Buzz
1. Vocabulary for the Accommodation topic
1.1. Vị trí của accommodation
1.2. Phân loại các loại nhà
- An apartment block/block of flats: dãy nhà, khối căn hộ liền kề
- A thatched cottage: nhà tranh, nhà gỗ theo phong cách châu âu, thường xuất hiện ở vùng quê
- A mobile home: nhà di động
- Flat: căn hộ
- Residential area: khu dân cư
- Penthouse: cao ốc thông tầng, thường nằm ở vị trí cao nhất của 1 toà nhà.
- Mansion: dinh thự
- Campus: khu ký túc xá đại học
- Igloo: nhà bằng đá
1.3. Các phòng/ khu vực trong ngôi nhà
- Dining room: phòng ăn
- Lounge: sảnh, phòng chờ/ sinh hoạt chung
- Garage: ga ra
- Garden: vườn
- Lawn: bãi cỏ
- Fence: hàng rào
- Terrace: khu vực ở giữa ban công và phòng (thường rộng hơn balcony và có khoảng không gian trồng cây)
- Patio: hiên, hè sau nhà (thường dùng để uống trà chiều, đọc sách, thư giãn)
- Kitchen ➔ kitchen appliances: nhà bếp và thiết bị đồ dùng nhà bếp
- Hall of residence: sảnh chung ở ký túc xá
- Attic: tầng gác mái
- Balcony: ban công
- Backyard: sân sau
1.4. Các tính từ mô tả chỗ ở
- Big ⇒ spacious, airy: rộng rãi, thoáng đãng
- Small ⇒ stuffy, confined, cramped: nhỏ, chật chội
- Convenient, comfortable: tiện lợi, thoải mái
- Low/high rent: giá thuê thấp/cao
- Affordable and reasonable rent: giá thuê hợp lý và có thể chi trả được
- Two-storey house: nhà 2 tầng
- Warm and cozy (a): ấm cúng
- Fully-furnished (a): đầy đủ nội thất
1.5. Những từ vựng quan trọng khác
- Dream home: ngôi nhà trong mơ
- Amenity: sự tiện nghi
- Close-knit community: cộng đồng dân cư có mối quan hệ khăn khít
- Add an extension: xây hoặc lắp thêm (nội thất, phòng ốc) cần thiết vào
- High-rise apartments: căn hộ (cao cấp) nhiều tầng
- Mod cons (n): sự tiện nghi hiện đại
- Home comforts: sự tiện nghi trong nhà
- Do up (an old house): nâng cấp nhà
- Refurbish (v): tân trang nhà cửa
- Overlook (a garden): nhìn ra (ngoài vườn)
- House-warming party: tiệc tân gia
- Façade: mặt tiền
2. Bài mẫu chủ đề Accommodation – IELTS Speaking part 1
Hãy cùng lắng nghe bài mẫu Part 1 của Mytour trong Podcast nhé:
2.1. Do you reside in a house or an apartment?
I live in a house that is located in a small alley in district 3 with my family. Because of district 3 is considered as the heart of Ho Chi Minh city, all amenities are available within walking distance, like markets, churches, hospitals and all kinds of fashion shops and restaurants. That means I can easily grab anything I need in just a few minutes. So I really enjoy my life there.
2.2. Would you consider relocating to a different residence in the future?
Although my current accommodation is perfectly fine, I would love to experience living in a cottage once. Since it was my childhood dream to live near a forest, a small thatched-roof and rustic house located quietly at the the edge of a jungle would be my dream house.
It would be made of timber and have 2 rooms, one’s for me and the other is for the guests. It sounds small but it would be cozy and fully-furnitured by only environmentally friendly interior ornaments and other necessary mod cons.
2.3. How have you adorned your apartment?
My home is styled in a minimal way. Almost everything is painted in plain white, and a few landscape paintings and all small blue modern ornaments act as delicate touches. The interior design is simple, yet convenient and very pleasant to look at.
2.4. Which room in your home do you cherish the most? Why?
Definitely my own bedroom. It’s the personal space where I can do whatever I want without getting scolded by my mom. Besides, my bedroom is an ideal place for me to avoid noise, so I tend to lock myself up in my bedroom whenever I need to concentrate on my study.
2.5. Are you planning to stay there for an extended period?
Response 1: Absolutely, I would say yes. I have no complaints about my current living situation. Everything meets my expectations, from the neighbors to the neighborhood amenities. That's why my family has no plans to leave this wonderful community.
