Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Sample Answers

Janice Thompson

12 min read

Updated On Aug 30, 2024

Prepare for IELTS Speaking with online shopping and clothes Part 2 and Part 3 sample answers with relevant vocabulary to boost your confidence and fluency.

Online Shopping and Clothes IELTS Speaking

Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Part 1
Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Part 2
Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Part 3
Vocabulary You Can Use to Answer IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions on Online Shopping and Clothes
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Online shopping and clothes IELTS Speaking Part 2 and 3 questions reflect how shopping online has revolutionized the way we purchase clothes and other day to day needs, offering convenience and variety like never before. As a result, it has become one of the popular topics for IELTS Speaking preparation.

In this blog, we will explore real IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3 topics with sample answers on the subject–Online Shopping and Clothes to help you prepare for your IELTS Speaking exam.

Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Part 1

Let’s look at the video below for some IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions and sample answers on a topic that is loved by most people – shopping. It will help you get Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking.

Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Part 2

Let's have a look at the IELTS Speaking Part 2 topic related to online shopping and clothes IELTS Speaking.

Describe a website you have bought something from.

You should say:

What is the website?
What did you buy from this website?
How satisfied were you with what you bought?
And explain what you liked or disliked about using this website.

Sample Answers: Click Here!

Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Part 3

The IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions on online shopping and clothes are follow-up questions based on the IELTS cue card in Part 2.

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 there are exceptions. Those who love spending time and money on beautiful pieces of clothing pay great attention to their appearance and take pleasure in the act of shopping, 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 avoid shopping for clothes unless they need a new suit for some formal event or only when there are holes in their clothes!

2. Why do women like to go shopping?

Women are considered as an embodiment of beauty, which may explain why they love shopping and enjoy flamboyant dressing to a considerable degree. First and foremost, outfits are visual indicators of 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 in some severe shopping may help take the weight off their mind 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 beautiful clothes for their beloved ones. Therefore, shopping sits high on their to-do lists.

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 and budget-friendly items in their closet for different purposes. Luxury brands such as Gucci, Channel, or Louis Vuitton are more familiar with the upper class and frequently appear in upscale places or events. 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 occasions, from daily wear to special occasions.

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

People have their preferences when it comes to fashion, which satisfies both their taste and affordability. I believe it’s more economically wise not to spend an excessive amount of money on clothing since such an amount can be invested more efficiently. The first reason is that fashions are short-lived. Once a specific type of clothing goes out of style, it is likely to be left untouched for eternity despite being worn a few times. Imagine the same thing happening with dozens of other pieces in your closet. 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. Traveling and exploring the world will bring you more pleasure and wisdom than a fashionable dress ever could.

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 for fashion. Besides, it might be impossible for you to refrain 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 know the pros and cons. Thus, unless all my friends are occupied, I rarely go shopping alone.

6. Why people like shopping for clothes online?

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

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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 a false advertisement in terms of color, size, or material, which is profoundly disturbing since each person has a unique figure that suits certain pieces of clothing. As a result, you don’t get for what you pay. 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 the irksome experience.

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

Generally speaking, there isn’t any strict dress code in most of the events, except some exclusive ones, but people do share some implicitly agreed ideas when it comes to formal attires. As regards men, suits, blazers, or tuxedos are their standard choice. It is understandable since a nicely tailored suit can boost a man’s confidence and exude power and is an indicator of honor and respect. After all, it’s better to overdress than underdress. On the other hand, women 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 significantly from little black dresses, cocktail dresses to fabulous gowns.

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

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 preferred by 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.

10. Do you like jewels?

I love collecting jewelry since they are not only accessories but perfect complements to your whole look. There are thousands of types and designs of jewelry 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 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 livelier.

11. Do you wear many jewels?

Although I have a 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 of picking 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. 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, will never exceed five at the same time.

12. Why some people wear a jewel for a long time?

I suppose each has their reasons. In most cases, if people get attached to a particular piece of jewelry, 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.

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Vocabulary You Can Use to Answer IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions on Online Shopping and Clothes

