IELTS Topic: Home

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Vocab & Idioms

Go over the following vocabulary and expressions with your tutor. Read the word/expression and definition out loud, and your tutor will go over anything you do not understand. Practice creating a sentence or two to make sure you know how to use the word/expression properly.

Vocabulary/ Expressions

Furnished (n) – to provide furniture in a rented apartment or house (antonym – unfurnished)
Condominium (n) – condo for short; similar to an apartment, but usually has common grounds like gym, pool, etc.
Outskirts (n) – the outer areas of a town or city
Mortgage (n) – an agreement that allows you to borrow money from a bank or similar organization, especially to buy a house
Neighborhood (n) – the people living near one another; a district in a town or city
Rental agreement or leasing terms (n) – the legal conditions/terms between the owner and rentee of an apartment, condo, etc.
Move in (phrasal verb) – to start living in a home
Move out (phrasal verb) – to leave a home usually to live in another one
Home sweet home (idiom) – after being away to say that one is happy to be home
A roof over my head (idiom) – a place to live

Part 1 Questions

Here are possible questions that might come up during the test. Go over them with your tutor.

Topic

  • Do you live in a house or an apartment?
  • How long have you lived there?
  • What is your favorite room in your home?

Part 2&3 Questions

Here are possible questions that might come up during the test. Go over them with your tutor.

Sample A

Part 2 Questions

  • Describe an electrical device in your home. You should say:
    • what it is
    • how often you use it
    • who you use it with
    • and explain why you use it.

Part 3 Questions

  • What is the most important appliance in your home?
  • Is it important to conserve electricity?

Sample B

Part 2 Questions

  • Talk about a quiet place in your home where you go to relax. You should say:
    • where it’s at
    • when you usually go there
    • what you do there
    • and why you like this place.

Part 3 Questions

  • Is it better to own or rent a home?
  • What are some advantages of owning a home?

Sample C

Part 2 Questions

  • Talk about an apartment or house you would like to live in. You should say:
    • what it would look like
    • how big or small it would be
    • where it would be located
    • and explain why you would like to live there.

Part 3 Questions

  • Why do people like to hang pictures on the walls in their home?
  • Do you think more people will work from home in the future?

Sample Answers

Here are some sample answers. Go over them with your tutor.

Part 1 Questions

  • Do you live in a house or an apartment?
    • Currently, I rent a 10th floor furnished condo on the south side in Bangkok. Eventually, I would like to buy a home, but in the countryside where it’s quieter.
  • How long have you lived there?
    • I’ve been living here for only 3 months. Before I started living here, I lived temporarily in a beach town in Costa Rica.
  • What is your favorite room in your home?
    • Honestly, I don’t have a favorite room. Having said that, I often hang out on my balcony where I can view the outskirts of the city. I would say this is my favorite place.

Part 2&3 Answers

Here are some sample answers. Go over them with your tutor.

Sample A

Part 2 Questions

  • Describe an electrical device in your home. You should say:
    • what it is
    • how often you use it
    • who you use it with
    • and explain why you use it.

The first thing that comes to my mind is my laptop because I’m using it all the time in my home, so I’m going to talk about it.

Let me start by saying I work online from my condo which explains why I’m on my computer all the time. I’ve been working online from home for almost two years and counting.

Umm, I forgot to mention that I’m an online English teacher. So, I’m probably on my device for 10 or more hours per day to include weekends. I guess you can call me a workaholic, although I must say, I do take breaks once in awhile because my eyes get tired and sore. In addition, I have to use lubricating eye drops to relieve the soreness

Frankly, I don’t let anyone else use my computer because I’m afraid they will do something that will cause damage or lose important data. I’m paranoid when it comes to other people touching and using it. Sometimes I think about engraving a note on the top of my computer, “hands off”!

What I like the most about my computer is the fact that I can do my work from anywhere in my condo. When the weather is nice, I sit out on my balcony. When the weather is ugly, I prefer to work at my desk which is located in my bedroom. I can honestly say, portability is the best.

Before I forget to mention it, if I didn’t have my laptop, I would be lost. Well, out of a job also to say the least. Let’s hope that never happens!


