IELTS Cue Card 19 Sample Band 8+ Topic: A skill you learned when you were a child

IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a skill you learned when you were a child.

You should say:
what skill it was
who taught you this skill
how you learned it
and explain why you learned this skill.

BAND 8 SAMPLE ANSWER

Today, I would like to talk about a skill I learned when I was about to turn 8. Music is really my favorite (the person or thing that you like the best), especially the interesting sound of musical instruments like guitar, violin or flute. But the one I enjoy most was piano which also attracted me by not only its sound but also its appearance. Therefore, I decided to sign up for (take part in) a piano course.

My piano teacher was approximately 40, but she looked quite young for her age. At first, I struggled (to try hard to do something that you find very difficult) to play piano, because I couldn’t control my hands well. Luckily, she was a very experienced teacher, and she patiently and kindly guided me to use the keyboard and pedal first. After several lessons, I managed to use them more effectively, and gradually I found it easier to play piano and I could be more relaxed during each lesson.

When I get used to (If you are used to something, it is familiar to you because you have often done it before) piano better, I also learned on my own through the internet beside taking piano lessons with my teacher. I devoted most of my free time (spend most of time to doing something) to searching high and low (to search very thoroughly) for piano lessons online and practicing to play piano based on these lessons. After 6 months of working on my piano skills, I played pretty well, and had a chance to take part in a piano contest which was held at The Opera House in my city.

Learning to play piano at such an young age helped me figure out (to realize) that music plays a crucial role in my life. When I was a little kid, playing piano was the only way to help me unwind (to relax and recharge my energy after a long day at school. Now when I am an adult who easily feels exhausted in today’s fast-paced (including a lot of different things happening quickly) world after working all day with little time for fun and relaxation, playing piano helps me energize my body and mind to boost my productivity at work.