IELTS Speaking band 8 sample test 9: Shopping and consumer habits

Examiner: Let's talk about shopping. Do you enjoy shopping?

Candidate: Honestly, it depends on my mood. If I've got something specific in mind, it's a bit of a chore, because I just want to get in and out. But when I'm browsing with no real plan, I can lose a whole afternoon in charity shops and record stores. I suppose I enjoy the hunt more than the spending.

Examiner: Do you prefer shopping online or in physical stores?

Candidate: Probably a bit of both, though I lean towards physical stores for clothes. I need to feel the fabric and try things on, because sizing online is a gamble and returns are a real hassle. For everyday things like cables, online is far more convenient. So my rule of thumb is simple: anything I'll wear or sit on, I'll go and see in person.

Examiner: What was the last thing you bought?

Candidate: The last real purchase was a pair of trainers, which I'd been putting off for months. My old ones had basically fallen apart, with a hole in one sole that soaked through every time it rained. I ended up getting a mid-range pair from a shop in the Lace Market, after trying on about six pairs. They weren't cheap, but they've been brilliant so far.

Examiner: Now, I'd like you to describe something you bought that you were very pleased with. You should say: what it was, where you bought it, and how much it cost. And explain why you were pleased with this purchase. You have one minute to prepare.

Examiner: All right, please start speaking now.

Candidate: The purchase I'm most pleased with is a second-hand road bike that I bought about a year ago. I'd been commuting across Nottingham by bus for ages, and the journey was getting expensive and frustratingly slow. New bikes were eye-wateringly expensive, so I started browsing a local shop that refurbishes used ones. It's the kind of place with bikes hanging from the ceiling and a grumpy but brilliant mechanic.

Candidate: I eventually settled on a lightweight aluminium frame with decent gears, which had been properly serviced, with new brake pads and fresh tyres. The price was about four hundred and twenty pounds, which felt like a stretch at the time but was a fraction of what an equivalent new model would have cost. The mechanic talked me through the spec for ages, and he didn't try to upsell me on anything I didn't need, which I really appreciated. Within a week I was riding to work, and the difference was immediate.

Candidate: What makes me so pleased with it, I think, is that it changed my daily routine in a way I hadn't anticipated. I now get forty minutes of fresh air before I even reach my desk, and I feel far more awake. It has also saved me a fair amount on bus fares, which adds up quickly. Looking back, it was one of those rare purchases that did exactly what I hoped, and then a bit more, so I don't regret it for a second.

Examiner: Thank you. Do you think people should buy more second-hand goods?

Candidate: Definitely, I think it's a no-brainer for things like bikes, furniture and books. You get decent quality for a fraction of the price, and it's better for the planet too. Obviously, you do need to check things carefully, though.

Examiner: Let's move on to some broader questions. How has online shopping changed the way people buy things?

Candidate: I think it's changed things enormously, though not always in ways people expect. The most obvious change is convenience, because you can order almost anything at midnight and have it on your doorstep the next day. That has made impulse buying much easier, and retailers have become very skilled at exploiting it. On the other hand, online shopping has opened up access to niche products and independent sellers who would never have survived on the high street. Personally, I think the biggest shift is psychological. We've started treating shopping as something we do on our phones in bed, rather than an outing with a purpose. So, while it's efficient, it has made us less mindful.

Examiner: Do you think advertising influences people too much?

Candidate: I think it does, and I'd say it's often more subtle than people admit. Most of us like to believe we're immune to adverts, but repeated exposure shapes what we come to see as normal or desirable. On one hand, advertising funds a lot of free content, so it isn't all bad. On the other hand, targeted ads are now built from our browsing habits, which feels rather intrusive. For example, I searched for a sofa once, and for about three weeks every website I visited tried to sell me one. I'd like to think I'm sensible enough to ignore them, but I suspect they work on me more than I'd care to admit.

Examiner: What are the effects of consumerism on society?

Candidate: That's a weighty question, and I'd argue the effects are both material and cultural. Materially, we generate enormous amounts of waste, with clothing and electronics replaced long before they wear out. Culturally, it can create a sense that your worth is tied to what you own, which leaves many people dissatisfied however much they buy. There's also an inequality dimension, because the cheapest goods are often produced in conditions most of us would never accept at home. That said, consumer demand has driven innovation and given many people access to things that were once luxuries. So, in my view, the challenge is finding a balance rather than rejecting consumption altogether.