IELTS SPEAKING

Exam advice: Speaking part 1

- Don’t answer questions with just one or two words – use longer sentences.
- Stress the words which answer the question.
- Give extra information when you can.

TOPIC: HOMETOWN
PART 1
1. Can you tell me what you do? Do you work, or are you a student?
2. Where do you come from?
3. Can you describe your town or city to me?
4. What do you like about the area where you live?
5. What things in your town or city do you not like?
6. How is the area changing?
7. What do people in your area do in their free time?
9. What you think visitors to your town or region should see?

SAMPLE ANSWERS
Part 1
1. Where are you from?
2. What is it like where you live?
3. Do you like living in the city?
4. Do you get many tourists visiting your area?

Part 2
Describe an interesting town or city in your country that visitors might enjoy.
You should say
• what the place is called
• where the place is
• what the facilities are like
and say why visitors might enjoy going there.

Part 3
1. What are the advantages of living in a city or big town?
2. In your experience are city centres usually attractive places?
3. What are some of the challenges facing towns and cities?
 SAMPLE ANSWERS
Part 1
1. Where are you from?
I am from a countryside in the north of Vietnam, which has a tranquil atmosphere. Although it is a
mountainous region, it is still a tourist attraction because of its spectacular landscape. Every year,
there are a number of local and international visitors coming there so that they can escape from the
hectic pace of life in big cities and enjoy a fresh air.

2. What is it like where you live?

I live in a residential area of a busy town in the south of Spain. We have all the facilities you need,
such as good public transport, a good shopping centre. It’s nice …

3. Do you like living in the city?

Yes I do. I like going out with my friends and there are lots of lively bars and restaurants within
walking distance of my apartment. I’m a bit of a culture vulture as well so it’s great to have access to
art exhibitions and that kind of thing.

4. Do you get many tourists visiting your area?

Not really no. I live in the inner-city and the area is a little run down. It’s basically a lot of high-rise
flats and many of the shops are boarded up, so nothing to interest tourists really.

Part 2
Describe an interesting town or city in your country that visitors might enjoy.
You should say
• what the place is called
• where the place is
• what the facilities are like
and say why visitors might enjoy going there.

Anyone who comes to my country really should spend some time in Barcelona … it’s a beautiful
place … it’s not what you would call a sprawling city … it’s quite compact really and you could
walk across the city in a couple of hours … but there’s no need to do that as we have a
fantastic public transport system so it’s easy to get around … there are various districts all with
their own character … you have the upmarket shops in the centre … you’ll find lots of chain
stores you’ll recognise from your own country but also local brands as well … we have the narrow
streets in the Gothic district with lots of fashionable boutiques and tourist attractions … there’s
the Olympic area and the beaches along the coast … and dotted around the city are some
lovely public spaces … parks and squares in the city centre and on the outskirts of Barcelona
where people relax with their friends and family … and of course pavement cafes everywhere … all
that and some great historical places of interest … so a great destination for tourists …

Part 3
1. What are the advantages of living in a city or big town?
I think it’s having access to local facilities really … local shops as well as access to larger shopping
malls in the city centre … and if you’re well-off you can afford to live in the suburbs away from
the busy traffic …
2. In your experience are city centres usually attractive places?
Some can be yes … especially those with a historical interest … but sometimes they’re full of
ugly office blocks … multi-story car parks … and residents living in poor housing … it depends
on the city doesn’t it?

3. What are some of the challenges facing towns and cities?

I suppose traffic congestion is a major problem … and the growth in out-of-town supermarkets
and retail parks mean lots of town centre shops are closing down … plus a shortage of good
quality housing … I think these are the major challenges …

