IELTS Speaking Part 1: Hometown

1. What kind of place is it?

My hometown is Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. As one of the main metropolises in my country, it is a densely populated area and faces traffic congestion all the time.

2. What’s the most interesting part of your hometown?

I suppose it might be the Old Quarter, the most ancient part of my city. If people, especially foreign tourists come here, they will have a chance to immerse themselves in a combination of traditional and contemporary architecture, which they can hardly find in other regions of Hanoi.

3. What kind of jobs do people in your town/ village do?

As I said before, my hometown is the capital of Vietnam, so there is a wide range of jobs for people, including blue-collar and white-collar jobs.

4. Is your hometown changing?

Yes, of course, every day. Our government invests so much in Hanoi’s economic growth. The public transport system is being upgraded and skyscrapers are springing up like mushrooms.

5. Would you say it is a good place to live in? Why?

Don’t get me wrong, but Hanoi is not a good place to settle down. To be honest, I think people get really sick and tired of its hustle and bustle. Living here means people have accepted to face health problems every day. Being stuck in traffic jams and breathing in polluted air on a daily basis is detrimental to their mental and physical health.

6. What changes would you like to make to your hometown?

If I could make a change for the better, I would adopt some solutions to control population growth in Hanoi, like imposing limitations on immigrants. Also, I would find more ways to reduce traffic jams.

7. What are the advantages of living in your hometown?

Let’s me see. Street food is the first thing that comes to my mind. Hanoi is famous for its yummy street food, so one of the benefits of living here is the chance to immerse in its special cuisine. Another thing is the nightlife. People will never feel bored in Hanoi, with different places to chill out at night, such as bars, clubs and juke joints.

8. What are some problems that your hometown is faced with?

Actually there are so many. But the most pressing issue is air pollution, I suppose. You know, the air is severely polluted due to a massive amount of exhaust fumes released from private vehicles into the atmosphere every day. People living in Hanoi also suffer from unhygienic food, a major cause of sickness and disease. Almost everything in Hanoi is served at roadside stalls and most do not have clean settings.

9. Compare your hometown with a nearby city.

Compared to Hung Yen, a neighbouring town of Hanoi, my hometown’s economy is more developed. However, Hung Yen’s got fresh air and lots of natural scenery, which children in Hanoi rarely have a chance to enjoy

10 . What are some environmental problems in your hometown?

One serious environmental problem we are facing is tons of non-biodegradable plastic waste. Even though the government has conducted several educational campaigns to raise the public’s awareness, the residents still use plastic products every single day and unintentionally destroy the environment.