Describe a skill that took you a long time to learn. — IELTS Speaking Part 2 Shadowing

Part 2Linking~58s

The examiner asks

Describe a skill that took you a long time to learn.

You should say: what the skill is · when you started learning it · how you learned it · and explain why it took so long

Step 1 of 6

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The examiner asks, then the model answers. Listen once for meaning — the text stays hidden so your ears do the work, not your eyes.

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I'm going to talk about learning to swim, which might sound simple, but it took me an embarrassingly long time. I didn't grow up near the sea, so I only started when I was already at university. The first problem was fear. Every time my face went under the water, I'd panic and grab the side of the pool. My instructor was very patient, though. She broke everything down into tiny steps, like just floating on my back for a few seconds at a time. It was over a year before I could swim a full length without stopping. Looking back, I think it took so long because I was fighting the water instead of trusting it. Once I learned to relax, everything else fell into place. Now I swim twice a week, and it's honestly one of the best things I've ever taught myself.

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Describe a skill that took you a long time to learn. — IELTS Speaking Part 2 shadowing