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Describe an item on which you spent more than expected: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What it is
  • How much did you spend on it
  • Why you bought it
  • And explain why you think you spent more than expected.
Show all 38 answers

Cue 1:What it is

  • Begin by clearly stating the item you purchased, including its name and type.
  • Provide a brief description of the item, highlighting its features or significance.

Example

The item I want to talk about is a high-end smartphone that I bought last year. It has a sleek design, an excellent camera, and a lot of advanced features that caught my attention.


Cue 2:How much did you spend on it

  • Mention the actual price you paid for the item, and compare it to your initial budget.
  • Explain any additional costs that may have contributed to the total amount spent.

Example

I spent around 70,000 rupees on this smartphone, which was significantly more than I had planned. Initially, I intended to spend only about 50,000 rupees, but I ended up getting a model with extra features that drove the price up.


Cue 3:Why you bought it

  • Discuss the reasons that motivated you to purchase this item.
  • Include any specific needs or desires that influenced your decision.

Example

I bought this smartphone because my old one was very slow and had a poor camera. I needed a reliable device for both personal and professional use, especially for taking high-quality photos and staying connected.


Cue 4:And explain why you think you spent more than expected

  • Reflect on the factors that led to overspending, such as emotional decisions or marketing influences.
  • Consider how the features or brand reputation played a role in your choice.

Example

I think I spent more than expected because I was really drawn to the brand's reputation and the impressive features of the phone. The advertisements and reviews made me feel that this was the best choice, and I let my excitement override my budget.


Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, while I did spend more than I had initially planned on my smartphone, I believe it was a worthwhile investment. It has served me well and has enhanced my daily life significantly.


    Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.


    Tips to answer this Cue Card

    1: Vague Descriptions

    Using vague language can make your answer unclear. Avoid general statements that don't provide specific details about the item or your experience.

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    Tip

    Be specific about the item, including its features and why it stood out to you.


    2: Ignoring the Price

    Failing to mention the exact amount spent can weaken your response. It's important to provide a clear figure to illustrate your point.

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    Tip

    State the exact amount you spent and compare it to your initial budget to show the difference.


    Lack of Personal Reflection

    Not explaining your feelings or thoughts about the purchase can make your answer less engaging. Personal insights add depth to your response.

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    Tip

    Share your emotions about the purchase and why it was worth the extra cost to you.


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    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 6-7

    Okay so the item which I've spent more than expected is my Dyson Airwrap and I feel it's totally worth because you know there's this trend going around that all of the girls are buying Dyson Airwrap over the PS5 version and it quite gives you a good result obviously it uses less heat than any other appliance or any other electronic device but the Dyson is for around 50,000 Indian Rupees which is quite a lot of money if you're spending on just a hair product which is just gonna give you the result any other hair product gives you so I feel like it's quite a lot of money to spend on such a appliance when it's gonna give you the same result as the other appliance but it's totally worth it I feel because you know there's this satisfaction in the end of the day that yeah I have bought it with my own money it's my money and I spent it where I liked it so it kind of gives you you know that energy to just sit and you know think that yeah I have one of these when someone talks about a Dyson Airwrap to me and I'll be in it will be in my mind that yeah I have bought it with my own money

    Band 6-7

    Okay, so the item which I spent more than I expected is a MacBook. I need a laptop more than over of time, but I'm saving money and money to buy this and have a research side by side on which laptop I have to buy, which is good, which has RAM good, like so many stuff is going in my mind. At that moment of time, my friend suggested me to buy a MacBook. So I think I should go with the MacBook. But when I reached to the nearest Apple store, there, there I found a MacBook Pro, which almost the same feature, but I don't know why I like it so much, the touch and the quality. I think I love everything about it. So I thought I will go with MacBook Pro instead of MacBook and MacBook Pro has a very good storage option too. Okay, so I will go with MacBook Pro, which is more than I thought that this is enough money for MacBook. But although I got MacBook Pro, so it be more expensive for me, but I still buy it. So I think this is the more money spend me on this area, whether I expected it. But the thing is that it generally helps me a lot. I'm using my money on the daily basis.

    Band 6-7

    It's a French brand called Hermes. I bought a bag from that brand. Before buying the bag, I have spent almost $40,000 just so the brand could offer me the bag. And the brand allows you to enter the high-end society. So I could feel myself one of them. I have bought the bag. And also I personally love the bag and their texture. And they're actually a lot usable, durable. But I somehow feel like spending $18,000 on the bag is not worth it. But if you're making a lot of money, then yeah, you should go buy it. Somehow the bag is an investment for me. Yeah, it is. So I don't feel it's not worth it. Somehow it's going to come return in me when I try to resell the bag.

