz: A Teacher Who Influenced You
Test your understanding of the vocabulary from this lesson. Try to complete the quiz in about 10–12 minutes. Answers and explanations are provided below.
15 Questions 3 Sections All vocabulary covered
Section A: Gap-Fill (Questions 1–6)
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the vocabulary list. Use the correct grammatical form.
- My grandfather was the most ________ figure in my early years; he taught me almost everything I know about gardening.
- Mr Khan is incredibly ________ — he never raises his voice, even when students take a long time to understand a topic.
- A truly great teacher knows how to ________ the best in every student, even those who lack confidence.
- Her favourite professor served as a ________ throughout her university years, offering both academic and career advice.
- Watching that documentary about climate change really ________ a sense of urgency in me about environmental issues.
- The way Mrs Lopez taught history was so ________ that even students who normally hated the subject paid attention.
Section B: Multiple Choice (Questions 7–11)
Choose the option that best completes each sentence.
- My maths teacher was very ________; if you didn’t hand in your homework, you stayed behind after school. No exceptions.
a) approachable b) strict c) engaging d) patient - Good parents try to ________ a love of reading in their children from an early age.
a) instil b) bring c) make d) influence - I’d describe Ms Patel as a real ________ for many young women in our community — she shows what’s possible with hard work.
a) mentor b) student c) role model d) colleague - Despite the brevity of his speech, his words ________ a lasting impression on the audience.
a) made b) did c) brought d) gave - The new headteacher wants to ________ a culture of mutual respect between staff and students.
a) foster b) bring c) influence d) approach
Section C: Matching (Questions 12–15)
Match each word or phrase on the left to its correct definition on the right.
| 12. Approachable | a) Friendly and easy to talk to |
| 13. Influential | b) To encourage the development of a feeling or skill |
| 14. Foster | c) Having a strong effect on someone or something |
| 15. Make a lasting impression | d) To have a long-term effect on someone’s memory |
✅ Answer Key & Explanations
Section A: Gap-Fill
- influential – “Influential” describes someone who has a strong effect on another person. “Influenced” wouldn’t fit here grammatically as we need an adjective before “figure”.
- patient – “Patient” is the right adjective for a teacher who stays calm. Don’t confuse it with “patience” (the noun form).
- bring out – The full collocation is “bring out the best in someone”. A common error is to write “bring up” or “take out”, which change the meaning entirely.
- mentor – A mentor is more than a teacher; the word implies long-term guidance and advice, which fits perfectly here.
- instilled – “Instil” (British spelling) means to gradually cause someone to have a feeling. Note: in American English it’s spelt “instill”.
- engaging – “Engaging” means holding your attention. “Engaged” wouldn’t work as it describes someone busy or occupied.
Section B: Multiple Choice
- b) strict – The detention and “no exceptions” make this clearly about strictness.
- a) instil – “Instil a love of reading” is a very common collocation in IELTS Band 7+ answers.
- c) role model – A “role model” is specifically someone whose behaviour is imitated. “Mentor” is close but typically refers to a one-on-one relationship rather than a public example.
- a) made – The fixed expression is “make a lasting impression”. Other verbs sound unnatural here.
- a) foster – “Foster a culture” is a high-frequency collocation, especially in academic and professional contexts.
Section C: Matching
- Approachable → a) Friendly and easy to talk to
- Influential → c) Having a strong effect on someone or something
- Foster → b) To encourage the development of a feeling or skill
- Make a lasting impression → d) To have a long-term effect on someone’s memory
📊 Scoring Guide
- 13–15 correct: Excellent! You’re using this vocabulary at a Band 7+ level. Practise using these words in your spoken answers now.
- 10–12 correct: Good. Review the words you got wrong and try to use them in three new sentences each.
- 7–9 correct: Keep going. Re-read the model answers above, paying attention to how each word is used in context.
- Below 7: Don’t worry. Vocabulary takes time. Bookmark this page and come back tomorrow to try again.
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