IELTS tips

What would you do if you were asked in an interview to talk about how you feel about your hometown if in fact you really disliked living there?

Some people might think that by being truthful in this situation and giving a negative answer that this would not be the right thing to do and instead you should lie and talk about how you love living there to give a more positive sounding answer.

Actually, truthfulness is not important and neither is giving a negative opinion of something. The important thing is that you have something to express. If you have more to say by being truthful, even if it is expressing a negative opinion, then that is what you should talk about.

It would be much better to say “Actually I don’t really like my hometown….” and follow it up with your reasons for disliking it than to say “I like my hometown…” and then struggle to find anything to say.

In this video you will see how Joao deals with this situation in the best way.

Transcript

Examiner: What do you think makes you good at your job?

Candidate: Nothing.  I am very bad at my job.  Because I hate my job.  We are looking for a new short life.  I... do my job because I have to... I need the money but my dreams are completely different.  I am not... I am not expressing positivism, for example... you know... good vibes and I think my colleagues hate me and I hate them…and I hate them...