IELTS Speaking - Small Business
For the IELTS Speaking test, describing a small business requires a natural, structured response. Whether discussing a local shop, an online store, or a future dream business, focus on describing what it is, its location, its products, and why it's successful or appealing.
Part 2 Cue Card: Describe a small business
You should say:
- What it is: (e.g., A cozy independent coffee shop or an online handmade craft store)
- Where it is located: (e.g., In a bustling neighborhood or an e-commerce platform)
- What it sells / does: (e.g., Specialty coffee, fresh pastries, and custom-made products)
- And explain why you think it is successful/interesting. (e.g., Due to its warm atmosphere, exceptional customer service, or unique products)
High-scoring sample answer
I’d like to tell you about "Café Libro," a cozy, independent coffee shop and reading space located in my hometown. It sits in a vibrant, artistic neighborhood near the city center, making it a popular spot for both university students and local professionals.
The business was started about three years ago by a local entrepreneur who wanted to create a peaceful sanctuary away from the noisy, rushed environment of the city. The café primarily sells specialty espresso drinks, artisanal teas, and freshly baked pastries. However, what sets it apart is its unique layout—one entire wall is lined with bookshelves where customers can grab a book and read while enjoying their beverages.
I find this business particularly fascinating and successful for several reasons. First, the atmosphere is incredibly welcoming; the warm lighting, comfortable seating, and soft jazz music create a homey feeling that large chain coffee shops simply cannot replicate. Second, the owner prioritizes high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and knows many of the regular customers by name.
Ultimately, Café Libro is successful because it offers more than just a place to buy a cup of coffee; it provides a relaxing community hub that encourages meaningful interactions, reading, and peaceful work.
Examiner: What makes a small business successful?
High-scoring sample answer
Candidate:
Well, that's a great question, and I think it's something a lot of people ponder, especially with the rise of online shops and local artisans. I don't think there's a single magic bullet, but for me, it boils down to three core things: genuine passion, a razor-sharp focus on the customer, and the ability to adapt.
First and foremost, I'd say the owner's passion is absolutely non-negotiable. You see, a small business doesn't have the massive marketing budgets or the brand recognition of a giant corporation. So, the driving force has to come from within. When the owner truly believes in their product or service, that enthusiasm is infectious. It's what gets them through the inevitable tough times, like a slow month or a supplier issue. It's that grit and determination that you can't really fake.
Secondly, and this is closely linked, is customer service. In my opinion, this is where small businesses can truly excel and differentiate themselves. They can offer a personalised experience that a big chain simply can't match. I'm talking about remembering a regular customer's name, their usual order, or offering tailored advice. It builds a sense of loyalty and community. If a customer feels valued and understood, they're far more likely to become a repeat customer and, crucially, to recommend the business to their friends and family. That word-of-mouth is gold dust for a small business.
And finally, the third pillar is adaptability. The market is incredibly dynamic, isn't it? Small businesses have to be nimble. They need to be able to pivot quickly in response to new trends, customer feedback, or even economic shifts. We saw this perfectly during the pandemic, where the most successful small businesses were the ones that moved their operations online or offered contactless delivery virtually overnight. The businesses that stuck rigidly to the old way of doing things often struggled.
So, to sum up, while a great product and a solid business plan are important, I firmly believe that it's that combination of passion, a customer-centric approach, and the flexibility to change that really sets a successful small business apart from the rest.
Examiner Comments (Why this is a high-scoring answer)
8+ Fluency and Coherence
- Logical Structure: The answer is exceptionally well-structured. It uses clear signposting:
"for me, it boils down to three core things,"
"First and foremost,"
"Secondly,"
"And finally,"
"So, to sum up").
This makes it incredibly easy for the examiner to follow the argument. - Topic Development: The candidate doesn't just list points; they develop each one. For example, on "passion," they explain why it's needed (no big budgets, helps through tough times) and how it manifests (infectious enthusiasm, grit).
