# Describe your hometown: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Places

Describe your hometown.

You should say:
- where it is
- what it is like
- what people can do there
- and explain how you feel about your hometown

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

## Band 7 sample

My hometown is a small fishing town on the coast, in the south of my country. It's about three hours by train from the capital, and I think around thirty thousand people live there, so it's not tiny, but everyone kind of knows everyone.

The town is built around a harbour, and the old part has narrow streets with white houses and colourful doors. In the morning you can see the fishing boats coming back and people buying fish directly from the fishermen. Further from the sea, there's a newer area with a shopping centre, a hospital and some apartment blocks, which is a bit less charming, to be honest.

As for things to do, in summer it's really lively because of the tourists. People go swimming, take boat trips along the coast, or just sit in the cafés by the harbour and watch the sunset. There's also a small festival every August with music and fireworks on the beach. In winter, though, it's very quiet, and a lot of restaurants close, so young people often get bored and go to the bigger city nearby in the weekends.

How do I feel about it? Well, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, I love it, because it's peaceful and the air is so fresh, and whenever I go back I feel relaxed immediately. My family is there too, of course. On the other hand, there isn't many jobs, especially for young people, so most of my school friends moved away, including me. I think it's a wonderful place to grow up and to visit, but at the moment it's not easy to build a career there.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer covers all four points clearly and gives a balanced view of the town, with concrete details like the morning fish sales and the August festival. Expressions such as "everyone kind of knows everyone", "a bit less charming" and "mixed feelings" add range. However, the structure is predictable ("on one hand ... on the other hand"), the vocabulary is sometimes general ("really lively", "very quiet"), and there are typical errors: "there isn't many jobs" (rather than "there aren't") and "in the weekends" (rather than "at the weekends"). For Band 8, the speaker would use more precise and idiomatic language to bring the town to life and link ideas more flexibly.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-your-hometown).

## 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.