(Update 2026) Describe a Thing You Did To Learn Another Language

Describe a Thing You Did To Learn Another Language

IELTS Speaking Part 2

You should say:

• What you did
• What language you learned
• How it helped you learn the language
• And how you felt about it

Sample Answer 1

Okay, so when it comes to learning another language, the only experience I’ve had is learning English, and I’m still working on it. I’m still far away from being fluent in it.

So yeah, among all the things I’ve done for learning English, today I want to mention one thing, which is finding a language exchange partner.

So several years ago, I was trying to improve my spoken English, and first I was just watching a lot of TV shows in English and listening to English songs, just trying to immerse myself in English, but it didn’t work. Then that’s when I realized that I needed to put what I learned into practice.

So that’s when I thought, maybe I can take a one-on-one class or something, but I didn’t have money, I didn’t have enough budget. Then I came up with the idea of just doing a language exchange, because I can make a new friend.

It sounds good in theory, in the reality, it wasn’t that good. You know what I mean? Because first, neither of us have had the teaching experience. So that’s why sometimes we feel so frustrated to explain certain things to each other.

Secondly, both of us wanted to practice rather than to teach, you know? So that’s why we felt a little bit to just talk to each other in the language we wanted to practice. So we’ll try to take advantage of each other, basically. That’s not good. So I would say that doing language exchange is more for people who is already pretty good with this language. People who just want to, you know, hone their skills and take it to the next level.

For me, I knew very little English at that time. So it was a waste of time, it didn’t really work. So yeah, that’s the thing that I did to help me learn English, but it didn’t really work. So yeah, that’s the story. Thank you.

Word / Phrase	Type	Definition	Example
when it comes to	Phrase [B2]	regarding a particular subject or activity	When it comes to languages, she is exceptional.
working on it	Phrase [B2]	actively trying to improve or complete something	My English isn’t perfect yet, but I’m working on it.
fluent	Adjective [B2]	able to speak a language smoothly and easily	He is fluent in both French and Spanish.
language exchange partner	Noun phrase [B2]	someone you practice a language with in exchange for teaching yours	My language exchange partner helped me with pronunciation.
immerse myself	Phrase [C1]	to become deeply involved in an activity or environment	I tried to immerse myself in English by watching films without subtitles.
one-on-one	Adjective/Adverb [B2]	involving two people directly, without others present	I made faster progress with one-on-one tutoring.
budget	Noun/Verb [B2]	a plan for spending money within limits	We had a tight budget but still had an amazing time.
came up with	Phrasal verb [C1]	to think of an idea or plan	She came up with a creative solution to the problem.
language exchange	Noun phrase [B2]	an arrangement where two people help each other learn their native languages	I found a language exchange partner through an app.
in theory	Phrase [B2]	according to the idea or plan, but not necessarily in practice	In theory it sounded perfect, but in practice it was difficult.
frustrated	Adjective [B2]	feeling annoyed and impatient due to obstacles	I was frustrated by how long the journey was taking.
rather than	Phrase [B2]	instead of; in preference to	I would focus on prevention rather than punishment.
take advantage of	Phrase [B2]	to use an opportunity for your benefit	You should take advantage of every chance to learn.
hone their skills	Phrase [C2]	to improve and refine one’s abilities through practice	Language exchange is best for those wanting to hone their skills.
take it to the next level	Phrase [C1]	to improve something beyond its current state	I enrolled in an advanced course to take my English to the next level.
waste of time	Noun phrase [B2]	an activity that is not worth the time spent on it	Without clear goals, language classes can feel like a waste of time.

Sample Answer 2

Well, I think I did to learn another language was actually around five years ago when I was still a junior high school student. At that time I was inspired by my English teacher who taught me it was really necessary to learn authentic English expressions from Native American TV series. So I watched just an American TV series called Friends.

So in this TV drama I learned a lot of colloquialisms and Native expressions. It was just a lot of everyday interactions between friends and the way they speak the language and their facial expressions and everything just motivated me to learn the English.

I just felt from the bottom of my heart the expressions they used were just the things we could use every day and frequently. So I just wrote at the beginning I just came across so many expressions that I was not familiar with but I just wrote down every one of them and also I would put one or two sentences beside it so that I can have a better understanding of how the words and expressions are used in everyday settings.

Around after two months I just got the hang of the language and I could just speak fluently with native speakers without any difficulties and I was quite confident about that. So this was the thing I did to learn another language.

Word / Phrase	Type	Definition	Example
inspired by	Phrase [B2]	motivated or influenced by someone or something	I was inspired by my teacher to pursue a career in education.
authentic	Adjective [B2]	real, genuine, and true to its origins	I was looking for authentic local cuisine, not tourist food.
colloquialisms	Noun [C2]	informal words or phrases used in everyday conversation	The series was full of colloquialisms that textbooks never teach.
native expressions	Noun phrase [B2]	phrases used naturally by people born into a language	Sitcoms are great for learning native expressions.
facial expressions	Noun phrase [B2]	movements of the face that show feelings or emotions	Watching how actors use facial expressions helped me understand tone.
motivated	Adjective [B2]	eager and willing to do something because of interest	I was highly motivated to improve after seeing her progress.
from the bottom of my heart	Idiom [C1]	with complete sincerity and deep feeling	I felt from the bottom of my heart that this was the right approach.
came across	Phrasal verb [B2]	to find or encounter something unexpectedly	I came across a fascinating documentary last night.
familiar with	Phrase [B2]	having knowledge or experience of something	I’m quite familiar with the traffic patterns in this city.
wrote down	Phrasal verb [B2]	recorded something in writing	I wrote down every new expression I came across.
everyday settings	Noun phrase [B2]	ordinary, real-life situations	The course focused on language used in everyday settings.
got the hang of	Idiom [C1]	learned how to do something after practising it	After a few weeks, I finally got the hang of the grammar rules.
fluently	Adverb [B2]	in a smooth and natural way, especially in a language	She spoke French fluently after just two years of study.
native speakers	Noun phrase [B2]	people who speak a language as their first language	I practised with native speakers to improve my accent.
confident	Adjective [B2]	feeling certain about one’s abilities	She felt confident going into the interview.

Sample Answer 3

Learning is a good thing. Learning opens up new possibilities for a better career. I would like to talk about a new language that I have learned in the past four months and still am learning. I want to learn the Spanish language. I work in a multinational corporation that deals with different countries where French and Spanish are spoken.

Firstly, it is very difficult to find Spanish language classes because most classes are taught only in French or English. I chose to learn this language online. I felt this language was very difficult at first, but I don’t give up. I have created a strategy for learning new words. I download loo words and set a learning objective within a week. So far, I write down the meaning of each word in English as well as in Hindi so that I can easily use it in sentence form.

The second thing I did was to use a word in my everyday conversation. I also received support from technology. I bought Alexa, mainly to speak. I instructed him to speak English and Spanish. This way, I practice. I did it for three months now I’m able to understand and speak the Spanish language. I am very happy because our company will be launching a project in the next two months that is based primarily on the Spanish nations. I may have the opportunity to travel to these countries as only four to five employees are able to speak and understand Spanish.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

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Credits

Image : Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash