essential skill — necessary ability
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
An ability or talent that you must have to do something well or to succeed in a particular situation.
Say it like a native
Textbook Communication constitutes an indispensable competency.
Native Communication is an essential skill.
'Indispensable competency' is corporate; 'essential skill' is the natural phrase.
Pattern: essential skill (for something / to do something)
In use
- Time management is an essential skill for university students.education
- In my opinion, being able to communicate clearly is an essential skill for success in any career.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Cooking is an essential skill of life.
✓ Cooking is an essential life skill.
'Life skill' or 'essential skill for life' — not 'skill of life'.
Common collocations
essential skill— an, a key, for the job, life
Don't confuse it
'Essential skill' is stronger than 'useful skill' or 'important skill'—it means you can't do well without it.