Do you love shopping, or do you avoid it whenever you can? Whatever your answer, you should be ready to talk about it. Shopping is a common topic in IELTS Speaking Part 2, and “How often do you go shopping?” is one of the classic Part 1 questions.
Below you will find eight shopping cue cards with band 7+ sample answers, useful shopping vocabulary, and typical Part 1 and Part 3 questions with answers, including online shopping.
You get a cue card and 1 minute to make notes. Then you speak for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover every point on the card, add a short example or story, and finish with the “explain” part.
Shopping cue cards with sample answers
Describe a shopping experience that you enjoyed.
You should say:
- where you went shopping
- what you bought
- who you were with
and explain why you enjoyed this shopping experience.
Sample Answer:
A shopping trip I really enjoyed was a Saturday afternoon I spent with my best friend in a small boutique in the old town of my city. I needed a dress for my cousin’s wedding, and I had already been to several big stores without any luck.
The boutique was tiny but full of unique, locally designed clothes. The owner was incredibly helpful: she asked about the wedding, picked out a few dresses for me and gave honest advice about what suited me. In the end I found a dark green dress that fitted perfectly, and my friend treated herself to a leather handbag.
I enjoyed it because it was so different from shopping in a crowded shopping centre. There was no rush, the service was personal, and we spent the afternoon chatting and laughing. Afterwards we went for coffee to celebrate, so it felt more like a day out than a shopping trip.
Describe a shopping mall that you have visited.
You should say:
- where the mall is
- what shops and facilities it has
- what you like about it
and explain whether you would recommend it to others.
Sample Answer:
A shopping mall that really impressed me is the Mall of America near Minneapolis in the United States. I visited it when I was on holiday there a few years ago.
It is enormous: there are hundreds of shops on four levels, from luxury brands to affordable high-street chains, plus dozens of restaurants. But what makes it special is that it is much more than a place to shop. There is an aquarium, a cinema and even an indoor theme park with roller coasters in the middle of the building.
What I liked most was that there was something for everyone. While some people in our group went shopping, others went on the rides. I would definitely recommend it, especially to families, but I would avoid going at the weekend, because it gets extremely crowded.
Describe a shop that you enjoy visiting.
You should say:
- where the shop is
- what it sells
- how often you go there
and explain why you enjoy visiting it.
Sample Answer:
The shop I enjoy visiting most is a small second-hand bookshop near my old university. It is in a narrow side street, and from the outside it looks quite ordinary.
Inside, however, it is a real treasure trove. There are shelves from the floor to the ceiling, full of used books on every subject you can imagine, from old novels to travel guides and cookbooks. The owner also sells vintage maps and postcards.
I go there about once a month, usually on a Saturday morning. I enjoy it because it feels like a treasure hunt: you never know what you are going to find. The books are much cheaper than new ones, and I like the idea that each book has already had a life with someone else. It is also very peaceful, which is a nice change from busy shopping streets.
Describe a product that you researched before buying.
You should say:
- what the product was
- why you needed it
- how you researched it
and explain whether you were satisfied with your purchase.
Sample Answer:
The product I researched most carefully was a pair of running shoes. I had just signed up for my first half marathon, and my old trainers were giving me pain in my knees, so I knew I needed something better.
First, I read reviews on running websites and watched a few comparison videos. Then I went to a specialist sports shop, where the staff filmed me running on a treadmill to analyse how my feet landed. Based on that, they recommended a few models, and I tried them all on before deciding.
In the end I chose a pair that was more expensive than I had planned, but I am very satisfied with them. My knee pain disappeared, and I finished the half marathon without any problems. It taught me that, for some products, it is really worth doing your homework before you buy.
Describe a recent online shopping experience.
You should say:
- what you bought
- which website or app you used
- how long it took to arrive
and explain how you felt about the experience.
Sample Answer:
The last thing I bought online was a pair of wireless headphones. I ordered them about a month ago from a large online electronics store, because they were around twenty percent cheaper than in the shops.
Ordering was quick and easy. I compared a few models, read the customer reviews and paid by card. The website said delivery would take three to five working days, but the parcel arrived after just two, and I could track it on my phone the whole time.
Overall I was very happy with the experience. The only downside is that you cannot try products before buying them, so there is always a small risk. Luckily, the headphones were exactly as described, and the store also offered free returns within thirty days, which made me feel more confident about ordering.
Describe something you bought that you were not happy with.
You should say:
- what it was
- where you bought it
- why you bought it
and explain why you were not happy with it.
Sample Answer:
Something I bought and really regretted was a cheap pair of wireless headphones that I ordered online last winter. My old ones had broken, and I needed new ones quickly for my daily commute.
