Cue Cards Samples with band 8 answers
Describe a skill that was difficult for you to learn - Cue Card # 832
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand over to you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]
Describe a skill that was difficult for you to learn.
You should say:
- what skill it was
- when you learned it
- why you learned it
and explain why it was difficult for you to learn.
[Instruction: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
Learning a new skill is never really easy. But, it can be even more difficult if you are trying to do it on your own, just as it was when I tried to learn to ride a bicycle for the first time about 20 years ago from now.
Back then, I was still studying in elementary school. But, for some reason, I just didn’t think that riding a bicycle was a “thing” for me. I guess, my height (well, I was a bit shorter back then for my age, compared to the height of other children) probably had something to do with it.
But, things changed soon when I found one of my cousins, studying in the same class with me, had learned to ride a bicycle while also ridiculing me for my inability to do the same at the same time. And it was at that time that I became really adamant about learning to ride a bicycle by hook or by crook, no matter how long it had taken me. In other words, it was the “sheer competitiveness” of my mind that had encouraged me to learn that skill.
So, fast forward, I asked my parents to buy me a bicycle that would be easy to ride. Initially, I tried to learn the new skill on my own, but I failed miserably, to say the least, and also felt very embarrassed. Later on, my father and uncle had helped me for a good few weeks, and only then was I able to learn how to ride a bicycle.
So, in the end, even though it was a success for me, it didn’t come easy, primarily because I was a bit too short to reach the pedals of my bicycle. Besides, I couldn’t initially give all to learning that new skill, also because I was afraid that I would injure myself somehow in the process. Finally, it was difficult also because I struggled to maintain a good body balance while trying to sit firmly on the seat of that bicycle.
Sample Answer 2:
Learning a new skill can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but sometimes certain skills can be more challenging to learn than others. Today, I would like to describe a skill that was difficult for me to learn.
The skill that was difficult for me to learn was playing the guitar. I started learning it when I was in high school, and I was inspired to play it after seeing my friends playing it so well. I was drawn to the idea of being able to express myself through music, so I decided to give it a try.
However, I quickly realized that playing the guitar was not as easy as it seemed. I struggled with hand coordination, reading sheet music, and keeping a steady rhythm. I found it challenging to get my fingers into the right position and hold them there while strumming. My fingers would get sore and tired, and I'd often make mistakes in my playing. I also found it challenging to memorize chords and understand musical theory.
Despite the challenges, I did not give up on learning the guitar. I took regular lessons, practised every day, and watched tutorials online to improve my skills. I also joined a local music group to gain more experience and learn from others. It took a lot of time and effort, but I gradually improved my playing skills.
Now, after several years of practice, I am proud to say that I can play the guitar fairly well. Although I am not a professional musician, I enjoy playing music in my free time, and it has become a great source of relaxation and entertainment for me. Learning the guitar was a difficult but rewarding experience, and it taught me the value of perseverance and hard work.
Model Answer 3:
Well, I found mastering the concepts and coding syntax of the Rust programming language particularly challenging. I embarked on this learning journey about two years ago, during a period when I was keen to delve into programming and explore languages known for their performance and safety features. However, as a business graduate and with no prior programming language skills, I found it really challenging to learn this programming language even with proper planning and resources.
My motivation for learning Rust stemmed from its growing reputation in the software development world, particularly in areas like game development, embedded systems, and high-performance computing. Since I was interested in developing games, one of my seniors recommended this programming language to me.
However, learning Rust proved to be a significant hurdle, primarily due to the fact that I was completely new to the world of programming languages. The sheer number of new concepts and their complexities were initially very abstract and difficult to grasp. I spent a considerable amount of time wrestling with these concepts, often feeling like I was fighting against the language itself just to get simple programs to compile.
Despite the initial frustrations and the steep learning curve, I persevered because I recognised the potential benefits of mastering Rust. Through consistent practice, reading the tutorials and official documentation, and engaging with the online Rust community, I gradually started to understand the core principles. While I wouldn't claim to be an expert even now, learning Rust has significantly broadened my understanding of programming concepts.
Vocabulary for this Candidate task card/ cue card topic:
When describing a skill that was difficult for you to learn, using vocabulary that highlights the specific challenges, the learning process, and your feelings of struggle and eventual (or ongoing) effort can create a vivid and honest narrative. Focusing on the specific aspects of the skill that proved difficult and why they were so will help explain your experience. Here are some useful words and phrases with example sentences:
A challenging skill to master – An ability that required significant effort and time to learn well.
Example: Learning to play the guitar was a truly challenging skill to master.
A steep learning curve – A situation where it takes a lot of effort and time to learn something new.
Example: The new software had a very steep learning curve.
Initially struggled with – Found something difficult at the beginning.
Example: I initially struggled with the complex grammar rules.
Required immense patience – Needed a great deal of tolerance and perseverance.
Example: Learning this skill required immense patience and dedication.
Faced numerous obstacles – Encountered many difficulties or challenges.
Example: I faced numerous obstacles along the way.
A process of trial and error – Learning by trying different methods and seeing what works.
Example: It was largely a process of trial and error.
Overcame initial hurdles – Successfully dealt with the first difficulties encountered.
Example: Eventually, I overcame the initial hurdles.
Gradually grasped the fundamentals – Slowly began to understand the basic principles.
Example: I gradually grasped the fundamentals after much practice.
Persistent effort paid off – Continuing to try hard eventually led to success.
Example: My persistent effort eventually paid off.
Still a work in progress – Something that I am still learning and improving at.
Example: Even now, it's still a work in progress.
Demanded a lot of concentration – Required a great deal of focused attention.
Example: This skill demanded a lot of concentration and focus.
A mental block – A psychological barrier that prevented me from learning.
Example: I had a bit of a mental block when it came to this particular aspect.
If you prepare for the topic "Describe a skill that was difficult for you to learn", you should be able to talk about the following topics as well:
1) Describe a useful skill you have learned.
2) Describe a skill which is important to you.
3) Describe a skill you would like to learn in the future.
4) Describe a very difficult task you succeeded in doing as part of your work or studies.
5) Describe something you learned recently.
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