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Describe something you bought that you really wanted to return: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What you bought?
  • Why you wanted to return it?
  • What happened when you tried to return it?
  • And explain how you felt afterward.
Show all 294 answers

Cue 1:What you bought?

  • Begin by clearly stating the item you purchased and its significance to you.
  • Include details about where and when you bought it to set the context.

Example

I bought a pair of expensive wireless headphones from an online store during a sale. I had been wanting them for months because I love listening to music while commuting and exercising.

Cue 2:Why you wanted to return it?

  • Explain the specific reasons that led you to want to return the item.
  • Mention any expectations you had that were not met.

Example

After using the headphones for a few days, I realized that the sound quality was not as good as I had hoped. Additionally, they were uncomfortable to wear for long periods, which was disappointing since I had read many positive reviews.

Cue 3:What happened when you tried to return it?

  • Describe the process you went through to return the item.
  • Share any challenges or frustrations you faced during the return process.

Example

When I contacted customer service to initiate the return, I faced long wait times on the phone. They informed me that I needed to send the headphones back at my own expense, which I found frustrating. Eventually, I managed to send them back, but it took a lot longer than I expected.

Cue 4:And explain how you felt afterward.

  • Reflect on your emotions after the return process was completed.
  • Discuss any lessons learned from the experience.

Example

After finally returning the headphones, I felt relieved but also a bit frustrated with the whole experience. I learned to be more cautious when buying expensive items online and to read reviews more thoroughly before making a purchase.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, returning the headphones was a challenging experience, but it taught me valuable lessons about online shopping and managing expectations. I now feel more confident in making future purchases.

    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 response unclear. Avoid general statements that do not provide specific details about the item you bought or your feelings about returning it.

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    Tip

    Be specific about the item, including its name and features. Describe your feelings and experiences in detail to create a clearer picture.

    2: Neglecting Emotional Impact

    Failing to express your emotions can make your answer less engaging. It's important to convey how the experience affected you personally.

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    Tip

    Share your feelings before and after the return process. Use descriptive language to express your emotions, such as frustration or relief.

    Ignoring the Return Process

    Not explaining what happened during the return process can leave your answer incomplete. Candidates often skip this crucial part, which can lead to a lack of depth.

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    Tip

    Detail the steps you took to return the item, including any challenges faced. This adds depth to your story and shows your problem-solving skills.

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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 thing that I bought recently was a dress that was a woolen dress, a really warm woolen dress. I bought it for a vacation that we were planning, a group of my friends were planning. But now the vacation got cancelled due to some reason and I just can't wear the dress in my normal day-to-day life because that's a really thick, warm dress. That's why... and I live in a very hot and humid city, so I can't wear the dress in my regular life. I'm just hoping to plan another vacation so that I can wear the dress because now I can't return the dress because I bought it online through a platform and I bought it with very much enthusiasm. So, I got that much earlier than I should and the window to return the dress got expired and I have no choice but to keep the dress right now. And when I realized that the vacation has been cancelled and now I have to keep that outfit, I felt really really bad because that outfit was really expensive. It is very expensive. I'm just hoping to plan another vacation, plan a vacation and get a chance to wear that beautiful dress because that dress is really awesome but it's just that I can't wear anytime soon and now I just have to keep that dress.

    Band 6-7

    A few years ago, I bought myself an iPad from Apple. The new iPad has just launched a few weeks ago, and I wanted to get my hands on the newest iPad. I believed that it would be the perfect companion for me as a student who had just joined college. And so, when I made the purchase, I ended up shelling a lot of money. It was really expensive. When I got it, I was disappointed by the looks and also the user experience. I was incredibly happy with it for the first few days, because this was the first time I had bought myself an iPad. But after a few months had passed, I began to get tired of it. Consequently, it reached the point where I had to pass it down to my dad, who had actual use for it. Moreover, the iPad had an engraving on the back case. My name was engraved on the back of the iPad, which made it so that I couldn't give it back to the seller. And so, we were kind of stuck with the iPad for a very long time and couldn't really sell it. The engraving in the back brought down the price of the iPad by a lot. So, this was difficult to navigate and trying and selling the iPad was our next course of action.

    Band 6-7

    Recently, I bought myself a dinner jacket. I fell prey to the online advertisements and for the spur of the moment, I decided to buy it. Once I received the item, I felt cheated. The quality was extremely poor, the fit was pathetic and the color that was seen on the mobile screen was totally different from that has been delivered to me. I tried calling the call center multiple times and expressed my dissatisfaction. Now I am planning to return it and am expecting a total refund for it. I hope I will not fall prey for these cheap advertisements and not waste my money in the future. I think I learnt a valuable lesson.

