Online Shopping and Clothes - IELTS Speaking Part 3

In IELTS Speaking Part 3, the assessment criteria mention grammar patterns, vocabulary, fluency and pronunciation, which means that you need to deliver a long, meaningful sentence in a fluent, nice-sounding stream of words.

Given below are real IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions with sample answers and their IELTS Vocabulary on the subject – Online Shopping & Clothes.

When speaking, your tone will clarify and convey meaning. To learn how to effectively utilise a good tone and gain a high Speaking band, check out the IELTS Speaking Test - Tone.

Before you start, take a look at the IELTS Speaking guide below!

Let’s practice this with some easy questions on a topic that is loved by most people – Online shopping and clothes, which can help you get Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking!

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 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 on clothes unless they need a new suit for some formal event or only when there are holes in their clothes!

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

2. Why 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, 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 beautiful 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

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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.

• 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 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 amount can be invested more efficiently. The first reason is 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. Travelling and exploring the world 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 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.

• 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 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.

• 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 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.

• 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?

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.

• 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?

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.

• 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 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.

• 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?

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.

• 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

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.

• 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

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