IELTS Speaking Part 3: Cities, Housing and Transport

Right, let's move on to Part Three.

We've been talking about your hometown, so let's consider cities more broadly.

Why do you think so many people are still drawn to big cities?

Well, I suppose the obvious answer is opportunity.

Cities concentrate jobs, universities and culture in a way that small towns simply can't.

And do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, in your view?

Hmm, that's a tricky one... it largely depends on your income.

For high earners, city life is undeniably convenient.

For everyone else, though, soaring rents can swallow half a salary.

So who should be responsible for keeping housing affordable?

Ultimately, I'd argue the government has to step in.

Left to itself, the market tends to build luxury flats, not family homes.

Some would say that's simply supply and demand at work.

Fair point! But housing isn't an ordinary product, is it?

People can postpone buying a car. They can't postpone having a roof over their heads.

Let's turn to transport. How might cities reduce their dependence on cars?

Oh, this is something I feel strongly about!

The most effective approach is to make the alternatives genuinely attractive,

rather than merely punishing drivers.

If trains are frequent, clean and cheap, people will choose them willingly.

Do you think people would really give up the comfort of their own car?

Not overnight, admittedly... habits like that are deeply ingrained.

In my city, a new tram line stood half empty for years.

Yet once the fares dropped, it was packed within months.

Looking ahead, how do you imagine cities changing over the next fifty years?

I'd love to think they'll become far greener!

We may see rooftop farms, car-free centres, and buildings that generate their own power.

Having said that, I worry that only wealthy cities will be able to afford it.

Is there a risk, then, that the gap between cities will widen?

Absolutely, and that's precisely why international cooperation matters.

Good ideas ought to be shared, not kept behind closed doors.

Thank you. That's the end of the speaking test.

Already? That went by so quickly!

It usually does, when the candidate has plenty to say.