SPEAKING
Speaking Test Model Answers
16. Hometown
Your hometown is a classic IELTS topic. You could easily be asked about your hometown in parts 1 and 2 of the speaking test, so be prepared to talk about it.
1. Where is your hometown located?
My hometown is located in the northern part of my country, close to the coast and surrounded by mountains.
2. What is your hometown like?
My hometown is a quaint provincial town, quite far away from the capital. It’s pretty quiet most of the time although it does hold a bustling farmer’s market every other weekend. Otherwise, there’s not much hustle and bustle.
3. Does it have any historical buildings?
Yes, my hometown has one or two historical buildings, including a farmhouse that was built over 200 years ago.
4. What do you like about your hometown?
What I love about my hometown is the sense of community and the laid-back lifestyle. I left home and moved to the city because I found the pace of life too slow, but now I often miss it.
5. Has it changed much since you were a child?
No, my hometown hasn’t changed a huge amount since I was a child. It’s too far away from a big city to become a commuter town, so it’s kept its rustic charm.
6. Do most of your family and friends still live there?
No, most of my friends now work in the capital like me. But my parents still live there and I have a few aunties, uncles and cousins there too. Most of my younger relatives have already left too. There just aren’t enough good work opportunities.
7. What kinds of jobs do people in your hometown have?
People in my hometown tend to work in agriculture or something related to it. Other than that, there’s some tourism, so there are one or two hotels and a slowly growing hospitality sector, but it’s not huge.
8. Do you ever miss your hometown?
Yes, these days I often feel a little homesick. Although I don’t really like the small town mentality of some people there, I feel good when I visit and feel like I belong there. It’s a feeling I don’t often have in the big city - I must be a country girl at heart!
PART 1
Listen:
Model Answer:
My hometown is a suburban town in the Southeast, near the outskirts of a large city and just inside the major ring road around the city. The great thing about my hometown is that it’s a commuter town with good transport links, so it’s easy to get into the city centre, but at the same time, it's also near the countryside.
I guess the most picturesque place is in the centre of the town. There’s a nice little pond with ducks that local people often feed. During a sunny afternoon you will often see parents with toddlers and elderly people enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. But, in my opinion, the nicest area in the village is the high street. There are some old pubs, a post office and some shops and amenities like a butcher’s, a grocer’s and a hairdresser’s.
There aren’t any monuments or statues or anything like that, and it's certainly not a tourist destination, but the town centre is worth visiting occasionally because it’s a pleasant place to walk, and there are a few benches in case you want to sit down and relax.
One of the main reasons people like the town is that they don't want all the noise of a metropolis, but they still want to be able to quickly and conveniently travel into the city centre. People like the village because the pace of life is slow and you are away from the hustle and bustle of the city. That's why you tend to see a lot of older people and families here. To be honest, for young people it's probably a little boring!
PART 2
Describe your hometown.
You should say:
where it is
what you can see there
and say why you think people choose to live there
Listen:
PART 3
1. In what ways could you improve your hometown?
My hometown is a great place to live if you like peace and quiet and a slow pace of life, but it could do with a few more shops and services. It would be great to have a bigger supermarket in the town, and it could be useful to have a few more restaurants. It would also be nice if it was slightly more cosmopolitan. Some of the locals have a small town mentality, which gets on my nerves.
2. Do people who grow up in the same hometown have similar personalities?
I really don’t think so. Obviously, your roots are really important and affect who you are, but there are many other factors which are much more important, such as your parents, family, friends, and school. In my opinion, the only time that your hometown can influence what kind of person you are a great deal, is if it is in a very remote place, so that you spend all of your time in a particular environment with a very specific culture.
3. Many people leave their hometowns when they become adults. Why is this?
It’s probably because most young people want a faster pace of life - they want the hustle and bustle of a big city. They also usually want better job opportunities. Most of the time, the best opportunities are in big cities, so young people tend to migrate to cities when they leave school or finish university. I think young people are also attracted by the culture, nightlife and entertainment options in cities - they want to be in a more cosmopolitan and lively environment.
