Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally - IELTS Speaking Cue Card & Part 3 Questions

The IELTS Cue Card topic, ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’, expands broader issues such as consumer behaviour, financial priorities, lifestyle choices, and the balance between luxury and necessity. Remember to analyse the sample answers where you can compare traditional and modern celebrations, discuss cultural significance, and express opinions on social gatherings in contemporary society. This IELTS Speaking topic would develop your ability to create well-developed answers which show both coherence and depth while developing the essential time management skills.

IELTS Speaking Cue Card on ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’

Top 5 tips to Answer ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’

You need to spend the one-minute preparation time to ideate on the topics which you will use to speak for two minutes. Remember that your answer should have a clear structure by including developed ideas and specific vocabulary which relates to money and lifestyle and personal value for scoring a higher IELTS Band Score. The top 5 strategies below will help you in maintaining time effectively and provide a band 8+ answer with confidence.

Want to learn how to score a band 9 in the IELTS Speaking Section? Check out the video below!

Sample Answer 1 on ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’

To be honest, I am a very frolicsome person in life and if a fun activity has to come up at the expense of costing me a few bucks, I generally don’t mind that unless I am completely disconcerted by the budget issue or extremely impecunious at a particular time where I am running short of alms. One such activity that I prefer doing recurrently is snorkelling. Being a hydrophilic human being I am, it entices me to a great extent.

Although I don’t have any specific preference as far as carrying out my passion for snorkelling is concerned, the place where I loved doing it the most was Daman. It was the summer of 2020 when I visited Daman to gad across the place and to experience the place on a real-time basis concerning the glories I heard about it. I absolutely loved the place and over and above all, I loved the facility of scuba-diving and snorkelling there. Moreover, the way everything was so organised and plain-sailing over there made it one of my favourite places for water sports activities. As a result, I visited it twice the next year as well.

Since childhood, I have always been lured by water and learned to swim proficiently when I was six years old. It was then that I was introduced to snorkelling by one of my kin. I absolutely adore snorkelling as it takes you underwater and you can see an altogether different space, a different world. The aquatic animals and drop-dead gorgeous plants are some of the things that I love snorkelling.

Sample Answer 2 for IELTS Speaking Cue Card on ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’

The activity that I find most expensive but enjoyable involves short weekend stays at luxury heritage hotels. The opulent heritage properties which I selected for my accommodation were in Kolkata which were The Oberoi Grand and ITC Royal Bengal. 

I had done this during two separate times throughout the year because I needed to rest after my demanding academic work. Such a break from my work schedule provides me with necessary recuperative time. The hotels provide guests with exorbitant interior spaces and high-quality dining options with spa services which creates unforgettable experiences that come with high costs.

 I typically travel with my closest friends or my family members. The experience becomes more special because we share it with our loved ones who spend time together to unwind while they eat from the buffet and take pictures and rest from their everyday tasks. I view the expensive service as an essential investment that supports my mental health. This refreshes my energy levels while decreasing my stress so that I can work with greater efficiency and creative inspiration.

Vocabulary for Cue Card on ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’

• Frolicsome

Meaning: mirthful/gleeful
Eg.: It was very frolicsome to visit my uncle’s home yesterday.

• Disconcerted

Meaning: discomforted
Eg.: Mr. Shah was agitated and disconcerted upon listening to the ruckus.

• Impecunious

Meaning: one who lacks resources/money
Eg.: They became impecunious post the economic run-down.

• Kin

Meaning: friend/relative
Eg.: His kin visited him yesterday after a very long time.

• Opulent

Meaning: something which has rich and luxurious qualities and creates a majestic appearance.
Eg.: The couple occupied an opulent hotel suite which had crystal chandeliers.

• Recuperative

Meaning: Things which help people recover their health and strength
Eg.: I chose to take my short vacation in the hills because I found that the hills had a recuperative effect on both my mental and physical health.

• Exorbitant

Meaning: High price
Eg.: We had to pay an exorbitant price for the meals in the restaurant.

• Unwind

Meaning: to relax after experiencing stressful situations
Eg.: I use music and novels to unwind after my work.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions on ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’

The questions in the IELTS Speaking Part 3 explore topics related to spending habits, lifestyle choices, wealth, leisure culture, and luxuries. In this section, you need to demonstrate three key skills which include analytical abilities, comparison skills, and structuring your opinion. Let’s look at the follow-up questions for the topic, ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’.

• Why do some people enjoy spending money on expensive activities?

People spend money on expensive activities because they want to experience those activities and revel in them. These experiences deliver comfort and exclusive access to customers who achieve success after they complete their work. Such activities relieve their stress and also display their social position.

• Are costly activities worth their price according to you? 

Well, no! I feel that depends on how much value the person attending the activity will get from the experience. The expenses become justified when an activity provides perks that include relaxation and personal development and creates special moments. The value of expensive activities depends entirely on personal judgment.

• How has people’s spending behavior changed compared to the past?

It has undergone major changes over the years. People in previous generations preferred to save money for their future while in the present day, individuals choose to splurge on travel experiences, fine dining, and extreme sports activities. Social media has also influenced this trend because people tend to choose experiences which look good for online sharing.

• Should parents give their children permission to join activities which require high expenses? 

I believe that the decision depends on two factors which are the financial condition of the family and the reason for participating in the activity. These two aspects make the activity a valuable investment to develop skills through activities like music lessons and sports training. I think that children need to learn about money because they should know that luxury experiences can be hefty.

• How can people manage their finances while still enjoying expensive activities?

People need to reserve a part of their income for their leisure activities which they should spend according to their planned budget. In this way, they would not overspend the amount or get in the habit of impulse buying. With time, individuals would have the amount which they can utilize for a planned experience.

• Why do some people prefer saving money instead of spending it on leisure activities?

Some people find greater enjoyment by not spending money on entertainment activities. They might want to spend their time at home while focusing on getting their essential needs fulfilled. In this way, they start to contend that maintaining their current spending habits helps them achieve better financial results in the future.

• How do cultural values influence spending habits?

People from different cultures have their specific saving practices. For instance, some cultures prefer financial discipline while others view it as a milestone celebration for any occasion. The way people manage their money depends on individual social standards and cultural practices which they are exposed to since their childhood.

Vocabulary for IELTS Speaking Part 3 on ‘Describe an Expensive Activity that You Enjoy Doing Occasionally’

• Revel

Meaning: experience extreme happiness in something
Eg.: She revels in understanding several new languages which she practices with native speakers.

• Perks

Meaning: benefits or advantages
Eg.: The main perk of working at a multinational company is that they allow their employees to travel to foreign countries for work.

• Splurge on

Meaning: spending for luxury items
Eg.: Last year, I splurged on an expensive outfit which I wore it for my graduation ceremony.

• Hefty

Meaning: huge amount
Eg.: The hotel imposed a hefty amount for customers who wanted to stay there during the weekends.

• Impulse buying

Meaning: making unplanned purchases
Eg.: During holiday sales, the number of people impulse buying increases.

• Contend 

Meaning: someone’s belief
Eg.: Carol contend that employees will be motivated if they are paid well.

By learning to balance content with clarity, you would be able to speak fluently and without hesitation. This will improve your understanding of components such as structure, fluency, emotional depth, and organized concept presentation. By practising regularly with a timer, you can build confidence to attempt any topic in the IELTS Exam. So, let’s move on to the next one and get closer to your desired band scores.

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