Speaking Boost · A2 · Lesson 9 of 50
Speaking Boost A2 · Block 2: Home and Town

What makes a city a good place to live?

Every year, a list compares about 170 cities, and Vienna is often at the top. Compare cities you know, decide where you'd like to live, and be a guide in your own city.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Cities

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. What is your city famous for?
  2. What is your favourite city in Ukraine? Why?
  3. Which foreign city would you like to visit?
  4. Is your city big or small?
  5. What do tourists like in your city?
  6. Would you like to live in another city? Which one?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then use it to describe your city.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. Warsaw is the of Poland.
  2. The of Tokyo is very big — millions of people!
  3. The new business district is very , with glass buildings.
  4. We walked around the centre with old churches.
  5. Coffee in Zurich is very .
  6. The city is very : lots of people, music and cafés.
  7. Buses, trams and the metro are all types of .
  8. There's always a lot of at 8 a.m.
2.3

Opposites

Choose the opposite, then press Check answers.

  1. expensive ↔
  2. modern ↔
  3. clean ↔
  4. lively ↔
  5. a big city ↔ a small
  6. the city ↔ the
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to compare cities.

  • ... is bigger / smaller than...... більше / менше, ніж...Kyiv is bigger than Lviv.
  • ... is more... than...... більш..., ніж...Lviv is more romantic than Kyiv.
  • ... isn't as... as...... не такий..., як...My town isn't as expensive as the capital.
  • It's the... city I know.Це найбільш... місто, яке я знаю.Odesa is the liveliest city I know.
  • It's famous for...Він відомий своїми...Lviv is famous for its coffee.
  • The best thing about... is...Найкраще в ... — це...The best thing about Kyiv is the parks.
  • If you go there, you must see...Якщо поїдеш туди, обов'язково подивись...If you go to Kharkiv, you must see the big square.
  • I prefer... to...Я надаю перевагу ... перед...I prefer small towns to big cities.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

The best city in the world?

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

What makes a city a good place to live?

Every year, a company called the Economist Intelligence Unit makes a list of the most "liveable" cities in the world. It compares about 170 cities.

How do they decide? They look at five things: how safe the city is, how good the hospitals are, culture and the environment, schools and universities, and things like roads, public transport and water.

Vienna in Austria is often at the top of the list. It's safe and clean, public transport is cheap and fast, there are a lot of parks, and it has many theatres, museums and cafés. Cities in Australia, Canada, Switzerland and Denmark are often near the top too.

But "liveable" doesn't always mean "cheap". Some of the most liveable cities are also some of the most expensive. And some people prefer cities that are more lively, even if they are noisier and dirtier.

What is important for you in a city? Is your city a liveable city?

3.2

True or false?

  1. The list compares about 170 cities.
  2. The list looks only at how expensive cities are.
  3. Vienna is often at the top of the list.
  4. Public transport in Vienna is expensive and slow.
  5. The most liveable cities are always the cheapest.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Which of the five things is most important for you?
  2. How would your city do on this list?
  3. Would you like to live in Vienna? Why or why not?
  4. Which Ukrainian city do you think is the most liveable?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Comparatives: short adjectives

Add -er (+ than).

big → bigger, cheap → cheaper, busy → busier, nice → nicer

Comparatives: long adjectives

more + adjective (+ than).

more expensive, more beautiful, more interesting

Irregular and (not) as ... as

good → better, bad → worse, far → farther. as ... as = the same.

London is bigger than Kyiv. My town isn't as noisy as the capital.

Superlatives: the + -est / the most: the biggest, the cheapest, the most beautiful, the best, the worst. Careful: ✗ more big → bigger. ✗ more better → better. ✗ biger → bigger.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. Kyiv is
    than Odesa.
  2. Life in Paris is
    than in Lviv.
  3. The weather in Odesa is
    than in Kharkiv in summer.
  4. My town isn't
    yours.
  5. Tokyo is one of
    cities in the world.
  6. The traffic today is
    than yesterday.
  7. Lviv is
    than my town.
  8. It's
    café in town.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. London is more big than Kyiv. →
  2. This city is more cheaper. →
  3. Rome is beautifuller than Paris. →
  4. My city isn't as big than yours. →
  5. It's the most good restaurant. →
  6. The traffic is more bad today. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use comparatives and superlatives.

