presentation about your hometown

How to talk about your hometown in English

Do you know how to talk about your hometown?

What can you say about where you live? How can you describe the town you live in?

This is a very common question in the IELTS test . It could appear in part one of the IELTS speaking test, it could also come up in part two or three.

But despite this being a common topic question in IELTS , I am surprised to find that many English students have so much trouble with it. As if they have no idea about their hometown at all.

In the following guide, I will show you step by step how to talk about every aspect of your hometown no matter what question the examiner asks you.

Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Don’t Recite Lists!

Many students just reel off a list of phrases without putting any further thought into what they are saying.

If you do this in the IELTS test, the examiner will probably be unimpressed.

I am talking about these kinds of answers:

My hometown is modern

My hometown is famous

My hometown is beautiful

My hometown is crowded

My hometown has many people

This says nothing about your hometown at all!

And it just makes you sound like a robot reeling off recited answers!

So don’t do it.

The examiner wants to hear more than this. If you say your hometown is modern, then describe how it is modern. Tell me about the high-rise buildings and the city skyline. If your hometown is famous, tell me why it is famous. What stories can you tell me that show me how famous your hometown is?

This is what you need to do when talking about the town or city where you grew up.

Talking about the Landmarks in your Hometown

Every town and city has at least one landmark.

Do not say to me that your hometown doesn’t have any landmarks because I will not believe you. There must be at least one. So you can talk about that.

I am from England and these are the kind of landmarks you can find in English towns:

A town hall

A well-known pub (every English town has many pubs)

A town square

A statue or monument of some kind

Once you identify what these landmarks are, then you talk about them.

My hometown has a very old church in the centre. I never go there but I can hear the bells ringing on a Sunday for the Sunday service. There is a cemetery next to the church which always looks a bit creepy at night.

We have a nice library in our town. It is in a nice old building. It’s a great place to relax and read. They have free newspapers too.

There’s a pub called The Red Lion. It’s a pretty quiet place, I think most of the regulars are old men, always complaining about the news or talking about football.

All you have to do about the landmarks in your town is make observations about it — what it looks like, where it is and who visits this place. If you have a story to tell about it that is great.

There’s a shopping centre in the middle of my hometown. It’s kind of boring but me and my friends go there because it’s the only place for us to go on a Saturday evening.

One time we went there, and they had a little show in the middle of the centre. Some local singers who sing in a choir were doing a performance. I think they were trying to raise money for a local charity.

Other landmarks could be:

A shopping mall

A restaurant

A school or university

Spend some time thinking about the landmarks in your hometown. Write some sentences about each one, describing the landmarks in detail. If you have any interesting stories to tell about the landmarks, then write them down too.

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Talking about the People in your Hometown

The next thing you can do is to talk about the people .

Without people, there is no town so you have to talk about the people.

Think about the following questions when talking about the people in your hometown:

What jobs do they do?

Do they have a special accent?

What kind of things do they like to do?

What do the people enjoy doing at the weekend?

Do they all know each other?

Then you try to answer these questions. It may not come easy, but the more you practice the easier it will become. You just add whatever information you can add about the people in your hometown.

I think a lot of people in my hometown work for Amazon. There is a big Amazon warehouse in my hometown so I think a lot of people work there.

This may be true or untrue, but it is a good answer based on the observations of the Amazon warehouse in the town.

People in my hometown speak with a kind of country accent. The town is in the countryside of England so people sound a little bit like that. The people speak much slower than people from London.

In your hometown, the people may have their own dialect. If so, talk about that.

There’s a very famous rugby club in my town so I think many people support rugby. Whenever there is a game you can hear all the crowd cheering the team on for miles around.

I imagine not everyone goes to the rugby games, but this gives a clear picture of what many people in the town like to do.

I think many people in my hometown like to take care of their garden. I see many people at the weekend, mowing their lawns or pruning bushes in their gardens. It seems to be a popular thing where I live.

You can only give an idea of how you think people spend their weekends. It would be impossible for you to know exactly what all the people in your hometown are doing every weekend!

I think many people in my hometown know each other as it is a small town. It is not like London where no one seems to know each other.

And again, you can only give a very rough impression here. There are some towns where everyone seems to know each other, and others where no one knows anyone else. And in London, there are entire districts where the people have grown up with each other.

You cannot know everything about all the people in your hometown. But you can give an impression based on what you have seen people do.

When introducing the people in your hometown that is enough.

Try to think of answers for the above questions. Write down some sentences about the people in your hometown.

Talking about the Food in your Hometown

This part is very easy.

Every town and city has a kind of dish that is very popular to eat. All you have to do is talk about that.

It doesn’t matter if this food was originally created in your hometown, if the people like to eat it then you can talk about that.

For example, in nearly every English town and city, you can find Indian restaurants. Why? Because English people love Indian food. It is not an ethnic food of England; it comes from India, but when talking about the food in an English town it would be a good subject to use in the IELTS test.

But maybe your town or city does have a unique dish or style of food that originates from your hometown. If so, then you can talk about that.

How to talk about it?

You have to think of the following questions:

What are the ingredients of this food or special dish?

What does it taste like? Spicy, sweet, sour, salty?

Why do the local people like it in your hometown?

Where can I buy it if I visit your hometown? Do people cook it at home or is it only available in restaurants? Or is it a special kind of ‘street food’? Or maybe all three?

Do people eat this food for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Do they eat in on special occasions?

So let’s use an example that can be found in England.

Fish & Chips.

This is a very popular dish that can be found all over the country. It is not very healthy, but it is delicious and many people love to eat it.

If we go through all the questions one by one we can break down how to talk about fish and chips in this part.

Ingredients

Fish and potatoes. Also, some oil for cooking and you can add salt and vinegar to your own taste.

Often very salty.

Why do people like it?

It’s delicious! Not so healthy but it does taste good. It’s also very convenient to buy.

Where ca n I buy this food?

In the local fish and chips shop. These are small shops that make fish and chips and then you take it home and eat it. Some restaurants make it too. These restaurants are very simple but the food is always good. It is cheap to buy.

When do people eat it?

Usually, people eat it in the evenings. There is a custom to eat fish and chips on a Friday. We always say Fish on a Friday.

You see how simple it is to talk about food in your hometown?

Now you try.

Take all the questions and talk about a well-known or popular dish in your hometown. Just look at all the questions and answer them one by one.

When you have written all your answers down, practice speaking out loud.

Talking about the Culture in your Hometown

Each town and city in every country has its own unique kind of customs. There are special events or festivals that your hometown holds every year and these are part of the culture of your hometown.

Take a few minutes and think about what special events or festivals your hometown holds every year.

What happens at on these special days?

Why do people go to this event?

Is there a historical meaning behind it?

If you get stuck, you can search online and find out what customs and special holidays are celebrated in your hometown or city. Do some research and you will find many examples.

Other things make up the culture of the town or city — the food, the people, the daily habits, the lifestyle. These all add up to create a special culture that is unique to your hometown.

Let me give you an example from England.

Cheese Rolling

In a few towns across England, there are cheese-rolling festivals. This is usually held on Spring Bank Holiday Monday. A big round block of cheese is rolled down a hill and people chase after it. The first person to catch it is the winner.

This is a very old tradition that began hundreds of years ago. Cheese was believed to be a sign of fertility in the springtime so it was important to celebrate it years ago.

Now people celebrate it because it is good fun and an old custom.

Talking about the General Culture of your Hometown

People in my hometown like to drink tea. It is a very important thing to sit down and drink tea with your friends and spend time catching up with some local news.

Tea is considered a very sociable activity so people like to drink tea together.

In my hometown, people like to make apple cider. It is quite a strong kind of beer and easy to make. Many local farms make it and they sell it to the local people.

There is a small green field in my town and people like to sit and play cricket on a Sunday. They have free time to sit with their family and friends. Also, cricket is a very relaxing game, so it is nice to play on a Sunday before going back to work on a Monday.

Think of some local traditions or festivals that take place in your hometown. What happens on these special days? What do people do? What is the history behind it?

Also, think of customs or activities that people regularly like to do in your town.

Write all your ideas on paper and then practice speaking out loud with your friends.

Talking about the Weather and Climate in your Hometown

What is the weather like in your hometown? Is it icy cold in the winter? Steaming hot in the summer?

Are the mornings filled with fog from the sea or is the sky brilliant blue and the sun shining?

Some towns and cities have four distinct seasons, while others have very little difference between the seasons or have only one kind of climate all year round.

No matter what the weather, it is a good idea to try to talk about it in the IELTS test if the examiner asks you about your hometown.

Let’s look at some examples

My hometown is a small town in the north of Thailand. It is always very hot here, usually the temperature is around 30 degrees centigrade most of the year, but in the winter it goes down to about 24 or 25 degrees. The summer is always very hot.

And in the summer it rains a lot. Wow, we get a lot of rain! From around May until September it rains so much. But the rain only falls very quickly. It kind of cools you down a little and then it feels hot again.

I come from Marrakesh in Morocco. It can get very hot in my hometown in the summer. Usually over 35 degrees. In the winter it can go down to around 16 degrees, so a big difference.

Because Marrakesh is in the desert, the difference between night and day temperature is quite big. It can be 35 degrees in the daytime, then go down to 20 degrees at night.

And it hardly ever rains in my hometown. It is usually dry all year round.

My hometown is Stuttgart in Germany. We have four very distinct seasons but the summer is the best season in my opinion. The summer is warmer; the temperature reaches as high as 30 degrees on some days.

In the winter it gets pretty cold, and it rains a lot in the winter too.

Another thing you can talk about with the weather in your hometown is the kind of activities that people like to do at certain times of the year.

Think about each season and try to think of things that people do, the kind of food they like to eat and the clothes they wear.

Look at the table below to help you.

Using the table above and the examples I wrote above, write down some ideas about the weather in your hometown. If there are differences, then write about all of those things. If the weather is the same all year round you have to talk about that.

When you have written some ideas down, practice speaking out loud.

Talking about Things to Do in your Hometown

I have asked students what can people do in their hometown and I often receive one answer — NOTHING!

There’s nothing to do in my hometown. It’s so boring.

That can’t be true. There must be things for people to do. Even if you don’t like to do these things, other people may enjoy doing these things and that means there are definitely some activities that people can do in your hometown.

Here is a list of ideas to inspire you.

Going to the gym

Playing tennis

Walking in the hills on the outskirts of town

Walking on the seafront of the town

Shopping malls and going shopping

Coffee shops and coffee culture

Eating out and going to restaurants

Going to bars and nightclubs (for older students!)

Dancing in the town square

Visiting the library

Helping charity organisations

Fishing in the local river

Swimming in the swimming pool

Many evening classes in the local community college

Now let me show you some examples

There is a swimming pool in my hometown and many people go there. Whenever I go there, it always seems very busy. I try to go early in the morning to avoid all the crowds.

The pool is really nice and clean. There is an area for the serious swimmers to swim in laps and then there is an area for people and children who just want to lounge around in the water and cool off a little bit.

There is also a diving area with three diving boards. The top board is very high, but I jumped off it once!

We are lucky because in my hometown we have so many restaurants. I think you could go out to dinner every night of the week and still not visit every restaurant in the city.

And the restaurants are all very different in style and cuisine. We have the local food but we also have Indian, Thai, French and Italian. It’s really nice for people to go out in the evening and eat a delicious meal with friends and family.

In my hometown, some older ladies like to go to the town square and do a special kind of dancing. They do it for exercise I think but also they can meet up and chat with each other. So it’s a social activity for them too.

Some people say that the music they play when they do their dancing is too loud. But I think we should just let them do it. They’re not really causing anyone any harm.

Look at the list of ideas I gave you above.

Use these and the examples and write down your own ideas for talking about things to do in your hometown. Practice together with a friend or show your teacher.

Talking about the Architecture in your Hometown

The architecture in your hometown means all the buildings. Are these buildings very old and traditional? Or new and modern? Is the architecture boring — if so, why do you think so?

How to talk about buildings and houses

You can use the following words to describe buildings and architecture in your hometown.

Many cities these days have a downtown area with many high-rise buildings, all very modern and expensive. The suburbs of the city might consist of smaller houses and buildings or low-rise buildings — this is where the people usually live.

Let me show you some examples

Bath is a very old city, and the architecture is very old. Most of the buildings in the centre of the city are over 200 years old. I think there is a law to protect these buildings and houses. They look nice because they all have the same colour, made out of a special sandstone found in the local area.

But once you leave the city centre, the architecture changes. The houses are more modern in the suburbs. This is where people live.

The downtown area of my city is filled full of high-rise buildings. They are all very high and look very modern. It feels so busy walking around this area surrounded by such high buildings. Some of the buildings are so high that you can walk on one side of the street and be in the shade from the sun.

I live in a very quiet village in the countryside. All the houses are pretty old and there is no real special architecture. People just need a place to live and the local post office to buy some things. There is an old church though, and it looks very nice from the outside. I don’t know how old it is, but it looks very old.

Write down your own ideas about the buildings in your hometown. When you have enough sentences speak them out loud with a friend or classmate.

Talking about the Surrounding Area in your Hometown

Your hometown doesn’t just consist of the actual town itself. When talking about your hometown you can also talk about the surrounding area of the town or city where you live.

This is especially true of a smaller town.

Your town may be surrounded by countryside.

What is in the countryside?

Are there farms and little villages?

Are they developing the land and building more houses or factories?

There must be something in this area, now is the time for you to talk about it.

There might be hills or mountains in the surrounding area of your hometown. Or maybe you live near the sea in which case you can talk about that.

Whatever exists just outside your hometown you can talk about it in the IELTS test. This is all part of the description of where you live and the examiner wants to hear about it.

I’ll give you some examples:

The surrounding area of my hometown is just countryside. Some small villages with just a few people living there. There is a new factory that makes tyres just outside my town. I think many people from my hometown work there now.

