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Written by IELTS Mentor

IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe a skill you have learned that you think is very useful.

You should say:

• what skill it is
• where and when you learned it
• how you use it

and explain why you think this skill is so useful.

Model Answer 1:
Learning new skills can always be helpful in order to become a successful person in life.  I have also learned a few skills in my life already, and today I would like to talk about one of them here.

The skill, I am talking about, is a motorcycle driving skill.  Ironically enough though, during my childhood, I was rather afraid of riding a motorcycle, let alone driving it. And the reason, for which, I was afraid of riding a motorcycle was that I just didn’t like its loud noise at the time of its start. But, of course, things got a little interesting for me when my uncle bought a battery-operated motorcycle about 12 years ago.  

By the way, I had no idea that there was some kind of battery operated motorcycle up and until that point. I became even more surprised when I found out that the battery-operated motorcycle didn’t make any sound. Needless to say, when I found out about such a unique piece of information about a battery-operated motorcycle, I became really interested in it. At some point, I even started to dream about driving it except, of course, I just didn’t know how to drive a motorcycle.

So, I asked my uncle to teach me how to drive a motorcycle, and he gladly accepted me as an apprentice. Initially, I was way too nervous about driving it, but my uncle was just too smart and skilful to teach me how to ride a motorbike within a week. And as soon as I learned to drive it, I started to take that motorbike to all kinds of places, including the markets, my friends’ places and my university.

Anyway, I think that this skill is really useful, mainly because it allows me the freedom and the peace of mind of moving to all kinds of places at will. It is a useful skill also because it saves me a lot of time by taking me to places way faster than using other kinds of larger vehicles or transports.

Sample Answer 2:
I can speak Spanish and I consider it as a very useful skill. My mother tongue is not Spanish and it was not even my second language in our school. However, I learned it during my three-year stay with my grandmother in Spain. My grandmother got me admitted to a local school and I learned this language there. After I returned to Italy, my homeland, I always practice Spanish with some of my friends from Spain. The comprehensive online language learning materials and reference websites also helped me learn this language.

Well, I use Spanish to talk to my grandparents and three cousins I have in Spain. I also read Spanish storybooks and novels recommended one of my university teachers who is from Spain. Most importantly, I use my skill to translate some of the web page contents as a freelance translator and this brings a good income for me. I have left the part-time job I was doing in a large grocery shop and now I work solely on the translation jobs online.

I believe that learning a new language and actually being able to use it is a great skill. It enables us to know about a different culture and thus enhances our overall understanding of the diverse cultural aspects of various nations throughout the world. My skill in the Spanish language enables me to make new friends, read books written in another language and understand a different nation and their cultural aspects. Another important use of this skill is my freelancing job. I work as a translator from and to Italian, English and Spanish and I enjoy this job while I earn some money per month. In short, I would say that this skill is quite helpful and handy to me.

Sample Answer 3:
Everyone has some sort of skill or some sort of special expertise that they find very helpful. I have a skill of building and repairing electronic hardware. I learnt it at a vocational training course and I am very glad that I invested this time to learn this skill as I find it very handy in my practical life.
 
Building electronic hardware is easier if you have the right know-how on the issue. Moreover, it requires extensive training to perform the act. Electronic devices mostly work on logic. It works on the condition of 0 or 1 basis. When the data is sent as 0, the device would be ineffective while when it is 1, the device starts working. This is the basic logic behind the electronic hardware development. If someone becomes skilled at the task, the development and repair of electronic devices become easier gradually.   

I am a student in Delhi and last year got admitted at a vocational training institute. I was curious about electronic hardware from my early childhood. I also tried to repair them by unscrewing the devices but finally, that turned into a mess. Often I damaged electronic equipment at home. Accordingly, I decided to take a short training on the issue and the chance came when a local institute was enrolling new students for some of its affordable course. I enrolled in the electronic device and hardware development with the centre and took a six-month diploma. I learnt everything about the electronic devices – how they worked, how to build a new device or repair the old ones and more.

I use the skill in different ways. Most of the commoners are unable to repair their electronic hardware. When they cannot repair them, they move for having newer electronic devices. I think this is a kind of waste of money. You do not need to buy a fresh piece of hardware which you can repair. So, I use my skill to help people by repairing electronic hardware for them. Sometimes I build some tailored hardware as well considering the needs of the people. In my locality, I am the best one in servicing the electronic gadgets and people seek my support in their day to day life.   

This is really useful skill. Before learning the skill, I was unable to repair the electronic hardware of my home. Rather I have damaged lots of electronic devices and equipment. After having extensive training on the matter, I developed the right sense of dealing with electronic hardware. Now I am capable of building and repairing almost all types of electronic hardware and other devices. The skill is useful for me at home and at the same time, I have opened a small shop to provide a professional service to the people who are in need. In fact, I am having a great response from the locals. Every day they are appearing with their troubles and I am repairing them as per the necessity. I have a plan to extend this idea of electronic hardware building and repairing and someday I might take it as a profession as well.
 

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