Neighbours & Neighbourhood: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer

We all know the adage “Love thy neighbour”. But, sometimes, our experiences with neighbours may not be perfect. So, with the help of the given Part 1 questions, you get to express your thoughts and practise your Speaking skills before facing the actual exam.

Speaking part 1

1 Do you know your neighbours?

Yes, I do. My family has been living on the same block since I was born, so we’ve gotten to know each other quite well. We are close to my next door neighbor in particular, Ms. Elizabeth. As she’s a widowed (husband died) 80 year old woman in poor health, we keep a close eye on her to make sure she’s managing on her own. The other neighbors have come and gone (many new ones have moved here, many have moved away) so we aren’t as close with them.

2 Do you like your neighbours?

Some of them! We are all quite fond of Miss Elizabeth; she has always been like a grandmother to me. She has always been there during our important milestones (important life stages) in life. I’m always thrilled when she turns up at our door with freshly baked banana bread. On the other hand, some of our other neighbors are quite stand-offish ( unfriendly) so we tend to keep our distance. However, Miss Elizabeth is family.

3 What do you think of your neighbours?

I think they are just so-so people. It seems as though they lead stressful daily lives and cannot be bothered (making the effort would bother them) to talk to their neighbors. They are caught up in (lost in) their own family dramas. We used to be friends with another neighbor, but then she ended up being too nosey (too interested in the lives of others), so now we just smile at her but don’t share our business.

4 How often do you see (or talk to) your neighbours?

Other than Ms. Elizabeth, I just see them in passing (see briefly). So, I see them everyday but really only talk to them once or twice a week when we are forced to be in the same vicinity. For example, when I take the garbage out, we usually make small talk (talk about unimportant things, like the weather etc.)

Bonus Questions:

5 Talk about your neighborhood./What is your neighbourhood like?

It’s an idyllic suburb on the outskirts of Miami. The people are nice and helpful, the area is affordable and it’s close to work. The best part? The beach is only a stone’s throw away! I couldn’t have asked for a better place to live in.

6 Do you think you are a good neighbour?

Well, I try to be! I always go out of my way to help any neighbour in distress, and other neighbours are the same. Also, I always do my part in organising community events. So yeah, I think I’m a good neighbour.

Vocabulary

• Widowed:  husband died
  Eg: Sita was a thirty year old widowed woman.
• offish: unfriendly
  Eg: He is reacting in an offish manner with everyone.
•  Caught up in: lost in
  Eg: The rat is being caught up in the net.
• Nosey: too interested in the lives of others
  Eg: The old lady is nosey.
• Make small talk:  talk about unimportant things, like the weather etc
  Eg: They are making small talk.

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