If you go south of my town, there is a big lake. I have gone past this lake and seen people fishing there.

All around my hometown are hills. It’s like my entire town is in a big hole in the ground! But it’s nice to see all the hills around the town. In the summer, they all look so green and in the winter, if it snows, all the hills are covered and everything looks white.

What is in the surrounding area of your hometown?

Take a few minutes and write down some ideas and thoughts. You must have seen what is just outside your hometown. Talk about this for a few minutes if you can.

Talking about Public Transport in your Hometown

If you live in a very small town, then chances are you may have only one bus an hour that takes you to the nearest big town. Or no bus at all.

In a bigger town, you could have several bus services taking people to different parts of the town. Or to other towns and the nearest big city.

You might have a train service. You might live in a big city and have a subway system.

The fact is that every town and city has a public transportation system — even if it is only one bus an hour.

These are the main kinds of public transportation:

Taxi (not really public but let’s put it in there)

Other lesser-known systems:

Shared bike (many cities use this these days)

The best way to talk about this is to look at the following questions and answer them:

What is this public transportation system?

Why do you use it?

Why do other people in your hometown use it?

Is it convenient?

Is it cheap/expensive to use?

How many lines does it have? (for bus and subway)

Is it crowded during rush hour?

And here is some vocabulary you might use when talking about public transportation:

When talking about the public transportation system in your hometown, in the IELTS test I advise you to talk about the most common or most popular public transportation system. If you try to talk about some public transport that is less known or used, you could run into trouble.

That means that you should only really talk about the bus, the subway or the train.

You can add at the end of your talk that there are other kinds of public transportation in your hometown.

Something like this:

…we also have many taxis, and a ferry that takes people over the river, but I have never used it. I only use the subway as it is the most convenient.

Shall we look at a couple of examples?

In my hometown, we have a new subway system. It is brand-new, so it is very clean and modern-looking. There are only three lines so far but there will be more lines in the future.

It is so much better than the bus. Much quicker and much more convenient. We don’t have any traffic jams now!

Some people complain and say that it is more expensive than the bus. It is a little more expensive but I think it is worth it for the convenience and the speed.

During rush hour it is a little difficult to get a seat but if you arrive early, you can find a seat no problem. I really love the subway in my hometown, it just makes going to school so much easier.

We have a bus system in my hometown. There are plenty of buses to take you wherever you want to go. But if you use the bus during rush hour, then you will definitely get stuck in traffic. There’s just no escaping it.

Sometimes I use a shared bike. These are easy to find and they are cheap to use. If it’s raining, I don’t use the shared bike but most other days I do.

You want to try?

Look at all the vocabulary and make sure you know the meanings of the words and then make sentences of your own.

Then think about the public transportation systems in your hometown and which one is the most common for people to use.

Write down some ideas in your notebook and make sentences.

Then with a friend speak them out loud.

Practice every day!

Talking about Shopping in your Hometown

Do you have many shops in your hometown? Are there just a few local shops or do you have a giant shopping mall with all the latest fashion brands?

Every town has at least one shop to buy something.

These are the main kind of shops you might have in your town:

As I have said before, let’s look at some questions and you answer them one by one.

What kind of shops and stores are there in your hometown?

What can people buy in these places?

Where are all the shops and stores?

Are they expensive?

What kind of people go there?

And then let’s look at some examples

I live in a big city and there are many shopping malls. There is one big shopping mall near my home and it is very popular with people, especially young people.

Younger people like to go there because it looks very fashionable and modern. All the shops are mainly selling fashionable clothes and there are two cool coffee shops on the first floor where you can sit and drink coffee.

The shopping mall huge. It is on five floors. On the top floor, there is a cinema and in the basement, there is a supermarket but it is a little expensive I think. I don’t go there. I only go to the clothes stores and shoe stores with my friends. We can’t always buy something we like but we like to look!

If I go to the mall with my friends, we like to drink coffee after we have looked all around the stores.

There are many small shops and stores in my neighbourhood. These shops are not very fashionable but they are very convenient and they sell many useful things that we might need in the house or in our daily life.

One shop we always use in the nearest convenience store. It is open until very late and opens very early in the morning. If we run out of things that we need then we can always go to the convenience store and buy what we need.

I see many of my neighbours there and my father always goes there in the morning to buy cigarettes.

The shop sells newspapers, snacks and sandwiches, soft drinks and ice cream. Every time I go there, they always have customers inside.

Now it’s your turn.

Look up the vocabulary and make sure you understand what all the words mean. Make your own sentences if you wish.

Then look at the questions above and the examples. This can help you to form your own answers. Write down all your ideas and put them into sentences in order.

Then practice speaking out loud.

You will not need to talk about all of the above topics about your hometown in the IELTS test.

If you were to talk about your hometown using all the topics included in this guide you would be talking for about 30 minutes!

The reason I included all the topics above is so you can answer any question the examiner fires at you in the IELTS test. If he asks you to talk about shopping or public transportation in your hometown, then you should be prepared. If he asks you about food or customs in your hometown, no problem for you.

Just go through all the steps and you can find out how to talk about your hometown no matter the question.

And as always — let me know in the comments below!

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30 thoughts on “how to talk about your hometown in english”.

It is so important to cover these areas used for IELTS tests because they are the ones that often catch students off guard. I especially liked the study charts as they ground students with vocabulary and observation points. The ideas also triggered memories of towns I’ve visited. Travel really helps as it gives you things to compare your town with. For example I visited a tiny town in Sweden and it was like a charming hobbit town with wondrous new customs and scenery quite unlike my own tiny hometown.

That is a great idea, Leona. I forgot to add that to the article… I used to ask students to compare their hometown to the big city we were living in and talk about the similarities and differences. It gives them a lot more to talk about, and in the IELTS test that really helps. How was Sweden? I’ve always wanted to visit.

It is amazing lesson and explanation. I can share this lesson to my students, even they are beginners. And I use this subject as my reference in teaching. I hope you don’t mind. Thank you very much. Wish you all the best.

Hi Nani! I’m very glad you like this lesson plan. Feel free to use it in your class. If you want to download the lesson, you can get it here: https://gumroad.com/l/howtotalkaboutyourhometowninenglish Thank you Nani.

Awesome tips, thanks a lot and congratulations!

Hi Carlos, many thanks! I am glad it was helpful.

Hello my name is Ronald, Great work David!

Hi Ronald! Many thanks. I appreciate it. Keep coming back!

Hi David. I really liked the content of the page. Hugs. José Roberto (Univesp)

Hi José! I am glad you liked it. Many thanks!

Great compilation of tips! I enjoyed a lot! My university teacher choose your article as a base text this week. Congratulations, as your compilation is helping so much students. Cheers from Brazil.

Hi Marcos, many thanks! I am glad you liked it. Please say a big thank you to your university teacher for suggesting this article. I am so glad it is helping the students. Cheers!

Hi David, My name is Claudio, I’m from Brazil and I thank you for the tips and suggestions.

Hi Claudio, many thanks for reading. I really appreciate it. Keep coming back!

Esses topicos ajudam muito pois vejo muitas pessoas quando deparam com americanos ou travam por medo ou por náo ter dialogo …

These topics help a lot because I see a lot of people when they encounter Americans or they stop because of fear or because they don’t have a dialogue …

Many thanks,Franklin. Much appreciated.

Thanks so much, the essay really had it all. all the information and the ideas.

Thank you Iten! I am glad it could help you.

Thank you so much. I can say that one thing, I am really keen on your English lessons and explanations and you know it’s marvellous . I think it is really fail to express your helps for me ?

Hi Durdona! Many thanks, I am glad it is of some use to you. Keep working hard and you will succeed.

Hi, I’m Marli Congratulations on your page.

Thank you, Marli! Please come back soon!

Perfect …Thanks alot

You are welcome, Azadeh!! Many thanks for reading!

You are the best. Thank you very much. I’m beginning to self study and your essay helps me so much.

Thank you very much, Farnoush! I am very happy to hear that!

Comprehensive and very informative????????

Many thanks for reading, Farshid! I appreciate it!

Thanks a lot.I appriciate it…….

You are very welcome, Swetha!!

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My hometown

Aug 30, 2014

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My hometown. Today ,I will introduce you some on my hometown a beautiful country in the sichuan province And I know you will ask me where ’ s your hometown correctly. Don ’ t worry, I ’ ll give you a brief introduction. The location.

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• mianyang city
• sapiential city
• national clean city
• immortal poet li bai

Presentation Transcript

My hometown • Today ,I will introduce you some on my hometown a beautiful country in the sichuan province • And I know you will ask me where’s your hometown correctly. Don’t worry, I’ll give you a brief introduction.

The location It’s located in the northwest of Sichuan, is 90km away from Chengdu and covers an area of 20249 square kilometers, with a population of 5.29 million.

The people here The people here is very kind and friendly. They are all beautiful. Here is some pictures of people from mianyang.

THE HISTORY • MianyangisthehometownofLiBai,afamouspoetofTangDynastryinChina .Since HanGaozuestablishedFuCounty in201BC,ithasahistoryofmorethan2200years.Mianyangcityhasprettyenvironmentandperfectinfrastructures,andisnamedasa “ChinaScienceCity” bytheStateCouncil. Ithasbeenconferredthetitlesof  “ChinaExcellentTourismCity”, “NationalCleanCity, NationalEnvironmentProtectionModelCity”, “NationalGardenCity” ,“UNOptimalHumanHabitatEnvironmentModelCity”,etc. • 长风破浪回有时，直挂云帆济沧海

THE SCENERY

Mianyang is a sapiential city and a new scenic site in Sichuan province. In the “Hometown of Li Bai”, visitors can find the immortal poet Li Bai’s heroic .history in the ancient town “Qinglian”, Mt. Doutuan, and Mt. Daitian; Wanglang National Nature Reserve Region, Jiuzhaiguo and  Huanglong have formed a tourist “golden triangle”; western Qiang nationality Apeking Grotto, which is the “hometown of Dayu”, has reserved folk customs of the oldest minority (Qiang Nationality) of China; “Wenchang Zuting” Qiqushan Temple is the cradle of Chinese Wenchang Culture; “Ancient Shu path, ancient cypress forest, ancient architectures” are maintaining the spirit of “good fortune, income, longevity and wealth” of people; “the capital of hot spring” in An county makes your body and soul clean and make you feel the world; “Two Bombs & One Satellite” ScienceTechnology Museum leads you to experience the hard history and the limitless charm of science.  

WELCOME TO MIANYANTG MY HOMETOWN

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My Hometown

My Hometown. Tori DeGiosio COMM 115 October 26 th , 2011. Mount Cobb, PA. http://pennsylvania.hometownlocator.com/pa/lackawanna/mount-cobb.cfm. Entertainment. Scranton Municipal Golf Course Claws N’ Paws Wild Animal Park. http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamdawson/page8/.

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My Hometown. Tina Marseco Comm 115 October28. Luzernemerchants.com Luzerne, Pennsylvania. Hops & Barley’s . Restaurant Eat-In Take-out Bar Two-Tiered Beer Specials hopsandbarleys.com History of Hops and Barley’s Burlesque Parlor . My Sister’s Closet.

411 views • 10 slides

Julian Romero Comm 115 1 March 2012. My Hometown . Newark, New Jersey. http://www.google.com/search?q=newark+new+jersey&rls=com . http://www.google.com/imgres?q=whitney+houston. Famous People From Newark . Whitney Houston Joe Pesci Queen Latifah Joe Rogan And many many more.

572 views • 12 slides

Port St. Lucie!. My Hometown. Tessa Markiewicz Comm 115 March 22, 2011. Welcome to Port St. Lucie Florida! . Wanted to live close to the beach but still have a city like lifestyle?. Random Facts of Port St. Lucie. In the 2000 census there were approximately 88,769 people.

950 views • 10 slides

My Hometown. Curtis Peace Comm. 115 March 1, 2012. Jersey City, NJ. http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-54886/Jersey-City-NJ. Education. Grammars Schools: 28 High Schools: 10 (Public and Catholic ) Colleges: 2.

651 views • 10 slides

My Hometown. Chris Goy, Comm. 115, 10/27/11. Wilkes-Barre, pa. King’s College. http://www.playle.com/listing.php?i=KDL70177. Mohegan Sun Casino. ht tp :// modernisttoday.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/modernist-style-evident-at-mohegan-sun-in-pa /. First casino ever in Pennsylvania.

288 views • 10 slides

MY HOMETOWN

MY HOMETOWN. BY: ART BILLINGSLEA COMM.115 DUE: 20 October 2010. HERE!!!. MACON, GA. location. Macon is located an hour and a half away from Atlanta and is almost centered right in the middle of Georgia.

318 views • 11 slides

Anna Mae Olivo , COMM 115, October 27 th , 2011. My Hometown. The City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia. http://www.iaes.org/conferences/future/philadelphia_62/cityinfo/Skyline.jpg. Hi sto ry. Founded by William Penn

309 views • 8 slides

My Hometown. By: Kelsey James, Comm. 115.October 28 th ,2010. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Café Metropolis. Café Metropolis was an all ages local venue here in Wilkes-Barre . Movies 14. Since Café Metropolis Closed the only thing Left to do down town is go to Movies 14 or Januzzi’s.

393 views • 10 slides

My Hometown. Ryan Kopycienski Comm. 115 3/1/2012. http://thephilanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/New-Project-For-Richboro-460x240.jpg. The Suburbs. http://www.northamptontownshiphistoricalsociety.org/SpreadEagle/SpreadEagleMove/images/MVC-010S.jpg. Moving.

485 views • 10 slides

My Hometown. Dany Calcano—COMM 115 – 1 march 2012. Hazleton Pennsylvania. Hazleton. The population was 25,340 according to the 2010 census which is a 8.6% from the 2000 census. The city of Hazleton along with its surrounding areas are known as Greater Hazleton.