Part 3 Questions

  • What is the most important appliance in your home?
    • It’s kinda hard to pick just one, but I would have to say the refrigerator. How would people keep their food from spoiling if they didn’t have one? I think it’s an absolute necessity to have one nowadays.
  • Is it important to conserve electricity?
    • Without a doubt, yes, it’s highly important to save this valuable resource. If people are using too much or wasting it, it has an impact on our lives. I just wish more people would be energy conscientious and turn off lights when they leave their house or office.

Sample B

Part 2 Questions

  • Talk about a quiet place in your home where you go to relax. You should say:
    • where it’s at
    • when you usually go there
    • what you do there
    • and why you like this place.

Believe it or not, most of the time I’m in my living room watching TV or on my computer, yet I don’t find it peaceful and tranquil. This is why I like to get away from it all in my bedroom.

My bedroom is definitely the one place in my apartment that allows me to kick back and enjoy some alone time without a lot of disturbing noises such as cars zooming down the street, my neighbors arguing, and even my loud talking coworkers.

For one thing, my bedroom is the quietest place in my home. It’s in the back and away from the noisy streets. The only sounds I can really hear are those from chirping birds or the soft sounds from a wind chime right outside my window. I guess it also helps that I live in the suburbs where it’s quieter than the city.

The other thing I like about my room is that it has an almost silent air conditioner, unlike the other rooms in my apartment where the air conditioners are a bit loud. It really helps, mostly when I’m taking a nap or sleeping at night.

My room is my hideout where I can do whatever I want. Some of the things that I do are play video games, video chat with my friends, and listen to some great music with my noise canceling Bose headphones.

My family and friends know where to find me if I’m not in the living room.


Part 3 Questions

  • Is it better to own or rent a home?
    • I think it depends on the person and what’s happening in their life. In my current situation, it’s better for me to rent an apartment because I travel a lot. On top of that, umm, I’m not financially ready to take on a mortgage. Either way, there’s no right or wrong choice.
  • What are some advantages of owning a home?
    • This is a difficult question for me, because, umm, I never thought about it. Having said that, I would guess that owning a house or condo means you have an investment that could make you money in the future, umm, when you sell it. As well, I was told home ownership gives you some tax breaks.

Sample C

Part 2 Questions

  • Talk about an apartment or house you would like to live in. You should say:
    • what it would look like
    • how big or small it would be
    • where it would be located
    • and explain why you would like to live there.

It’s hard to say right now, but I would have to say, umm, I want to live in a house, especially a detached one. I’ve lived in both types of homes, and I prefer a house.

My dream home needs to be a place I call home sweet home, especially after I’m finished working or back from a long vacation or time away.

As I said before, my ideal house would be a single home. Furthermore, I would like it to be a small, cozy home such as a cottage, bungalow, or cabin, umm, in the countryside near a lake or river. I couldn’t imagine having a large house because it would take to long to clean.

The interior of my humble abode would be decorated with antiques to include things like furniture, old pictures of times gone by, and lots of plants. I love plants and they are good for your home because they can purify and clean the air.

As far as the exterior, I want lots of flowers and plants to include a garden where I can grow some organic herbs and vegetables. There’s nothing like the taste of fresh steamed vegetables for lunch or dinner!

Now that I’ve been talking about it, I’m so ready to move out of my condo and move into my dream home!


Part 3 Questions

  • Why do people like to hang pictures on the walls in their home?
    • Speaking for myself, I don’t like to put pictures or for that matter, anything on my walls. It causes damage to the walls and then later you have to repair the damage. Despite my thinking, I think other people, especially women, like to decorate their walls with pictures and other wall hangings because it makes their home feel and look warm and cozy.
  • Do you think more people will work from home in the future?
    • Certainly, I’m sure working from home is the wave of the future, although speaking from experience, it has it’s drawbacks. Just like anything in life, there are pros and cons. In the case of working from home, you don’t have to deal with traffic jams, but sometimes it gets boring being inside your home working all day by yourself.

Wrap-up

Go over any new expressions or vocabulary that you learned today.

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