IELTS Speaking Practice: Hometown

I grew up in a medium-sized city on the coast, about two hours' drive from the capital. It's the kind of place where you can be on the beach in the morning and in the mountains by the afternoon, which I think is quite rare.

Useful language:medium-sized citytwo hours' drive from

Mainly for its seafood and its old harbour. The fish market there has been running for over a hundred years, so a lot of tourists come just to eat at the little restaurants along the waterfront. It's also known for a summer music festival that attracts people from all over the country.

Useful language:waterfrontattracts people from all over

Probably the sense of community. Even though it's a city, the neighbourhood I grew up in is very close-knit, so people know each other by name and look out for one another. Whenever I go back, the shopkeepers still ask about my family.

Useful language:close-knitlook out for one another

I'd improve public transport. The buses are quite infrequent, especially in the evenings, so most people rely on their cars, and that causes a lot of congestion in the centre during the summer.

Useful language:infrequentrely oncongestion

Yes, quite dramatically. The old industrial area by the port has been regenerated, so where there used to be empty warehouses there are now cafés, offices and a modern library. On the downside, rents have gone up a lot, so some long-term residents have had to move out.

Useful language:regeneratedon the downsidelong-term residents

It's great for families, but I'd say it's less ideal for young people. There's a university and some nightlife, but career opportunities are limited, especially in fields like technology, so many graduates move to the capital.

Useful language:career opportunitiesgraduates

Maybe later in life. Right now I want the opportunities that a bigger city offers, but I can definitely imagine moving back to raise a family, because the pace of life is slower and the cost of living is lower.

Useful language:pace of lifecost of living

I'd like to talk about a small park on a hill overlooking the old harbour in my hometown. It's only about a ten-minute walk from my parents' house, up a narrow street lined with old stone houses.

The park itself isn't very big, but it's beautifully kept. There are a few winding paths, some benches shaded by enormous pine trees, and at the top there's a viewing point with a low wall where you can see the whole bay: the fishing boats, the lighthouse and, on a clear day, the islands on the horizon. In spring the whole hill is covered in wild flowers, which makes it even more picturesque.

When I lived there, I used to go almost every evening, either on my own with a book or with my best friend from school. These days I only get back to my hometown a few times a year, but whenever I do, it's usually the first place I visit, often with my dad, who likes to walk up there after dinner.

I enjoy it for a few reasons. Firstly, it's incredibly peaceful. Even in the busy summer season it's never crowded, so it's a perfect place to switch off. Secondly, watching the sunset over the bay is just spectacular. But I think the main reason is the memories. I spent a lot of my teenage years there, talking about the future with friends, so going back reminds me of where I come from and makes me feel grounded.

Useful language:overlookingbeautifully keptpicturesqueswitch offfeel grounded

The main reason is economic. Big cities concentrate the best-paid jobs, especially in sectors like finance and technology, as well as the top universities. There's also a social pull: young people are attracted by the cultural life, the diversity and the feeling that there are more possibilities. In smaller towns, career paths can feel quite limited, so moving away is often seen as a necessary step to get ahead.

Useful language:concentratesocial pullget ahead

I think children in small towns often have more freedom. Because the streets are safer and everyone knows each other, they can walk to school or play outside independently from a younger age. There's also usually more access to nature. On the other hand, city children are exposed to more diversity and have better access to things like museums, specialist schools and extracurricular activities, so there are trade-offs either way.

Useful language:independentlyexposed totrade-offs

Investing in transport and digital infrastructure is probably the most effective step. If a town has fast broadband and good rail links, people can work remotely or commute to a nearby city, which makes living there much more realistic. Beyond that, supporting local businesses, keeping the town centre lively and providing good schools and healthcare all encourage families to stay.

Useful language:digital infrastructurerail linkscommute

In some ways, yes, because people move more often for work and study, so they might live in four or five places during their lives. But technology has also made it easier to stay connected. People follow local news online and keep in touch with old friends through social media, so the emotional connection hasn't disappeared. It's just maintained from a distance.

Useful language:emotional connectionfrom a distance

The biggest change is that cities have expanded enormously. Many former villages on the outskirts have been absorbed into urban areas. At the same time, city centres have changed from places where people lived to places dominated by offices, shops and tourism, which has pushed housing costs up. More recently, there's been a push to make cities greener, with more cycle lanes and pedestrian zones.

Useful language:absorbed intopushed uppedestrian zones

I think it depends on the building's value. Genuinely historic buildings are irreplaceable. Once they're gone, a part of the town's identity is lost forever, and they often attract tourism too. However, not every old building is significant, and housing shortages cause real hardship. The best approach is often to convert old buildings into flats, which preserves the heritage while still meeting the need for homes.

Useful language:irreplaceablehousing shortagesheritage