336 views • 10 slides

My Hometown. Shannon McCarthy Comm. 115 March 1, 2012. Ramsey New Jersey. Ramsey Facts. Population of 14,351 Holds Farmers Markets year-round Has public pool and library and pond Has the Old Stone House Museum Has numerous restaurants. http://www.ramseynj.com/content/49/default.aspx.

327 views • 10 slides

My Hometown. I’m Alice,. I’m 15 years Old. And this is my story. “Bang! Bang! BANG!” It’s the mail man! I opened the door and took my letter! It said Dear Miss Donald Your Mother, Ming has been confirmed as Guilty and is in jail for 8 years! Your sincerely, The High Courts

832 views • 28 slides

My Hometown. Outline. Places to Go Things to Do Food to Eat A Special Place to Me. Places to Go. Place 1 Place 2 Place 3. Place to Go 1. Detail Detail Detail Pictures. Place to Go 2. Detail Detail Detail Pictures. Place to Go 3. Detail Detail Detail Pictures. Things to Do.

299 views • 15 slides

My Hometown. Presented by Amy Higgins Comm. 115 Due March 22, 2011. Wilkes – Barre, Pennsylvania. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://pics4.city-data.com. Parks and Recreation. Visit one of the many parks or recreational areas: Kirby park

314 views • 11 slides

My Hometown. o r village. Basic Facts. A place where I live can be: big or small? is it a village, town, city? historical, industrial, modern? the population is … people it was established in …. Location. it can be in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia

1.38k views • 16 slides

My Hometown. Erin Carr Comm. 115 March 1, 2012. blog.nj.com. Sussex County NJ, Vernon Township. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Township,_New_Jersey. Vernon was established on April 8, 1973 Population of about 25,000 people It shares its northern border with New York State

412 views • 10 slides

My Hometown. Thad Dziedzic Comm 115 10-26-10. Wyoming NEPA’s Historical Treasure. Settled: 1780, Incorporated: 1885 Population (2000 Census): 3,221 Latittude : 41.311N Longitude: -75.837W. The Battle of Wyoming. July 3, 1778

263 views • 5 slides

My Hometown. Sarah Scinto. Monroe, Connecticut. http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=9203.

272 views • 2 slides

My Hometown. --- Bei Jing. presentor : Anqi Bai. Why I love BEIJING. Beijing parks in the early morning. The variety of great food available for less than 10 RMB. ($1.50) I like the new metro lines. Hutong living. Places worth going. Food.

335 views • 6 slides

My hometown. Šariššké Michaľany. Basic Information. Šarišské Michaľany is a community situated in eastern Slovakia, concretely in Sabinov district, Saris region, Pre š ov territory. It is located on the left side of river Torysa and it`s 15km far to Pre š ov. Additional Information:

398 views • 13 slides

My Hometown. Monika Budzilowicz Comm 115 October 28, 2010. Collegeville, PA. http://www.collegeville-pa.gov/b_ab_history.htm. Thing’s to do. MacFarlane park Baseball fields Softball fields Playground Regal entertainment A movie theater in my town Shopping centers Target Wal-Mart

403 views • 10 slides

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What Is Unique About Your Hometown?

What is the place where you live known for? How is that celebrated? Should your hometown be celebrated for something else? If so, how?

By Shannon Doyne

Where do you live? What sets it apart from other places? Do you know your area’s history? What is especially interesting about your hometown?

If you were asked to speak to a room full of strangers for a few minutes about the place you are from, what things would you tell them?

In “ The Rose Queen of Texas ,” Alex Schechter writes about Tyler, Texas, and its longstanding tradition of celebrating the town’s history of producing roses for the floral industry. The article begins:

TYLER, Texas — Early on a recent Saturday, the townspeople of Tyler staked out spots along the Texas Rose Festival parade route. Marching bands boomed, convertibles honked, and T-shirt guns fired into the cheering crowd. Fourteen floats bore coteries of young women in whimsical, garden-themed gowns that wouldn’t have been out of place on the set of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The Apache Belles, a local dance troupe dating back to the 1940s, shouted, “Tyler, Tyler, we are the best!” But the best, in fact, was yet to come. As the penultimate float rounded the bend near the high school football stadium, there was a flurry of excited whispers. Spectators craned to see past the twirling batons and John Deere tractors. A little girl tugged on her mother’s sleeve and pointed to a pink blur in the distance. “Here she comes!” she said. “Look, it’s the queen!” Slender and fair skinned, the Texas rose queen glimmered in her pink layered organza and lamé gown. A silk-trimmed train bursting with giant ribbon roses, and weighing 42 pounds, unfurled behind her. Her head was dwarfed by a gold-plated crown studded with Swarovski crystals and enamel roses. Children gathered at the hem of her skirts, the girls in white lace gloves, the boys in gold vests and ruffled collars. The queen was Anna Grace Hallmark, a 20-year-old business major at the University of Mississippi and a Tyler native. She waved benevolently to her subjects, many of whom were seeing her for the first time. They had waited a long time. Ms. Hallmark had been scheduled for the 2020 parade, but when that was postponed because of the pandemic, her title was transferred to the following year, which makes her the longest-reigning queen in the festival’s 88-year history.

The article also explains the role that rose growing has played in Tyler’s past and its present:

After a heyday in the 1950s, rose production in Tyler has cooled. Chamblee’s Roses, a local nursery started in 1953, still plants over 200 varieties each year, though many are trucked in from states like California and Arizona. Still, roses remain a big business: 80 percent of the country’s roses are processed in Tyler. In nearly a century, the Texas Rose Festival has been canceled only once before the pandemic: during World War II. Tyler’s devotion to its showy, perfumed export, and the iconography that’s grown out of it, is a quirk in a state largely built on oil and cattle fortunes. The city crest is a rose, and it is stamped on everything from trash cans to trail markers to the local water tower. The two biggest events on the city’s social calendar involve flowers: the October rose festivities and an azalea trail that blooms in the spring. In downtown Tyler, you can order a matcha latte with rose syrup, snack on rose-flavored cinnamon rolls, buy rose beard oil or pick up a pack of seeds at Chamblee’s Rose Nursery. (On certain mornings, a white van parks outside the Smoothie King on Broadway, selling fresh cut roses for $3 per dozen.) Roses first came to Tyler in the 1920s, prompted by an agricultural disaster: A decade earlier, quadraspidiotus perniciosus — better known as the San Jose scale — decimated the city’s peach crop. Growers shifted their attention to roses, and the thorny things thrived, thanks to Tyler’s sandy soil and typically mild winters.

Students, read the entire article , then tell us:

Does the Texas Rose Festival sound like fun to you? Is there anything like it where you live?

How proud are you of where you’re from? What are you especially proud of? Feel free to define “where I’m from” in whatever terms make sense to you. For instance, if you are from a place as big as New York City, you might choose just your neighborhood. If you are from a rural area, you might choose the whole county.

What is your area known for? If it is famous for something the way Tyler is famous for roses, does it celebrate that thing everywhere? (“In downtown Tyler, you can order a matcha latte with rose syrup, snack on rose-flavored cinnamon rolls, buy rose beard oil or pick up a pack of seeds at Chamblee’s Rose Nursery.”)

If your hometown is not famous for anything, what do you think it should be known for? Why? How should that be celebrated?

If your hometown doesn’t have an annual festival that inspires local pride, and you were asked to design one, what would you include? Why? How would you want people to feel? What would you want them to learn?

What more would you like to learn about your hometown? Perhaps something about its history, its architecture, the people who live there or what it produces? Why?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

ESL Conversation

Questions about your hometown.

Hometown – B1 Level ESL

23 questions to discuss with your teacher or partner about your hometown.

• What is the name of your hometown?
• Where is it situated? (country, province)
• Where in the country is your town located? (coast/inland)
• How far is it from the capital of your country?
• Where does its name come from?
• How big is your hometown?
• Is it a cheap or an expensive place to stay? – Are rents high or low?
• Is it easy to let a flat?
• Is it a tourist destination?
• Name some of the neighboring towns.
• Is there a river in your town? What’s its name? Is it big? Is it navigable?
• What are the main sights in your town? Talk about: • churches (how old? what style?) • museums (what kind?) • theatres • bridges (how old?) • historic buildings • parks
• What are the main economic activities in your town?
• What is the public transport like?
• Where can you go shopping?
• What entertainment options are there?
• Are there any good restaurants? Do they serve local or international cuisine? Which is your favourite?
• Are there any festivals in your town? Are there any fairs and expositions?
• Is there a sports centre? Does your town have a sports team?
• Do you know any famous people who live (or lived) in your town?
• What is your favourite place?
• What do you like most about your hometown?
• What do you dislike?

My Hometown – B1 Level ESL

Check also:

My hometown – reading comprehension, pollution b1/b2 conversation.

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Assignment Suggestion:

Write an essay about your hometown.

Based on the text and questions above, describe your hometown and write what you like and dislike about it.

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Describe your Hometown: IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 & 3 with Sample Answers

11 min read

Updated On Mar 27, 2024

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Your hometown is the town or city where you were born and where you have always belonged. Therefore, while you are taking the IELTS Speaking exam, it should not be surprising if you are asked a question about your hometown. It might be in Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.

So, even though we know the answers to ‘Describe your hometown – IELTS Speaking’ will come from your heart, this blog will guide you with the type of answers you need to give and the vocabulary you should use to achieve Band 8+.

Hometown – IELTS Speaking Part 1

Part 1  of the IELTS Speaking exam is usually a simple interview where you will be asked to introduce yourself and a few basic questions on related topics. So, let’s continue with some questions about your hometown for IELTS Speaking Part 1 like ‘where is your hometown’, ‘do you like your hometown’, ‘tell me about your hometown’, and many more.

• Where is your hometown? 

I’m originally from Kochi, but I’ve been living in Bangalore for the past few years. I love Banglore, but I still miss my hometown sometimes. There’s just something about the small-town feel that I really appreciate.

• Is your hometown a big city or a small place?

Kochi is a medium-sized city with a cozy atmosphere and a population of somewhere in between 80,000 and 1 lakh people.

• Please tell me about your hometown./What’s your hometown like?

My hometown, Kochi, is a lively and diverse city with a wonderful mix of culture, picturesque backwaters and delectable cuisine. It’s a captivating place to live, work, and raise a family, offering both modern amenities and traditional charm.

• How often do you visit your hometown?

I visit my hometown occasionally, at least once or twice a year, during festivals to spend time with family and friends. I try to make it a point to return whenever possible.

• How long have you been living there?

I had lived there for around 15 years before my family left for Bangalore. It’s been more than ten years since I left my hometown.

• Do you like your hometown? If yes, what do you like (most) about your hometown?

Yes, I do like my hometown! I like the hospitality of people in my hometown. Also, everyone was willing to give others a hand when they needed help.

• Is there anything you dislike about it?

I love my hometown Kochi, but I wish the traffic was better. It can be hard to get around sometimes, and it’s not always peaceful. But the city is getting better every day, and I think it has the potential to be a major tourist destination.

• Do you think you will continue living there for a long time?

To be honest, I hope I could go there to visit my relatives and friends, but settling down is not part of my plan. I am now getting familiar with city life as there are more job opportunities here.

• Has your hometown changed much since you were a child?

Yes, my hometown has undergone significant changes since my childhood, with new buildings, improved infrastructure, and a more vibrant atmosphere. The transformation over the years has been quite remarkable.

• Are there any changes you would like to make in your hometown?

I would like to see more green spaces and parks in my hometown. This would enhance the environment and promote outdoor activities. Additionally, improved public transportation would make commuting easier for everyone.

Now that you have a good understanding of the kinds of questions for your hometown IELTS Speaking exam, let’s explore some band 9  vocabulary for speaking  that was used in the Hometown IELTS Speaking Part 1.

Hometown Speaking Part 1 Band 9 Vocabulary

Using  band 9 vocabulary words  appropriately and naturally in your speaking responses can enhance your language score in the IELTS Speaking Module. However, do not overuse them or force them into your answers.

Here are some Band 9 vocabulary you can use for ‘Describe your Hometown – IELTS Speaking Part 1’ with examples:

Meaning:  Ask for information

Example:  During this part, the examiner will introduce themselves and inquire about your identity.

Meaning:  comfortable and warm, giving a feeling of ease and contentment.

Example:  I love spending my evenings in the cozy corner of the coffee shop, reading a book.

• Captivating: 

Meaning:  attracting and holding attention or interest in an intriguing manner.

Example:  The captivating sunset over the ocean left everyone spellbound.

• Backwaters: 

Meaning:  a system of interconnected waterways, often found in coastal regions, lakes, or rivers, with slow-moving or stagnant water.

Example:  Kerala, India, is famous for its scenic backwaters that attract tourists from around the world.

• Delectable: 

Meaning:  highly pleasing to the taste or senses; delicious.

Example:  The chef prepared a delectable three-course meal for the guests.

• Hospitality:

Meaning:  the friendly and generous reception and treatment of guests or strangers.

Example:  The warm hospitality of the hotel staff made our stay memorable.

• Potential: 

Meaning:  The possibility or likelihood of something happening or developing in the future.

Example:  The young athlete showed great potential and was scouted by several professional teams.

• Occasional: 

Meaning:  happening or occurring at irregular intervals; infrequent.

Example:  My parents visit me in the city only on occasional weekends.

• Settlement: 

Meaning:  The act or process of establishing a residence or community in a new place.

Example:  The early settlers faced many challenges while building their first settlement in the wilderness.

• Remarkable: 

Meaning:  Worthy of attention or notice; exceptional or extraordinary.

Example:  His remarkable achievements in the field of science earned him international recognition.

Meaning:  The act of traveling regularly between one’s place of residence and place of work or study.

Example:  The new subway line has eased the daily commuting for thousands of city residents.

