Describe a thing you did to learn another language?: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

The phrase 'get a hold on the language' is slightly informal.

Use 'gain proficiency in the language' for a more formal tone.

The sentence 'I do not think these are sufficient in order to master the language' could be more cohesive.

Use 'However, I feel these methods alone are not sufficient to achieve mastery of the language.'

Repetition of the word 'language' in close succession.

Use synonyms or rephrase to avoid repetition, such as 'this skill' or 'linguistic ability'.

The sentence 'Although initially it did not go very well' lacks clarity.

Clarify by specifying what did not go well, such as 'Although initially, my progress was slow'.

The sentence 'It is very much different from Telugu what we actually talk in our state because we only use majorly as Hindi and English...' is awkward and lacks clarity.

Rephrase to 'It is quite different from Telugu, which we speak in Andhra Pradesh, where Hindi and English are more commonly used.'

The phrase 'One of the most efficient thing' lacks subject-verb agreement.

Use 'One of the most efficient things' instead.

Repetition of 'I also did' in consecutive sentences.

Vary sentence structure by using alternatives like 'Additionally, I watched...' or 'Furthermore, I traveled...'.

The phrase 'Moreover, Tamil is very hard to learn other than other languages' could be clearer.

Rephrase to 'Moreover, Tamil is quite challenging to learn compared to other languages.'

The sentence 'I appreciate myself as I learned almost, almost I can translate any sentence...' is awkward and repetitive.

Rephrase to 'I am proud of myself because I have learned enough to translate most sentences or paragraphs from Tamil to other languages.'

The phrase 'we also had roommates in our room of Tamil' is unclear.

Rephrase to 'We also had Tamil-speaking roommates, which was very helpful.'

Repetition of phrases such as 'learn Gujarati language' and 'because.'

Try to vary your expressions and use synonyms or paraphrasing to avoid repetition. For example, instead of repeating 'learn Gujarati language,' you could say 'acquire proficiency in Gujarati.'

Overuse of simple connectors like 'because' and 'and.'

Use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'therefore,' 'as a result,' or 'moreover' to improve the flow of your response.

Lack of structured storytelling.

Consider organizing your response by starting with why you decided to learn the language, how you went about learning it, and what the future implications might be.

Limited use of descriptive vocabulary.

Incorporate more descriptive words to enhance your response. For example, instead of saying 'very sweet,' you could use 'melodious' or 'harmonious.'

Repeated use of 'helped me to improve' and 'practice.'

Try to use synonyms or paraphrase sentences to avoid repetition. For example, instead of 'helped me to improve,' you could say 'aided in enhancing my skills.'

Incorrect tense usage in 'I learnt Hindi which helped me to speak with my colleagues.'

Use present perfect tense for actions that have relevance to the present. For instance, 'I have learned Hindi, which has helped me communicate with my colleagues.'

Lack of cohesive devices to improve flow.

Incorporate cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore,' 'Additionally,' or 'Moreover' to link your ideas more smoothly.

Confusion between learning Hindi and speaking English.

Ensure clarity by separating the learning of Hindi from the improvement in English. You could say, 'While I am learning Hindi, it has also indirectly helped me with English.'

The response lacks a clear structure and repetition is present, such as multiple mentions of starting to learn Italian.

Try to organize your response by using structured storytelling. Start by explaining why you decided to learn Italian, describe the process you followed, and then mention the results or future plans. Avoid repeating the same points.

Overuse of simple connectors like 'and' and 'also'.

Incorporate more varied cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore,' 'Moreover,' or 'In addition,' to improve the flow of your response.

Repetitive vocabulary, such as 'app' and 'study.'

Use synonyms or paraphrase to avoid repetition. For example, instead of 'app,' you could say 'language learning platform,' and instead of 'study,' you could use 'practice' or 'master.'

Incorrect use of tense in 'so that I start learning Italian recently.'

Correct the tense to 'so that I started learning Italian recently.'

The phrase 'very helpful for every kind of people like children or adults' is awkward.

Rephrase to 'extremely beneficial for people of all ages, including children and adults.'

The sentence structure is quite complex and lacks proper punctuation, leading to confusion. For example, 'It is always a great thing to learn a new language especially when you travel to a new country just like me with AcS Luiza to be brief' is a run-on sentence.