    Band 6-7

    The thing, I actually had bought a shirt, a t-shirt from the H&M store, it's at the forum, forum mall near my house. The H&M specializes in producing and selling the best fashion, fashionistic clothes. The reason why I wanted to return it was, it's, it was undersized and it was being very tight and I wasn't even, and I couldn't even put on the shirt on me. It was very tight. I thought, I mean they had the private rooms to get it checked, but I thought it would fit me anyway, so I just purchased it and brought it back home. This happened two months ago. I realized, once I realized I couldn't put it on, I had to go back to the store. When I went, I went and asked the cashier or the store manager for a return. He said, he clearly said there was no return policy. This, I was very disappointed and I took it back home again, but I wasn't that disappointed because the tables turned immediately when a request from a charity organization came and I donated it the next day to the charity, to the nonprofit organization and when I did this, I was on cloud nine on, because I was helping in such a

    Band 6-7

    so I bought a dress online three months ago while it was displayed on the website it was in blue in color but then when I actually received the product it was brown in color I ordered and it in blue in color because blue really suits me and brown does not really go well on my skin tone so when I tried so this was the reason I wanted to return it but when I tried to return it the return policy wasn't mentioned it says you cannot return it and you have to return it within 24 hours after purchasing it it was very disappointing since after taking everyone's opinion and you know coming to a conclusion that I should finally return the product but then as I mentioned the policy only suggests 24 hours return and it was past 24 hours so I couldn't return it I felt very disappointed because usually other websites help and not allow you to return it for seven days or so but then this website didn't have this policy so that was a bit disappointing because I really wanted to wear this dress for a special occasion and that too in my favorite color though I'm not disappointed by the design of the material but then the color doesn't go really well on me so that doesn't matter if if all other factors are contributing so I really wanted to do it in blue color so that I could look you know feel myself and feel happy because a good outfit makes your day

    Band 6-7

    While I was surfing the internet, I have found a jacket on an application called Trendule. The jacket was brilliant and colorful, so I have decided to order it. But unfortunately, after receiving the jacket, I have found it not fitted with me because the size wasn't correct. I have ordered 42, but I have received 43, so it was larger than me. I have decided to return it, so I called the call center and contacted them by email. They have accepted to return the jacket and getting back my money after 3 working days. They were very professional and I have felt like I'm dealing with a large company and that make me order again from them but another one. Being a professional with some application or some company make me very comfortable and I have learned that I have to ensure from anything that I would order online in the next times.

    Band 6-7

    The item that I bought is a stomach belt. It's a belt that supports the stomach and it helps to reduce weight. But the product which I bought, which I ordered was a plus size product. But they have given me a wrong size product. So, I asked them to return it and exchange it with the exact item that I ordered. But they had refused and said that they have sent the right product for me. But when I tried it, it was not fitting me up. So, I showed them that it is not fitting. Then they said we will consider this problem and forward this query to their concerned person and we will get back to it. So, I waited for a few days and they answered that come to their store and take your product from there. They didn't even consider to deliver my home because it was not my problem which is created by them. So, at least they should have this consideration of sending by post or not creating a problem for me. But I have gone there and collected my product.

    Band 6-7

    I bought a bed for my home but after purchasing the whole scenario come in my mind that the bed size is bigger than my room and then I decided to return that when I tried to return the shopkeeper was reluctant to accept it but after explaining my problem and on his insistence he accepted and he was very humble he also returned my money instantly I feel very relaxed after the return of my bed it was like I have put many kilogram of weight from my

    Band 6-7

    The thing that I really wanted to return was a t-shirt that I bought from my nearby shop. It was actually quite small when I tried it on in the shop itself, in the changing room. I thought it would be okay and somehow I bought it due to the design as I like the design. But when I came to my home and when I checked it in my home mirror, I was able to see that there was some damage in the t-shirt and it doesn't suit me well. So, I was like really thinking to exchange it as the store was having an exchange policy within 7 days to return the product. So, I was like asking my parents that I would really love to exchange the shirt and buy a new one instead of this. By the way, I like the color and the design it was having and the next day I went to return it with the bill and the store manager accepted it and they have given me a new piece which I checked then and there. It was okay and without any damage and it was having much more brighter color than the previous one. I really like the new dress, actually the same one but much more good looking than the old. It was good and I took it and when I came home and checked it after wearing in front of my mirror, I felt really good.

    Band 6-7

    It is truly said that mobiles play a very important role in everyone's life, no one can turn a blind eye to its importance. So today as per demand of my cue card, I would like to describe a thing I bought and I want to return it. So three months back, my old mobiles do not work properly, so I decided to buy a new mobile and I decided to buy online. I checked all websites and finally decided to buy both iPhone 13 on Flipkart.com and I checked its price, it is almost 45,000 and I decided to purchase and I fixed date and order purchased and I think it was one month delivery. So I was very excited for my new mobile and I also see notifications about my order. After one month I received my order, I am very excited to see our new mobile and I open it and when I check my mobile, I feel it is not real, it feels old mobile and so many scratches on my new mobiles and I really sad for this and I check my mobile and the mobile is really used, the website can scan with me, I see all websites are downloaded and so many other people's photos are here. I think the mobile is not real, so I think this is thing can I want both and I want to return. So all it all, that's it.
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