Recent IELTS Speaking Test
PART 1Do you study or work?
I’m a student at the moment. I’m studying Industrial Engineering.
What do you like the most about your studies?Well, I like the technology aspects more than, for example, the math which is an essential component of the course, but overall I suppose it would have to be the amount of new and interesting knowledge I’m gaining which I think is the best thing about my course. I find it incredibly interesting and stimulating and it just makes me want to learn even more – that’s what I like most about it.
Are your studies really what you expected them to be?Actually, the course I’m doing is more interesting than I thought it would be before I started. So it’s really better than I expected.
In what part of your country do you currently live?I live in the southern part of the country, which is quite a bit quieter than most of the other areas. It’s less populated than, for example, the north of the country.
Have you visited other parts of the country? Which parts?Yes, I’ve been to many different places, especially when I was younger. My parents used to take us on trips to the most interesting places, all around the country, sometimes for vacations and on other occasion for a day trip just to see an interesting place. I guess I’ve seen most of the places that people would consider as sights or places of interest.
What do you like the most in your city?Personally, I don’t think it’s the best city overall; I mean it’s quite small compared to some of the other bigger cities in the country, but one of the best things about it is that it’s relatively safe for a city. People can walk around at night without problems and children can play in the streets in the summer time, so it’s a safe and friendly place and many people know their neighbors, so there’s a real sense of community in a lot of the neighborhoods.
Are there many parks?I wouldn’t say there are many parks; let me see, there are probably around three or four large parks which are very popular, and then some smaller parks within specific neighborhoods. But the most popular park is the large Central Park, which is near the center of the city. It’s an extremely popular place for families to visit, especially on the weekends because there are usually a lot of attractions there for the kids.
What has changed in your city in recent years?It’s changed quite a lot recently, there are a lot of new housing developments, mainly high-end apartments, and one or two new hotels have also been constructed within the last few years. The city overall seems busier than years ago when I was a child. There also seem to be more tourists visiting it for vacations. It’s always been a popular destination but in recent years, it’s become even more popular. So it’s busier and there’s been a lot of development projects; those are the main changes.
IELTS Speaking Test
PART 2You should say:
- where and when you bought it
- why you bought it
- why you were pleased with it
IELTS Speaking Test Cue Card Answer | An item you bought and were very pleased with
So recently I bought my first car. I’d been planning to buy one for about a year, and had been saving for some time to be able to afford it. Anyway, about four months ago I decided it was time to finally get it.
I decided to get a Mini because I like small cars and it’s very economical and easy to park, and I like the style of it as well. So I have to admit, I know nothing about cars really, so I got my brother to help me out with getting one.
I told him what I wanted and together we searched online and enquired at dealers to see if we could find one at the right price and in a color I liked. After about a week of searching we found one for sale in a dealership in the capital city. It was about one year old and had one previous owner. The price was good and it still had a warranty, so we decided to go and see it and take it for a test drive.
We went to check it out on a Saturday morning, took it for a test drive, and I loved it immediately. I asked my brother what he thought about it, you know, if he could see any problems with it or not, because he’s bought and sold quite a few cars, and he agreed that it looked like a good buy – so I got it.
I wanted to buy a car so that I could be more independent and not have to depend on public transport. It’s so much more convenient when you have a car, and you can actually do so much more because of the freedom it gives you.
When I bought it I was really happy and I’m still really pleased with it – it has changed my life in so many little ways. It’s the first large purchase I’ve ever made so that was an exciting aspect of it – and I’ve been able to get around so much quicker and easier.
I’ve also gone on a couple of trips with some friends, which was really something new for us, and we enjoyed it immensely, just being able to go wherever we fancied.
It’s something I would definitely recommend because it really does give you so much freedom and convenience, and as for the actual model of car, I still like my choice; it’s easy to drive, easy to park, doesn’t cost too much, and personally I like the design of it – so yes, I would recommend others to buy one.
IELTS Speaking Test
PART 3Do you think that marketing is important? Why? Why not?
I suppose it is – because without people marketing things there would be a lot people without jobs. I mean, the marketing industry is huge; there are marketing consultants, marketing agencies, and then all the businesses which are associated with marketing such as video production and advertising companies, it’s a really big industry – so yes, it’s important.
Does marketing have an influence on the choices people make?Yes, absolutely, that’s what it’s for after all – companies market their goods and services to the public to try and persuade them to buy them – so the whole idea of marketing is to inform and persuade and influence the behavior of consumers.
Are there places in your country where people can bargain about the price of goods and services?Generally speaking, no, but there are still some traditional markets where people do bargain sometimes, but it’s not something you’d do in a store or supermarket for example. In the past, there was a lot more bartering and bargaining about buying things, but nowadays it’s different.
Is it better for prices to be fixed or for people to bargain? Why?It’s probably better for prices to be fixed – it makes transactions easier for everybody. If you think it’s too expensive you can always ask for a discount or try and buy the item elsewhere – but generally people pay the prices shown – or they just don’t buy it.
I think the days of bargaining about the price of most things have disappeared. It just wouldn’t be practical, for example, if everybody in a supermarket bargained about the price of each item they purchased – can you imagine the chaos it would cause.
Now, thinking about it, there are still some items people bargain over, for example, when I bought my car I bargained, well, my brother actually did it, and managed to get a small discount on the price they were asking for it.
Another item I can think of is when people are buying an apartment or house – they might discuss or negotiate the price, which is basically bargaining, but for expensive items like that it still makes sense.
Do you think that a high price always means the item is of high quality? Why? Why not?I suppose that’s what we’re supposed to think, isn’t it? But in reality it isn’t always true, sadly. Some things which are extremely trendy or popular might be quite expensive, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the quality justifies the price – it’s the demand which sets the price.
Then there are some brands which are truly high quality and this is reflected in the price. But these tend to be the luxury or prestigious brands which totally rely on their reputation for quality and design, etc. to maintain their market and appeal to consumers, so the quality is usually impeccable.