Break down complex sentences into simpler, more coherent ones. Use punctuation to separate ideas clearly. For example, 'Learning a new language is always beneficial, especially when traveling to a new country. For instance, one year ago, I traveled to Nepal with AcS Luiza.'

There is a lack of cohesive devices to connect ideas smoothly. Phrases like 'One year ago,' 'However,' and 'Therefore' could improve the flow.

Incorporate cohesive devices to link ideas. For example, 'One year ago, I tried to learn Nepalese when I arrived in Nepal. However, communicating was challenging as most people spoke only Nepalese.'

The use of 'Nepal country' is incorrect.

Use 'Nepal' instead of 'Nepal country.'

Use of 'recorrected' is incorrect.

Use 'revised' or 'corrected' instead of 'recorrected.'

There is an overuse of 'and' which makes the sentence lengthy and less effective.

Replace some of the 'and' with other connectors like 'as well as,' 'furthermore,' or 'in addition.'

There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Nepalese language' instead of 'the Nepalese language' and 'a handful thing' instead of 'a handy thing.'

Pay attention to article usage and choose words that fit the context better. For example, 'It is always handy to know multiple languages.'

Repetition of the phrase 'that is when I started learning Spanish.'

Avoid repeating phrases and try to provide more details about your experience, such as how you felt about learning Spanish or any challenges you faced.

Use of informal expressions like 'oh' and 'I could, I can.'

Try to maintain a more formal tone. Instead of 'oh,' you could use 'then I realized.' For 'I could, I can,' choose one tense to maintain consistency.

Incorrect use of 'wasn't really a case.'

The correct phrase should be 'wasn't really the case.'

The response lacks a clear structure and does not directly address the question of describing a specific thing done to learn another language.

Focus on a specific experience or method used to learn Sanskrit. Use a structured approach, such as narrating a specific event or technique that helped in learning the language.

There is a repetition of ideas, such as mentioning the complexity of Sanskrit grammar multiple times.

Avoid repeating the same points. Instead, expand on different aspects of learning the language, such as challenges faced or specific strategies used.

The response uses filler words like 'like' and 'okay' which can disrupt the flow.

Minimize the use of filler words to maintain coherence and clarity. Practice speaking more deliberately and confidently.

The response lacks cohesive devices to connect ideas smoothly.

Incorporate cohesive devices such as 'Firstly,' 'Moreover,' and 'In addition' to enhance the flow of ideas.

There is a lack of descriptive vocabulary, which limits the richness of the response.

Use more descriptive language to convey experiences and emotions. For example, describe the learning process as 'challenging yet rewarding' or the grammar as 'intricate and fascinating.'

The response does not directly address the question about a specific thing done to learn another language.

Focus on describing a specific activity or method you used to learn another language, such as taking a course, using language apps, or practicing with native speakers.

The response lacks a clear structure and coherent flow.

Use cohesive devices like 'Firstly,' 'Moreover,' and 'Finally' to improve the flow of your response. Start by mentioning the language you learned, the method you used, and the outcome.

The response includes irrelevant information about the Tamil language and a proverb.

Stay focused on the topic by avoiding unrelated information. Concentrate on the language learning experience itself.

There is a grammatical error in the phrase 'Though I am not a very good person, fluent in other languages of India.'

Rephrase it to 'I am not very fluent in other Indian languages.'

The response lacks a clear structure and does not directly address the question about a specific thing done to learn the language.

Focus on one specific action or method you used to learn Hindi, such as attending classes, using language apps, or practicing with friends. Structure your response with a beginning, middle, and end to improve coherence.

Repetition of the word 'language' and 'Hindi' makes the response less engaging.

Use synonyms or paraphrase to avoid repetition, such as 'tongue' for 'language' or 'this dialect' for 'Hindi.'

Incorrect use of 'people' in 'Every north Indian people speak in Hindi.'

Use 'person' to maintain subject-verb agreement: 'Every North Indian person speaks in Hindi.'

Confusing statement: 'So the most used language is Tamil in India.'

Clarify this statement by explaining the context or rephrasing it to avoid confusion: 'While Tamil is widely spoken in certain regions, Hindi is prevalent in many parts of India.'

Overuse of simple connectors like 'so' and 'because.'

Incorporate varied cohesive devices such as 'therefore,' 'as a result,' or 'in addition' to enhance the flow of ideas.

Incorrect article usage in 'the Hindi family.'

Use 'a' instead of 'the' to refer to a general Hindi-speaking family: 'a Hindi family.'