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IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card – Describe your Hometown 

In  IELTS Speaking Part 2 , you will have a cue card or a task card with a topic like ‘Describe your hometown’ followed by 3-4 questions related to the topic.

To prepare for the type of answer you can give and the  common vocabulary  you should use to answer the prompt questions on Describe your Hometown IELTS Speaking, let’s have a look at the following sample answers.

Describe your hometown.

You should say:

• Where is it located?
• What do people do there?
• What is the climate like?
• And explain how you feel about it.

Describe your Hometown – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answer 1

The ‘City of Joy’, Kolkata is my hometown. It is in the state of West Bengal in eastern India. Located majestically on the banks of the Hooghly River, it serves as the region’s cultural, historical, and commercial center.

Known for their warmth and friendliness, the people of Kolkata engage in various activities ranging from bustling commerce to vibrant cultural pursuits. One of the most prominent aspects of life in Kolkata is its thriving intellectual and cultural scene. The city is home to numerous bookstores, libraries, and literary clubs, where intellectuals and book lovers gather to discuss literature, poetry, and philosophy. Apart from that, the thriving business community contributes significantly to the city’s economy and provides employment opportunities to millions of people.

To be honest, the only thing that I dislike about my hometown is the climate. It is characterized by hot and humid summers, mild winters, and a monsoon season. Summers can be quite scorching, with temperatures soaring, while the monsoon brings relief in the form of heavy rainfall, often leading to water-logging in some areas. However, winters are relatively pleasant, with cooler temperatures providing respite from the heat.

As someone who grew up in Kolkata, I have a deep affection for my hometown. Its lively streets, buzzing markets, and rich cultural heritage have left an everlasting impression on me. Other than literary tradition, art, music, and theater made global through personalities like Rabindranath Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Kishore Kumar, this city can charm anyone with a wide variety of traditional Bengali cuisine to street food delicacies like phuchka and kathi rolls. It is a gastronomic paradise for food enthusiasts like me. I feel proud when during Durga puja, people from worldwide become part of the immense  fervor  and enthusiasm with which this festival is celebrated. So, even though I might be away from my hometown, it will always be a part of my identity.

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Describe your Hometown – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answer 2

My hometown, Pune, a city in India’s western state of Maharashtra. It has a lovely environment with lots of greenery and nice weather because it is located at the foothills of the Sahyadri mountain range.

People of Pune participate in a wide variety of activities that showcase the vibrant culture and rich history of the city. Being a major educational hub, students from across the country flock to Pune to pursue higher education, contributing to its vibrant academic atmosphere. Additionally, it has a thriving IT industry, with numerous software companies and tech parks scattered across the cityscape. Culturally, Pune is rich in history and tradition. It has a strong Marathi influence blended with cosmopolitan flavors.

Pune has a tropical climate with warm summers, moderate winters, and a monsoon season. Even though the city is close to the Western Ghats, the evenings are usually cooler during the scorching summer months. The monsoon relieves the heat and revitalizes the surrounding landscapes with an abundance of water.

My hometown holds a special place in my heart. It is a very unique location because of its unique blend of modernism and heritage as well as its stunning natural surroundings. My favorite recollections are of climbing in the surrounding hills, discovering Pune’s historical sites, and indulging in the variety of cuisine Pune has to offer. Pune’s warm and welcoming atmosphere has shaped me into the person I am today, and I am proud to call it my hometown.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 – Describe your Hometown 

In  Part 3  of the IELTS Speaking test, the examiner will ask you some follow-up questions on the Part 2 topic – Describe your Hometown. So, scroll down to the questions along with the sample answers to be prepared for your exam.

• Why do people have a very strong bond with their hometown?

People often develop a strong bond with their hometown due to emotional connections and personal experiences. Having spent the early years there, hometown form first memories, and the earliest ties creating a sense of identity and belonging. In addition, hometowns frequently represent cultural traditions that influence people’s attitudes and worldviews. As a result, they identify their hometowns with feelings of security, comfort, and belonging. Hometowns also serve as memory banks for both individual and group memories. Reminiscent of special times and occasions, every neighborhood, landmark, and street corner has sentimental value for its residents.

• In what ways can you improve your hometown?

To make my hometown better, I think everyone should actively work to improve the community by supporting small companies, volunteering for community projects, pushing for social change, taking part in local activities, and encouraging a sense of civic duty and pride. I believe we can contribute to building a more lively, diverse, and sustainable hometown for ourselves and future generations by taking part in these initiatives.

• Most people do not live in their hometowns these days. Why?

People are moving away from their hometowns for a variety of reasons, including job possibilities, personal relationships, educational chances, and career aspirations. They can now relocate more easily for job or school thanks to urbanization and globalization, which has increased mobility and diversified the population.

To remember or preserve their hometowns, people stay in touch with family and friends, go back to familiar locations, celebrate local holidays and customs, exchange tales and recollections, and conserve cultural heritage via literature, music, and the arts.

• Which affects a person’s personality more, the hometown or the current city? Why?

In my opinion, both hometowns and current cities can significantly impact a person’s personality. While the present city offers fresh experiences, perspectives, and growth possibilities, one’s hometown serves as the foundation for their values, beliefs, and cultural identity. In the end, an individual’s personality is shaped by the amalgamation of these factors, with every setting offering distinct aspects to their individuality.

• Do people with the same hometown have a similar thinking? Why?

I think while people from the same hometown may share certain cultural similarities, it’s important to recognize that individuals are shaped by different factors, like personal experiences, upbringing, education, and individual differences. So, even though the same hometown can provide a bond, diversity within communities ensures that individuals may have varying perspectives and beliefs.

Describe your Hometown IELTS Vocabulary for Part 2 & 3

• Majestically 

Meaning:  with impressive beauty or scale

Example:  The new queen walked down the corridor majestically as everyone looked on.

Meaning:  full of busy activity

Example:  Baghdad is a bustling city.

Meaning:  a pause or rest from something difficult or unpleasant

Example:  The traveller was looking for shade and water as a respite from the heat.

• Gastronomic 

Meaning:  relating to the preparation and consumption (= eating) of good food

Example:  My brother is waiting for a gastronomic experience in Hyderabad.

• Delicacies 

Meaning:  something especially rare or expensive that is good to eat

Example:  A variety of delicacies were prepared to celebrate the union between the two royals.

• Cosmopolitan 

Meaning:  place or society is full of people from many different countries and cultures

Example:  She boasts of her cosmopolitan upbringing.

• Revitalizes 

Meaning:  to give new life, energy, activity, or success to something

Example:  This serum is said to revitalize the skin.

• Reminiscent 

Meaning:  making you remember a particular person, event, or thing

Example:  This fountain is reminiscent of the first meeting of my parents.

• Sustainable 

Meaning:  able to continue over a period of time

Example:  The government is adopting more sustainable steps to ensure a better future.

• Amalgamation 

Meaning:  uniting or merging two or more things

Example:  The amalgamation of the MNCs led to a boom in job openings.

Brush up Your IELTS Speaking Skills with IELTSMaterial

Now that you have gone through the sample answers on the topic Describe your Hometown IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 and 3, it is time for you to practice on your own. In case you need any help, you can leave a comment below or you can  connect with our IELTS experts  or join the free webinars for tips to ace your IELTS Speaking exam!

Additional Reads

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• 50 IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics & Questions in 2017 & Sample Answers (with pdf)
• City Life: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer
• Most Common IELTS Speaking Part 1 Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is this an important topic in IELTS or an often repeated question?

Is it a good practice to use difficult words like ameliorate?

I live in India. The answer given here is for Victoria. Can I use this answer in my speaking test which means can I say I’m from Victoria though I’m an Indian?

I’m not too much into facts. So I don’t know what is the population of my hometown? How do I deal with this?

Is it mandatory to use idioms?

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Kasturika Samanta

Kasturika is a professional Content Writer with over three years of experience as an English language teacher. Her understanding of English language requirements, as set by foreign universities, is enriched by her interactions with students and educators. Her work is a fusion of extensive knowledge of SEO practices and up-to-date guidelines. This enables her to produce content that not only informs but also engages IELTS aspirants. Her passion for exploring new horizons has driven her to achieve new heights in her learning journey.

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Raajdeep Saha

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Posted on Sep 3, 2023

It is very helpful and interesting

ria mahajan

Posted on Sep 5, 2023

Thanks. For more practice material and professional guidance you can visit IELTSMaterial Store : https://store.ieltsmaterial.com/

Elmuminova-sabina

Posted on Jul 31, 2023

I need hometown speaking

Posted on Oct 6, 2022

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Describe your Hometown [IELTS Cue Card]

Posted by David S. Wills | Feb 4, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Speaking | 0

It is impossible to predict what questions you will be asked in the IELTS speaking test, but one thing is certain: studying for common IELTS topics is a really great way to prepare .

There are various topics that appear in the IELTS speaking test regularly, and so you can be confident that if you study vocabulary for these, your time will be well spent. Those common topics include:

• Family and friends
• and many more.

One of the topics that frequently arises is that of hometown . Yes, it can appear in part one of the speaking test, but it could also appear in part two, requiring you to describe your hometown in some detail.

Today, I am going to show you how to answer this question. I will give you some useful vocabulary and grammatical structures to help you talk about the place you come from.

Table of Contents

The cue card – describe your hometown, analysing the cue card, prepare your answer, using wikipedia for ielts vocabulary, types of human settlement, more advice about ielts speaking part 2, sample answer, final notes.

In part one of the IELTS speaking test, you may be asked a simple question like, “where is your hometown?” or “do you like your hometown?” There may also be slightly more challenging questions, such as “how has your hometown changed since you were a child?”

However, for part two you will be given a cue card . This card will have instructions on it that tell you roughly what you should say. It will begin with “Describe…” and in this case it will say “Describe your hometown…”

It may look like this:

Describe your hometown. You should say: – where it is located – what people do there – what the climate is like and explain how you feel about your hometown.

Please note that there are many possible cue cards relating to the topic of hometown and this is just one possibility. You may also be asked to describe related things or ideas like:

• Describe a village near your hometown
• Describe a product from your hometown

In any case, it is important that you pay attention to the exact instructions on the cue card so that you don’t just talk generally about the topic of hometown.

Every cue card is different. Some are subtly different, while others contain more obvious differences. It is important that you read them carefully before giving your answer or else you may make a big mistake.

The cue card that I gave above is pretty simple. Let’s look at it again:

There is nothing here that is misleading and I think that everyone should be able to answer this question because we all have a hometown. There are some difficult ones like “ Describe a Prize ” that may not apply to all people, but this seems straightforward.

Anyway, it is worth thinking about what you must do:

• State the name of your hometown
• Say where it is
• Talk about the people
• Mention the climate
• Say how you feel about it

Certainly, you can add more to that list, but you don’t really have to. You should try to go through the points on the cue card and talk about them in order because this will give you a good framework for speaking. You might also want to structure your answer like a story .

When you are given the cue card, you will then have just 1 minute to think about it, before you are expected to talk for 1-2 minutes. This is where an easy question turns into a difficult one… Even describing your hometown can be challenging under such high-pressure circumstances.

So what should you do?

First of all, it’s a good idea to make notes. I’ve known people who don’t do this because they are confident in their abilities, but I still recommend everyone to write down a few words during their 1 minute of preparation time. This can really help them to remember what to say later.

Remember that you shouldn’t write too much. No matter how quickly you think you can write, in just 1 minute you won’t succeed in writing many words. As such, it’s better to use that time to note down some vocabulary or ideas that you want to remember for later. You can then refer to the cue card and your notepaper during your 1-2 minutes of talking time.

For the above question, I would write the following notes:

• Northeast Fife
• Various occupations (give examples)
• Mild but rainy

As you can see, I have not written much. I did not, for example, waste time writing the name of my hometown… I’m not likely to forget that. 😂 I wrote down its rough location and a few other key ideas that I would like to mention in my speech. There are no full sentences or even long phrases here as it would not help me to write them down.

Describing your hometown is not the most difficult IELTS topic. In fact, when most candidates encounter this question, they feel a great sense of relief! They have probably practised it many times in preparation for their speaking test, so it feels familiar to them.

Most IELTS candidates would be comfortable talking about their hometown at a basic level and I think many of them could easily get a band 6 on just this topic… But what about if you want to score band 7 or 8?

If you have followed my articles, e-mails, and videos in recent years, you will know that I really do not recommend learning long lists of vocabulary to dazzle the examiners. It just doesn’t work. Yes, I know that many lazy IELTS teachers tell you to use fancy language… but they are idiots and the examiners are smart. I read a sample answer to this question from an Indian IELTS teacher who used the phrase “variegated plethora of tourist attractions.” 🤣 Nobody really talks like that! It sounds utterly ridiculous.

Instead, you need to find words and phrases that are appropriate. This will, of course, depend on your actual hometown and its location. If I just teach you about mine, it might not be very helpful for you.

But I can give you one really good suggestion:

USE WIKIPEDIA!

Ok, this maybe sounds strange but take a look at the screenshot below. It is for my hometown of St. Andrews , in Scotland.

Using Wikipedia (in English) is great for finding words and ideas, but it’s especially useful because you can see how the words are actually used.

If we look at the section on “ weather and climate ,” we can see some even more useful language. It can be difficult to talk about this beyond “it’s cold” and so learning some more specific phrases is really helpful.

Here, we can see two sections that provide us with some good phrases:

• St Andrews has a temperate maritime climate , which is relatively mild despite its northerly latitude …However, the town is subject to strong winds . Night-time frosts are commo n; however, snowfall is rarer .
• Sunshine, averaging in excess of 1,500 hours a year is amongst the highest for Scotland, and comparable to inland parts of Southern England.

