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 6 · Original model answer

197 words · Illustrative target band

A useful skill I learnt was cooking simple meals. My older sister taught me when I moved into my first flat about two years ago. I had never cooked regularly before, and I was spending too much money on takeaway food. She visited me one weekend and showed me how to make vegetable soup. We went shopping together, and she explained which ingredients I needed. Back at home, she showed me how to cut the vegetables and t…

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