Below is a sample IELTS speaking cue card about shopping which is a popular topic in IELTS.
Sample Speaking Cue Card
Describe a thing that you purchased recently. You should say:
- What it was
- What it looks like
- How you bought it
- And explain how you felt about it.
This is another of my favourite topics – and it is also a cue card that most candidates will be able to answer. You can always talk about a product arriving (or not arriving) from another country. Remember the task response score, the cue card will have a few bullet points for you to talk about.
Sample Answer
I recently bought online some Bluetooth headphones, with noise-cancelling technology (details!).
They made such a positive change in my life! It was an impulse purchase; I saw them and thought I had to have them.
I convinced myself I needed these so that I can use them for work and watch films while travelling, especially on the plane, because (a simple word to expand answers)
I usually stay awake during the whole flight. I was saving up but then I saw a special offer.
I bought them online, it wasn’t easy, I bought them from an Amazon warehouse deal. There were some huge complications regarding the delivery address… Quite a mix-up, but eventually I got them (mini-story).
I’m quite pleased with this purchase and I feel it was a good decision. I’ve used the headphones a lot, I think they will last a long time.
Read more sample IELTS speaking questions here
Part 3 Follow-up Questions and Answers
– What would you do if you bought something disappointing from the internet?
Model answer:
First I would contact customer service to find out the procedure for returning an item, and then I’d evaluate if it is worthwhile (mini-story).
I once bought a phone from a Chinese website, and it turned out to be a wrong decision, but it cost me half of the purchase price to return it, so I didn’t bother (mini-story).
They were quite sneaky because they insisted I pay for registered or recorded express mail, which was considerably more expensive. There doesn’t seem to be a good law internationally to regulate this. In the end I think I just sold it to a friend.
– Why is online shopping so popular these days?
Model answer:
In my opinion, it’s so popular because it’s convenient thanks to the internet, and possibly even exciting. I must admit I love receiving packages through the post.
I think they are like small presents, and plus sometimes you don’t know what’s inside (mini story). It feels like the perfect holiday! For instance, I am always buying small stuff from eBay and other internet sites, from water crystals to magnets, to pencils for when I write notes, cheap random stuff (details!), but it’s fun getting the packages a few weeks later.
Usually, the delivery time is around three weeks because public transport can be slow, so I often forget what I bought, and then I open the package, and it’s like a tiny taste of Christmas.
(Get back on topic!) But going back to the question, I think online shopping is popular because of the cost savings, the speed of modern delivery when you don’t have enough time, the huge range you have online, and the assurance you get a good deal. Nowadays you can price-compare almost everything and write a review afterwards.
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