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Describe a skill that you think is useful for children to learn

Try the card on the exam timer first, then read the band-8 sample answer and the Part 3 questions that follow it.

Practice it like the exam

Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe a skill that you think is useful for children to learn.

You should say:

  • what the skill is
  • how children can learn it
  • when children should start learning it

and explain why this skill is useful.

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1 minute to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak. It switches on its own.

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Band 8 sample answer

260 words · about 2 minutes at a natural pace · Phrases from the vocabulary list are highlighted.

A skill I think is extremely useful for children to learn is basic cooking. I don't mean preparing complicated dishes, but knowing how to make simple, healthy meals such as omelettes, soup, salads and pasta.

Children can learn it in a variety of ways. The easiest is at home, by helping their parents in the kitchen. Younger children can wash vegetables, stir ingredients or set the table, while older ones can chop vegetables carefully and follow simple recipes. Schools could also offer practical cooking classes, as some countries already do. Videos and children's cookbooks can add extra inspiration, but I think nothing replaces real experience.

I believe children should start from around the age of five or six, with very simple tasks under adult supervision, and then take on more responsibility as they grow. By the age of twelve, most children could be able to prepare a basic meal by themselves.

This skill is useful for several reasons. Firstly, it develops independence. A teenager who can feed themselves doesn't depend entirely on adults or on fast food. Secondly, it encourages healthy eating habits, because children who understand what goes into their food tend to choose better options. Thirdly, it builds confidence and creativity, as they enjoy seeing the result of their effort. Finally, it brings families closer together, since cooking is an excellent opportunity for conversation.

I myself only learned to cook when I moved away to study, and it was a difficult start. If I'd learned earlier, I would have saved a lot of money and burned fewer dinners.

What to notice

  • It takes the points on the card in order, so the examiner can follow it.
  • Each point gets a specific detail or a short story, which is what keeps a talk going for two minutes.
  • The "explain" line at the end gets the most time, because that is where you give an opinion and show your range of language.

We wrote this answer for practice; it does not come from IELTS. Take its structure and phrases and tell your own story, because examiners notice memorised answers.

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Useful vocabulary

PhraseMeaning
a valuable life skilla useful ability for everyday life
build confidencehelp someone to feel sure of themselves
from an early agewhen very young
learn by examplelearn by watching others
develop independencebecome able to manage alone
lay the foundationscreate a base for future development

Plan it in one minute

Choose what to talk about in the first ten seconds, then write two or three key words for each point. Full sentences take too long to write and to read back.

Who or what you could talk about

  • Learning to swim or to be safe near water
  • Learning to manage money from a young age
  • Learning to cook or take care of themselves

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhat the skill is
  2. 25 show children can learn it
  3. 25 swhen children should start learning it
  4. 45 sand explain why this skill is useful.

Part 3 questions

In the exam these come straight after your talk, on the wider subject: Children's education. Answer each in 3–4 sentences, with your view, a reason and an example.

  1. What skills do children learn at home rather than at school?
  2. Should children learn practical skills as well as academic subjects?
  3. At what age should children start learning to use computers?
  4. Who is more responsible for teaching children skills: parents or teachers?
  5. How have the skills children need changed in recent decades?

Frequently asked questions

How do I answer an abstract IELTS cue card, like a rule or a decision?

Make it concrete straight away: name the rule, the advice or the decision, then tell the situation where it mattered to you. An abstract card answered with a real example is easier to talk about and easier to follow.

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