Response 2: That was never in my plans. Two years ago, I chose to rent a room here because my home was too far from my office, and the commute was lengthy. However, I only intend to stay here for another 1 or 2 years before I can afford a place of my own.
2.6. Do you have a backyard?
Unfortunately, no. There is not enough space for a garden in our flat, but I would love to have one in the future. I think every household needs a green space, not only because it is aesthetically pleasing, but also because it is a good way to get in touch with the natural world.
3. Sample topic on Accommodation – IELTS Speaking part 2
You should state: Describe a residence or apartment you would like to reside in the future.
- Where it is
- What kind of accommodation it is
- What it is like
And your thoughts on this ideal house/apartment.
Feel free to listen to Mytour's Podcast sample for IELTS Speaking Part 2.
When reading this cue card, I immediately think of the house I would like to live in when I’m wealthy. Personally I’d prefer to live in a flat of a high, luxurious apartment building, or what people often call a penthouse. I’d like my flat to be pretty high, maybe on the 20th floor because I want to stay away from all the traffic, deafening sounds and insects. Also, a large, airy balcony and big windows viewing out the city will be a must because I want my house to be full of natural light, and fully ventilated. There’s nothing I would like better than a spacious, comfy and tranquil living atmosphere.
As for the primary color of the house, I think it would look perfect painted in white with a slight touch of green. White is said to convey a sense of purity, cleanliness, and peacefulness to the house, and green would help uplift my mood when I’m down in the dumps. Obviously, the apartment needs to be furnished with modernized appliances, such as a double-door refrigerator, an interactive TV, or an air purifier.
Additionally, it would be wonderful if I could have a fully-equipped kitchen so that I can fulfill my desire to become a food vlogger. And I should not forget to mention one of the crucial components of my ideal home, which is a room solely devoted to listening to music and watching movies. It would be a dream come true to have a home cinema of my own, where I can invite my friends over to let off steam after a long day at work.
It’s a long way till the day I can own such a perfect and, of course, costly house, but I’ll bring my A-game so that I can realize all my dreams.
- Wealthy (adj): giàu có
- Penthouse (n): căn hộ cao nhất của một toà nhà
- Fully ventilated: thông khí
- Spacious (adj): rộng rãi
- Comfy (adj): thoải mái
- Tranquil (adj): yên tĩnh
- Purity (n): sự thuần khiết
- Uplift one’s mood: khiến ai đó vui lên
- Be down in the dumps: cảm thấy buồn
- Fully-equipped (adj): được trang bị đầy đủ thiết bị
- Let off steam: xả hơi, thư giãn
- Bring one’s A-game: cố gắng hết sức
4. IELTS Speaking part 3 topic Accommodation
4.1. How easy is it to find housing in your country?
I would say that it depends on where you live, your money, and the trade-offs you are willing to make. If you don’t mind a long commute to work or having to drive everywhere, it’s very simple to find a reasonably priced house in the countryside. It starts to grow more expensive as you move closer to a metropolis.
It’s a different situation in urban areas. Finding a place here can be quite challenging, especially for small families. I don't know why, but families with young children or pets don’t seem to be favored by landlords.
- Commute (v): di chuyển
- Metropolis (n): thành phố lớn
4.2. Do you agree that there's an ideal age for young adults to move out of their parents' homes?
Honestly, I think my answer would depend on various factors. For instance, if I were living in a Western country, I would agree with the aforementioned viewpoint.
However, since different cultures have varying age restrictions, it is difficult to determine the ideal age at which a child can leave home without parental support. Consider Vietnam as an example. According to the law, children can begin to assume responsibility once they turn 18 years old, but it is generally accepted that we maintain the custom of living as an extended family forever.
- Extended family: gia đình lớn, nhiều thế hệ sống chung
4.3. What types of housing are common in your country?
In Vietnam, there are primarily two types of housing: individual houses and apartments. The former is more common in rural areas or certain affluent suburban communities. Due to their affordability and high demand, the latter are becoming more prevalent in major cities.
4.4. How do relationships between neighbors differ in cities and rural areas?
From my perspective, residents of large cities often do not know many, if any, of their neighbors, let alone interact with them. In contrast, rural dwellers are more likely to be acquainted with most of their neighbors, though this doesn’t necessarily translate to more frequent interactions compared to their urban counterparts. This trend seems to stem from an increasing emphasis on personal privacy and space, leading individuals to spend more time indoors rather than engaging with neighbors face-to-face.- Prioritize (v): ưu tiên
- Face-to-face interaction: sự tương tác trực tiếp
