PART 1
THE COUNTRYSIDE
OR THE RURAL
PLACE
Have you ever lived in the countryside?
(Answer 1)
No, I haven’t, I was born and raised in the city. All my life I’ve been living in a concrete jungle and to be honest with you, my family really wants to move out from the city where we’re currently living since the cost of living is exorbitant. Recently, our family has been considering moving and the countryside is one of our options.
(Answer 2)
Yes, and I’ve been living in the countryside since I was born. Actually, I left home very early today to get here and it took me four hours by bus. My house is very far from here but I love living in the countryside since it is pretty laid-back and everything is affordable. The only downside that I see is that there aren’t many job opportunities there.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Born and raised [idiom] – having lived in one’s birthplace
Concrete jungle [noun] – a city or an urban area where there are a lot of modern buildings
Move out [phrasal verb] – leave one’s residence
Exorbitant [adj.] – unreasonably high
Move (-ing) [verb] – to go to a different place to live
Laid-back [adj.] – relaxed and easy-going
Downside [noun] – the negative aspect
TIPS
i.) ANSWER 1: The speaker gave a negative answer and talked about his residence – telling the examiner that he didn’t have any experience of living in the countryside as he was a city boy. Then, he talked about his life in the city which was difficult in terms of the cost of living. He ended his answer by talking about his family’s plan to move out. With this kind of answer, the speaker was able to express his thoughts a bit longer which means he’s able to communicate more effectively.
ii.) ANSWER 2: The speaker gave a positive answer and talked about his current residence which was the countryside. In order for him to extend his answer, he talked about the distance of his residence to the city where he’s taking the exam. That makes him sound very natural, and he ended his answer by talking about the good and bad aspects of living in the country. Do your best to express naturally like the speaker.
Do you like to go to the countryside?
(This question is asked if your answer to the previous question is negative.)
(Answer 1)
Yes, I do, like I said a while ago, our family is thinking of moving out to the country, I’d love to see some places in the countryside. I would like to help my family find a house where we can start living, I think it’ll be refreshing since everything in the country is the complete opposite of what I see in the metropolis.
(Answer 2)
Yes definitely, these days I’ve been exhausted from all the demands of my work, I believe visiting the countryside will surely help me relieve all the work-related stress that I have. In the country, I can totally unwind since there’s serenity and at the same time I can be close to nature.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Refreshing [adj.] – pleasantly different from what you used to see or experience
Metropolis [noun] – capital city
Exhausted [adj.] – very tired
Relieve [verb] – alleviate
Totally [adv.] – completely; absolutely
Unwind [verb] – relax
The country [noun] – refers to the countryside
Serenity [noun] – the state of calmness
Close to nature [expression] – being able to see trees, animals and have a good experience with nature
TIPS
i.) ANSWER 1: The speaker simply reiterated what he previously said in the first question and then talked about how interested he was in seeing the countryside. Also, he extended his answer by telling the examiner that he wanted to give a hand in finding the best house for them to live in the country. Sometimes, the question is very similar to what you previously answered, so you have to make sure that you’re quick enough to think of other ideas so you do not repeat the same idea that you’ve already mentioned beforehand.
ii.) ANSWER 2: The speaker gave a positive answer with a good expression. Then he talked about his current condition especially how his work became stressful and how it affected him. Then, he thought that going to the countryside was the best thing he could do to make himself better. Relating the question to your current situation can help you a lot in expressing your ideas.
What do you usually do in the countryside?
(This question is asked when you are living in the countryside or when you regularly pay a visit to the countryside.)
(Answer 1)
As I’m a resident of the country, I do farming – planting crops and taking care of farm animals. It’s a back-breaking job that only those who are physically strong can endure. Honestly, that’s the main reason why I am taking this IELTS exam as I would like to study abroad and one day get a better job.
(Answer 2)
Well, I can do a lot of things since there’s almost no internet connectivity in the countryside where my family visits. Actually, we have a shack in the countryside and there’s a river in front of it so I do several water activities such as swimming, kayaking, and boating. During the night, I just read books or enjoy stargazing, especially in summer. I like it because it makes me stop and appreciate the beauty of nature and it’s a great way for me to have a break from using social media.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Crop [noun] – cultivated plant that is grown on a huge scale such as oats, wheat, vegetables, fruits
Back-breaking [adj.] – physically demanding
Endure [verb] – suffer patiently; go through
Shack [noun] – a simple building usually made of wood used as a resthouse
Several [determiner] – more than two but not many
Stargaze (-ing) [verb] – to observe the stars
TIPS
i.) ANSWER 1: As the speaker is a dweller in the country, he talked about his job in the country as a direct answer to the question. Then he transitioned, talking about the reason why he’s taking the exam. It sounded very natural! When you relate your answer to your current situation or experience, you will surely express it spontaneously and that makes you sound very natural.
ii.) ANSWER 2: The speaker talked about the real situation of what’s in the countryside. Then, he enumerated the activities that he enjoyed doing which is the answer to the question. Finally, he ended his answer by adding his realization of how the country helped him disconnect from the virtual world. Such a very good way to end his answer!
Would you like to live in the country in the future?
(Note: The answers below have nothing to do with the previous answers. The two answers are independent sample answers only.)
(Answer 1)
Perhaps when I retire, I believe that’s the best time to live for good in the countryside – knowing that when we get old, we want nothing but a peaceful life away from the hustle and bustle of the city. So yes, I’m considering living in the country during my retirement.
(Answer 2)
The possibility of living in the country never crossed my mind at all! I know how peaceful and beautiful the country is however the city is a better place to live since it’s way more convenient. All the important facilities such as hospitals, malls, gyms, prestigious universities, and the like are just accessible.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
For good [phrase] – permanently; forever
Hustle and bustle [idiom] – busy and frenetic
Retirement [noun] – the act of stopping to work
Never cross (one’s) mind [expression] – you never think of the idea of…
Accessible [adj.] – reachable; available
TIPS
i.) ANSWER 1: As the speaker’s not certain, he simply just gave his assumption (‘maybe’), then he extended his answer by talking about the good aspects of living in the country which the city cannot provide. If you aren’t sure, don’t be afraid to give your ‘maybes’.
ii.) ANSWER 2: The speaker gave a negative answer in a different way – not the traditional way of saying ‘no’. Then to extend his answer, he acknowledged the beauty of the country but he emphasized on talking why he preferred the city over the country.
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IELTS Speaking PART 1 Topic
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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