#90 Talking about role models

SBS Australia

08-07-2025

This lesson is suitable for intermediate-level learners. After listening, test your knowledge with our quiz. Learning notes
Different phrases you can use when talking about people you admire:
I really look up to my grandpa.
I've always admired him.
He's had a big impact on me.
I would say she led by example.
They didn't just talk — they followed through.
She's the kind of person who walks the talk. If you look up to someone , it means you admire them. To speak highly of someone means to talk about them in a very positive way. If you lead by example , you're showing others how to behave by doing the right thing yourself. We say someone follows through when they do what they said they would do. A role model is someone who sets a good example and makes us want to grow and improve. When someone has a big impact on someone, they them really make them think and change them in a meaningful way.
In the dialogue Allan and Claire use the present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) to talk about things that started in the past and are continuing to have an impact on the present, and the past simple (verb + ed) to talk about thing that happened in the past and are finished. When Allan talks about his feelings for his grandfather and his impact on him, he uses the present perfect because he still has these feelings:
Allan: I've always admired him. (have + admired) He's had a big impact on me (has + had) But this grandfather has passed away, and so when Claire talks about what his grandfather did in the past to cause such feelings, she uses the past simple: Claire: … someone who always led by example (led)
Allan: .. He didn't just talk —he followed through….. (did + not + talk; follow + ed)
…person who walked the talk (walked)
Cultural information:
Baker Boy is a proud Yolngu rapper, dancer, and artist whose powerful work has inspired audiences across Australia and beyond. Blending English with Yolngu Matha—his traditional language—his music brings a unique voice to the Australian hip-hop scene while celebrating and sharing Indigenous culture. A multi-award-winning performer, Baker Boy was named Young Australian of the Year in 2019. Discover more about his music and story at bakerboyofficial.com .
Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript) SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands, and waterways throughout Australia. Think of someone you admire. Someone who taught you, helped you, inspired you, or showed you how to be a better person? My name's Kate, and I have a lot of different role models. A role model is someone who sets a good example and makes us want to grow and improve so that we can be more like them. They could be a family member, a teacher, a friend, or even someone we've never met. In this episode, we'll learn some easy ways to talk in English about our role models. You'll hear useful phrases, real examples, and a few stories from me too! Let's get started. Today, I'm taking you to a small, cosy café. The soft clink of coffee cups and the low hum of conversation fill the air. Allan and Claire are sitting by the window, watching people stroll past as they chat. The smell of fresh coffee beans drifts around them. Claire wraps her hands around a warm mug, smiling as Allan begins to talk about someone close to his heart.
Allan:
I miss my grandpa. I always looked up to him.
Claire:
Yeah, you always speak so highly of him.
Allan:
I do. I've always admired him. He's had a big impact on me.
Claire:
Would you say he's someone who always led by example?
Allan:
Yes, I would. He didn't just talk—he followed through. He was the kind of person who walked the talk. Beautiful conversation, isn't it? It made me think about my number one role model — my mum. She's has always been the kind of woman who moves mountains for her children. No matter how hard life got when we were young, she never gave up. She worked long hours, cooked and cleaned at home, and still found time to support me and my brother every step of the way. Whenever something is difficult and I feel like life is too hard, I think of her — and I keep going. She's truly my inspiration, and now I'm getting emotional. Let's get to work and take a closer look at some of the useful phrases Allan and Claire used, so you can talk about your own role models too.
Allan first said,
I miss my grandpa. I always looked up to him. If you look up to someone, it means you admire them. You think they're a great person, and you respect what they do or how they live. And when you admire someone, you might try to be more like them or learn from their example.
Claire then said,
You always speak so highly of him. To speak highly of someone means to talk about them in a very positive way. When you speak highly of someone, you talk about all the things you admire about them — their qualities, actions, and character. Allan speaks highly of his grandpa because he respects and looks up to him. So, when you admire someone, you often speak highly of them to others.
Next, we have,
I've always admired him. He's had a big impact on me. Allan's grandpa had a big impact on him. When someone has a big impact on you, they make you think and they change you in a meaningful way. They influence your thoughts, your actions, and even your values. This big impact can be a result of something someone says, or something someone does, or even just how they live their life. For example, have you heard of Baker Boy? He's a Yolngu rapper, dancer, and artist that has inspired so many people. His music blends English and his native language, Yolngu Matha. Baker Boy brings Indigenous culture to the Australian hip-hop scene and has won many awards. He was celebrated as the Young Australian of the Year in 2019. He's young, but definitely a role model!
Let's go back to our dialogue, Claire said,
Would you say he's someone who led by example? Led by example. If you lead by example, you show others how to behave by doing the right thing yourself. Instead of just telling people what to do, you show them the right thing to do through your own actions. Can you think of someone who has led by example?
Just like Allan's grandpa, who, as Allan says,
He didn't just talk—he followed through. He was the kind of person who walked the talk. He followed through. We say someone follows through when they do what they said they would do. So, someone who walks the talk doesn't just make promises — but keeps them. When someone follows through, it means that you can trust what they say because they actually take real action. We can also say that someone walks the talk when their actions match their words. Sign up for previews, updates and to provide feedback. A big thank you to Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan who voiced the characters of Allan and Claire, and Professor Lynda Yates was our educational consultant. For more on NAIDOC Week, check out Celebrating NAIDOC week | SBS NITV.
LISTEN TO
SBS English
08/09/2023 27:29 English