IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Shopping & Clothes & Sample Answers

Posted: 03 Dec 2017 10:29 PM PST

IELTS SPEAKING PART 3

1. Do all people enjoy shopping for clothes?

I can’t say for sure since it largely depends on personal demand and interest. Women seem to be more
obsessed with fashion and shopping than the rest of the population but, of course, there are exceptions.
Those who love spending time and money on beautiful pieces of clothing pay great attention for their
appearance and take pleasure in the act itself, while others consider it a waste of resources. However,
people have different reasons to buy clothes which are not necessarily related to whether they enjoy it or
not. For example, most men tend to avoid clothes shopping unless they need a new suit for some formal
event or simply because they’re run out of clothes.

 take pleasure in (idiom): derive happiness or enjoyment from

2. Why women like to do shopping?

Women are usually considered creatures of beauty, which may explain why they love shopping and enjoy
lavish costumes to a considerable degree. First and foremost, outfits are visual indicators of
personal image and personalities, hence, they want to dress accordingly. Secondly, shopping is not
only for the sake of fashion but also an effective means of relaxation. In modern society where lots of
people are under constant stress every day, indulging oneself in some serious shopping may help
to take the weight off their mind, despite temporarily. Last but not least, women don’t usually shop
for themselves alone but most of their spending is on family and friends. They relish the idea of giving
gifts or buying nice clothes for their beloved ones, therefore, shopping sits high on their to-do lists.

 to a considerable degree (idiom): to some extent

 indicator (n): a sign that shows you what something is like or how a situation is changing
 for the sake of (idiom): in order to get or keep something
 under stress: dealing with something that causes worry or anxiety
 indulge in (v): to allow yourself to have or do something that you like, especially something that
is considered bad for you
 take the weight off one’s mind (idiom): to allow you to stop worrying about a particular thing
 relish (v): to get great pleasure from something; to want very much to do or have something

3. Why some women buy cheaper clothes and expensive ones at the same time?

Admittedly, the more high-priced a piece of clothing is, the more exquisite it looks. However, it doesn’t
mean low-cost costumes are less appealing or fashionable. Therefore, many women have both high-
end items as well as more budget-friendly ones in their closet for different purposes. Luxury brands
such as Gucci, Channel or Louis Vuitton are more familiar with the upper class and frequently make
their appearance in upscale places or events. Yet, more affordable apparel brands like ZARA or
H&M are not falling behind in terms of fashion trends or stylish designs. Thus, many prefer them and
their products are suitable for various occasion from daily wear to special ones.

 high-priced (a): high-priced
 exquisite (a): extremely beautiful or carefully made
 low-cost (a): below the usual cost; cheap
 appealing (a): attractive or interesting
 high-end (a): expensive and of high quality
 budget-friendly (a): inexpensive
 upper class (n): upper class
 make one’s appearance: to appear; to appear in a performance
 upscale (a): relatively expensive and designed to appeal to affluent consumers affordable (a):
 fall behind (phrasal verb): fail to keep up with one’s competitors

4. Do you think it is good for people buy expensive clothes? Why?

People have their own preference when it comes to fashion which satisfy both their taste and affordability.
I believe it’s more economically wise not to spend exorbitant amount of money on clothing since such
amount can be invested more efficiently. The first reason is fashion is mainly short-lived. Once a certain
type of clothing goes out of style, it is likely to be left untouched for eternity in spite of only being
worn for a few times. Imagine the exact same thing happens with dozens of other pieces in your closet and
the amount of money you waste will add up. Furthermore, it will be more beneficial to invest in
experiences and knowledge rather than material items. Travel more and explore the world while you still
can will bring you more pleasure and wisdom than a fashionable dress ever could.

 economically wise (a): using money, resources, etc., carefully

 short-lived (a): lasting only for a short time
 in/ out of fashion (idiom): popular (or unpopular) and considered (or not considered) to be
attractive at the time in question.
 untouched (a): not be worn
 eternity (n): a period of time that seems to be very long or to never end
 add up (phrasal verb): to amount to an expected total

5. Why do some people like shopping with friends?

Plenty of people, including me, enjoy shopping with friends rather than by themselves because of
some privileges they can’t find otherwise. People tend to seek advice or ideas on the products or
services when shopping. Hence, a companion can provide you with more objective and
fairer remarks on the item you want to buy but are uncertain of, which is extremely helpful when it
comes to fashion. Besides, it might be impossible for you to refrain yourself from overspending and
that’s where your co-shopper comes to your rescue. Before they let you go over your budget, they
make sure you are aware of the pros and cons. Thus, unless all my friends are occupied, I rarely go
shopping alone.

 privilege (n): something that you are proud and lucky to have the opportunity to do
 companion (n): a person who has similar tastes, interests, etc. to your own and whose company
you enjoy
 objective (a): not influenced by personal feelings or opinions; considering only facts
 remark (n): something that you say or write which expresses an opinion, a thought, etc. about
somebody/something
 refrain (v): to stop yourself from doing something, especially something that you want to do
 overspend (v): to spend too much money or more than you planned
 come to rescue (idiom): to rescue or save someone or something
 over budget (idiom): beyond the amount of money than had been planned for

6. Why people like shopping for clothes online?

Online shopping, especially for apparel, has become a thriving business in a past few years for good
reasons. To begin with, buying online is incredibly time-saving. Instead of spending hours driving to your
favorite malls to get some new clothes of the latest collection, your problem can be solved with only
Internet connections and, of course, your fine taste in fashion. No energy is needed, either. Secondly, you
always have best deals when subscribing to any online stores, which can save you tons of money that
you don’t even notice. Some shops even offer exclusive promotions for loyal customers, therefore, get
ready for special treats. Lastly, you can easily switch from site to site to have even more choices without
moving anything but your fingers.