- Natural Cohesion: The use of discourse markers like "You see," "In my opinion," and "I'm talking about" creates a very natural, conversational flow, even within a structured response.
8+ Lexical Resource (Vocabulary)
Precise and Uncommon Vocabulary: The candidate uses a range of sophisticated and topic-specific vocabulary with precision. Examples include:
- "magic bullet" (a perfect idiom for this context).
- "razor-sharp focus"
- "non-negotiable"
- "infectious" (enthusiasm)
- "differentiate themselves"
- "tailored advice"
- "nimble" and "pivot" (perfect for adaptability)
- "customer-centric approach"
- "word-of-mouth is gold dust" (excellent idiomatic language).
Paraphrasing: The candidate shows they can talk around an idea, for example, by saying "supplier issue" instead of just "problem."
8+ Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- Complex Structures: The answer features a wide range of sentence structures, including complex sentences with relative clauses ("a small business doesn't have the massive marketing budgets that a big chain simply can't match").
- Conditionals: The answer uses a conditional effectively: "If a customer feels valued... they're far more likely to become a repeat customer."
- Passive Voice: Used appropriately ("they're far more likely to become," "their operations were moved online").
- Error-Free: There are no noticeable grammatical errors. The candidate consistently maintains subject-verb agreement and correct tense usage.
8+ Pronunciation
- The response demonstrates characteristics of a high-scoring speaker. The use of fillers like "Well" and "you see," and the rhetorical question ("isn't it?") suggest excellent intonation and stress patterns. When delivered with clear, natural-sounding rhythm and chunking, it is very easy to understand.
💡 Use this as a model for structure, vocabulary, and natural delivery in your IELTS Speaking practice.
Part 2 Cue Card: Describe a small business you would like to open
You should say:
- what it is
- why you want to start it
- how you would do this
And explain why you would choose this kind of business to start.
IELTS Speaking Test Candidate Task Card: Describe a Small Business You Want to Start
Sample Answer
I'll tell you about a business I would like to start. My friend and I had an idea a while back for starting a new business. We are both very health conscious and like to be active. We also take care with what we eat, but it can be a bit of a bind sometimes trying to control your daily diet without it becoming boring.
So we learned that there are companies which prepare very healthy meals – a big range of them – and deliver them to your home. The meals are pre-packed and frozen so you can just place them in your freezer and use them whenever you want.
The great thing about these meals is that they include lots of different foods such as meat, fish, and vegetables and they’re extremely healthy; low in carbohydrates, high in protein, and well balanced.
In fact, one of the great things about these meals is that the package has all the nutritional information you need about how many calories each portion contains so you can easily track what you are eating each time you have one of the meals.
Okay, so this is not a new idea, but it’s unavailable here where we live at the moment, and we decided that we would put a bit of a twist on the original business model by offering to deliver these meals throughout the city.
We’d target people who are working and can’t get out to eat lunch or don’t have enough time to prepare their meals, but want to eat something healthy and highly nutritious – and have it delivered to wherever they are.
We’ve already saved up enough money to use as the initial startup capital and we’ve investigated the market to see if there is any competition – and there isn’t – at the moment, so we would be the first movers, and if we did it right we could make it very successful.
We would achieve this by purchasing the meals in bulk to obtain preferential pricing and then working with a delivery service to get the meals to wherever the people are.
Just like any other food delivery service, but specifically targeting health-conscious individuals who are prepared to pay a small premium to eat a delicious and healthy meal prepared by professional chefs to the highest standards, and superbly nutritious.
I’d like to start this business because we’re both passionate about health and healthy eating, but we’re both very busy with work and other commitments too.
So we understand how difficult it can be to always choose healthy food options when you’re always on the go, and we’d like to help others to improve their daily diets also.
Model Answer
Ever since I took a professional photography course at a renowned professional photography institute, I've been absolutely convinced that I want to start my own small business - as a professional photographer. My idea is to create a world-class environment for professional photography. Using a top-quality digital camera and almost all the skills I gained from my training, I plan to capture the moment nicely and provide a memorable experience for my clients.
