Neighbors are Unavoidable

TOEFL Independent Writing Example 2 – Stating a Preference

Neighbors are the people who live near us. In your opinion, what type of neighbor is the best to have?

• someone who is quiet
• someone who we are similar to
• someone who is supportive

Use specific details and examples in your answer.

Would you move out just because you are not happy with your neighbors? Personally, I believe that having a good neighbor who is similar to us, with a similar lifestyle and values is very important. I feel this way for two reasons.

First of all, neighbors are the people who we see daily, and with whom we share a common public environment.  So, we must have at least basic communication with them to make our life easier. If we are lucky, we may end up having neighbors similar to us, with whom we may become friends. But if our neighbors have an opposite lifestyle from us, this may create a conflict. My personal experience is a compelling example of this. My husband and I have a simple life. We are quiet, very respectful to our neighbors. We always keep our driveways clean and park our cars in a dedicated area. On the other hand, our next-door neighbors always have company. Their garage door and front door are always open. We always see new people around our home. Not only do they talk loudly, but also, they drink and smoke in front of their home. Sometimes we can smell the smoke from our home which bothers us a lot. So, we wish, we had neighbors who had similar values with us. We are hoping they would move out soon before we do.

Secondly, having neighbors who have similar characteristics with you may change your life in a good way.  For instance, my husband has a grandma whom I adore and visit whenever we go to his hometown. She always sends us cards for our birthdays and anniversaries.  As a matter fact, she was not his real grandma. She used to be their neighbor, who was very honest, friendly and helpful. They used to visit each other very often and spend time as a family. She even used to take care of my husband and his brother when their mother had to run errands. Over the years, their relationship transformed them to a family.  The first year of our marriage I did not know that she was not related to them, because they consider her as their real grandma and did not need to mention to me the details.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion that having neighbors who are similar to us is the best. This is because it is easy to find common ground and build good relationships with people who has similar values with us and also it is easy to tolerate their social activities.  I do not know if I would go to the extreme of moving away from my neighbors, but it is wonderful to have neighbors who are similar to you.