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence
take pleasure in (idiom)	derive happiness or enjoyment from	I take pleasure in choosing unique outfits for special occasions, as it allows me to express my personal style.
to a considerable degree (idiom)	to some extent	Online shopping has improved the shopping experience to a considerable degree, making it easier for people to find exactly what they need.
indulge in	to allow yourself to have or do something that you like, especially something that is considered bad for you	On weekends, Mashu likes to indulge in a bit of retail therapy and explore the latest fashion trends online.
take the weight off one’s mind (idiom)	to allow you to stop worrying about a particular thing	A good shopping spree can take the weight off my mind after a stressful week at work, providing a much-needed mental break.
relish	to get great pleasure from something; to want very much to do or have something	Kia relishes the thrill of discovering a rare, high-quality item during a sale, especially when it's something I’ve been eyeing for a while.
high-end	expensive and of high quality	The boutique specializes in high-end fashion, offering a selection of luxury brands and exclusive designs.
exquisite	extremely beautiful or carefully made	The handmade dress she wore to the event was truly exquisite, featuring intricate embroidery and delicate fabrics.
appealing	attractive or interesting	The new fashion collection was visually appealing, with vibrant colors and modern designs that caught everyone's attention.
make one’s appearance	to appear; to appear in a performance	Despite being a little late, she still managed to make her appearance at the party looking flawless in her elegant gown.
upscale	relatively expensive and designed to appeal to affluent consumers affordable	They decided to visit an upscale store downtown that offers premium clothing and personalized shopping experiences.
fall behind (phrasal verb)	fail to keep up with one’s competitors	With the rapid changes in fashion trends, it’s easy for even the most fashion-conscious individuals to fall behind if they don’t stay updated.
short-lived	lasting only for a short time	The popularity of certain fashion trends can be quite short-lived, often fading away within a few seasons.
in/ out of fashion (idiom)	popular (or unpopular) and considered (or not considered) to be attractive at the time in question	While some styles are currently in fashion, others may quickly fall out of favor and become obsolete.
fall short of (idiom)	if something falls short of a particular level or standard, it does not reach it	Although the new clothing line had some stylish pieces, it fell short of the high expectations set by its previous collections.
exude	if you exude a particular feeling or quality, or it exudes from you, people can easily see that you have it	She exudes confidence and elegance in every outfit she wears.
overdress	wear clothes that are too formal or too elegant for a particular occasion	I felt slightly uncomfortable at the casual gathering because I had overdressed compared to everyone else who wore more relaxed attire.
underdress	dress too plainly or too informally	He chose to underdress for the formal event, arriving in jeans and a t-shirt, which contrasted sharply with the sophisticated attire of the other guests.
accentuate	to emphasize something or make it more noticeable	The bright red scarf really helped to accentuate her outfit, adding a splash of color that made her look stand out.
as different as chalk and cheese (idiom)	if two people are like chalk and cheese, they are completely different from each other	Their tastes in fashion are as different as chalk and cheese; she prefers vintage styles while he likes modern and sleek designs.
sweat-absorbent	being able to absorb sweat	For the summer, David prefers wearing sweat-absorbent fabrics that keep me cool and dry throughout the day.
hard-wearing	able to stand much wear	Mr. John always opt for hard-wearing shoes that can withstand daily wear and tear, especially since I’m on my feet all day.
counterpart	a person or thing that has the same position or function as somebody/something else in a different place or situation	The fashion industry in Paris is often seen as the counterpart to New York’s dynamic and trend-setting scene.
form-fitting	fitting the body snugly, so that its shape is clearly visible	The dress she wore was form-fitting, highlighting her figure in a flattering way while remaining comfortable.
complement	a thing that adds new qualities to something in a way that improves it or makes it more attractive	The necklace perfectly complemented her outfit, adding a touch of elegance without overwhelming the overall look.
heirloom	a valuable object that has belonged to the same family for many years	The vintage brooch she wore was a family heirloom, passed down through generations and cherished for its sentimental value.
hold dear (idiom)	be fond of; be attached to \| cherish, treasure, care for	I hold dear the memories of shopping trips with my grandmother, who always knew how to find the best deals on timeless pieces.
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	Moving to a new country, Cherry had to get accustomed to different fashion trends and shopping habits that were quite different from what I was used to.

Make sure that your vocabulary and style of speaking are on point to grab that Band 8+ in the IELTS Speaking test. You can also practice IELTS Speaking test or can connect with our IELTS experts to practice similar cue cards to take your IELTS Speaking preparation to the next level!

Also let us know which online shopping site you love to visit in the comments below!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common vocabulary related to shopping?

Some examples are: -> window shopping -> bargain hunting -> To go on a shopping spree -> hit the stores

How do I answer the question: Do you have any favourite stores?

Sample answer: Yes! Big Bazzar is my favourite shopping place. It has a wide range of products at affordable prices. They also give discount to regular customers.

Is it enough, to memorize some vocabulary related to shopping?

Mere memorizing the list of vocabulary will not help. You have to learn to use them contextually.

How to improve vocabulary for the Speaking test?

The best way to improve vocabulary is to read. Nowadays, there are many youtube videos which are topic specific and you may benefit from them.

How do I answer this question: Do people generally prefer to buy products from their own or from other countries?

Sample answer: Organic farm fresh foods are very expensive. Supermarket imports are cheaper and hence attract the middle and low income groups. So, many people tend buy products from foreign countries.