# Describe a skill you would like to learn: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Education

Describe a skill you would like to learn.

You should say:
- what the skill is
- how you would learn it
- how difficult you think it would be
- and explain why you would like to learn it

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

A skill I'd really like to learn is swimming. It might sound strange, because many people learn it when they are children, but I never had the chance, and now I'm twenty-six and I still can't swim properly.

I grew up in a city far from the sea, and there wasn't a public pool near our house, so my parents never took me to lessons. When I was a teenager I felt too embarrassed to start, because all my friends could already swim and I didn't want them to laugh at me.

I think the best way for me to learn would be to take lessons with a qualified instructor. There's a sports centre near my office that offer classes for adult beginners in the early morning, so I could go before work two or three times a week. I prefer a small group of adults, because then I wouldn't feel so self-conscious.

To be honest, I think it will be quite difficult at first. The main problem is that I'm a bit afraid from deep water. Once I was on a boat trip and I fell into a lake, and even though it wasn't very deep, I panicked. So I think the hardest part won't be the technique, it'll be learning to relax and trust the water.

There are a few reasons I want to learn. Firstly, it's an important safety skill, especially if you live near water. Secondly, it's a really good form of exercise, and I spend too much time sitting at a desk. And finally, I'd love to go on beach holidays with my friends and actually join them in the sea, instead of just sitting on the sand watching their bags.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer is honest and well developed, with a clear backstory and a realistic view of the difficulty ("the hardest part won't be the technique"). Vocabulary is good ("qualified instructor", "self-conscious", "form of exercise"), but the final reasons are presented as a list ("Firstly... Secondly... And finally"), and the hypothetical plan switches between "would" and "will" ("I think it will be quite difficult"). There are also typical errors: an agreement slip in "a sports centre near my office that offer classes" (rather than "offers") and a wrong preposition in "afraid from deep water" (rather than "afraid of"). Band 8 adds more idiomatic, precise language and smoother, less formulaic organisation of reasons.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-skill-you-would-like-to-learn).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.