Model Answer for IELTS Speaking Part 2 – Topic: Describe a practical skill you learned

Describe a practical skill you learned

You should say:

What this skill was

When you learned it

How you learned it

And explain why you think it was important

MODEL ANSWER

I have learnt many practical skills in my childhood from people around me in my life. Here I would like to talk about a very useful practical skill of cooking, which I learnt from my mother. I have been slowly learning it from my mother since my childhood. My mother is in her forties and she is very tall and beautiful.

She has a gifted hand in cooking. She has her unique way of teaching us, I mean me and my sister, how to cook. She never made us feel as if she was teaching us. She just kept us involved in the kitchen while she cooked. We learnt a lot just by observing her. I learnt cooking because I too want to be able to cook like her. I also learnt cooking because it is a very useful skill in today’s time.

Moreover, as I plan to go abroad for my higher education, this skill will be very useful. I will not face any food problems. I am a vegetarian and I have heard that veg. food outlets are very few in foreign countries. This skill has proved very useful because many times I have been able to attend to guests when my mother was not at home. My mother not only taught me simple routine cooking but also some Chinese dishes. She also taught me how to make pizzas in the electric tandoor. She also bakes excellent cakes.

Whenever anybody in our neighbourhood celebrates a birthday, the cake is always baked by my mother. She loves experimenting in the kitchen and she has many of her own recipes which are quick and easy and at the same time very delicious. She also presents her dishes very well. She says that the look of the dish is as important as its taste. I am fortunate, I have a talented mother who has taught me this useful skill.

Part 3 – Follow up Questions

1. What age will make it difficult for a person to learn a skill?

I believe that age is not a factor. Willingness to learn can make a person of any age learn anything. Recently, I taught my grandpa how to use a computer and made his facebook ID. Now he and his computer are inseparable. He is very active on the facebook.

2. Will the age of 5 or 20 be better?

It depends on the skill. If the skill is stitching clothes, then 20 is better. If the skill is related to technology, the 5 is as good as 20.

3. Who will you learn a skill from, friends, teachers or parents?

I will learn from anyone who is willing to teach me patiently. I can also learn from the Youtube videos on the net.

4. What’s the difference between children learning what they like and learning what they have to learn?

Children learn very quickly if they like what they are learning. But if they are forced to learn, they do not learn it well, as it is a half hearted approach.

5. Do you think boys and girls should learn the same skills?

Yes, I think boys and girls should learn the same skills. There are no gender differences nowadays. Everybody should be free to choose what they want to learn.

6. Why do boys tend to have better critical thinking skills?

I don’t think there is any difference in the critical thinking skills of both genders. There maybe individual variations but definitely not gender variations.

7. Why do girls like shopping?

I think everyone likes shopping nowadays. Today, we belong to a consumerist society and both genders like to go shopping.

8. Do you like to learn new skills constantly?

Yes, I like to learn new skills constantly. I feel very happy when I learn something new. It gives me a sense of fulfillment and inner joy which I cannot explain in words.

9. What’s the most difficult thing for learning?

Difficulty is a very subjective thing. What maybe easy for one person may be difficult for the others. So it is very difficult to say what is the most difficult thing for learning

10. What kinds of skills are practical for university students to learn?

University students should learn communication skills, as all other skills go waste if the person lacks in communication skills. Students should also learn practical skills because only theory can never be enough.

11. Where can we learn practical skills, from?

We can learn practical skills during internship programs while studying in universities

12. What kinds of communication skills are important?

All types of communication skills that important.

13. Should old people read books?

Yes, old people should read books. Books are the best companions.

14. What’s the most important skill a person needs to have?

The most important skin a person needs to have is communication skills. Without this skill, all other skills are useless. Language skills are also important. Academic skills are also important.

15. What is the most important practical skill in modern society

16. Which one is more important, cooking or driving a car?

17. What kind of job require practical skills?