Describe a tall building in your city you like or you dislike
Cue card
You should say:
- Where it is
- What it is used for
- What it looks like
- And explain why you like or dislike it
Sample answer
Well, there are tons of tall buildings in the city where I live. Speaking of a building I hate, I do have an answer; it’s a where my home is.
It’s an all-glass commercial building about 30 to 40 stories tall. It was just built two years ago. At the very beginning, I was actually happy and enjoyed seeing it because the shiny exterior is really pleasing to the eye. But after a short while, I found a serious problem caused by it. It turns out that on every sunny day, when the sun sets west in the afternoon, some of the glass from the building reflects the sunlight right into my apartment. Imagine having a shooting a glare onto your home. I have to draw the curtains when that happens in the afternoon because the glaring light nearly blinds me and heats up the room, but I shouldn’t have to deal with this at all.
I tried to contact the property management of this building, but they refuse to admit the problem. Instead, they shift the blame by saying that they weren’t in charge of the construction spotlight or the design. I’m so pissed off but there’s nothing I can do, which is why I started to hate the building. I bet if someone else was in my situation, they would have been driven crazy by it the same as me.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 : Follow up Questions
1. What are the disadvantages of living in tall buildings?
The first one that comes to mind is having to take the elevator or the stairs all the time. When you live at ground-level, you can just walk into your house. But in tall buildings, there’s always an extra step you have to take. That also makes it really hard to move big objects, like couches or chairs, into your apartment. When you live in a tall building, you also don’t have a nice backyard or much private space.
2. Do you think there will be more tall buildings in the future?
Yes, I think there are going to be a lot of tall buildings in the future. Cities are already getting pretty crowded, so the most practical option is construct tall buildings. They fit way more people and take up less space than houses do. However, that might mean that housing gets increasingly pricey. I really hope we can fmd alternatives, but right now, apartments make the most sense to address housing needs in major cities.
3. Why aren’t there many tall buildings in the countryside?
I think it’s because tall buildings are really more designed for urban spaces. In the countryside, you have room to spread out and build more individual houses rather than apartment complexes. Plus, people go to the countryside to enjoy the views. Those views wouldn’t be so great if there were a ton of tall buildings in the way. You don’t get a nice, natural skyline when you have a bunch of tall buildings.
4. Why do some people like to live in tall buildings nowadays?
I suppose that it’s partly because of the convenience. It’s true that living in a tall building means you don’t get a backyard or a ton of space. Butal some people prefer that, because it means they don’t have to worry about upkeep or maintenance. For example, they don’t have to shovel the yard in the winter, which is nice. Buying an apartment can also be cheaper and more accessible than paying for a house. Plus, tall buildings always give you a great view.
