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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

    I've always loved spending money on valuable items such as watches and watches has been most important part of my attire and whenever I go outside or go to work or work or anywhere I usually dress myself in a very proper way and watches really add a great style to my dressing and there is this one watch which I spent it is from Titan brand and I've spent 11,000 around it and I'll tell you why I have spent 11,000 around it I really did not go to buy a watch of 11,000 but when I visited the Titan store this watch was displayed on the entrance of the store and it's mentioned that it's the thinnest watch available in India and as soon as I saw that it is the thinnest watch it has really grabbed my attention to see what's so special about this thinnest watch available in India definitely thinnest is one speciality but also I wanted to check what are the other aspects of it so when I just had a trial on my wrist wearing it it was very light and it had very great features like it had very good water resistance up to 30 meters and it was and it had nice color on it it also additionally it also was going very well with all types of attire whatever I imagine at that time and yeah I wanted to have that watch for myself which will add up to a which is a great accessory on a daily basis

    Band 6

    the item on which I spent more than my expectation was my recent phone cover phone back cover I think I almost spent two to three thousand on that cover because I find it cute and attractive it's a shenzhen based back cover and after seeing the same cover on different websites I find it it costs not more than 500 and that time I feel like I was a dumb who buy that from that I said in my mind that I won't buy the things which I find cute or attractive because that cost a lot I think I can spend that money on something else or I think I can buy something more than money but however I spend it on it its past is gone but in future I will be very careful and thoughtful about buying things it's not like I'm regretting it but in my mind somewhere that thought always say that I waste my money on it like I am I can find the same thing in the less price but still I go for the high price the quality was same the material was same nothing changed but when I saw it in the mall I was like this is so cute I have to buy it at any cost but now when I'm seeing the same thing in less price I was like why

    Band 6

    So, I would go with my car which I bought when I was 21 and I think I just over budget for it because my pocket is very tight at that time and when I just look at the car I just amazed by its features and it was very minimal and its color is black and I love black color and when I saw the car I just speechless and I thought that it would be more expensive for me but in the other hand I just thought that it would be worth it because it has solid features like its gear, its brakes or its music system, its all are just and it is also very comfortable and I thought it is very worth it and that's why I just spent it more over my pocket and it is I think it is very worthy money spent and I expect that and yeah that's why I just spent more than I expected and it was worth it so I don't have any regrets over it and now I am happy with my car and it is very lucky for me. Yeah, that's all. Thank you.

    Band 5-6

    I like it and it was the very I like a car and expensive car branded car and I have lots of money I've spent on this the car modifications comfort zone seat covers like change the gearbox designs so I thought in my mind I have lots of money in where I have more money more money invest on the Renault world quality car and I like I buy this car because the reason is behind the primary reason behind this because I need a I need a car in my whole day because I and for second or second is reason I want to collection in my garage I want to collection my garage in 100 to 200

    Band 5-6

    So the item that I spent more than I expected on was basically my bike which is Royal Enfield bike which I bought about 2 years ago from now and the reason I bought it was initially because I wanted to travel and travelling with my scooter was not an efficient way to travel as it was very slow as well as it had several problems that it had developed since it was being an EV scooter it was electric hence we had to charge it and there was a lot of hassle with the scooter so hence I sold it and then the plan was to buy a bike but we didn't decide which bike exactly at first it was probably you know a patrol bike but not a very expensive one but an affordable version of it but I ended up spending about more than 2 lakh rupees on the bike which was initially going to be about 1 lakh rupees to 1,50,000 rupees and that's why I think I spent more than which was actually required to be spent on that item.

    Band 5-6

    recently i was planning to gift a brand new car to my father on his birthday so i made a budget of it i was planning to spend around six to six and a half lakhs for the car and when i went to the showroom to see the car and i purchased a car which was more than that it was around eight lakhs as it has some additional features which would help my father

    Band 5

    Okay, I spent more than I expected on my phone because my dream is to buy iPhone 17 Pro Max. So I spent more than my expectations on my phone and I love my phone because my dream

    Band 6.5

    One month ago, I visited a shopping mall in my locality. The shopping mall had a variety of brands. I spotted my favourite brand that is ONLY and I couldn't resist but going to the store. There I spotted a shirt that caught my attention. It was an orange coloured satin shirt with pink leaves on it. The fabric, the design and the fit was mind-blowing. When I donned the shirt, it gave me a chic look. One fascinating thing about the shirt was it could be paired with trousers, narrow-bottom pants, skirts and with a pair of denims. The shirt was actually quite expensive. It cost me around 5000 bucks. I was quite sceptical about buying it yet I chose to buy the shirt despite the cost. Later on, I realised that the transaction was quite an expensive one. But I was really amazed by the way it looked on my body type and suited me so well. Also, it could have been at a better price when I had visited the mall during the sales season. But I don't regret buying the shirt.

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