Do I need facts to compare past and present?
No, but you need to name where your impression comes from. From what my parents describe and from what I've seen in my own city are both enough, and they are more honest than a statistic you half remember.
No, but you need to name where your impression comes from. From what my parents describe and from what I've seen in my own city are both enough, and they are more honest than a statistic you half remember. If you do cite a figure, say plainly that you are not certain of the number, because a wrong figure costs more than no figure.
Name your source in the same breath as the claim, for example from what my parents describe, and then give one concrete detail. That combination reads as developed rather than as speculation, and it works for any comparison topic.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Answering Past-and-Present Comparison Questions →