IELTS Speaking part 2. Describe an online shopping experience (January - April 2023)

Describe an experience of online shopping
You should say:
what you bought
why you bought it
what problems you had when shopping online
and explain how you felt about the purchase

Video on this topic (Including tips on how to improve your score in Grammatical range and accuracy + lexical resource score) -

Vocabulary

1. Convenient - "Online shopping is convenient because you can browse and purchase products from the comfort of your own home."
2. User-friendly - "I really appreciate how user-friendly the website was, making it easy for me to find what I was looking for."
3. Seamless - "The online shopping experience was seamless from start to finish, with no technical issues or delays."
4. Hassle-free - "I prefer online shopping because it's hassle-free and I don't have to deal with the crowds and long lines at the store."
5. Variety - "One of the advantages of online shopping is the variety of products available, which is often greater than what you can find in a physical store."
6. Customizable - "I love how customizable online shopping can be, with options to filter and sort products by size, color, price, and more."
7. Secure - "I always make sure to shop from secure websites to protect my personal and financial information."
8. Prompt - "The customer service team was very prompt in responding to my inquiries about the product I was interested in."
9. Impersonal - "While online shopping is convenient, it can sometimes feel impersonal without the personal interaction you get when shopping in a physical store."
10. Impulsive - "It's easy to make impulsive purchases when online shopping, so I try to be mindful of my spending habits and stick to a budget."

Ideas:

What you bought:

• A new laptop for work/school
• A pair of running shoes for exercise
• A gift for a friend's birthday
• A new set of kitchen knives
• A book you've been wanting to read

1. Why you bought it:

• The laptop was necessary to complete work/school assignments
• The running shoes were needed for a new exercise routine
• The gift was chosen because it was something the friend had expressed interest in
• The kitchen knives were an upgrade from old, dull ones
• The book was recommended by a friend or online review

What problems you had when shopping online:

• Difficulty finding the right size or color
• Technical issues with the website or checkout process
• Shipping delays or issues with delivery
• Not being able to see or touch the product before purchasing
• Difficulty comparing prices between different websites or sellers

Explain how you felt about the purchase:

• Excited to use the new laptop or try out the new shoes
• Happy to have found the perfect gift for a friend
• Satisfied with the quality and usefulness of the kitchen knives
• Excited to read the new book
• Frustrated with any problems experienced during the online shopping process, but ultimately happy with the end result

Sample answer:

I've been asked to talk about a situation when I bought something online and, although in this day and age, technology spreads its legs in every nook and cranny, it was not until around a fortnight ago that I bought something online for the first time. This is because not only is the refund policy unclear to me in most online shops, but I'm also afraid of buying a pig in a poke. It was for this reason that all my life prior to that, I preferred buying things in brick-and-mortar shops.

Having said that, a short while ago, a new book which I had been dreaming of reading was published and the only way for me to buy it was in an online shop. You know, I'm a voracious reader and I just can't keep my hands away from a book with an intricate plot because I desperately want to know the outcome of the story. In fact, my friends often call me a serial bookworm or a lifelong bookworm and, as you might've already understood, it is true. For instance, should a book be interesting, I can read it from cover to cover in one sitting. I am literally glued to the pages of the book if it is a page turner or a truly unputdownable read.

Anyway, the book which I desperately wanted to buy was dedicated to modern environmental issues such as ozone layer depletion, soil erosion, carbon sequestration, fossil fuel fracking, geothermal energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and their toxicity and so on and so forth. Actually, it was my bosom friend Gleb who recommended that I should read this book. And hardly had I heard about it, when I realised that it was definitely worth reading.

Had I not bought that book, I would've reproached myself numerous times.

However, what made me think twice before buying the book was its price. For some reason, the price was so exorbitant that it cost a pretty penny and I even considered it to be highway robbery.

Apart from that, I was living on a tight budget at the time because I had just paid for a teacher-training course which also cost an arm and a leg and I had to shell out for it. Nevertheless, I was ready to fork out for the book in spite of its extortionate price.

Apart from that, everything went without a hitch and I had this book delivered to my doorstep in just a few days.

To say that I was on cloud 9 is to say nothing. I was over the moon, I was in seventh heaven, I was on top of the world.

An IELTS ex-examiner's commentary about this answer (from the video):

Overall, the speaker has demonstrated excellent proficiency in using a wide range of vocabulary and sentence structures to describe their online shopping experience. The pronunciation and fluency are also at a high level, allowing the speaker to communicate their ideas with clarity and ease.

