IELTS Speaking Forecast · Q3 2026 · September–December
Shopping
This topic is part of the Part 1 forecast set for Q3 2026 (September–December). Below are the questions that keep coming up, each with an original Band 9 model answer by WIKION.
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Questions & Band 9 answers
How often do you go shopping?
For groceries, a couple of times a week, since I like buying fresh vegetables rather than stocking up. For clothes and everything else it's much rarer, perhaps once every month or two. I'm not somebody who wanders around shops for fun — I tend to go with a list, get what I need and head home.
Do you prefer online shopping or in-store shopping?
It depends on what I'm after. For books, cables and other things where there's nothing to try on, online wins easily because it saves me a trip. With clothes and shoes, though, I'd rather go in person — I've been caught out too many times by a colour or a fit that looked entirely different on the screen.
Have you ever returned anything you bought online?
A few times, yes. The most recent was a jacket that turned out to be a good two sizes smaller than the label claimed. Sending it back was simple enough, but waiting almost two weeks for the refund was irritating, and it's made me read the size charts far more carefully.
Do you compare prices when you shop?
For anything expensive, definitely. Before I bought my laptop I spent an entire evening checking three or four sites, and the gap between the cheapest and the dearest was bigger than I'd expected. For everyday bits and pieces I don't bother, because the few coins I'd save aren't worth the time.
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