 thriving (a): continuing to be successful, strong, healthy, etc.

 subscribe (v): to arrange to have regular access to an electronic information service or other
Internet service
 exclusive (a): only to be used by one particular person or group; only given to one particular
person or group

7. What risks would take when shopping online? Why?

Everything always has two sides and shopping online may not always prove to be the best choice. Many
online shoppers have experienced unpleasant situations in which either products or service, or sometimes
both, fell short of their expectations.  The most common problem is false advertisement in terms of
color, size or material which is profoundly disturbing since each person has a unique figure that suits
some certain pieces of clothing. As a result, you don’t get what you pay for. In addition, unless you order
on trustworthy online stores of well-known brands or the like, customer service can’t be guaranteed. It
may take days or weeks until your concern is addressed or worse, forever. Therefore, be careful
and selective before any purchase decision to avoid irksome experience.
  fall short of (idiom): if something falls short of a particular level or standard, it does not reach it
 irksome (a): irksome
 profoundly (adv): in a way that has a very great effect on somebody/something
 selective (a): tending to be careful about what or who you choose

8. What special clothes do people in your country wear on official or formal

occasions?

General speaking, there isn’t any strict dress code in most of the events, except some exclusive ones but
people do share some implicitly agreed idea when it comes to formal attires. As regards men, suits,
blazers or tuxedos are their common choice. This is understandable since a nicely tailored suit can not
only boost a man’s confidence and exude power but also an indicator of honor and respect. After all,
it’s better to overdress than underdress. Women, on the other hand, usually dress up in elegant
dresses or gowns which can accentuate their feminine figures and make them shine. And depending on
the formality level of the event, the types of dresses can vary greatly from little black dresses, cocktail
dresses to fabulous gowns.

 exude (v): if you exude a particular feeling or quality, or it exudes from you, people can easily see
that you have it
 overdress (v): wear clothes that are too formal or too elegant for a particular occasion
 underdress (v): dress too plainly or too informally
 accentuate (v): to emphasize something or make it more noticeable
 formality (n): correct and formal behaviour

9. What is the different dress style between boys and girls?

Needless to say, boys’ and girls’ taste in fashion is as different as chalk and cheese since the former
looks for the ease of use while the latter is all for style and beauty. Due to their dynamic nature, most boys
actively engage in outdoor games or physical activities such as gardening, roller skating and other sports.
Hence, clothes that are sweat-absorbent, loose-fitting and hard-wearing are often preferable to
male youngsters. However, girls appear to develop a sense of style sooner than their counterparts,
therefore, their outfits are more diverse, form-fitting and fashionable ranging from blouses, shirts, tank
tops to mini dresses, skirts or culottes.

 as different as chalk and cheese (idiom): if two people are like chalk and cheese, they are
completely different from each other
 sweat-absorbent (a): being able to absorb sweat
 loose-fitting (a): (of clothes) not fitting the body tightly
 hard-wearing (a): able to stand much wear
 counterpart (n): a person or thing that has the same position or function as
somebody/something else in a different place or situation
 form-fitting (a): fitting the body snugly, so that its shape is clearly visible
 

10. Do you like jewel?

I love collecting tiny pieces of art like jewelries since they are not only accessories but
perfect complements to your whole look. There are thousands of types and designs of jewelries for you
to choose from so I bet everyone, regardless of genders, can find at least one item they love, from
earrings, bracelets, necklaces to watches. The materials of which they are made also varied from luxurious
ones such as silver, gold, diamond to more affordable and street-style ones like artificial stones, copper or
other metals. Thus, they can go with different kinds of styles and if you do it right, they will make your
outfit less boring and livelier.

 complement (n): a thing that adds new qualities to something in a way that improves it or
makes it more attractive
 regardless of: paying no attention to something/somebody; treating something/somebody as
not being important

11. Do you wear many jewels?

Even though I have a whole jewelry collection at home, I’ve never attempted to put on more than five
pieces since I live with a motto “simplicity is the best”. I have a habit ofpicking up eye-catching
accessories whenever I come across one but always consider carefully before matching them with my
costume. For example, if I dress in an off-shoulder top, a simple choker is good enough to highlight my
long neck. Other times when I tie my hair in a messy bun, I prefer a pair of sophisticated earrings such as
hoop or feather ones to add more feminine and romantic vibes. But all in all, never exceed five at the same
time.

 motto (n): a short sentence or phrase that expresses the aims and beliefs of a person, a group, an
institution, etc. and is used as a rule of behaviour
 come across (phrasal verb): meet or find by chance

 Why some people wear a jewel for a long time?

I suppose each has their own reasons. In most cases, if people get attached to a certain piece of
jewelries, there might be a story behind it. It could be a family heirloom that has been passed down
generations to generations so it has a special meaning to the owner. Or it may belong to someone
they hold dear such as their spouse, parent or soulmate which can explain why they don’t want to take it
off. Another reason is that they keep wearing the same jewel just out of habit. They get accustomed
to it after a while and are too lazy to change the new one so there it stays.

 get attached to: attach

 heirloom (n): a valuable object that has belonged to the same family for many years
 hold dear (idiom): be fond of; be attached to | cherish, treasure, care for
 out of habit (idiom): habitually
 get accustomed to: to think/start to think that something is normal or natural because you
have experienced it regularly over a period of time