Part 2 · · 5 samples

Describe a useful skill you learnt from another person. You should say: what the skill was who taught you how you learnt it and explain why the skill has been useful to you.

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Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Choose a skill with a clear learning story.
  • Mention a difficulty, an action and a result.
  • Explain how you now use it rather than simply calling it useful.

Suggested structure

  1. Identify the person, skill and occasion.
  2. Describe the learning process in order.
  3. Explain one challenge and how you overcame it.
  4. Give a current example of its usefulness.
Useful vocabulary & examples
a manageable step
a small action that is realistic to complete

One manageable step helped me get started.

pay attention to
notice something carefully

I began to pay attention to small details.

grow in confidence
become more sure of one’s ability

I grew in confidence after trying again.

Sample answers

Target Band 5 · Original model answer

177 words · Illustrative target band

I want to talk about cooking. My sister teach me cooking when I moved to a flat. Before this I cannot cook much. I eat sandwiches and food from shops. My sister is good at cooking and she say I should learn. She came to my flat on a Sunday and showed me making soup. We buy carrots and potatoes and some beans. First she cut vegetables and then I cut some too. It was difficult because I was slow. She put everything in…

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