Obviously, when doing an IELTS speaking test you are not expected to know statistics about climate; however, some of the language here is quite useful. Words like “temperate,” “mild,” and “northerly” are ones that move beyond the basic IELTS vocabulary required for a band 6.

Those phrases, “___ is subject to ___” and “____ are common” are also very helpful. When describing something interesting you may want to say “___ is amongst the highest/lowest” and when comparing to another place, you may say “ ___ is comparable to ___.”

One final point about vocabulary: If you are going to describe your hometown, it will be useful to know the various types of human settlements. For example, do you live in a village, a town, or a city?

Here’s a list of them in order of size:

Before I give you my sample answer, I have a few more pieces of advice.

First of all, you need to make sure to speak for more than one minute. This may sound very obvious, but it’s hard to tell when you are in an exam. You should practice this at home so that you know what one minute feels like.

Don’t speak too quickly or you will finish saying everything within one minute. Instead, pace yourself by breathing slowly and staying calm. Nervousness is one of the biggest problems and it will make you speak too quickly.

Remember that you are having a conversation with the examiner. Even though at this point he/she will be just listening to you, it is not a formal speech. Avoid clichés such as, “Today I’m going to talk about…” These don’t sound very natural or normal.

Finally, don’t worry too much about the mistakes you make. If you say something that you know is wrong, you may correct it, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of repeatedly correcting yourself. This is not good. Small mistakes may even be ignored by the examiner, so just keep talking. If you pause to correct every little error, you will lose points for fluency.

Here is my sample answer for the above cue card, “describe your hometown”:

My hometown is a place called St. Andrews. It’s located in the northeast of Fife, a county in Scotland. St. Andrews is a very old place, with some buildings that date back hundreds of years, including a castle and a cathedral. Nowadays, it is mostly famous for its golf courses and an excellent university. These days, people in St. Andrews engage in various occupations, but as it’s a university town, there are lots of students there. Some people may work in shops or other businesses, and some commute to nearby cities like Dundee. However, there is no major industry in St. Andrews and no factories there. There are a lot of tourists, so I suppose at least some people must work within the tourist industry. In terms of climate, St. Andrews is mild but rainy. Like most of Scotland, there are not many sunny days and often it is grey, overcast, and there is a light rain. However, it seldom gets below freezing and there is rarely any snow. I have not lived in my hometown for many years because I moved away after university, but I still have a certain fondness for it. I go back once every year or two and I enjoy walking around the streets, or strolling along the beach. It is a very pleasant place for walking and being among the old buildings brings back fond memories.

You will see that I have used any “fancy” vocabulary in this answer. As I have said before, I don’t think that it’s really worthwhile. Moreover, I have not tried to write this like a description in a novel! Many lazy IELTS teachers produce stupid descriptions for their websites that use overly formal language or bizarre words. These are not realistic. This is a test of your speaking ability and you should go into it open-minded with the intention of just giving an honest description of whatever is on the cue card. You don’t need to say anything particularly special – just avoid mistakes with grammar and vocabulary.

I hope that this has been helpful for you. Next time you are asked to describe your hometown, I think that you should be able to provide a much better answer.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Talking about your hometown – video.

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In this lesson, you can learn how to describe your hometown in English. Talking about your hometown is useful for your conversational English, and could also help you in exams such as the IELTS speaking exam or the FCE speaking exam .

Where do you live do you live in a small town, a big city, or a remote village what’s it like learn phrases and vocabulary to use when talking about your hometown hometown in english., quiz: talking about your hometown.

How well can you remember the language from this lesson? Answer the 20 questions in this quiz to find out!

Click ‘Finish Quiz’ after the last question to see your score. You can then choose ‘Restart Quiz’ to try again or click ‘View Questions’ to check all the answers.

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1 . Question

Which is the odd one out?

• “I live in a giant mushroom.”
• “I live in a large city.”
• “I live in a small town.”
• “I live in a tiny village.”

Three answers are communities of various sizes. The odd one out is a weird song title but not somewhere that people live!

2 . Question

Write the missing word to complete this question.

“What’s your hometown famous ?”

The missing word has three letters.

3 . Question

“I grew up in a really sleepy town so I moved to a city as soon as I was old enough.”

What does this person think of the place where they spent their childhood?

• They liked it a lot and were happy there.
• They disliked it and couldn’t wait to leave.

The key words are ‘sleepy’ and ‘as soon as’

4 . Question

Write the missing word.

“It’s truly a 24- city. I love the fact you can get a burger at three in the morning!”

Does your word need to be singular or plural?

5 . Question

“How _________ have you lived in your hometown?”

Which word goes in the gap?

6 . Question

“I live in Sydney. Some people think it’s the city of Australia, but actually that’s Canberra.”

The missing word has seven letters – you can use the word before ‘city’ or ‘letter’.

7 . Question

“I know most of my _________. There’s a real sense of community where I live.”

• acquaintances

8 . Question

“My hometown isn’t that big but it’s very multi-cultural and well connected with nearby cities.”

The word ‘international’ was used in the lesson, meaning that a lot of people from all over the world live in a place. Which word in the sentence above has a similar meaning? Write it in the space below.

9 . Question

“London is famous for its landmarks.”

Which is not an example of a landmark?

• The Royal Albert Hall
• The London Eye
• The Houses of Parliament
• The laundrette on the High Street

10 . Question

“I live in Lyme Regis, which is a small town the sea in southwest England. It has a wonderful beach!”

The missing word is a preposition which has two letters.

11 . Question

“My home city is only small, but there’s always something _________.”

Which phrasal verb goes in the gap?

• taking away
• coming down

12 . Question

“Queenstown is completely unrecognisible compared to when I was a child.”

The highlighted word has been spelt incorrectly. Change one letter and write it correctly in the space below.

In American English, you can spell this word with a Z instead of an S. However, you shouldn’t do this here, because there’s a different letter that you need to change.

13 . Question

“I love living in a city, but air quality can be an _________, particularly in the summer.”

Two of the incorrect answers have a meaning that fits, but can’t go after ‘an’. The other incorrect answer isn’t a countable noun.

14 . Question

“It’s an enormous, bustling, international city.”

Which word in this sentence means that a lot of activity takes place? Write the word in the answer space below.

15 . Question

“I wish there was more _________ in my town. It would be nice to have at least one pub that stays open late!”

16 . Question

“My little village is quite isolated. If you didn’t have a car, you’d feel a bit cut from the wider world.”

17 . Question

“Living in a village _________ me perfectly. I love the fact that everyone knows you.”

Which verb goes in the gap?

18 . Question

Write one word in the gap.

“My home city has changed a lot in the twenty years.”

The word has four letters. It means the most recent twenty years.

19 . Question

“The _________ in my city is really high. More than half my salary goes on the mortgage and getting to work.”

Which expression goes in the gap?

• cost of living
• price of housing
• amount of travelling
• charge of renting

Two of the incorrect options are real expressions, but the meaning doesn’t fit in the context of the sentence.

20 . Question

“Many people in my town struggle to make meet.”

The missing word has four letters. It makes an expression meaning that people can’t pay all their bills easily.

1. Introducing Your Hometown

Let’s start with a simple sentence.

• I live in a ________.

What could you say? You could say something like:

• I live in a city.
• I live in a town.
• I live in a village.

That’s a good start, but it’s very basic. Let’s add a bit more detail.

What’s it called? How big is it?

• I live in Paris. It’s the capital city.
• I live in Shanghai. It’s a huge city.
• I live in a small town. It’s called Banbury.
• I live in Manarola, which is a tiny village by the sea.

Better! You should always try to add more details when you speak.

What about you? Where do you live? Can you make one or two sentences like this? Pause the video and practice!

Okay, let’s move on. It’s important to make answers more detailed and interesting when talking about your hometown in English.

2. Adding Background and Details

Think about these questions:

• What’s your hometown famous for?
• Can you think of some words you could use to describe your hometown?
• How long have you lived there?

Add these ideas to your answer to make it longer and more detailed. For example:

• I live in Paris, the capital city. It’s famous for its landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral or the Louvre. It’s also well-known for its food, of course!
• I live in Shanghai. It’s a huge, bustling, international city. People from all over the world live and work there.
• I live in a small town called Banbury. I’ve been living there for about five years, since I finished university. It’s a pretty sleepy place, to be honest.

Let’s look at some useful vocabulary from these examples which you can use when you speak.

• Paris is famous for its landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower.

Landmarks are famous places or buildings, like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Sydney Opera House or Christ the Redeemer in Rio.

Does your hometown have any famous landmarks? What are they called in English?

Next, we said:

• Shanghai is a bustling city.

Do you know what this means?

It means there’s a lot of activity. There are lots of people, lots of traffic, lots of life and energy.

Is your city bustling or sleepy ? If a town is sleepy there’s not much activity and things are quiet.

What about your hometown. Look at our questions again:

What could you say about your hometown? Pause the video and try to make 2-3 sentences.

Okay? Let’s look at our next point.

3. Saying What You Like About Your Hometown

What’s good about your hometown? What do you like most about it?

Different people like different things in a city or town. Let’s look at some example sentences which express positive feelings:

• I love living in Paris. It’s got such a rich culture and there’s always something interesting going on.
• Shanghai’s a great place to live. It’s a real 24-hour city and you can meet people from all over the world.
• Living in Banbury suits me. It’s a quiet place and it’s small enough that you can get to know your neighbours and have a sense of community.

What’s important for you? Do you want to live somewhere with a rich culture and a sense of history, or do you prefer more modern, international cities? Would you rather live somewhere larger and more energetic, or somewhere smaller and more peaceful?

Think about these ideas. You’ll need them in a minute!

Let’s look at some useful language from our examples:

• I love living in _______.
• _______’s a great place to live.
• Living in _______ suits me.

Of course, you can change these to say what you want to:

• I quite like living in _______.
• I really like living in ________.
• I suppose I don’t mind living in ________.

We also saw some useful phrases in our examples:

• It’s got such a rich culture.
• There’s always something interesting going on.
• It’s a real 24-hour city.
• You can meet people from all over the world.
• It’s small enough that you can get to know your neighbours.
• You have a sense of community.

What does that last phrase mean?

If you have a sense of community , it means people know their neighbours and feel like they belong to a wider community. Smaller towns and villages often have a better sense of community , perhaps because people have more time to talk to each other and do things together.

What about your hometown? Could you use any of these phrases to describe where you live?

Let’s continue talking about your hometown in English. Next, what if you don’t like something about your hometown?

4. Saying What You Dislike about Your Hometown in English

Let’s look at some examples which express negative feelings:

• Paris is great, but the cost of living is really high. That can be quite stressful because you’re always thinking about money and how to make ends meet.
• Shanghai’s an exciting place, but it’s really crowded and it can be exhausting to live there. Air quality can be an issue, particularly in the summer.
• Banbury’s nice, but sometimes I find it a bit boring. There’s not much nightlife and sometimes it feels a bit cut off from the wider world.

When talking about things you don’t like about your hometown, you can use adjectives like:

You can make your answer more interesting by using phrases. We saw some useful ones in our examples:

• The cost of living is really high.
• You’re always thinking about how to make ends meet.
• It can be exhausting to live there.
• Air quality can be an issue.
• There’s not much nightlife.
• It feels a bit cut off from the wider world.

Could you use any of these phrases to describe your hometown in English?

Remember that you can also change the phrases to fit your ideas. For example:

• Traffic can be an issue.
• There’s not much for young people to do.
• It can be very stressful to live here.

Okay, what about you? Try to make 3-4 sentences. Say what you like and dislike about your hometown. Use the key words and phrases from parts 3 and 4.

Go on, pause the video and practice!

Okay? We have one more thing to do:

5. Describing How Your Hometown has Changed over Time

What was your hometown like ten, twenty or fifty years ago? How has it changed? How has it changed over time? By the way, we’re using the present perfect tense here! Be sure to watch the lesson if you need some practice.

Some places change very fast; other places never seem to change at all!

Talking about changes can add interesting and useful information to your description. Let’s look:

• Paris has changed a lot in the last twenty years. It’s much more international and much more expensive than it used to be. However, the soul of the city is still there. Paris will always be Paris!
• Shanghai is almost unrecognisable compared to twenty or thirty years ago. The city has expanded so much, both physically and economically. It’s amazing when you see old photos of the city; things are so different now!
• Banbury hasn’t changed much as a place in the last twenty years, but the mix of people is a bit different nowadays. The population used to be older and mostly English, whereas now there are more young people living here, including many people from other parts of Europe.

Again, these examples contain a lot of useful language you can use when talking about your hometown in English.

For example:

• ________ has changed a lot in the last twenty years.
• ________ is almost unrecognisable compared to twenty years ago.
• ________ hasn’t changed much as a place in the last twenty years.

Which of these sentences is true for your hometown? Can you add details to explain why? For example:

• It’s much more ________ than it used to be.
• The city has ________ so much.
• The ________ is a bit different nowadays.

Now, you’ve seen a lot of useful language you can use for talking about your hometown in English. Let’s put everything together and practice making a longer answer.

Do you remember all the points we talked about? We covered:

• Introducing your hometown in English.
• Adding background and details.
• Talking about what you like or dislike about it.
• Talking about how it’s changed over time.

Follow these points and you can make a long, detailed answer to describe your hometown. For example:

• I live in St Petersburg . It’s the second largest city in Russia, and it’s a beautiful place to live. I’ve lived here all my life and I can’t imagine living anywhere else! It has such a rich culture, I think partly because the city’s history is a mix of European and Russian influences. I think that’s why I like it here—it’s a unique place. Traffic can be an issue in the city centre, but public transport is very good. The city hasn’t changed much in the last twenty years, although there are certainly more and more tourists these days!

