English Lesson: Collocations for Rural Life

In this lesson, you will learn collocations to talk about living in the countryside. You can use them to describe a place that you enjoy visiting, especially if it is in a rural area. 

A DESCRIPTION OF A RURAL AREA 

I visit my grandparents once in a while. They live in a valley surrounded by rolling countryside. It's a small village within easy reach of the nearest big town - only a 20-minute drive away. While driving in the surrounding area, you get to see a lot of farm fields with colourful stripes of windflowers. 

I enjoy visiting this place because of the relaxed way of life there and the absolutely breathtaking scenery. You can walk through the unspoilt countryside and play games on the village green. I don't think the village has changed much since my first visit as a child. There aren't many young people in the surrounding countryside because they have already moved to the cities. To be honest, I think there isn't much to do in the area apart from climbing a hill and hill walking. Perhaps people who visit the area could have a picnic on the green hills surrounded by nature. 

In my opinion, one of the best things about village life is that you get the chance to buy local produce at the farmers' market. Another thing is that villages, in general, have a very peaceful atmosphere and it's a great way to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, especially for those who prefer the peaceful life of the countryside to cities. 

VOCABULARY 

• rolling countryside - with hills 
• a small/little/tiny village 
• within easy reach of the nearest big town/city 
• farm fields 
• in the surrounding area 
• way of life 
• unspoilt countryside - with natural beauty not spoilt by buildings 
• the village green - an area of grass for everyone to use 
• the surrounding countryside 
• climb a hill - walk or drive up a hill 
• hill walking - the activity of walking on hills 
• have a picnic | go for a picnic 
• green hills - covered with grass 
• local produce 
• farmers' market - where farmers sell their produce directly to the public 
• peaceful atmosphere | peaceful life 
• the hustle and bustle of the city - all the noise and activity there 

​

TASK:

• What do you think about countryside life? 
• Can you think of some negative aspects of living in a rural area? [What?] 

Exercise
​
Replace the phrases below with collocations from the text. 

1. gentle, rounded slopes 
2. incredible view 
3. style of living 
4. around a place 
5. a beautiful place that has not been changed or built on 

​
Answers: 
1. rolling hills; 2. breathtaking scenery; 3. way of life; 4. surrounding area; 5. unspoilt countryside; 


Other lessons: 
City Life - Going out 
Cities - Talk about your area 
Cities - Advantages and Disadvantages of Urban Life 
Countryside - Advantages and Disadvantages of Rural Life 

Other lessons with English collocations: 
Collocations for Urban Life 
Collocations for Success 
Collocations for Feelings 

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 
IELTS Speaking Test: Means of Transport (We give answers to five questions from Part 3 of the speaking test.) 
IELTS Speaking Test: Arriving Early and Being Patient (We give answers to six questions from Part 3 of the speaking test.) 
IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist (We give answers to six questions from Part 3 of the speaking test.) 


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