Step 1: Identify the Part 2 question requirements The question asks you to describe a friend who learned a skill from someone who is not a teacher. You need to mention: - Who your friend is - What skill your friend learned - How your friend learned the skill (from whom, in what way) - Explain whether it would be easier to learn from a teacher Step 2: Strategies for a better answer - Expand your answer with extra details and a small story about your friend’s learning experience. - Ensure coherence by linking each part of the answer smoothly. - Paraphrase the question and use signposting language to guide the listener. - Use a variety of vocabulary, synonyms, and demonstrate a range of grammar structures. - Refer back to previous points for cohesion. - Make sure the answer is more than 300 words. Topic:A friend who learned to cook from his grandmother Who he/she is I’d like to talk about my close friend, Alex, who is someone I’ve known since high school. He’s always been a creative person, but what really stands out about him is his passion for cooking, which is a skill he learned in a rather unique way. What skill he/she learned The skill Alex learned is cooking, specifically traditional Italian cuisine. He didn’t pick this up from a professional chef or a cooking class, but rather from his grandmother, who is originally from Italy. She has a wealth of knowledge about authentic recipes and traditional cooking techniques, and she passed these down to Alex over the years. How he/she learned Alex learned to cook by spending weekends at his grandmother’s house. Instead of formal lessons, he would simply watch her prepare meals for the family, and gradually, she started involving him in the process. She would show him how to make pasta from scratch, how to prepare sauces, and even how to select the freshest ingredients at the market. Sometimes, she would share stories about her childhood in Italy, which made the learning experience even more meaningful for Alex. Over time, he became quite skilled, and now he often cooks for friends and family, using the recipes and techniques his grandmother taught him. I remember one time he invited me over for dinner, and I was amazed at how authentic the food tasted—it was just like eating at a restaurant in Italy. And explain whether it would be easier to learn from a teacher In my opinion, while learning from a professional teacher might be more structured and efficient, there’s something special about learning a skill from a family member or friend. In Alex’s case, learning from his grandmother not only helped him master the technical aspects of cooking, but also allowed him to connect with his cultural roots and family traditions. Of course, a teacher can provide clear instructions and feedback, which can be helpful, especially for beginners. However, learning from someone close to you can be more relaxed and enjoyable, and you might pick up little tips and tricks that aren’t found in textbooks. Overall, I think both methods have their advantages, but for Alex, learning from his grandmother made the experience much more personal and memorable.

The answer uses a wide range of sentence structures, including both simple and complex sentences, which is important for a Band 7.0 response. For example, "He didn’t pick this up from a professional chef or a cooking class, but rather from his grandmother, who is originally from Italy." This sentence uses a relative clause and contrasts two ideas. There is also good use of past and present tenses to describe events and ongoing situations, such as "Alex learned to cook by spending weekends at his grandmother’s house" and "now he often cooks for friends and family." The answer also uses conditional and comparative structures, like "while learning from a professional teacher might be more structured and efficient, there’s something special about learning a skill from a family member or friend." This demonstrates flexibility and control over grammar.