    Band 6-7

    I Purchase a lot of stuff from skincare Because right now it is very important for us to take care of our skin because of the pollution right now and the Atmosphere Specially I get influenced by the influencers from Instagram because I Have a feeling of FOMO fear of missing out And right now Korean skincare is very much in demand. They are popular and They are very expensive Furthermore I can say that the reason why the skincare Korean skincare is expensive is it it's because of It's because of the Items they use in the Production they actually help our skin to hydrate glow and recover from the pollution and the damage it has caused our skin I Mostly spend 5 to 6 K per month Yes, that is too much I know but even my sister uses it we both Use the same skincare because our skin Has the same Texture and And also I feel like maybe I should reduce it because it's too much to spend

    Band 6-7

    I Spent a lot of money on my head palm tree crew tennis racket Taylor Swift edition. I was very Reluctant to buy it at first, but then I thought you know Why not just spend it you've spent it on something, you know invest on something which will stay for a long time Which is why I spent a tennis has been one of my favorite hobbies one of my favorite sports growing up So I thought it was about time I I Spent 20,000 rupees on the Tennis racket, which is a lot more considering, you know Considering any other average tennis racket, but I still feel like I I still don't regret buying it Because I still feel like I can Play a lot more. I can enrich my game a lot more. My strokes have improved and overall the efficiency of my game has increased to Which is why I made this purchase and which is why I did what I did

    Band 6-7

    I remember visiting an exhibition recently in Dadar. This exhibition included a lot of things such as clothes, artifacts, foods and so on. When I was exploring this exhibition, I came across a shop that included handmade kurtis. Yeah, you heard it right, handmade kurtis in today's machinery world. And those were so so amazing. I just took one of these kurtis and it felt so soft and so comfortable. It was a blue kurti with a lot of handmade paintings over it. It was similar to what we have in world painting style. And the first thing I experienced about it was the cotton, the cloth. It was so soft and it just glided over my skin while I was trying it. And that was something that I realized that this is something worth taking. I think I spent around 800 rupees for that kurtis, which is normally a very high range when it comes to cotton kurti. But going over to the cotton, the material, the quality and efforts added by the artist itself, I think it was worth it. I have it for now around two years and it's still same. It's amazing. It's fresh. There are no signs of defects in it. There are no holes or any of the defects in it. So it was a completely worth buy. And I would recommend you as well to explore such shops that gives handmade kurtis or handmade clothes or even handmade goods. These are really something very unique during today's world where most of the things are used and created by machineries. So yeah, I think that's all.

    Band 6-7

    The item I spent the most on was a birthday gift for my best friend. I spent around 5000 rupees when I initially planned to spend only 2000 rupees to buy her the birthday gift. It was her 21st birthday and I believed that turning 21 you truly become an adult and therefore I wanted to do everything in my capacity to make her feel special on that day. The reason I think I spent a lot on that day was because I did not plan prior. I went shopping just to find things that she would love and ended up spending more than I initially expected to spend. I think sometimes love blinds us without taking into consideration certain practical necessities. For example, during this time for her birthday, I bought her a bracelet which costed 2000 rupees which could have easily been bought online for a much cheaper price. The day I went shopping was a day before her birthday. Apart from just being the lack of plan, I think the last minute shopping has led to increased expenses that was not planned prior. If only I had researched, checked for the lowest prices and shopped well before time, I think I would have been able to save enough money and stay within my budget.

    Band 6-7

    I have spent more than expected money in skin care products when I was a little more younger to be specific in 10th and 9th standard. I got a lot of pimples and acne marks on my face and everyone in my family blamed me for eating oily foods or not taking care of my face. However, I went to see a doctor and he gave me some prescriptions with medicines and face washes. After the recommendation of doctor, I used these medicines for 1-2 years but it only cost me a hard time rather than treating my skin. All the skin care I have done, the skin didn't even care. But later I realized it's not only just about the medicines or the products I use on my face but it also needs to do with my diet and the things I eat. After this much time, I came to the conclusion that I can't do any more things to take care of my skin.

    Band 6-7

    It was a Hot Wheels die-cast car. It's a toy for kids but it is made of metal and adults basically collect it for as a hobby and also they like the feeling of the miniature detailed cars with heavy metal feeling rolling it it have frictionless tires that make it move fast I bought it for 300 rupees but I actually plan to buy for less than 200 rupees but because of no availability in my local market and neither on online websites like Flipkart and Amazon after all I have to buy it for 300 rupees I bought it from Amazon and I think I spent more on it because it was my first car in the collection I wanted it to very early I was waiting for many days furthermore I think it was not a bad decision because it was worth it I really like the design of the car it was a mini truck miniature die-cast car

    Band 6-7

    I am a huge Formula One fan, which is why I planned on buying a Ferrari racing jacket. Now these racing jackets are expensive in general, so I knew that my wallet is going to take quite a hit. But I was expecting around 2-3 thousand Indian rupees, not more than that. But one fine day I stumbled upon a store in a shopping district in Delhi and I had to get in and get that racing jacket. Expecting the price to be around 2-3 thousand rupees, I stepped inside the store. But to my surprise, the jacket was costlier than I expected and it cost 5000 rupees instead. Since I am an ardent Formula One supporter and a fan, I could not let the opportunity go. So I went ahead and bought it. My savings for the month took quite a hit, but if someone asks me if I regret the purchase, definitely not. I would not change that choice for anything and might buy a second jacket once I get my monthly salary credited, again.

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