IELTS TRAINER AYTAN ISMAILZADA

IELTS TOPIC VOCABULARY

SHOPPING

Part 1-style questions

Examiner: Do you often go shopping for personal items?

Maxine: When I can afford it yes … my college is in the city centre and I do a lot
of window shopping … but being a student I’m on a tight budget so I have to
be careful with money …

Examiner: Are there many shops where you live?

Jenny: We’ve got a few local shops nearby and a few independent stores but
none of the big high street names … I have to go into town for them …

Examiner: Do you enjoy shopping?

Marco: It depends … I hate it when the sales are on … crowds of people all trying
to snap up a bargain … I find it all a bit stressful … I also get annoyed
when shop assistants try to give me the hard sell when all I want to do is look
around …

Part 2-style task

Describe a time when you bought something for someone. You should say

 when this was

 what is was you bought
 who you bought it for

and say how you felt about buying it for them.

Coleen: I’d like to tell you about the time … about four years ago … my husband
and I bought a computer for our daughter … she was about to go to university and
we’d promised her we would treat her to one … at the time there had been a
big advertising campaign for the latest Apple Macbook and our daughter was
very keen to have one … she kept telling us they were value for money … even
though they seemed very expensive to us … anyway we tried to shop around to
see if we could pick up a bargain … this was in the middle of the summer
sales and wherever you went prices were being slashed on big brand names …
but unfortunately not Apple products … we ended up having to pay the full
price … I remember my daughter justifying the cost by pointing out how nice the
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IELTS TOPIC VOCABULARY
Apple carrier bag was … but it was lovely to see her so excited and the customer
service she’s received during the four years she’s had it has been excellent … so it
was value for money after all …

Part 3-style questions

Examiner: Do you think we will stop using paper money in the future?
Louisa: I think it’s almost certain … at the moment it’s still possible to pay in
cash but I’m sure this will change … the problem is people are more likely to get
into debt and run up a credit card bill when this happens.

Examiner: How do companies encourage the consumer to spend their money?

Peter: Well … a recent development in my country is something called ‘Black
Friday’ where people are encouraged to shop until they drop and buy the
latest must-have products … then there are things like loyalty cards to get the
customer back in the store …

Examiner: What do you think shops need to do to create a positive shopping

experience?
Tania: The main thing for me is not being pressurised to buy … I appreciate that
shop assistants are probably on commission but if I’m looking for clothes for
example I like to take my time … to try something on … and to ask for help if I
need it …

Definitions

 advertising campaign: a series of advertisements to persuade people to buy

something
 big brand names: large well-known companies or product names
 to be careful with money: to not over-spend
 carrier bag: bags (usually plastic) supplied by shops

 customer service: the degree to which customers are treated well

 to get into debt: to owe money
 to give someone the hard sell: to put pressure on someone to buy something
 high street names: well-known shops
 independent stores: small shops independent of large companies
 local shops: community shops
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IELTS TOPIC VOCABULARY
 loyalty card: a card issued by a shop to allow customers to save money on
the basis of what they spend
 must-have product: a product that is very popular that a lot of people want
to have
 to be on a tight budget: to have a limited amount of money to spend
 to be on commission: to pay someone in relation to the amount they sell
 a pay in cash: to pay for something using coins or paper money
 to pay the full price: to pay the full amount for something
 to pick up a bargain: to buy something much cheaper than the normal price
 to run up a credit card bill: to owe money on a credit card
 to shop around: to try different shops to find the best deal
 shop assistant: the person who serves customers
 to shop until you drop: to do a lot of shopping
 to slash prices: to reduce prices a great deal
 to snap up a bargain: to buy something quickly that is being sold cheaply
 summer sales: a period in the year when things are sold cheaply
 to try something on: to see if an item of clothing fits or is suitable
 to be value for money: to be worth the cost
 window shopping: to visit a store to look at items without the intention of
buying anything
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IELTS TOPIC VOCABULARY
CLOTHES AND FASHION

Part 1-style questions

Examiner: Do you enjoy buying clothes?

