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Describe a skill you taught yourself without a teacher.

A score 160 model answer to a real Duolingo English Test writing question in the official format, with notes on why it scores. Write your own version below it and get an instant rater-style score.

The question

Describe a skill you taught yourself without a teacher. How did you learn it, and what advice would you give someone trying to do the same?
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Score 160 model answer

I taught myself video editing using only free software and an enormous number of mistakes. My method was reverse engineering: I would pick a thirty-second clip I admired, then try to rebuild it cut by cut, pausing hundreds of times to see exactly when the music changed and why the shot switched. Every failed copy taught me a rule that no tutorial had bothered to state. The hardest part of self-teaching was not information, which is everywhere, but feedback, which is nowhere; without a teacher, you do not know which of your habits are bad. I solved that by posting work publicly and treating comments as my classroom. My advice to anyone self-learning: copy masters shamelessly, publish early, and let strangers be your teacher.

Why this answer earns score 160

  1. Describes a specific, believable method rather than vaguely 'watching videos'.
  2. Identifies the real obstacle (feedback, not information), which shows insight.
  3. Ends with transferable advice, directly answering the prompt's final part.

Do not memorise model answers; raters recognise recycled essays instantly. Study the moves, then make them with your own ideas, and check where you stand with a scored practice.

Questions about this answer

What score is this model answer?

It is written to score 160, and the notes under it quote the answer's own words to show why.

How long should my answer be?

This model answer is 124 words, and the task asks for at least 50.

What is the most common mistake with a model answer?

Memorising it. Raters recognise recycled answers instantly, so study the moves, then make them with your own ideas.

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