Describe an interesting neighbour – IELTS speaking part 2 and part 3
The key word here is of course ‘interesting’ and as your speaking you should be trying to use this word at least 5 or 6 times as you speak.
“One very interesting thing about John is that he can speak 4 different languages….”
“John told me how he had travelled to many different countries as a volunteer worker, which I think is so fascinating.”
“I think John is actually one of the most interesting people I have ever had the pleasure to meet….”
Describe an interesting neighbour
You should say-
- Who this neighbour is
- How long have you known him/her
- What kind of person he/she is
And explain why you think this neighbour is interesting
“I’m extremely lucky to have a number of very good and helpful neighbours, but when it comes to an interesting neighbour, that would have to be Joe, who lives in the apartment right opposite mine.
I first had the pleasure of meeting Joe just over a year ago, very soon after I moved into the building, and thanked my lucky stars the day I met him. It was during one of the Covid lockdowns, and it was impossible to go outside to buy groceries, which was making things quite difficult for me… being a foreigner.
I remember it was about 3 days into the lockdown when Joe knocked on my door and introduced himself to me. The first thing that caught my interest was his excellent use of English, and how he seemed to have a slight Australian accent. To cut a long story short, he told me how he guessed that being a foreigner I might need some help in buying food and other necessities during the lockdown, and had come to offer me some help, which really made my day.
After thanking him for his generous offer, I invited him into my apartment for a chat over a cup of coffee, and we spent the next few hours chatting and getting to know one another. He told me how he had spent a number of years living and travelling abroad, which explained his excellent level of English.
He had so many interesting stories of his travels, but the one that really stood out was his account of the time he travelled across the entire width of Australia, and lived to tell the tale. As an avid traveller myself, I found all of this so fascinating and incredibly interesting, and we sat for hours swapping stories on our different adventures.
Thank you.”
Idioms
- To thank one’s lucky stars
To be very grateful for something
“You should thank your lucky stars to have so many good friends.”
- To cut a long story short
To explain something in just a few words rather than giving all the details.
“I met my girlfriend about 2 years ago, and to cut a long story short we are getting married next month.”
- To make one’s day
The cause to make someone very happy, and enjoy the day.
“When my colleagues surprised me with a cake for my birthday, it really made my day.”
- Over a cup of coffee/tea/drink
This simply means to have a chat/talk while drinking a coffee, tea or any other kind of drink.
“Let’s meet up at 2 and discuss the matter over a cup of coffee.”
- To stand out
To be much better than similar things or people.
“We had so many applicants for the job, but one stood out from the rest.”
- Live to tell the tale
To deal with and survive a dangerous or very difficult situation.
“While hiking up the mountain, we got caught in a heavy storm, which was pretty scary, however we lived to tell the tale.”
Describe an interesting neighbour – IELTS speaking part 3
1.Do most people in your country know their neighbours?
“I think this is something that has really changed in recent years, and that today, especially in the bigger cities, a lot of people don’t actually know their neighbours.
I guess the main reason for this is because people today are generally very busy with work, with very busy schedules, and don’t have the time for getting to know their neighbours. Furthermore, I believe that people today have a very high dependence on technology, and have even lost the ability to socially interact with neighbours.
I really think this has an extremely negative impact on society, and that something needs to be done, to encourage people to interact more with neighbours, as there are a lot of people living alone, both young and old who are often in need of help or just some neighbourly kindness. “
2.What are some benefits of having good neighbours?
“Well, personally I think there are many benefits of having good neighbours, and I think good neighbours can help both make our lives safer as well as more enjoyable. A good neighbour can help keep your property safe, or help look after your pets, if you are away travelling.
What’s more, good neighbours can provide a better social life and lots of fun on weekends or holidays. For example, you can have dinners or barbeques together, or just have someone to talk to over a coffee any day of the week.
On top of that, they can lend you things, for example an ingredient you forgot to buy to cook a special meal, or some tools for when you want to fix something in your home. So, I think there are plenty of good reasons to befriend your neighbours.”
3.What are the qualities of a good neighbor?
“In my opinion, a good neighbour should firstly be friendly, approachable and easy to talk to. On top of that, they should be quiet, as there is nothing worse than having noisy neighbours, especially when trying to sleep at night. Another important quality is to be helpful, and very often it’s a relief to have a helping hand, for example taking care of children, pets or even just having someone to talk to when we might feel a little lonely or isolated.”
4.Do you think the relationship has changed between neighbours over the years?
“Yes, I think it’s certainly changed over the past number of years, and neighbours really don’t have the same kind of relationships that they had in the past. I think 20 years ago people cared more about each other, and generally speaking everyone made a point of knowing and getting along with their neighbours.
However, in recent years because of increasingly busy schedules, and people communicating more and more online rather than face to face, the relationship between neighbours is often very distant.
Having said that I do believe it’s still possible to make friends, and have a close relationship with some of our neighbours, if we make the effort to do so.”
5.Do you think it’s important for children to be taught to have good relationships with neighbours?
“In my opinion, yes, I think it’s very important for kids to learn to be polite, and friendly towards their neighbours. If by some chance children upset or offend neighbours, it would also make it difficult for the parents to have a good relationship with that neighbour.
What’s more it’s also very important for children to learn how to relate to, as well as communicate with others, and interacting with neighbours gives them a great opportunity to do this.”
More links to IELTS speaking part 2 and part 3 example answers.
Describe something you did to learn another language
Describe a time you were very busy
Describe a quiet place you like to go – IELTS speaking
Describe a surprise that made you happy-IELTS speaking
Describe a competition-IELTS speaking
Describe a difficult decision you made-IELTS speaking
Describe a traffic jam – IELTS part 2