Pedro: I used to … yes … like most young people I was a bit of a slave to
fashion and I’d always have to buy that must-have shirt or pair of shoes … I’m
not so bothered now though … I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing something old
fashioned but I’m not as bothered as I used to be about what I wear …

Examiner: What kind of clothes do you like to wear?

Marco: I prefer casual clothes actually … I hate getting dressed up for special
occasions … personally I think it’s possible to look good in a pair of jeans … but
that’s my opinion … I don’t think my wife would call me a fashion icon that’s for
sure …

Examiner: Are there many clothes shops where you live?

Sylvia: Yes … there are lots in my town … apart from the big chain stores we’ve
got a couple of really nice shops that sell vintage clothes … old clothes but in
a classic style that never really go out of fashion … I love going there …

Part 2-style task

Describe someone you know who dresses well. You should say

 who they are

 how you know them
 what kind of clothes they wear

and say why you like the way they dress.

Tomoko: I’d like to talk about one of my teachers … Miss Evans … she teaches
us English in the school I go to … we always look forward to seeing what she’s
going to wear when our lessons start … she’s always very well dressed and takes
a lot of pride in her appearance … it’s not that she dresses in very smart
clothes … she doesn’t come to school dressed to kill or anything like that … but
what she wears really suits her … and she has a great sense of style as well … we
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IELTS TOPIC VOCABULARY
often ask her where she gets some of her clothes and most of the time they’re
just off the peg … and she says she’s not interested in designer labels or anything
like that … she doesn’t seem too concerned about keeping up with the latest
fashion … she just wears clothes that are timeless … yes … Miss Evans is the
person I think looks great in the clothes she wears …

Part 3-style questions

Examiner: What factors do you think affect the clothes we choose to wear?
Maki: It depends … where we are or where we’re going is a big factor … if you
are going out to a club or party you’re going to dress for the occasion … and then
there are those who think it’s important to look like they’re on trend … they’ll
want to wear the latest fashions … there are lots of factors really …

Examiner: What kind of things determine what is in fashion and what we should be
wearing?
Martin: I suppose the big fashion houses and fashion shows must have an effect
but the clothes you see on the catwalk don’t always reflect what normal people
wear … so I suppose it will be things like what singers are wearing in videos or
models are wearing in magazines … that kind of thing …

Examiner: Is it possible to look good without spending lots of money on clothes?

Corinna: I’m sure it is … yes … I suppose it’s about having an eye for what looks
good … knowing how to mix and match different items of clothing that go well
together … I think you can pick up great bargains in charity shops … sometimes
for youngsters even hand-me-downs can look good …

Definitions

 to be on trend: to be very fashionable

 casual clothes: not formal
 classic style: a simple, traditional style that is always fashionable
 designer label: a well-known company that makes (often expensive)
clothing
 dressed to kill: wearing clothes that attract admirers
 to dress for the occasion: to wear clothes suitable for a particular event
 fashionable: in fashion
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IELTS TOPIC VOCABULARY
 fashion house: a company that sells (usually expensive) new styles in
clothes
 fashion icon: a person who is famous for their sense of fashion
 fashion show: an event where modals show off the latest in fashion designs
 to get dressed up: to put on nice clothes, often to go out somewhere special
 to go out of fashion: to not be in fashion any more
 hand-me-downs: clothes that are passed down from older brothers or sisters
to their younger siblings
 to have an eye for (fashion): to be a good judge of
 to have a sense of style: the ability to wear clothes that look stylish
 the height of fashion: very fashionable
 to keep up with the latest fashion: to wear the latest fashions
 to look good in: to wear something that suits you
 to mix and match: to wear different styles or items of clothing that aren’t
part of a set outfit
 must-have: something that is highly fashionable and therefore in demand
 off the peg: clothing that is ready made
 old fashioned: not in fashion any more
 on the catwalk: the stage that modals walk along to show off the latest
fashions
 a slave to fashion: someone who always feel the need to wear the latest
fashions
 smart clothes: the kind of clothes worn for a formal event
 to suit someone: to look good on someone
 to take pride in one’s appearance: to pay attention to how one looks
 timeless: something that doesn’t go out of fashion
 vintage clothes: clothes from an earlier period
 well-dressed: to be dressed attractively