Could you make an answer like this? Let’s do one more example first. I’ll tell you about my hometown:

• I’m from Denver , the capital of Colorado. It’s near the Rocky Mountains, so the surrounding area is quite beautiful. I’ve been living here for about three years. I really like Denver because it’s a young city with lots of energy, but if you need a break it’s easy to drive to the mountains and find a quiet place to relax. The only real disadvantage is that winter can be seriously cold! Denver’s changed quite a lot in the last twenty years—many people are moving here to work. Unfortunately, the cost of living has also gone up quite a lot.

Okay, now it’s definitely your turn! Practice talking about your hometown in English. Make a longer answer like these ones.

Thanks for watching this Oxford Online English speaking lesson, and see you next time!

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How to Talk About Your Hometown while IELTS Speaking?

Here we came back again, with one new IELTS speaking exam -related article where speaking about your hometown will be described.

Hometown is a place of your living. It is a city or a town from where you belong since birth or your birthplace. Basically, in IELTS speaking test , one question can be certainly about your hometown. Whether it can be in part 1 or 2 or 3. You should be prepared about these type of questions ahead in your speaking. It is one of the comfortable topics to talk about as you are attached to your land and you know it well. You will be in no need to think about it as it will come from within.

• Take care of the vocabulary used.
• Do not speak negatively about your hometown.
• Speak the truth and do mention the suggestions for improvement if asked.
• Mention its location and establishment.
• You can talk about your hometown in your introductory speech too but it should be brief.

Q. Describe your hometown?

A. My hometown is a small city. People of my city are very affectionate and sociable including me. My city is itself complete in providing all basic as well as advanced necessities.

Q. Where your hometown is located?

A. Ah, well, my hometown is in Punjab. My city’s name is Amritsar. It is located in northern part of India. It is a plain area having lots of greenery in terms of its agricultural activities too.

Q. Is it easy to travel around your hometown?

A. Yes, in this advanced era, my hometown is advancing too. It is comfortable to travel in and around my hometown. One can have a tour to my hometown by any means of road, air or water.

Q. What it is famous for?

A. Well, my hometown is famous for many of the tourist attractions situated here. Along with this, it is well known for its food items especially its signature delicacy called ‘sarso saag and makki ki roti'.

Q. Which are the famous tourist places in your hometown?

A. My hometown, Amritsar, is famous for the Golden Temple where, thousands of tourists visit annually. Besides this, it is famous for Durgiana temple, Gobindgarh fort, war memorial, Jallianwala Bagh. My hometown also shares a border with Pakistan which is also a tourist site.

Q. What do people in your hometown do?

A. Around 60% of the population of my hometown is engaged in agricultural activities. Also, people are potters, artisans, entrepreneurs, teachers etc.

• Describe your hometown
• What is something special about your hometown?
• Compare it to the other cities of the world.

Ah, my hometown is Amritsar which is located in Punjab, India. Its location in India is in its northern part. It is a plain area and it is surely my favorite place as I am born and brought up here only. My hometown is a developing district. It is developing in terms of its infrastructure and transportation facilities. Talking about its area, it is not a much-crowded city and the atmosphere is, too, clean and green. If I talk about its necessities, all the medical and legal facilities are available here. My city is certainly equipped with all the basic amenities like hospitals and educational institutions too.

Moving further, I would like to tell proudly that my city is famous for the number of tourist sites situated here. One of the famous Sikhs religious places Golden Temple is located here which makes it distinguished from other cities. Annually lakhs of visitors come here to bow their heads in front of guru ji. Besides this, Durgiana temple, Jallianwala Bagh and War memorial-like places are distinct too. The water of my land is sweet and delicious which makes many of the food items tasty.

Well, my city is certainly different from other regions in its every nook and corner. The green lush of its farms and a relaxing atmosphere free from pollution makes it distinguished from other countries or cities. The standard of living here is simple. I believe the major consideration in my hometown is its people. People are very affectionate towards each other and they do help each other. In my opinion, the people in other cities have no time to take care of even themselves too.

Well, this is all about my hometown.

Describe about your hometown:

You should say

• Where it is located
• What it is known for
• What are the main industries in your hometown
• What languages are spoken there
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of living there
• What problems do your hometown faces

( Aforementioned speech is enough yet some questions are different which can be included and answered in your speech like this)

As i have mentioned that, Amritsar is known for its agricultural products so the main industries here are cotton industries, rice mills , clothing manufacturing etc. Though, the work is not at larger scales as compared to another developed cities, yet it meets the demands of the people.

Talking about the Languages spoken here, the basic mother tongue is Punjabi language. Besides this, people of my city can speak Hindi, English, Sanskrit too which are common languages in educational curriculum too.

For strengthing your educational basics , the city is quite good but to have a boom in your career or for finding more advanced jobs or higher studies, I am personally thinking of migrating to another town. I guess this is the disadvantage of living here. It is not basically a demerit but a suggestion which can be considered by the government.

Q. In what ways you can improve your hometown?

A. Well, my hometown is developing and yes, there are some things which I would like to share regarding its development. Firstly, the infrastructure in which the roads need to be improved. Another is the strictness regarding laws of throwing garbage at tourist places. I believe, these can help to improve my hometown a lot.

Q. What are the main reasons of liking your hometown other than living in it?

A. Yes, I like my hometown because I live in it. Other than this reason, I like it for the people here who are sociable and friendly. Everyone helps here each other. The number of tourists sites here makes it likable though, too.

Q. Most people do not live in their hometowns these days. Why?

A. As we all know, that people nowadays are migrating to another cities or countries for more advanced opportunities in education and career. I guess, these are the major reasons why people move out of their hometowns. Other than that, people also move for their families.

Some important vocabulary words :-

• Famous- well known
• Situated – located,
• Shopping malls- shopping centers
• District- city, town
• Scarcity- shortage
• Amenities- facilities
• Congestion- pollution, traffic crowded
• Huge, small, big
• A larger proportion of folks, a major population

Aforementioned questions are the maximum possible questions that can be asked about hometown. You can have a glance at these for practicing. I hope this article will help you in speaking about your hometown well.

Also, you can have a thorough knowledge of your city by browsing.

Do not get confused and stick to the question only. Be brief in your speaking.

Best of luck!

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Let’s talk about your hometown: English phrases for advanced learners

Talking about where you’re from is such a staple of language teaching that it’s almost become a cliche. Take a look at module one in almost any elementary or starter coursebook and talking about your hometown, albeit fairly superficially, will probably be there.

But then, look through to intermediate and upper-int and even advanced, and talking about something like where you’re from doesn’t appear to be considered much of a priority.

Unfortunately, a lot of coursebooks and language syllabuses seem to be under the impression that as you get better at a language, then you’re going to want to talk about more heady topics like politics and philosophy.

But the thing is, most of us talk about the same thing all the time: our jobs, our home, our family, our hobbies and … sometimes … our hometown.

As our students get better at English, it isn’t as if they start developing a desire to discuss Nietze and the perils of neo-liberalism (though, one or two certainly do).

Instead, they want to be able to talk about the normal, everyday stuff they learned in elementary. But just better.

In this video, I deal with over a hundred words and phrases that your students can use to talk about their hometown.

Kind of like back when they were doing it at elementary level. But just much better.

For more classes from Gabriel Clark, please click here !

25 Hometowns conversation questions

Hometowns conversation questions.

Your hometown is generally regarded as where you were born, grew up, went to school, or spent most of your younger years. It is a topic of discussion that everyone can take part in. Use these hometowns conversation classes to find out where your students and associates come from and what it is like there.

This is an easy discussion activity with the majority of questions being suitable for pre-intermediate level ESL learners. The hardest words in this speaking exercise are – main street, population, landscape, landform, temperature, festival, relatives, industries, materials, and recommend.

The hometowns conversation questions are –

Where did you grow up and go to school ? When was the last time you were there?

What’s your hometown famous for? Does your hometown have an interesting history?

What is the name of the main street in your hometown? What is on this street?

How many people live in your hometown? Is the population growing quickly?

Does your hometown have any special foods? What food is grown in your hometown?

What different kinds of landscapes and landforms does your hometown have?

Which season has the best weather in your hometown? What are the temperatures?

What is your favorite thing about your hometown? Is there anything you don’t like?

Does your hometown have any lakes or rivers? Is the water clean enough to swim in?

Would you say that your hometown is a safe place for people to live? Why/why not?

If you are away from your hometime for a long time, what do you miss the most?

Does your hometown have any festivals? What are the celebrations about?

Do many people walk around your hometown? What transport is most popular?

Have you ever wished that you had a different hometown? Why did you wish for this?

What kinds of industries are in your hometown? Is it a good place to find a job?

Do you have many relatives in your hometown or have family moved elsewhere?

What are the streets and roads like in your hometown? Is traffic a problem there?

Can you describe the buildings in your hometown? What materials are they made of?

What kinds of activities do people like to do on weekends in your hometown?

Does your hometown have good facilities such as schools, and public transport?

Is there much nature around your hometown? What animals and plants are there?

If a tourist came to your hometown, what would you recommend they see and do?

Do you think that the people who live in your hometown are happy? Why?

How do you see your hometown changing in the near future ? Is this good or bad?

Further activities

If you want to continue the hometown discussion, have a look at the home conversation questions and the cities conversation questions which are closely related.

A fun follow-up activity is to ask students to draw a basic map of their hometown. Get them to draw in all the major landmarks and landforms that exist there. Once they have done this they can describe their hometown in detail. The map can also be used for activities about giving directions.

For a writing exercise, ask your class to describe their perfect hometown. They should write about the geography, nature, infrastructure, facilities, location, industries, weather, and so on.

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Tell me about your Town!

John : So Sarah, what can you tell me about your hometown?

Sarah : My hometown. Well, my hometown is called Eau Claire, Wisconsin. And it's a really great city.

There are about 80,000 people. There are lots of things to do. There are three movie theatres. I love to watch movies.

John : Me too.

Sarah : There's lots of shopping. You can find anything you want there. There are a lot of malls and stores.

John : Are there many restaurants?

Sarah : Yes. The thing I like is you can eat any type of food. There are Chinese restaurants and Korean restaurants, Italian restaurants. There is a big variety of restaurants, and they're all good.

John : That sounds great. What about parks? Are there many places to see nature in your town?

Sarah : Yes. We have a lot of rivers, and lakes and hills. My hometown has four seasons. So in summer, it's great because there are lots of lakes to swim in, lots of forests to play in. In winter, there is a lot of snow. So you can go ice skating or ice fishing or even skiing.

John : Wow. That sounds really fun.

Sarah : Yeah. It's a really nice city. It's also really safe. There are lots of nice people there.

John : Good. Is there much to do at night?

Sarah : Well, maybe, maybe not. There's not many things to do at night. There aren't any nightclubs. There aren't many bars. So actually, maybe there isn't much night life.

John : That's okay. It sounds like a nice place to have a family.

Sarah : Yeah. It is. It's a great place to have a family. There's lots of good schools and libraries.

There is / there are = be (exist)

• Is there a mall in your town?
• Are there any shops by your house?
• There is a big lake.
• There isn't much time.
• There are many cafes.
• There aren't any nice parks in town.

There = place

• I like the mall . I like to go there .
• The cafe is open. You can eat there .

They're = They are

• Bob and Mary are coworkers. They're very nice.
• Joe and Al left. They're not here anymore.

Their = some people's items

• That is my house. This is their house.
• Where are the kids? Are these their toys?

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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP '24: Justin Thomas gets rare experience playing a major in his hometown

Doug Ferguson

Associated Press

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

FILE - Justin Thomas poses with the Wanamaker Trophy with his dad Mike, after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament in a playoff against Will Zalatoris at Southern Hills Country Club, Sunday, May 22, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. Thomas returns to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, on May 16-19, 2024, for the PGA Championship at Valhalla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

Justin Thomas was back home in Kentucky for an occasion different from any other time in Louisville. The city honored him with its “Hometown Hero” award, and a 60-foot banner was unfurled from the building he used to pass on the way to Saint Xavier High School.

Thomas was so choked up at the presentation he couldn't speak until he eventually said, “The things I've felt today, I've never felt in any golf tournament I've won.”

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This was a week before the best golfers in the world — one of them a Louisville native — arrive for the PGA Championship at Valhalla.

It's rare for a player to have a hometown major in a city that doesn't have a steady diet of championship golf. Thomas is curious how he will respond. He is a two-time PGA champion, winning at Quail Hollow in 2017 and Southern Hills in 2022, which also was his last victory as he continues to work his way back into form.

“It will be a new experience for me,” Thomas said. “The hardest thing I'll have is putting pressure on myself and wanting to perform well. But at the same, I do a good job of that without having a home event. Maybe two negatives will equal a positive.”

Collin Morikawa and Max Homa grew up in the LA area. The U.S. Open went to Los Angeles Country Club last year, but they are regulars at the PGA Tour event at Riviera, the next best thing to a major. Xander Schauffele and Charley Hoffman grew up in San Diego. They play Torrey Pines every year on tour — the U.S. Open in 2021 wasn't that much different.

Thomas has talked to Keegan Bradley, a New England native, about what it was like to play the U.S. Open — and contend on the weekend — at Brookline outside Boston in the 2022 U.S. Open.

“I told him what I tried to do is look into the crowd and make eye contact with people and see how excited they were and try to feed off that,” Bradley said.

His other message: Embrace the moment. This doesn't happen very often.

“My motto for the week was, 'Why look forward to something for so long and not enjoy it?” Bradley said.

Tommy Fleetwood would second that notion. Fleetwood grew up in Southport, England, and played the British Open at Royal Birkdale in 2017. He opened with a 76 and gamely rallied to make the cut and tie for 27th.

“There's pressure from yourself because it means that much more. Then there's pressure of playing before your home crowd,” Fleetwood said. “But I mean, how lucky are you to play a home Open where you grew up?

“It's so rare you get to do things like that,” he said. “If you don't embrace it, you'll look back and wish that you did.”