  1. Compare your city with the capital.
  2. Compare two cities you know well.
  3. What is the most beautiful place in your city?
  4. Is your city better in summer or in winter? Why?
  5. Compare your city now and ten years ago.
  6. What is the best city you know? Why?
5

Compare three cities

8 min
5.1

Where would you live?

Compare the three cities: which is bigger, cheaper, more lively, more peaceful? Which is the best for a student, a family, and a retired person? Where would you like to live?

City A

Big capital

  • Population: 3 million
  • Lots of jobs and nightlife
  • Expensive flats
  • A lot of traffic
City B

Historic city

  • Population: 700,000
  • Beautiful old centre
  • Many tourists
  • Cheaper than the capital
City C

Seaside town

  • Population: 50,000
  • Beach and fresh air
  • Quiet in winter
  • Not many jobs
5.2

My city vs another city

Speak for 1–2 minutes.

  1. Choose your city and another city you know.
  2. Compare: size, prices, weather, transport, people, nightlife.
  3. Which is better for you? Why?
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. What is your hometown like?
  2. Which city in Ukraine do you know best?
  3. Which city do you think is the most beautiful in Ukraine?
  4. How is public transport in your city?
  5. What is the best season to visit your city?
  6. Where do you take guests in your city?
  7. Is your city good for young people?
  8. What is the worst thing about your city?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Where do your friends live? Do they like their cities?
  2. Which city do people in your family like most?
  3. Which city do foreign tourists love in Ukraine?
  4. Which city would your parents like to live in?
  5. Which city is famous for good food?
  6. Which city is the most romantic?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is it better to live in a big city or a small town?
  2. Should city centres have fewer cars?
  3. Are big cities more dangerous?
  4. Do people in small towns have better lives?
  5. What makes a city beautiful?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

The city guide

You

Tour guide

You are a tour guide in your city (or a city you know well). A group of foreign tourists (your teacher) asks about it:
  • where it is and how big it is
  • its main sights and what it is famous for
  • how it is different from the capital or another city
  • the best places to eat and go out
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use comparatives and superlatives.
Your teacher

Tourist

Asks short questions, for example:
  1. Is it bigger than Kyiv?
  2. What's the most famous building?
  3. Is it expensive?
  4. Where is the best café?
7.2

Moving to another city

You

Person who is moving

You are moving to another city for work (choose one). Tell a friend (your teacher) about your new city and compare it with your old one:
  • why you are moving
  • what is better and what is worse in the new city
  • what you will miss
  • what you are excited about
You do most of the talking. Use: It's bigger / cheaper / more... than... · It isn't as... as... · The best thing about it is...
Your teacher

Friend

Asks short questions, for example:
  1. Is it more expensive?
  2. Is the weather better?
  3. Are the people friendly?
  4. Will you come back?
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

capitalpopulationmodernhistoriclivelypeacefulpublic transporttraffic
  1. Kyiv is the of Ukraine.
  2. The city has a of two million people.
  3. The new shopping centre is very .
  4. We walked around the part of town.
  5. Odesa is very in summer.
  6. Our village is very .
  7. I usually use to go to work.
  8. There's a lot of in the centre.
H2

Comparatives and superlatives

  1. Kyiv is than Lviv.
  2. Paris is than Kraków.
  3. The weather is today.
  4. My town isn't yours.
  5. It's city in the country.
  6. The traffic is than last year.
  7. This street is than that one.
  8. It's pizza in town.
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. London is bigger than Kyiv.
  2. This city is more cheaper.
  3. My town isn't as noisy as the capital.
  4. It's the most good café.
  5. Lviv is more romantic than my city.
  6. The traffic is more bad today.
  7. It's the most beautiful city I know.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. Kyiv is bigger
  2. Lviv is more romantic
  3. My town isn't as expensive
  4. Odesa is the liveliest city
  5. Lviv is famous for
  6. If you go to Kharkiv,
  7. I prefer small towns

Finished the lesson?

Mark it as complete to keep track of your progress.

© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.