Tell me about learning to do something tricky for the first time as a kid — riding a bike, swimming, tying your laces. How did it go?

B Natural answer

The first tricky thing I really remember was learning to swim at a small community pool. I was nervous because the water felt deep, and I kept holding my breath too long. The instructor showed me how to kick and keep my face relaxed, but I still swallowed water a few times. After that, I started to move across the pool a little better. It was not graceful at all, but I felt proud because I could do it on my own. By the end of the summer, I was still slow, yet I no longer felt scared every time I jumped in.

Key phrases in this answer

• holding my breath too long — not breathing for too long“I kept holding my breath too long in the pool.”
• swallowed water a few times — took in water by accident“I swallowed water a few times before I got better.”
• move across the pool — swim from one side to the other“I could finally move across the pool without stopping.”
• wobbling around the driveway — moving unsteadily while riding“I was wobbling around the driveway before I got steady.”
• the hang of it — understanding how to do something“After a few tries, I got the hang of it.”
• a knot in my stomach — a nervous feeling“I had a knot in my stomach before my turn.”