# Describe a place you would recommend to live in: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Places

Describe a place (not your hometown) that you would recommend as a place to live.

You should say:
- where it is
- how you know about this place
- what it is like to live there
- and explain why you would recommend it

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

The place I'd recommend is Ljubljana, which is the capital of Slovenia, a small country in central Europe between Italy, Austria, Croatia and Hungary. I know it quite well because I lived there for one semester as an exchange student about three years ago.

Living there was really pleasant. The city isn't very big, so you can go almost everywhere by bike or on foot. The old centre is built along a river, and a lot of it is closed to cars, so in the evenings people sit outside in the cafés along the riverbank, even in spring when it's still a bit cold. There are also many greeneries, for example there's a big park with forest paths just a short walk from the centre, and I used to go running there almost every morning. The public transport is good too, and the buses are cheap.

I'd recommend it for a few reasons. The first one is that it's very safe and calm, so it's a good place for families or for people who don't like crowded cities. Another reason is that the location is great, because in a couple of hours you can be in the mountains, at the sea or in another country, so it's perfect if you like travelling. And also, the people I met were friendly and most young people speaks very good English, so it's easy to settle in even if you don't know the local language.

Of course it's not perfect. The winters are quite grey and foggy, and salaries are lower than in some western countries. But overall, I think the quality of life is very high.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer covers all four points with relevant, accurate detail about transport, green spaces and location. Expressions like "exchange student", "settle in" and "quality of life" are used appropriately, and the speaker adds balance by mentioning drawbacks. Linking is clear but formulaic ("the first one", "another reason", "and also"), and some vocabulary is general ("really pleasant", "very safe"). There are also typical errors: "many greeneries" (rather than "a lot of greenery" or "many green areas") and "most young people speaks" (rather than "speak"). For Band 8, the speaker would describe daily life with more precise, idiomatic language and connect reasons more naturally.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-place-you-would-recommend-to-live).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.