IELTS Speaking Part 2: 'local area' answer

Describe a change that you would like to see in your local area.
You should say

- what the change would be
- who would be involved in making the change
- how it would be done
- and why you would like to see the change happen.

Here's my band 9 sample answer:

• The change that I’d like to see in my local neighbourhood is the pedestrianisation of the main shopping street in the town centre. I’d like to see traffic diverted around this area in order to make it safer and more attractive for visitors and shoppers. Most of the traffic that clogs up the main street is just passing through the town, but it’s the local people who have to put up with the congestion, noise and pollution.
• It’s the job of the local council to make changes like the one I’m suggesting. But before the council does anything, there usually needs to be some pressure from local people to bring a problem to light. So, perhaps we need a campaign by local residents who want to see this change. Then the council might contract a town planner or an architect to come up with some possible designs for a new road system.
• I’m not sure how exactly the process of creating a pedestrian street would work, but I imagine that it would require detailed planning. Perhaps a bypass would need to be built around the town centre first. This would give drivers a faster alternative to driving through the town, and it would allow the main shopping street to be blocked off and pedestrianised.
• I’d like to see this change because it would really improve the quality of life of residents in the town where I live. I can imagine the new pedestrian street having cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating. It would be a safer and more pleasant place for families to go shopping, and I’m sure this would have a positive knock-on effect on local shops and businesses.

Comments

[noor]

Dear Simon
In the beginning thank you for your question and answer
I have some questions
1- why you used in the word (campaign and not demonstration)??
2- what do you mean in (a problem to light) and ( positive knock-on effect)??
Best regards

[Jason]

Sorry, Simon,
I have one question related to maps.
Sometimes, candidates need to describe classroom layouts and floor plans. I wonder whether it is appropriate to use North, South and other words describing locations in these charts, because classrooms and floors are normally much smaller than a city or a park.
for example, it may be strange to describe a chair in the corner of a room as "a chair in the northwestern corner of a room". could you pls tell us the differences between room or office layouts and larger maps in terms of language?

many thanks!

[Nadia]

Hi Simon ,
I would like to thank you , it's a brilliant answer .

[Simon]

Noor,

A 'demonstration' is too strong - it implies people marching in the street.

Look up "bring something to light" and "knock-on effect" in a dictionary or on Google. You'll find the meanings and other examples.

...

Jason,

I wouldn't use north, south etc. when describing floor plans - I don't think we can assume that the top of a building plan will always be north, and I agree that it would be strange to write about a chair being in the northwestern corner!

It would be better to use top, bottom, left, right. Or perhaps it would be better not to use these words at all - you can describe the position of things in relation to other things e.g. a chair in the corner near to the front door of the house.

...

Thanks Nadia. I'm glad you like it!

[ns]

I got my result today.
Listening 9
Reading 7.5
Writing 6
Speaking 7

[Lex]

Hi Simon,

I'm currently studying for my IELTS test, which is in two weeks, and frankly, I'm a little disoriented and scared, mostly because I don't know how 'good' I am at the moment. I'm aiming high - band 8.0 or 8.5, and I'm very nervous. All these contradicting opinions and 'tips' from past test takers aren't helping, either.

Anyway, my question is: How do you think the Cambridge practice tests books compare with the actual tests, in terms of difficulty? I started off using books 7-10 and did well on the Reading and Listening sections, but then I started doing tests in the Longman IELTS Practice Test Plus 1-3 books and ran into a lot of trouble. Do you think someone can achieve a high score in Listening/Reading from just doing Cambridge practice tests, or do we need more difficult materials? I know the actual Listening tape is a little faster than the ones in the practice tests, but other than that I havce no idea.

Also, are the IELTS Listening/Reading recent actual tests books official study material? Thank you and sorry for the long comment, I tend to ramble when I'm nervous!

[Sarwar]

Hi guys result is not displaying.is there any bodybfrom pakistan who have chekd his result

[Sarwar]

It is shwoing your result not found what does it mean can any body tell me

[Julie]

I got the exact same speaking test on August 1

[luwei]

hi Simon

I'm new here, and I'm from a small city in mainland China, I really appreciate your lessons and unreserved advice in this blog.I don't think we have any website like the one yours which shares all the valuable as well as relevant methods and resources of Ielts in China. Under most circumstances, we have to go to educational institutions to pay high price in order to receive the training towards Ielts and Toefl, the lessons of which given by chinese teachers are often under poor quality especially in small cities since all they care is about money. The interesting thing is that both chinese students and parents buy that, they think the more they pay, the better education they will receive. Anyway, it's a long story.

Your daily lessons and your persistence in maintaining the website inspired me alot, I decide to stop my procrastination and write my answer to the part2 question as frequent as i can in order to prepare myself for my upcoming Ielts exam. I have a problem here, the biggest problem i find about my english study is to write out and speak out native sentences. sometimes,I notice the sentences I wrote were really strange but I don't know how to rewrite them in a native way.

Here is one sentence i wrote about the change i'd like to see, if possible, please tell me whether my sentence sounds strange:
As a result, my good mood for the day is often spoilt by the stuffy air and packed crowds in the bus.

Many thx
have a nice day

[Ayman]

Hi Simon

I am studying Ielts test right now, I need 6 band in total and I hope get it soon. Your website is very perfect and helpful. Everyday I see my skills are improving. In my last words, I would like to thank you very much and you are a good teacher.

Regards,
Ayman

[Simon]

Lex,

You can trust the Cambridge books - the tests in them are real past exam papers, so the level is exactly right. Don't use practice tests from any other publishers - they won't be as realistic.

...

Luwei,

I'm glad you found my site and that you like it! I'm afraid I don't check people's work here (even if it's just a sentence). If I did this, I would receive sentences, paragraphs and essays from hundreds of people. Sorry about that.

...

Thanks Ayman!

[Kaushi]

Hi Simon
I'm planning to do my IELTS at the end of September.But I'm very week in my grammar for writting and speaking.And also I'm using wrong words.In wich way I can get help from you?

[Rokshana]

Good answer.thanks Simon.

[Irispvu]

I need someone to speaking English with me on skype, my skype name is irispvu.
Have a nice day

[Sandhya]

Hello simon
I have ielts exam on coming Saturday.i have gone through book posted to me but I'm not confident enough about my practice.can you suggest me how to get 7.5 band.

Thankyou

[nikhil]

i have changed my part 2 question will it affect my score.