New vocabulary
• boarded up shops: shops that are no longer doing business
• chain stores: well-known brands with shops in multiple cities
• to close down: to stop doing business
• fashionable boutiques: fashionable clothes shops
• to get around: to travel around
• high-rise flats: multi-story apartments
• inner-city: the central part of a city where people live and where conditions are
often poor
• in the suburbs: the outer area of large towns and cities where people live
• lively bars/restaurants: bars or restaurants with a good atmosphere
• local facilities: local buildings or services serving the public
• multi-story car parks: car parks on several floors
• office block: a large building that contains offices
• out of town shopping centre/retail park: large shopping centres outside of the town
or city
• pavement cafe: cafes with tables outside on the pavement
• places of interest: buildings that have a particular interest for visitors
• poor housing: housing that is not in good condition
• public spaces: areas in a town or city that are open to the public
• public transport system: public vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at
regular times on fixed routes
• residential area: an area where people live
• run down: old and of a poor standard
• shopping centre: an area consisting of multiple shops
• shopping malls: large indoor shopping centres
• sprawling city: a city that has grown over time and which covers a wide area
• tourist attraction: a place of interest to tourists
• traffic congestion: heavy traffic making it difficult to move around a town or city
• upmarket shops: expensive fashionable shops
 VOCABULARY: HOMETOWN
A. Các danh từ miêu tả về Hometown
Các danh từ miêu tả cho thành phố
1. Heart of the city: Khu trung tâm thành phố
E.g: I really want to live in heart of the city because this is the place which happens the most
important events.
2. Shopping centre = Shopping mall: A group of shops/stores built together, sometimes under one
roof - Khu trung tâm mua sắm
E.g 1: There are a variety of shopping centres in Ha Noi where I can buy anything.
E.g 2: I usually go to the shopping mall near where I live so that I can buy the most beautiful clothes.
3. High - rise flat: A building that is very tall and has a lot of floors - Căn hộ nhiều tầng
E.g: Most of my friends live in high - rise flats where there are a lot of other families living.
4. Sprawling city: /ˈsprɔːlɪŋ/ A city that has grown over time and which covers a wide area - Thành
phố lớn.
E.g: I am going to visit a sprawling city in Japan which is very beautiful and attracts thousands of
tourists because of its beauty at night.
5. Office block: A large building that contains offices - Tòa nhà văn phòng
E.g: I am working in an office block with all the mod cons.
6. Multi - story car park: Car parks on several floors - Bãi đỗ xe có nhiều tầng
E.g: Most office blocks have multi - story car parks so that they can have enough places for vehicles
of all workers.
7. Chain store: Well-known brands with shops in multiple cities - Chuỗi cửa hàng đồ hiệu
E.g: One of the most well - known chain stores throughout the world is Walmart.
8. Fashionable boutique: /ˈfæʃnəәbl/ - /buːˈtiːk/ Fashionable clothes shops - Cửa hàng thời trang
E.g: When you go to Ha Noi, you will see a number of beautiful fashionable boutiques but the price
is exorbitant.
9. Upmarket shop: Expensive fashionable shops - Cửa hàng đồ hiệu
E.g: Do you know Louis Vuitton, one of the most well - known upmarket shops in Germany?
10. Places of interest: buildings that have a particular interest for visitors - địa điểm thu hút khách
du lịch
E.g: I know many places of interest in Ha Noi where you certainly like when you come there.
11. Lively bars/restaurants: Bars or restaurants with a good atmosphere - Quán bar, nhà hàng sinh
động.
E.g: Young customers are passionate about lively bars because their atmosphere is very wonderful.
12. The rat race: /ðəә ˈræt reɪs/ - The way of life of people living and working in a large city where
people compete in an aggressive way with each other in order to be more successful, earn more
money - Lối sống chạy đua nhau
E.g: The novel is about a couple who get out of the rat race and buy a farm in France.

Các danh từ miêu tả cho vùng nông thôn

1. Suburb = Outskirt: /ˈsʌbɜːb/ - /ˈaʊtskɜːts/ An area where people live that is outside the centre of a
city - Vùng ngoại ô, hai từ này hai được dùng theo cụm như sau:
2. In the suburbs = On the outskirts of + a place
Có hai lưu ý cô muốn chia sẻ với các bạn khi sử dụng cụm từ này, đó là: Các bạn cần lưu ý về giới
từ đi kèm với 2 từ này, mặc dù có nghĩa giống nhau nhưng trước "suburb" phải sử dụng giới từ "IN",
còn trước "outskirts" được sử dụng trước giới từ "ON" và các từ "suburb" và "outskirt" được sử dụng
trong cụm từ này luôn ở dạng số nhiều
E.g: They live on the outskirts of Ha Noi which has tons of people.
= They live in the suburbs of Ha Noi which has tons of people.
3. Out - of town shopping centre/ retail park: large shopping centres outside of the town or city -
Khu trung tâm mua sắm lớn ngoài thành phố
E.g: My hometown has an out - of town shopping centre which attracts a number of visitors each
year.
4. Inner-city: The central part of a city where people live and where conditions are often poor -
Vùng nội thành
5. Poor housing: Housing that is not in good condition - Khu nhà ở tồi tàn
E.g: Most people in Africa still live in poor housing.
6. Local facility: Local buildings or services serving the public - Cơ sở vật chất tại địa phương
E.g: The government should upgrade local facilites so that residents can benefit from better services.
7. Residential area: /ˌrezɪˈdenʃl/ - An area where people live - Khu dân cư
E.g: I live in a residential area which has just repaired and now it becomes a really beautiful and
modern place.
8. Neighbourhood: /ˈneɪbəәhʊd/ - Vùng lân cận
E.g: We grew up in the same neighbourhood.