Thomas also wants to check in with Rory McIlroy about playing a British Open in his native Northern Ireland. That didn't start — or end well — for McIlroy at Royal Portrush . He made a quadruple-bogey 8 on the first hole, shot 79 and his rally to make the cut fell short.

“I remember getting onto the first tee Thursday and feeling overwhelmed, like I hadn't really prepared for it or visualized it or took my mind to a place where I was expecting to feel what I felt,” McIlroy said. “I don't know that you can. You can't prepare for it until you actually feel it.”

The list is short of players dealing with a hometown major.

Jack Nicklaus played the 1964 PGA Championship in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio (12 years before the inaugural Memorial). Columbus Country Club wasn't his home course, and Nicklaus had only played it four times since high school.

But it was a busy week. Gary Player stayed at his house and Nicklaus jokingly said he missed a Tuesday practice round because he had to do Player's laundry. Nicklaus, the defending PGA champion, was six behind going into the last round and closed with a 64 to finish three shots behind Bobby Nichols.

Jeff Sluman was the PGA champion when the 1989 U.S. Open went to Oak Hill in Rochester, where Sluman grew up. He agreed to do a daily diary for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, right up until he missed the cut.

Thomas has a history at Valhalla, but rarely with a club in his hand.

His father was the head pro at Harmony Landing, and he was an officer with the PGA of America when the PGA Championship came to Valhalla in 2000. Thomas was 7, just getting into golf. He said that week made it clear what he wanted to do for a living.

It helps that it was among the most memorable finishes in PGA Championship history. Tiger Woods birdied the last two holes in regulation to force a playoff with Bob May, and he went on to capture his third consecutive major on his way to the “Tiger Slam,” holding all four majors at the same time.

Thomas was in the clubhouse — too short to see anything with so many people — when Woods made his 6-foot birdie putt to force the playoff. He could hear the roars seconds before he saw the putt go in on TV. He remembers staying late in the clubhouse with hopes of running into Woods. Thomas had to settle for seeing Woods walk down a hallway into a room.

“I've watched the VHS of that tournament so many times as a kid,” Thomas said. “I'd get home and if nothing was on TV, I'd watch that over and over and over and over again.”

Thomas recalls going to a clinic on the practice range earlier in the week to see Jack Nicklaus, his final year playing all four majors.

“I went to school telling all my friends, ‘I got an autograph from the best golfer to ever play.’ And they go, ‘Oh, you got Tiger Woods?’ I said, ‘No, I got Jack Nicklaus’ autograph,'” Thomas said. “It was a very typical 7-year-old golf nerd thing to say.”

He wasn't much different at 15 when he attended the Ryder Cup at Valhalla in 2008. He was there when Jim Furyk's match clinched a rare victory for the Americans. Another Kentucky native, J.B. Holmes, pulled Thomas inside the ropes where the kid found himself high-fiving with Phil Mickelson.

Thomas missed the 2014 PGA Championship. He was playing a Korn Ferry Tour event in Springfield, Missouri, trying to earn a PGA Tour card.

Now, finally, he returns to a big stage at Valhalla — this time as a player, not a wide-eyed fan.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Vanderbilt University honors Class of 2024 Founder’s Medalists

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May 9, 2024, 12:39 PM

In a time-honored tradition, Vanderbilt celebrated its Founder’s Medalists for the Class of 2024 at the Graduates Day event on May 9.

Since 1877, the university has awarded a gold medal to the student graduating with top honors from each of the university’s 10 schools and colleges . The award is named after the university’s founder, Cornelius Vanderbilt , who endowed the award in its first year.

Charles Dylan Hanson College of Arts and Science

Charles Dylan Hanson, from Boston, Massachusetts, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the College of Arts and Science . He is graduating with a bachelor of arts with two majors, history and computer science.

A highlight of his academic experience was conducting research in the Media and Inequality Lab, where he used big data technology to investigate social inequality through the lens of political science and media studies. One of his projects began with the question, “How did COVID affect people’s opinions of Chinese food?” He analyzed millions of Yelp reviews to find the answer.

On campus, he was president of Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations , a club that provides strategy consulting services to nonprofits and social impact organizations in the Southeast. He created Vandy.Link , a community management platform for student clubs. He was also director of technology in Vanderbilt Student Government, for which he was awarded the Nora C. Chaffin Scholarship for service to the university.

He expressed gratitude to his mother, who raised him as a single parent after his father died when Dylan was 14. Dylan completed his degree in December 2023 and has joined Bloomberg Financial Services as a software engineer. In the future, he plans to earn a J.D./MBA and launch a technology incubator for social good.

Alasdair Leslie Norman Payten Blair School of Music

Alasdair Leslie Norman Payten, from San Francisco, California, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for Blair School of Music . He is graduating with a bachelor of musical arts and double-majored in voice performance and economics. Payten is a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, under the Sartain Lanier Leadership Program, and a member of the Eta Iota chapter of national music honor society Pi Kappa Lambda.

He has made many contributions to the university’s performing arts as a member of Vanderbilt Opera Theatre , Vanderbilt Chorale and The Original Cast . A longtime advocate of music education, Payten has been a music theory tutor for Blair’s undergraduate and pre-college students, as well as a teaching assistant for the Vanderbilt Youth Choirs.

This past summer, he traveled to the United Kingdom as a Vanderbilt Choral Scholar to explore musical repertoire from the Renaissance period and to learn from England’s rich tradition of sacred choral music. He also participated in the InterHarmony International Music Festival, where he studied piano in the hills of Italy’s Piedmont region.

After graduation, Payten plans to work toward expanding access to classical music and music education, a cause that has guided him in his time at Vanderbilt.

Madison Marie Albert School of Engineering

Madison Marie Albert, from North Yarmouth, Maine, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the School of Engineering . She is graduating with a bachelor of engineering. Albert, who double-majored in biomedical engineering and mathematics, began looking for research opportunities as a first-year student. She was selected for the highly competitive Research Experiences for Undergraduates program , created by the National Science Foundation. Her REU project in applied mathematics modeled bone cells.

During her sophomore year, her academic adviser, William Grissom, associate professor of biomedical engineering, reached out with an opportunity to join his MRI lab. Albert found that MRI research provided the perfect combination of clinical relevance and computational work for her. She has learned more about MRI, and the potential to never stop learning drives her desire to pursue research as a career.

Her honors include the Case School of Engineering Swanger Graduate Fellowship and a Goldwater Scholarship.

Albert’s most meaningful service experience during college was being the rector for the University Catholic Awakening Retreat in 2023, with about 150 college students from across Davidson County attending. She says her faith has grown significantly through involvement with University Catholic.

After graduation, she will pursue a doctorate in biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University. And she will continue her research with Professor Grissom to develop pulse optimization tools for MRI.

Morgan Anne Heath-Powers Peabody College of Education and Human Development

Morgan Anne Heath-Powers, from Reno, Nevada, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for Peabody College of Education and Human Development . She is graduating with a bachelor of science and majored in human and organizational development, with an emphasis in health and human services and a minor in Spanish for the professions. She was a Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, a Peabody Honors Scholar, and a Pugh-Hernández Scholar, receiving support for a Maymester trip across Spain through the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

While she initially intended to pursue a career in business, her heart was captured by courses in neuroscience, medical anthropology and health care service delivery to diverse populations. Through a course at Vanderbilt, she trained as a Spanish medical interpreter, and dedicated much of her time to volunteering and refining her skills with organizations such as Siloam Health, a Nashville nonprofit bringing comprehensive, whole-person health care to the uninsured and culturally marginalized.

She was co-president of the Vanderbilt Pre-Nursing Society , empowering fellow students along the same path. She thanks the deans of Undergraduate Student Affairs, Vanderbilt’s multiple student care organizations, the Title IX Office and her incredible professors for their instrumental support, care and belief in her the past four years. She is also grateful for family and friends who surround her with love, encouragement and hope.

After graduation, Heath-Powers looks forward to continuing her education to become a clinician who serves individuals and communities through primary care focused on prevention and whole-person wellness.

Sarah Moore Divinity School

Sarah Moore, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Divinity School . She is graduating with a master of divinity with a concentration in chaplaincy. Moore earned a bachelor of science in biology and global health at Georgetown University.

Through her field education placement at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, she developed a deep love for pediatric chaplaincy, supporting children and their families with the unique emotional and spiritual needs that arise in the hospital. She was recognized by the pediatric medicine nursing staff for her dedication to quality care for patients and families.

Courses in bioethics and in death and dying influenced how she approaches her work in the hospital and in caring for families. She received honors for her degree project, “This Woman’s Work: Accounts of Bearing Witness, Spiritual Care and Special Space on the NICU.” Moore is grateful to the spiritual care team at Children’s Hospital, who mentored her for the past two years while she served as a student chaplain.

After graduation, she will move to the Pacific Northwest to practice her vocation in pediatric chaplaincy.

Lucy Magill Alsip Vollbrecht Graduate School

Lucy Magill Alsip Vollbrecht, from Flagstaff, Arizona, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Graduate School . She is graduating with a doctor of philosophy in philosophy. Vollbrecht is a specialist in social epistemology, which is the study of how knowledge is produced and transmitted in group and social contexts. She earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy at Whitman College. Her interests include ancient philosophy, argumentation theory and feminist theories of knowledge.

Vollbrecht has a forthcoming article, “Can Feminists be Skeptics?” being published by Southwest Philosophy Review . Associate Professor of Philosophy Scott Aikin, Vollbrecht’s adviser, says that “her research, beyond the dissertation, has carried her to the question of the relevance of the ancients to contemporary philosophical and social questions.”

Her honors include the Dean’s Fellowship Award, the Publication Excellence Prize and the Ethics Dissertation Prospectus Prize. She also received high marks for her teaching. Vollbrecht was a member of the Philosophy Graduate Student Association Teaching Committee and helped organize the Philosophy Graduate Student Colloquium. She also was co-chair of Vanderbilt Minorities and Philosophy.

After graduation, she begins a postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, where she will focus on political argument, policy and civility.

Robert Christian Dunn Law School

Robert Christian Dunn, of Columbus, Ohio, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Law School . He is graduating with a doctor of jurisprudence. Dunn is a Double ’Dore, having earned his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt in 2018.

He has fond memories of two undergraduate classes on author James Joyce taught by English Professor Roy Gottfried. Dunn credits those courses with how he reads and analyzes texts.

During law school, Dunn was executive editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review . He was honored with many Scholastic Excellence awards: Constitutional Law I and II, Civil Procedure, Corporations and Business Entities, Securities Regulation, and Mergers and Acquisitions.

One of his favorite spring and summer activities in Nashville has been floating the Harpeth River, and he became involved with the Harpeth Conservancy, doing volunteer pro bono legal work for them. His first foray into environmental law was a deeply meaningful experience. Not only has he been able to work on behalf of some of Nashville’s best natural assets, but he also discovered a real enjoyment for environmental legal work.

After graduation, Dunn will move to New York City to begin practice as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

Sachin Kumar Aggarwal School of Medicine

Sachin Kumar Aggarwal, from Houston, Texas, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the School of Medicine . He is graduating with a doctor of medicine. Aggarwal earned a bachelor of science at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied biomedical engineering.

His path to medicine was shaped by multiple influences, including his mother’s completion of medical school in India and physician friends in Houston who exemplified values of caring, compassion and respect. This combination of influences remains at the core of Aggarwal’s passion for medicine and health care.

At Vanderbilt, Aggarwal held multiple volunteer and leadership positions at the student-run Shade Tree Clinic , which provides free, high-quality care to uninsured and underinsured individuals in the Nashville area. Aggarwal directed the clinic operations to maintain high-quality care while working on projects to expand offerings and enhance the clinic’s sustainability.

He also created health education videos and presentations for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work led him to receive the 2021 Robert F. Miller Award for Community Service and Engagement.

He has matched into residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Aggarwal hopes to continue addressing health equity through direct patient care and innovation at different levels of health care interactions.

Teresa J. Cagle School of Nursing

Teresa J. Cagle, from Fayetteville, Georgia, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the School of Nursing . She is graduating with a doctor of nursing practice. Cagle, a psychiatric–mental health nurse practitioner, earned a master of science and bachelor of science in nursing at Georgia College & State University. She worked as a registered nurse in surgical and emergency department services, the latter during COVID-19.

As a doctoral-prepared nurse practitioner, she is the strong voice for those affected by mental health disorders, which have risen sharply among young people. Her doctoral studies instilled a passionate desire to advocate for mental health curriculum in Georgia school systems.

She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She completed a quality improvement project that addressed analyzing the effectiveness and utility of a pharmacogenomic-guided approach to personalized medication management for depressive disorders. She has been instrumental in proposing the addition of a specialty pharmacy within her outpatient clinic to better serve her community’s vulnerable population.

Cagle has a focus on nursing education and has incorporated precepting students in the outpatient clinic, understanding that the shortage of mental health professionals is at a critical level. She volunteers in her hometown with the Trilith Foundation, which strives to enrich lives mentally, physically, spiritually and relationally. Her involvement there puts her in a position to influence key stakeholders invested in her community’s mental health.

Cagle believes her academic journey, combined with her calling, has led to greater opportunities for mental health awareness, patient safety, nursing education, medical missions, patient advocacy and innovative change.

Branson Thomas Horn Owen Graduate School of Management

Branson Thomas Horn, from Birmingham, Alabama, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for Owen Graduate School of Management . He is graduating with a master of business administration with concentrations in strategy and health care. Horn earned a bachelor of science at the University of Alabama, where he double-majored in finance and economics, with a minor in social innovation and leadership.

At Vanderbilt, he was honored as a Dean’s Scholar, a Bruce D. Henderson Scholar and an Ingram Scholar.

