IELTS Speaking Part 1: Your neighbourhood
The question
How long have you lived there?
How has your city changed in recent years?
Do you know your neighbours?
What in your area needs improvement?
Are there any famous people from your area?
Do you intend to stay there?
How to answer it
This question has come back: candidates reported it on 16 July 2026, 12 August 2026. Questions that repeat across sittings are the ones worth rehearsing properly.
The recall gives the topics rather than verbatim wording, so practise the topic, not the sentences. The 'needs improvement' question is the reliable one across every version of this set — have two specifics ready (parking, green space, a crossing nobody uses) rather than a general complaint.
What moves the band
- 'How long have you lived there' wants the present perfect: I've been living here for about six years.
- City-change lexis: it's become a lot more built-up, they've pedestrianised, rents have gone through the roof.
These are candidate recalls. These are questions reported by test-takers after their exams, not official or leaked IELTS material. Wording varies by test version, location and memory. Use them for timed practice — never as a prediction of what you will be asked.
Practise these next
Know the number. Now move it.
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