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

Repetition of the phrase 'German language.'

Try to use synonyms or paraphrase to avoid repetition. For example, you can say 'learning German' or 'mastering this language.'

Incorrect use of 'from' in 'from other students.'

Use 'over' instead of 'from' to indicate a competitive advantage. The correct phrase would be 'gives me a competitive edge over other students.'

Incorrect verb tense in 'from 2021 I will continue learning German language.'

Since 2021 is in the past, use the past tense or present perfect tense. For example, 'Since 2021, I have been continuing to learn German.'

Overuse of 'well' at the beginning of sentences.

Avoid starting sentences with 'well' too frequently. Instead, use connectors like 'Moreover,' 'In addition,' or 'Furthermore' to add variety.

Lack of specific examples or experiences.

Include specific examples or experiences related to learning the language to make your response more engaging. For instance, mention a particular course you took or an experience where you used German.

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.'

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 phrase 'I was into Korean dramas and Korean movies' could be more effectively expressed using a richer vocabulary.

Consider using 'I have always been fascinated by Korean dramas and films.'

The sentence 'I think I have grown my entire life seeing those dramas and movies' is slightly awkward.

Rephrase it to 'I feel like I have spent my entire life immersed in those dramas and movies.'

The phrase 'as to how people treat each other' lacks clarity.

Use 'by the way people treat each other' for better coherence.

The use of 'Mr. and Mistress' is incorrect.

Replace 'Mistress' with 'Miss' or 'Ms.' to correctly refer to titles used in Korean culture.

The phrase 'I thought I should make an effort to learn this language' could be more engaging.

Try 'I decided to embark on a journey to learn this language.'

The phrase 'certain options as to how much you know about Korean' could be clearer.

Use 'various levels of proficiency in Korean' for clarity.

The sentence 'Do you want to be a communicator or do you just want to learn the basic stuff?' is informal.

Consider 'Do you aim to become proficient or simply acquire basic conversational skills?'

The phrase 'I don't think I'll be communicating with Koreans anytime soon' is informal.

Consider 'I do not anticipate communicating with native Korean speakers in the near future.'

Repetition of ideas and lack of cohesive devices.

Try to use more cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore,' 'Moreover,' and 'In addition' to connect ideas and avoid repetition. For example, instead of repeating how Spanish music influenced your interest, you could say, 'Furthermore, my passion for Latin music also played a significant role in my desire to learn Spanish.'

Overuse of simple connectors like 'and.'

Consider using varied connectors to enhance the flow of your response. Instead of using 'and' frequently, you might use 'besides,' 'as well as,' or 'in addition to.'

Lack of structured storytelling.

To improve storytelling, consider structuring your response by introducing the past, explaining the present, and speculating about the future. For example, start with how your interest began, describe your current progress, and then discuss future aspirations with the language.

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.'