IELTS Speaking Part 1: Hometown
Hometown questions test whether you can describe a place, compare past and present, and give opinions. Pick a few concrete details, such as size, location and one thing it is known for, and be ready to talk about how it has changed.
Practise hometown questions now
Hometown questions
- Where is your hometown?
- What was it like growing up there?
- Has it changed much since you were a child?
- What do you like most about living there?
- What kinds of things can visitors to your hometown go and see?
- Do you think you will live there when you are older?
Sample answers
Where is your hometown?
My hometown is a coastal town called Izmir in western Turkey. It's actually a fairly big city, with around four million people, and it's known for its long seafront promenade and relaxed atmosphere.
Has it changed much since you were a child?
Yes, quite a lot. When I was a child, there were mainly low-rise buildings near the sea, but over the last fifteen years many tall apartment blocks have gone up. The public transport has improved a lot too; there's now a metro line that didn't exist when I was young.
Original examples written for SpeakingIELTS. Notice the pattern—a direct answer, then a reason or detail—and use your own true information. Do not memorise them.
Useful words and phrases
- it's known for
- a fairly big city
- have gone up
- it's changed beyond recognition
- the pace of life
- I'd consider moving back
Common mistakes
- Giving a geography lesson full of statistics instead of personal impressions.
- Using only the present tense when the question asks about the past ("What was it like growing up there?").
- Saying "there is nothing to see". Even a small town has a market, a park or local food you can describe.
Practise it now
Answer each question above aloud in 20–30 seconds, or start a timed session that begins with hometown and adds two other random topics, just like the real test. Record yourself, listen once, and check your answers with the self-evaluation checklist.
Other Part 1 topics
Work · Studies · Home · Family · Freetime · Food · Weather · Public Transport · Sport · Books · Internet · Routine · Travel · Technology · Social Media
Moving on to Part 2? See cue cards with sample answers.