Part of the ielts speaking Test Yourself 13 Reading Your Family 14

2. How long have you been studying English?
Well, I started studying English in primary school, when I was 6 years old I think. So
it has been 14 years already. That’s a long time, but it’s still a work in progress…It takes
a long time to master a foreign language, especially when students like me can’t immerse
ourselves completely in an English environment. But as you say in English, “Rome was not
built in a day.”
3. How important is English to you?
English is extremely important to me because next year I plan to continue my studies
in Australia. So I need my English to be good enough to understand the teachers there, and to
communicate with the local people. In addition, English is the international language, so it will
probably come in handy when I travel and maybe for my future job.
4. Is there anything you find especially difficult about learning English?
Yes, I find it very hard to remember all the new words I come across when I read or
watch movies in English. In English there are so many different ways to say one thing. You
know, foreigners use so many synonyms（＝2 words with the same meaning) to express
themselves．It can be confusing. In addition, it’s challenging for me to write elegant
sentences or formal letters. It takes a lot of practice. On top of this, the grammar can be very tricky
with the past tense and the many prepositions. It’s tough not to make mistakes.
21 Languages

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5. Which languages would you like to learn?
I would love to be able to speak French, because it sounds very cool and romantic. In
addition, one of my dreams is to travel to Paris, and see the Eiffel Tower and Louvre. That
would be awesome！if I could speak French, I would definitely enjoy the experience a lot
more. However, I have heard people say that French is quite challenging to learn and that
the grammar is even more complicated than in English. So, I don’t know, it might be hard
for me to pick it up．