I've learned photo editing and have almost all the technical know-how required to run this business effectively. A suitable location for the business would be an office room that doubles as a creative space, which I envision as being a blend of a traditional studio and a modern, styled area for photo shoots.
To finance this venture, I expect to draw from both my family income and a bank loan. I plan to utilize high-speed internet connections for online advertising and the local daily newspaper for traditional advertising. I am confident this business will not only cover its own expenses but also contribute significantly to my family expenses.
While the journey of entrepreneurship is challenging, I am willing to face it head-on. After all, we have only one life to live, and I want to spend mine doing something I'm passionate about.
Should you talk about a small business you would like to start with friends and family first? Or a business advisor?
Some people feel more comfortable talking to friends and family members about their business idea first, while others prefer to speak with a business advisor. Ultimately, it is up to the individual entrepreneur to decide who they want to confide in about their business idea. If you are not sure where to start, it might be helpful to speak with a few different people to get different perspectives. So it might be good to speak to a bank or family members and see the respnse you get.
A small business you want to start can be a stressful project - how would you tackle it?
There are a few key things to keep in mind when starting a small business:
- Make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve - write down your goals and objectives, and make sure everyone involved is on the same page.
- Do your research - market analysis, competitor analysis, etc. - so you have a good understanding of your industry and what it takes to be successful.
- Create a detailed business plan - this will be your roadmap for the next few years, so make sure it is well thought out and achievable.
- Get the right team in place - choose people with complementary skillsets who are passionate about your business and share your vision.
- Get organized and stay on top of things - set up systems and processes early on, so you can manage the day-to-day operations effectively.
- Focus on marketing and sales - these are the two areas that will generate revenue for your business, so make sure you have a solid plan in place.
- Always be learning - the business world is constantly changing, so make sure you are keeping up with the latest trends and developments.
- Be prepared for the long haul - starting a business is not a quick or easy process, so make sure you are in it for the long term.
How would you describe a small business you want to start?
To start a small business, you will need to have a clear and concise business plan. This plan should include business goals, target market, and strategies for reaching the target market. Additionally, you will need to have the financial resources in place to get the business off the ground. Finally, you should have a solid understanding of the regulatory environment in which the business will operate. With all of this in place, you will be well on my way to starting a successful small business.
To describe the small business you want to start, begin by defining your business goals.
What are you hoping to accomplish with your business?
What need does your business fill in the market?
Be as specific as possible in answering these questions. Once you have a clear understanding of your business goals, you can begin to develop strategies for reaching your target market.
Your target market is the group of people who are most likely to use your products or services. To identify your target market, consider the following factors:
- The demographics of your potential customers (age, gender, location, etc.)
- The needs of your potential customers (what are they looking for?)
- The buying habits of your potential customers (how often do they make purchases?)
Once you have a good understanding of your target market, you can begin to develop marketing strategies that will reach them.
Here are a few ideas to develop a very good business:
- Develop a strong online presence. Make sure your website is optimized for search engines and that your social media accounts are active and engaging.
- Create useful and relevant content. Write blog posts, create infographics, or produce videos that will help your potential customers solve their problems.
- Advertise in places where your target market is likely to see it. This could include online ads, print ads, or even billboards.
By taking the time to understand your target market and develop marketing strategies that reach them, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your business goals.
If you had to describe a small business that you would like to own, which business would it be, and why?
I would choose to start a small business that is focused on helping people solve their problems, maybe providing several professional training opportunities. For example, a business that provides graphic design services or produces videos that help people with common issues. I believe that by helping others solve their problems, I can build a successful and sustainable business.
Why this type of business? Because I think it would be fulfilling to help others in this way, and I believe that there is a market for businesses that provide these types of services. In addition, I think that owning my own business would give me the flexibility and control that I desire.