Two influential courses for Horn were Healthcare Immersion, taught by Professor Emeritus of Economics and Strategy Larry Van Horn, and Launching the Venture, taught by Professor of the Practice of Management Michael Burcham. Healthcare Immersion exposed Horn to many leaders at the cutting edge of their fields in health care business. Launching the Venture solidified his interest in entrepreneurship and working with growth-stage companies.

Horn was president of the Venture and Entrepreneurship Club , where he worked to foster a better understanding of Nashville’s entrepreneurship scene in the Owen community. He also enjoyed being a teaching assistant for an intensive learning module for first-year MBA students. It was especially rewarding to help those with no business background gain confidence in their accounting and finance skill sets and continue their momentum at Owen.

He is grateful for the support of his wife, Kelly Severino Horn, and he follows in the footsteps of her many family members who are Vanderbilt alumni. After graduation, Horn will participate in Nashville’s thriving entrepreneurship community.

• See more stories from the Class of 2024.
• Check out a list of past Founder’s Medalists .
• Share your Commencement photos by tagging #VU2024.
• Find all the latest celebration details on the Vanderbilt Commencement website .

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Peabody faculty and alumna honored at AERA annual meeting

WATCH: Unique perspectives from around the globe enrich the Class of 2024

Horn named AERA Fellow

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• Alasdair Leslie Norman Payten
• Branson Thomas Horn
• Charles Dylan Hanson
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• Founder's Medalists
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• Madison Marie Albert
• Morgan Anne Heath-Powers
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WEATHER ALERT

6 warnings, a watch and an advisory in effect for 13 regions in the area

Suspect identified, wanted in connection to murder of attorney at houston mcdonald’s.

Moriah Ballard , Digital Producer/Reporter

Christian Terry , Digital Content Producer

HOUSTON – A man is now wanted after being charged with murder following a deadly shooting at a McDonald’s off the Katy Freeway last week.

The shooting took place at 8147 Katy Freeway (West Interstate Highway 10) service road about 6 p.m. on May 4, according to the Houston Police Department.

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Police have identified the suspect as 57-year-old Anthony Martin Landry.

• Family identifies Houston attorney as man killed after trying to calm angry customer at McDonald’s off Katy Freeway

Officers with HPD said they responded to the shooting and found an unknown man unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds.

Houston Fire Department paramedics responded to the scene and pronounced the man, later identified as Jeffrey Limmer, 46, dead.

The suspect fled the scene in an early 2000s blue Ford pickup truck.

Police at the scene said the suspect, now identified as Landry, was dissatisfied with his order, wanted a refund, and was arguing with the staff. Limmer reportedly tried to calm down the irate customer, but instead, the customer turned his attention toward him.

• Fight outside Houston McDonald’s turns deadly after man tries to calm down angry customer

The argument led both men outside, and police said Limmer pushed the angry customer to the ground. After that, investigators say the suspect grabbed a gun from his car and shot Limmer twice before driving away from the scene.

Limmer was an attorney for Lewis Brisbois law firm.

Landry remains on the run.

The Limmer family released a statement after the suspect was identified:

“Our family is relieved to learn that the suspect has been identified, and we pray that he is apprehended as soon as possible so that he cannot hurt anyone else. Additionally, we are praying for the safety of law enforcement as they work to bring him to justice.

We are grateful to the community for your overwhelming love and support, and we ask that you respect our privacy as we mourn the loss of our dear Jeff.”

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Anthony Martin Landry or in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or speak anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

About the Authors

Moriah ballard.

Moriah Ballard joined the KPRC 2 digital team in the fall of 2021. Prior to becoming a digital content producer in Southeast Texas and a Houstonian, Moriah was an award-winning radio host in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, and previously worked as a producer/content creator in Cleveland. Her faith, family, and community are her top passions.

Christian Terry

Christian Terry covered digital news in Tyler and Wichita Falls before returning to the Houston area where he grew up. He is passionate about weather and the outdoors and often spends his days off on the water fishing.

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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP ’24: Justin Thomas gets rare experience playing a major in his hometown

FILE - Justin Thomas poses with the Wanamaker Trophy with his dad Mike, after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament in a playoff against Will Zalatoris at Southern Hills Country Club, Sunday, May 22, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. Thomas returns to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, on May 16-19, 2024, for the PGA Championship at Valhalla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

Justin Thomas watches his tee shot on the sixth hole during the first round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Hilton Head, S.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

FILE - Members of the USA team celebrate from the clubhouse after winning the Ryder Cup golf tournament at the Valhalla Golf Club, in Louisville, Ky., Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008. Valhalla hosts the PGA Championship on May 16-19, 2024. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

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Justin Thomas was back home in Kentucky for an occasion different from any other time in Louisville. The city honored him with its “Hometown Hero” award, and a 60-foot banner was unfurled from the building he used to pass on the way to Saint Xavier High School.

Thomas was so choked up at the presentation he couldn’t speak until he eventually said, “The things I’ve felt today, I’ve never felt in any golf tournament I’ve won.”

This was a week before the best golfers in the world — one of them a Louisville native — arrive for the PGA Championship at Valhalla.

It’s rare for a player to have a hometown major in a city that doesn’t have a steady diet of championship golf. Thomas is curious how he will respond. He is a two-time PGA champion, winning at Quail Hollow in 2017 and Southern Hills in 2022, which also was his last victory as he continues to work his way back into form.

“It will be a new experience for me,” Thomas said. “The hardest thing I’ll have is putting pressure on myself and wanting to perform well. But at the same, I do a good job of that without having a home event. Maybe two negatives will equal a positive.”

Collin Morikawa and Max Homa grew up in the LA area. The U.S. Open went to Los Angeles Country Club last year, but they are regulars at the PGA Tour event at Riviera, the next best thing to a major. Xander Schauffele and Charley Hoffman grew up in San Diego. They play Torrey Pines every year on tour — the U.S. Open in 2021 wasn’t that much different.

Thomas has talked to Keegan Bradley, a New England native, about what it was like to play the U.S. Open — and contend on the weekend — at Brookline outside Boston in the 2022 U.S. Open.

“I told him what I tried to do is look into the crowd and make eye contact with people and see how excited they were and try to feed off that,” Bradley said.

His other message: Embrace the moment. This doesn’t happen very often.

“My motto for the week was, ‘Why look forward to something for so long and not enjoy it?” Bradley said.

Tommy Fleetwood would second that notion. Fleetwood grew up in Southport, England, and played the British Open at Royal Birkdale in 2017. He opened with a 76 and gamely rallied to make the cut and tie for 27th.

“There’s pressure from yourself because it means that much more. Then there’s pressure of playing before your home crowd,” Fleetwood said. “But I mean, how lucky are you to play a home Open where you grew up?

“It’s so rare you get to do things like that,” he said. “If you don’t embrace it, you’ll look back and wish that you did.”

Thomas also wants to check in with Rory McIlroy about playing a British Open in his native Northern Ireland. That didn’t start — or end well — for McIlroy at Royal Portrush . He made a quadruple-bogey 8 on the first hole, shot 79 and his rally to make the cut fell short.

“I remember getting onto the first tee Thursday and feeling overwhelmed, like I hadn’t really prepared for it or visualized it or took my mind to a place where I was expecting to feel what I felt,” McIlroy said. “I don’t know that you can. You can’t prepare for it until you actually feel it.”

The list is short of players dealing with a hometown major.

Jack Nicklaus played the 1964 PGA Championship in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio (12 years before the inaugural Memorial). Columbus Country Club wasn’t his home course, and Nicklaus had only played it four times since high school.

But it was a busy week. Gary Player stayed at his house and Nicklaus jokingly said he missed a Tuesday practice round because he had to do Player’s laundry. Nicklaus, the defending PGA champion, was six behind going into the last round and closed with a 64 to finish three shots behind Bobby Nichols.

Jeff Sluman was the PGA champion when the 1989 U.S. Open went to Oak Hill in Rochester, where Sluman grew up. He agreed to do a daily diary for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, right up until he missed the cut.

Thomas has a history at Valhalla, but rarely with a club in his hand.

His father was the head pro at Harmony Landing, and he was an officer with the PGA of America when the PGA Championship came to Valhalla in 2000. Thomas was 7, just getting into golf. He said that week made it clear what he wanted to do for a living.

It helps that it was among the most memorable finishes in PGA Championship history. Tiger Woods birdied the last two holes in regulation to force a playoff with Bob May, and he went on to capture his third consecutive major on his way to the “Tiger Slam,” holding all four majors at the same time.

Thomas was in the clubhouse — too short to see anything with so many people — when Woods made his 6-foot birdie putt to force the playoff. He could hear the roars seconds before he saw the putt go in on TV. He remembers staying late in the clubhouse with hopes of running into Woods. Thomas had to settle for seeing Woods walk down a hallway into a room.

“I’ve watched the VHS of that tournament so many times as a kid,” Thomas said. “I’d get home and if nothing was on TV, I’d watch that over and over and over and over again.”

Thomas recalls going to a clinic on the practice range earlier in the week to see Jack Nicklaus, his final year playing all four majors.

“I went to school telling all my friends, ‘I got an autograph from the best golfer to ever play.’ And they go, ‘Oh, you got Tiger Woods?’ I said, ‘No, I got Jack Nicklaus’ autograph,’” Thomas said. “It was a very typical 7-year-old golf nerd thing to say.”

He wasn’t much different at 15 when he attended the Ryder Cup at Valhalla in 2008. He was there when Jim Furyk’s match clinched a rare victory for the Americans. Another Kentucky native, J.B. Holmes, pulled Thomas inside the ropes where the kid found himself high-fiving with Phil Mickelson.

Thomas missed the 2014 PGA Championship. He was playing a Korn Ferry Tour event in Springfield, Missouri, trying to earn a PGA Tour card.

Now, finally, he returns to a big stage at Valhalla — this time as a player, not a wide-eyed fan.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Hours updated 1 month ago

Location & Hours

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105 Hudson St

New York, NY 10013

Moore St & Franklin St

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It's a monumental task to transplant the legendary Beefbar from Monte-Carlo to New York -- especially when you consider where they chose to open. Not only do you have to adapt the revered Monaco experience for the city that never sleeps, but you also need to elevate the esteemed ground Beefbar occupies to the next level of greatness. It's a journey that demands nothing less than excellence. Beefbar Tribeca is undeniably excellent. Here's why: The Croque Sando, which I'm sure you've seen by now on the socials, vastly exceeded the hype. It's surprisingly light and flavorful and a totally appropriate homage to the venerable classic, considering Monaco's location right between France and Italy. You must try it. I was incredibly reluctant to try the Crispy Rice with Tuna and Veal (yes, veal). It just seemed so... wrong. But *I* was wrong, and it was an incredible bite that I cannot wait to have again. This is another absolutely outstanding reason to visit Beefbar Tribeca. The Passion Fruit Tiradito, Smoked Beef Amatriciana, Bavette with Shallots, Fries with Parmesan & Summer Truffle were all flawless in preparation and presentation. Divinity in dining. All par excellence. Of course, the team, from the folks at the front door to the folks on the floor to the folks behind the bar to the folks in the kitchen, is all absolutely at the top of the hospitality game. They were the critical piece of the puzzle that exemplifies the greatness you will experience at Beefbar Tribeca's amazing space. But there's more -- and this is what you won't find on the socials: The Lobby Martini stole the show. Seriously. The cocktail list (which is an adventure in and of itself) describes the Lobby Martini as "A classic Martini that is an homage to the Waldorf Salad". It's made with Ketel One infused with Blue Cheese, Dry vermouth, and Saline Solution. But the kicker is the garnish. It's a brilliant surprise that you won't expect. No, I'm not going to ruin it by telling you what it is. Just go to Beefbar, get a Lobby Martini and Le Beefbar Burger and remember this the next time someone invites you to that tavern for a burger and bring them here instead...

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This spot is awesome. Came here with three buddies last night. Had a drink at the bar first and then had dinner. The restaurant had a great energy, great menu; and great wine. Can't wait to come back soon

The space is beautiful and the service is good, but the food did not deliver. We ordered an assortment of dishes, including a steak, the signature croque and the souffle. Some of the food we couldn't finish (the croque), others was fine (the steak) but nothing you couldn't get better elsewhere especially at this price point. Would note that the signature steak sauce is inedible.

Came here on opening night and had a blast! The service is amazing, even the hostesses at the front were so lovely. The menu is huge so definitely recommend coming with a group so you can try as many things as possible. We tried the passion fruit crudo, croque sando, the caesar salad, a 10 oz steak with two sauces, truffle fries, and brussel sprouts. The standouts were definitely the crudo, croque sando, the steak and the Brussels. We were able to head to the lounge area for live jazz and then a DJ after dinner which we really enjoyed. The space is stunning and would be great to host any events. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu!

BeefBar is located in the old NOBU space in Tribeca. As the name suggests, BeefBar is all about the meat. The interior is high end and the service excellent. They have locations all around the world including Monaco, Luxembourg City, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Saint-Tropez, Paris and now New York City.

This. Place. Is. AWESOME. Thank you manager Emilia for dealing with us. Great vibe. Fantastic food. Perfect NYC Friday night vibe. Really nice DJ and bar scene. Great people watching.

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Excellent food with excellent service. Inside restaurant is beautiful and tables are made of marble. I was there last Thursday and it was amazing. The cocktails I ordered went well with my dinner. My daughter told me she enjoyed every dish and cocktails ordered. Fantastic evening.

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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP '24: Justin Thomas gets rare experience playing a major in his hometown

Justin Thomas returns to Valhalla in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky for the third time, with one big difference

Justin Thomas was back home in Kentucky for an occasion different from any other time in Louisville. The city honored him with its “Hometown Hero” award, and a 60-foot banner was unfurled from the building he used to pass on the way to Saint Xavier High School.

Thomas was so choked up at the presentation he couldn’t speak until he eventually said, “The things I’ve felt today, I’ve never felt in any golf tournament I’ve won.”