IELTS Speaking Part 1: Shopping
4 common Part 1 questions on shopping, each with a sample answer at the length Part 1 actually wants.
Do you like shopping?
I have mixed feelings about shopping, to be honest. I quite enjoy browsing for things I'm genuinely interested in, like books or gadgets, and finding a good bargain is satisfying. However, I find shopping for everyday essentials rather tedious, so I often prefer to do that online to save time.
How often do you go shopping?
I go shopping for groceries and daily necessities about once a week, usually at the weekend. As for clothes or non-essential items, I shop far less frequently, perhaps only once a month or when I actually need something. I'm not really the type to shop just for the fun of it.
Do you compare prices when you shop?
Yes, I almost always compare prices before buying anything, especially for more expensive items. I like to make sure I'm getting good value for my money rather than overpaying. Thanks to the internet, it's now very easy to check prices across different shops in just a few seconds.
Is it difficult for you to make choices when you shop?
Sometimes it is, particularly when there are too many similar options to choose from. I can be a bit indecisive and end up spending ages weighing up the pros and cons. To make it easier, I often read reviews beforehand or simply stick to brands I already know and trust.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 1 answer sounds like. What it cannot tell you is how yours sounds — whether you hesitate, repeat the question back, or run out of things to say at forty seconds.
You can record an answer to this exact question and get it marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and pronunciation — the same four criteria the examiner uses.
Common questions
How long should Part 1 answers be?
Two or three sentences. Part 1 is a warm-up and one-word answers stall the conversation, but a ninety-second speech on your home town is the wrong length too — the examiner has a list of questions to get through.
How long does Part 1 last?
Four to five minutes, covering three familiar topics. Your identity is checked first, then the questions start.
Can I ask the examiner to repeat a question?
Yes, and it costs you nothing. Asking for a repeat is normal conversational English; guessing at a question you misheard and answering the wrong one is far more damaging.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.