I bought them from a large online marketplace because they were about a third of the price of a well-known brand, and the photos and reviews looked very convincing. They arrived in two days, which seemed like a good start.
Unfortunately, the sound was quite poor, the battery lasted about three hours instead of the twenty promised in the description, and after a month the left side stopped working altogether. Sending them back would have cost almost as much as the headphones themselves. It taught me that very cheap electronics are often a false economy, and that I should read the negative reviews before the positive ones.
Describe a market you have visited.
You should say:
- where it is
- what is sold there
- what you did there
and explain how you felt about the market.
Sample Answer:
A market I really enjoyed visiting is the Christmas market in the main square of Vienna. I went there last December with two friends who were visiting from abroad.
It is set up every year in front of the old town hall, with a huge Christmas tree in the middle and about forty small wooden stalls around it. They sell hand-made things like wool socks, wooden toys and candles, and of course a lot of food and drink: gingerbread, roasted almonds, grilled sausages and hot mulled wine.
We spent a whole evening there, walking from stall to stall, trying different snacks and listening to a children’s choir singing carols. I felt very cosy and festive, even though it was freezing. Seeing it through my friends’ eyes also made me appreciate it more, because for them everything was new and exciting.
Describe an item you would like to buy in the future.
You should say:
- what it is
- how much it costs
- where you would buy it
and explain why you would like to buy it.
Sample Answer:
Something I would really like to buy in the future is a good electric bicycle. I already cycle to work in summer, but my office is on top of a long hill, so I usually arrive quite hot and tired.
A decent electric bike costs around two thousand euros, which is a lot of money for me, so I am saving a little every month. I would like to buy it from a local bike shop rather than online, because I want to try a few models first and have somewhere to take it if something goes wrong.
I would like to buy it because it would let me cycle all year round, not just when the weather is perfect, and leave the car at home much more often. That would save money on fuel and parking, so in a few years the bike would almost pay for itself. And honestly, it just looks like a lot of fun.
Useful shopping vocabulary for IELTS
Use precise words instead of repeating “buy” and “shop”:
| Topic | Words and phrases |
|---|---|
| Places | a shopping centre, a high street, a department store, a boutique, a street market, an outlet store |
| Prices | a bargain, good value for money, overpriced, on sale, a discount, to shop around |
| Shopping habits | window-shopping, an impulse buy, a shopaholic, to splash out on, to treat yourself, to stick to a budget |
| Online shopping | to place an order, delivery, to track a parcel, free returns, customer reviews, to compare prices |
| Useful phrases | to shop till you drop, retail therapy, to do your homework before buying, worth every penny |
IELTS Speaking Part 1: shopping questions
Part 1 questions are short and personal. Give a direct answer and add a reason or an example.
1How often do you go shopping?
I do my food shopping once a week, usually on Saturday morning. As for clothes, I only go shopping a few times a year, when I really need something.
2Do you like shopping?
It depends on what I am buying. I don’t enjoy food shopping much because it feels like a chore, but I love browsing in bookshops and I can spend hours there.
3Do you prefer shopping online or in shops?
For electronics and books I usually shop online, because it is cheaper and more convenient. But for clothes and shoes I prefer going to a shop, so I can try them on first.
4Where do you usually go shopping?
Mostly at a big supermarket near my flat. For clothes I go to a shopping centre in the city centre, because it has all the main high-street brands in one place.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: shopping and consumerism questions
New to Part 3? See how to give band 7+ answers in Speaking Part 3, with simple and stronger answers compared.
In Part 3 the examiner asks about shopping in society. Give longer answers with reasons, examples and both sides.
1Why do some people enjoy shopping so much?
For many people shopping is a form of entertainment or even retail therapy. Buying something new can give you a quick boost of happiness, and shopping with friends is a social activity. However, that good feeling usually does not last long, which is why some people end up buying things they do not need.
2How has online shopping changed the way people shop?
It has made shopping much more convenient. You can compare prices in seconds and order anything at any time of day. On the negative side, it has hit small local shops hard, and many high streets now have empty shops. It has also encouraged impulse buying, because it is so easy to click “buy”.
3Do people buy too many things nowadays?
I think many people do. Clothes, for example, have become so cheap that some people wear items only a few times before throwing them away, which is bad for the environment. Fortunately, more people are becoming aware of this and are buying second-hand or choosing quality over quantity.
Practise on your own
Choose one of the cue cards above, set a timer for 1 minute to make notes, and then record yourself speaking for 2 minutes. Listen back and check whether you covered every point and used some of the vocabulary from this page. For more topics, see IELTS Speaking Part 2 topics and cue cards with answers.