Describe a skill that you learned in your childhood : IELTS exam Cue Card

Bhargavee Sisodia

03 Jul 2024

One part of the IELTS test is the Individual long-turn round, also known as the Cue Card round. In addition to verbal skills and fluency, this section of the IELTS exam evaluates vocabulary, grammar, and other fundamental English language proficiency.

The cue card round of the IELTS speaking test offers a topic for conversation. The speaking test consists of three or four IELTS speaking follow-up questions in addition to one of the IELTS speaking topics. Before speaking for two minutes on the IELTS speaking questions, the candidate has one minute to prepare.

The 11–14 minute speaking test of the IELTS exam consists of three components. There is a distinct time limit for each section. During this section of the IELTS test, the examiner and the candidate have a conversation on a comprehensive topic.

It might sound overwhelming, but we will break down the speaking test with an example in this blog. But first, let's carve out a strategy for effective IELTS preparation.

• First and foremost, understand the format of the exam. For this, you have to go through as many IELTS exam sample questions and IELTS sample test answers as possible.
• Second, attempt at least one IELTS practice test every day. This will ensure that you get a hang of the IELTS speaking test and do not get nervous on the day of the IELTS exam. The better and stronger your IELTS exam preparation is, the easier it will be for you to deal with the IELTS speaking topic and the follow-up questions on the day of the exam.
• Third, focus on your grammar and vocabulary. This will not only help you during the IELTS speaking test but for the IELTS exam in general for all four sections.
• Fourth, make an effort to enhance your pronunciation. The way to do it is to record your answers and listen to those after attempting one IELTS speaking question. You can also practice speaking in front of someone with a strong grasp of English, who can correct you with your pronunciation.

In this blog, we have discussed the topic "Describe a skill that you learned in your childhood." You will find sample answers and follow-up questions to get a better understanding of handling each topic during the speaking test.

IELTS speaking question : Describe a skill that you learned in your childhood

We have divided the answer into key points which you can cover while answering the topic "Describe a skill that you learned in your childhood." This will help you frame the answers better and you will have an idea of what to cover and in what sequence.

IELTS speaking sample answer 1 : Describe a skill that you learned in your childhood

Introduction:

Photography is something that I had always seen my father practice and I had a keen interest in learning it. Every time we went for vacations, I used to be the most intrigued by his professional camera and thus, decided to get trained on photography.

Who taught you the skill and when?

When I was about twelve years old, I requested my father to teach me photography and he gladly agreed. It took me more than a year to learn all the basics from him and then practice to get better at it.

How did you practice and get better at it?

At first, it took me a month to learn how to hold the camera and the different features. The manual settings were confusing but my father made my notes so that I remember the various combinations of ISO, exposure, and shutter speed values. Once I learned that, he gave me examples to implement those to click images in various light and speed settings. Within a year, I had learned the techniques of photography and was able to click portrait and landscape images without the help of my father.

How have you implemented the skill into practice?

Practice makes us enhance our skills. Thus, the more I practiced, the more I got better. To stay in touch with it more than just a hobby, I started volunteering for events like Sports Day and Annual Day at school. I also clicked photos of the birthdays of my friends and cousins. However, as I grew up I started to do photography for bigger events like religious ceremonies in our building complex, pre-wedding shoots for my friends and extended families, and even worked as an assistant photographer for bigger wedding events. I could have easily taken wedding events on my own, however, that would have required me to invest my time in it professionally and not as a hobby, which is why I avoid that.

Conclusion:

Photography is the one skill that I took an interest in by myself and decided to learn and thus, it will always be something I will wish to keep practicing and get better at.

IELTS speaking sample answer 2 : Describe a skill that you learned in your childhood

Introduction:

I learned embroidery during my childhood and that is one skill that I am proud of.

Who taught you the skill and when?

Embroidery is something that my grandmother used to do. I have seen her making beautiful designs on table covers, bed sheets, and sarees and the intricate work piqued my interest. She must have understood my curiosity as I used to sit with her with amazed eyes every time she used to stitch and thus, she offered to teach me embroidery when I was about ten.

How did you practice and get better at it?

She started to teach me the basics, by showing me the difference between the various fabrics and the way they need to be handled differently while making embroidery. I learned the use of different kinds of needles and threads and then learned the technique of the most basic embroidery which is the run stitch. My grandmother first used to draw a straight line with a pencil on the fabric and then eventually made patterns to get me habituated to following the outline while stitching. With time I learned various other embroideries like chain, lazy daisy, french knots, and back stitch to name a few.

How have you implemented the skill into practice?

Just like my grandmother, I started off by making embroidery on table mats, and rugs, and then transitioned into handling larger fabrics like bed covers and table covers. I also worked with kurtas and salwars. My mother owns a clothes boutique and whenever she presents her collection in any exhibition, she always makes it a point to keep a corner for my handwork. It is true that I do not get a lot of time to prepare bigger works like a bed sheet as it takes a lot of time, however, I make it a point to make something or the other, even if it is just a few handkerchiefs.    

Conclusion:

Although I have learned most of the embroideries, however, I will always try to be better at this and I hope there will come a day when I will be as good as my grandmother and that will only be possible with experience and practice.

IELTS test next step: Follow up questions

Now that we have gotten an idea of how to frame the answer to the topic given to us during the IELTS speaking test, we will go through the probable follow-up questions for the same topic which is "Describe a skill that you learned in your childhood." It is important for you to remember that the basic difference between this section of the speaking test and the cue card section is that here your answers should be instant as opposed to the 1 minute preparation time during the cue card round of the IELTS speaking test.

IELTS speaking - Follow up question

Question 1: How does technology impact children in today's time while learning any skill?

Answer: Access to technology in terms of resources is a huge boon. Social media and various digital platforms have given them the opportunity for children to learn anything that they desire in the comfort of home. While it is true that some skills require them to practically learn like a sport or playing an instrument, but still access to blogs, videos, and tutorials, definitely will help them sharpen their acumen.

Question 2: What is the one thing that you struggled with as you learned this skill?

Answer for sample 1: While I was in the learning phase of photography, I found it hard to click images of moving objects. I was not able to grasp the concept of shutter speed and camera panning and thus, the images came out to be hazy. However, with practice, I understood the nuances and got better at it.

Answer for sample 2: As trivial as it may sound, I struggled with putting the thread into the hole of the needle while I was beginning to learn embroidery. I remember getting impatient as I failed to do it, but my grandmother gave me her pro tips like cutting out the end of the thread before starting to put it into the needle-whole, which made it easy for me with time.

Question 3: Will you be able to teach this skill to a friend or someone younger?

Answer: I would love to do that and I believe that I have the qualities to be a teacher. Since I know the difficulties that one might face while learning this, I would be able to help them understand the nuances better. My experience will help them in their journey and I consider that passing on a skill in a way makes us better at it since we also get to practice more in that process and who knows, even I might end up learning something new while teaching them. After all, there is no end to learning.

Conclusion

Our staff of highly trained and knowledgeable instructors at D-VIVID can assist you in preparing for the IELTS exam. Even though IELTS exam preparation can be intimidating, you can get the best results with our personalized strategy, which includes IELTS exam sample tests and frequently asked IELTS speaking questions. You will get the chance to practice speaking on a variety of IELTS speaking topics and take an IELTS sample test, both of which will boost your confidence. Every step of the way while you prepare for the IELTS test, D-VIVID is here to help. Please get in touch with us so that we can help you have a successful and enjoyable journey.