Danh từ miêu tả các loại phương tiện giao thông trong "Hometown"
1. Public transport: Phương tiện công cộng
E.g: Public transport helps cities to reduce traffice jam, so the government should upgrade it.
2. Traffic conjestion = Traffic jam: /kəәnˈdʒestʃəәn/ - Ùn tắc giao thông
E.g: Traffic jam is a big challenge that most developing countries are solving.
3. Rush hour: /ˈrʌʃ aʊəә(r)/ - Giờ cao điểm
E.g: Don't travel at rush hour because it wastes a huge amount of time.
4. Bus route: Tuyến đường xe buýt
E.g: The house is not on a bus route.
5. Underground system/subway: /ˌʌndəәˈɡraʊnd/ / /ˈsʌbweɪ/ - Xe lửa ngầm
E.g: I am taking a subway to go to Washington DC.

Một số danh từ khác để mô tả hometown

1. Pavement café: /ˈpeɪvməәnt/ /ˈkæfeɪ/ - Cà phê vỉa hè
E.g: Pavement café is an ideal place for those who want to hang out with their friends.
2. Tourist attraction: A place of interest to tourists - Địa điểm thu hút khách du lịch
E.g: Da Nang is the tourist attraction where there are tons of people not only local visitors but also
foreigners coming each year.
3. Boarded up shops: Shops that are no longer doing business - Cửa hàng không còn kinh doanh
E.g: There are a lot of boarded up shops near where I live.
4. Cost of living: Chi phí sinh hoạt
E.g: Despite the high cost of living, London is a greate place to live.
5. Pace of life: Nhịp sống
E.g: I prefer the relaxed pace of life in the countryside.
6. Sense of community: Tính cộng đồng
E.g: I enjoy living in the countryside because they have a sense of community.
7. Overcrowding: /ˌəәʊvəәˈkraʊdɪŋ - Đông dân
E.g: Living in overcrowding is really uncomfortable in terms of traffic jam.

B. Một số động từ liên quan đến chủ đề "Hometown"

1. To close down: To stop doing business - Ngừng hoạt động kinh doanh
E.g: Some out - of - town shopping centres in my hometown have to close down because there are a
few customers.
2. To get around: To travel around - Đi loanh quanh
E.g: There is a fanstastic public transport system in Ha Noi, so it is very easy to get around.

C. Tính từ miêu tả "Hometown"

1. Quiet = Peaceful = Tranquil: /ˈtræŋkwɪl/ Yên bình
E.g: Most people want to live in a tranquil contryside because it can make people to reduce stress in
their life.
2. Green: Xanh, hay đi kèm với danh từ "city" - Green city: thành phố xanh
E.g: While some parts of Ha Noi are industrial, it is still a green city which is an ideal place for
everyone to live.
3. Lively = bustling = vibrant /ˈlaɪvli/ - /ˈbʌslɪŋ/ - /ˈvaɪbrəәnt/ Sinh động, rộn ràng, nhộn nhịp
E.g: Da Nang is a vibrant city worth living. That is the reason why there are a lot of people wanting
to live there.
4. Industrial (hay cụm industrial zone): (thuộc) khu công nghiệp
E.g: If you live in an industrial zone, it is very risky for your health because you have to breathe in a
polluted air.
5. Provincial: /prəәˈvɪnʃl/ Thuộc về tỉnh
E.g: My hometown is a provincial town but it has changed a lot during the last five years.
6. Historic: /hɪˈstɒrɪk/ Có tính chất lịch sử, được ghi vào lịch sử
E.g: My hometown has many historic places such as …., so it attracts many tourists from all walks
of life.
7. Cosmopolitan: /ˌkɒzməәˈpɒlɪtəәn/ Containing people of different types or from different countries,
and influenced by their culture - Thuộc toàn thế giới, thuộc quốc tế
E.g: Ha Noi is a cosmopolitan city