For the criterion of fluency and coherence, the speaker has provided a clear structure to their answer, starting with a general statement about their hesitations towards online shopping before moving on to describe their specific experience of purchasing a book. The transitions between each part of the answer are smooth and well-connected. All aspects of cohesion are managed well.

For lexical resource, the speaker has shown an impressive range of vocabulary, including idiomatic expressions such as "spreads its legs" and "a pig in a poke". There is also evidence of topic-specific vocabulary related to environmental issues, which shows the speaker's ability to use technical terms in a relevant context.

For grammatical range and accuracy, the speaker has demonstrated a good command of various sentence structures, including complex sentences and conditional clauses. However, there are some slips that do not decrease the score. E.g., "it is true" - Since the speaker is referring to a specific thing (being a lifelong bookworm), they should use "that" instead of "it" here. The correct sentence would be: "and, as you might've already understood, that is true."

Based on the above assessment, the band scores for each criterion are as follows:

• Fluency and Coherence: Band 9
• Lexical Resource: Band 9
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 9
• Pronunciation: Band 9

What is good:

• The speaker has used a variety of vocabulary and sentence structures to describe their experience, which makes their answer interesting and engaging.
• The use of idiomatic expressions and topic-specific vocabulary shows the speaker's ability to communicate effectively in English.
• The answer is well-organized and transitions between each part of the answer are smooth and well-connected.
• The use of descriptive adjectives and idiomatic expressions to express emotions and feelings is effective in conveying the speaker's excitement about the book.

Examples of good language use:

• "spreads its legs in every nook and cranny"
• "buying a pig in a poke"
• "voracious reader"
• "dedicated to modern environmental issues such as ozone layer depletion, soil erosion, carbon sequestration, fossil fuel fracking, geothermal energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and their toxicity and so on and so forth"
• "extortionate price"
• "living on a tight budget"
• "over the moon", "in seventh heaven", "on top of the world" to describe the speaker's feelings of excitement and satisfaction after receiving the book.

Other plots for sample answers:

1. A new laptop for work/school

I recently purchased a new laptop online for my work and school assignments. I needed a reliable device with a fast processor and enough storage to hold all of my files and documents. I spent some time researching different brands and models before settling on one that had all of the features I needed within my budget. The online shopping experience was convenient and user-friendly, but I did encounter a few problems with the website's checkout process. However, I was able to resolve the issue quickly with the help of the customer service team. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and the laptop has been working great so far.

A pair of running shoes for exercise

I decided to buy a new pair of running shoes online to support my exercise routine. I wanted shoes that were comfortable, lightweight, and had good support for my feet. After browsing different websites and reading reviews, I found a pair that seemed perfect for my needs. The online shopping experience was seamless, and I was able to quickly find the size and color I wanted. The only problem I had was with shipping, as the delivery was delayed due to bad weather. But I received updates from the seller and eventually got my shoes. I was really excited to try them out, and they have definitely helped improve my runs.

A gift for a friend's birthday

I purchased a gift for a friend's birthday online. I knew she loved jewelry and had been eyeing a specific necklace for a while, so I decided to buy it for her. The online shopping experience was convenient and easy, and I was able to find the necklace quickly. However, I did have a problem with the seller's shipping policy. They only shipped to certain locations, and unfortunately, my friend's city was not included. I had to contact the seller's customer service team to find a solution, and they were able to ship the necklace to a nearby location for me to pick up. Despite the hiccup, my friend loved the necklace and it made for a great birthday gift.

A new set of kitchen knives

I recently bought a new set of kitchen knives online to replace my old, dull ones. I wanted knives that were sharp, durable, and had a comfortable grip. I spent some time researching different brands and styles before deciding on a set that had all of the features I was looking for. The online shopping experience was user-friendly and I was able to easily compare prices and read reviews. I did have a minor problem with the delivery, as one of the knives was damaged during shipping. However, the seller promptly sent a replacement and I received it quickly. Overall, I'm very happy with my purchase and the knives have made cooking and preparing meals much easier.

A book you've wanted to read for a long time (See a more detailed sample answer in the video above)

I've been wanting to read a new book by one of my favorite authors for a while, so I decided to buy it online. The online shopping experience was very convenient and easy, and I was able to find the book quickly. I didn't encounter any problems during the shopping process, and the delivery was prompt. When the book arrived, I was really excited to start reading it. I found it to be a great read, and it lived up to my expectations. I'm glad I was able to find and purchase the book online, as it made the process quick and easy.