4. Why do most people have a strong connection to their hometown?
The majority of people have strong roots to their hometown, with a lot of personal connections such as friends and family there. So, they have a reason to visit the town regularly to catch up with relatives, and this also gives them a chance to reconnect with childhood friends. As well as that, I think most people have a lot of fond memories from childhood, and feel a deep attachment to the place where they grew up.
5. Is it better to grow up in a small town or a big city?
I think there are pros and cons to both. Big cities are more cosmopolitan and offer a lot more opportunities for education, for entertainment and to meet lots of other people. However, small towns are often nice places for families, because there are fewer problems with crime, they are quieter and safer, and usually there are more places where children can play outside, and enjoy the fresh air.
6. What factors make a town attractive to live in?
I think this is a question of personal taste. Some people love to live in a lively city, while others prefer quieter towns and villages with a slower pace of life. But, in general, we can say that a town which is safe, where the locals are friendly, and where local services work effectively, is attractive to everyone. It also helps if the transport system is efficient as most people like to be able to travel easily into and out of the town by car and by public transport.
Listen:
VOCABULARY
Topic Vocabulary:
attachment (noun [u]):
Definition: A feeling of strong emotional connection to someone or something.
Example: She felt a deep attachment to her parents and got very homesick when she left home.
belong (verb):
Definition: To be a part or member of a particular group, place, or category.
Example: He never felt like he really belonged in the city.
catch up (phrasal verb):
Definition: To speak to someone to find out about the recent events in their life.
Example: She spent 2 hours on the phone catching up with her school friend.
commuter town (noun [c]):
Definition: A residential area where people live but typically travel to work in a nearby city.
Example: He lives in a commuter town, just outside the capital.
cosmopolitan (adjective):
Definition: Reflecting a mix of cultures and influences from around the world.
Example: New York City is known for its cosmopolitan atmosphere.
homesick (adjective):
Definition: Feeling a strong desire or nostalgia for one's home or familiar surroundings.
Example: After a month away, I started to feel homesick.
hustle and bustle (idiom):
Definition: Busy, noisy activity and movement, especially in a crowded area.
Example: The hustle and bustle of the city can be overwhelming.
leave home (verb phrase):
Definition: To stop living at the family home.
Example: Many young people feel homesick when they leave home to go to university.
locals (noun [pl]):
Definition: People who live in a particular place or community and are familiar with its customs and culture.
Example: The locals knew the best restaurants in town.
migrate (verb):
Definition: To move from one place to another, often between countries or regions.
Example: Many people migrate to cities looking for work.
outskirts (noun [pl]):
Definition: The outer parts of a town or city, away from the centre.
Example: Their house is on a quiet street in the outskirts of the town.
pace of life (idiom):
Definition: How fast or slow daily activities happen in a place or culture.
Example: Life in the countryside has a slower pace compared to the bustling city.
provincial (adjective):
Definition: Relating to or characteristic of a province.
Example: The town's provincial charm attracted visitors seeking a peaceful getaway.
quaint (adjective):
Definition: Charmingly old-fashioned or picturesque.
Example: The quaint little cottage looked like something from a storybook.
reconnect (verb):
Definition: To reestablish a connection or bond, especially with people or places from one's past.
Example: After years apart, they decided to reconnect and became close friends again.
roots (noun [pl]):
Definition: The place or culture from which a person or group of people comes.
Example: She returned to her hometown to reconnect with her roots.
rustic (adjective):
Definition: Characteristic of a rural or countryside place, often simple and rough in appearance.
Example: The rustic cabin in the woods was a perfect escape from city life.
sense of community (noun phrase):
Definition: A feeling of connection with a group of people who share common interests, values, or location.
Example: The neighbourhood's annual picnic strengthens the sense of community.
small town mentality (noun phrase):
Definition: Considering local matters very important, and not having exposure to other ways of life.
Example: People in the village were suspicious of strangers, which was a characteristic of their small town mentality.
suburban (adjective):
Definition: Relating to a residential area located on the outskirts of a city.
Example: They moved to a suburban area for a quieter lifestyle and more space.
