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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 319 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 >7

    I am a frequent buyer of shoes and watches. Last year I bought a shoe from Angamaly, a small town in Kerala. After some days I realized that the size was not correct. The correct size of my foot is 8 but the shoe was 9. It made me some unconvinced when I wear it. But after so many days of thinking, I decided to return it to the shopkeeper. But when I tried to give it back to the shopkeeper, the shopkeeper said that he will not take it back because I used it for 2-3 times at that moment. That's why he said that he can't take it back. After so many arguments, I made a decision to not give it back to him. I bought it to my home itself at that day. But nowadays I am not using it. It is simply placed in my rack. Nowadays I don't have any use of it. Although it is simply stored as a gift.

    Band 7

    About 6 months ago, I ordered a brand new smartphone from a well-known online shopping platform. I was really excited because it was the model that I had been saving up for and I had high expectations from the product and their deliveries. When I unboxed the phone, I noticed a small scratch on the screen which was quite disappointing. I immediately contacted the company's support team through their helpline. I spoke with the company's customer service representative and later re-scalted the matter to a senior manager because I wanted a quick resolution. My main complaint was that the phone I received was not in perfect condition, though it was advertised as brand new. I provided photographic evidence of the screen scratch and my order details also. I explained that I had chosen their platform specifically because of the reputation for quality and reliability, so expected a replacement or refund. To my relief, the company responded promptly. They apologized for their inconvenience and arranged a pre-return pick-up the next day. Within three days, I received a brand new replacement phone in perfect condition along with the monitor as compensation for the trouble. I was extremely satisfied because not only the issue was solved quick and professionally but the company also demonstrated that they valued me as a customer. This experience actually strengthened my trust toward them.

    Band 7

    A few months ago I bought a pair of wireless earbuds online from a popular e-commerce platform. I had read good reviews and the brand was well known for quality products so I didn't hesitate much before ordering. They arrived within 3 days and at first glance the packaging looked premium and the design seemed sleek. However, once I started using them, I immediately noticed several issues. The sound quality was disappointing, it lacked bass and clarity. Even worse, the left earbud kept disconnecting randomly during calls and music playback. I tried resetting it multiple times and even updated the firmware but nothing worked. For the price I paid, I definitely expected better performance. I decided to return the product through the app. Initially the process seemed straightforward but when the delivery agent came to pick it up, he refused saying the return was marked as not eligible for pickup. I contacted customer service and after a long back and forth of emails and screenshots, they finally agreed to process a refund but it took nearly 2 weeks. After the whole ordeal, I felt frustrated and let down. I had trusted the brand and the platform and even though I eventually got my money back, the experience made me more cautious about online shopping. Now I always double check the return policy and read negative reviews too, not just the glowing ones. It was definitely a learning experience.

    Band 7

    A thing I bought that I really wanted to return happened in the year 2015 when I bought 30 computers from a shop called APS based in Trivandrum city. It was my friend Ami who recommended this shop and convinced me to buy all the 30 computers needed for my business from here. Even though it's been nearly 10 years since this incident happened, I still remember it like it was just yesterday. I had just finished my undergraduate course and since there were not many jobs around, I decided to start an internet browsing center. For that purpose, I bought around 30 computers from APS. However, two days after installation, the computers stopped functioning for some strange reason and when I contacted the retailer, he said he wouldn't be able to do much to rectify the situation since it was the problem of the software and not with the hardware. So I contacted a computer professional who checked my computers and certified that it was a problem of the hardware and nothing but. So I took the matter again to the retailer who refused to do anything at all about it and washed his hands off. So I had no option but to take the matter to the consumer court and after a gap of one year, I got a verdict in my favor and all the computers were replaced. This incident left me fuming in many ways. Firstly, it was quite a stressful period for me. I wanted to focus on my business and make it a success but I just couldn't. The issue was hanging at the back of my mind all the time. In fact, it was so stressful that I even managed to develop complications like diabetes at that time. Secondly, I lost a lot of business because of this incident and also my reputation got irreparably damaged due to this episode and people started...

    Band 7

    One item I purchased and later seriously considered returning was a smartphone that I bought from an online store about 6 months ago. I had been eagerly waiting to upgrade my old phone and finally decided to buy a popular model based on positive reviews and specifications. However, soon after receiving the device, I realized it had several issues including frequent freezing, poor battery life, and a malfunctioning camera. I was quite disappointed because I expected better performance given the price I paid. Moreover, the phone did not meet my requirements for work and personal use. Consequently, I wanted to return it and get a refund or exchange it for a better model. However, after contacting customer service, I was informed that the return window has expired. Instead, they offered free repairs under warranty, which I accepted. Although it was not the ideal situation, the repairs improved the phone's functionality considerably. This experience taught me the importance of thoroughly researching and testing products before making a purchase, especially expensive electronics.

    Band 6-7

    There is this Diwali sale happening every time in India, once in a while. During that time, e-commerce platforms allow whooping discounts. At that time, I ordered a Kokaburra cricket bat through Amazon, which costed me around 47,000. And the discount I got is like 40%, which is almost half of the price of that, like I got the bat for 22,000. It was delivered after 3-4 days of ordering. Once I received the bat, I just checked how many edges it has and how many thick edges does it contain. Therefore, when I was checking it, there was a crack around the bottom of the neck of that bat. Then, I thought like I want to return it and I placed a return order for that. They said they will take the return within 10-15 days and they will refund the amount. But after waiting for almost 20 days, still I haven't received any money back from their side and they didn't have taken the return order. This made me a huge loss for my Diwali amount, which had let me over bankrupt almost. After getting customer support from that side, I just being like awkward when they said you can't return it because it's like non-return in order. Then the thing what I did was I have contacted the nearest branch of Amazon for help. They have done the process and once the process is done, I am just fed up with that and it has returned after 20-30 days.

    Band 6-7

    To begin with, girls are usually fond of online shopping or which is also known as window shopping. So, similarly, being a girl, I am always searching for something or the other, either be it clothing, something from the footwear, beauty brands, beauty products and many things. So, I am always looking for some of the other websites. Amazon, Flipkart, Jio, Nika are the ones which are popular and they do have the return and exchange policy with proper tags and price tags intact, they do accept it. Once I ordered a one-piece from a local website. It was a locally owned business. It was a home business. But the variety that they offered on the website was mesmerizing. It truly felt like I should buy one. But when I ordered, their size chart was not relating with the size that they had mentioned. So, when I ordered S size according to their size chart, it was actually S and it was not fitting me. Usually, I order medium sized clothes, but according to their size chart, I decided to order S size, but it did not fit me properly. And to my surprise, it did not have the return and exchange policy. Before ordering, I did not check this on their website. But being their first customer, they asked me to courier it on my personal expense and then they would initiate the exchange. They won't be sending a person from their end to collect the parcel. So yeah, that was the learning for me that I shouldn't be ordering from a local website.

    Band 6-7

    So, I remember last time when I bought a pair of jeans from Amazon, which is an online e-commerce store. I bought the jeans because I was really attracted towards it and the jeans were quite cheap and fashionable. And after receiving the product, I was very shocked because the quality was very poor and the design which was shown on the website was not matching with the one which I had received. Though it looked similar, the quality was way poorer than expected. I also noticed the buttons and the chain were not working properly and they would get stuck. The material was such that I almost tore it while I was opening the packet. Therefore, I was very disappointed. Eventually, I decided to return the product and applied it on the website. I had to wait for almost two weeks for them to pick it up and it was returned successfully. Then I vowed that I will never buy any clothing material from online stores.

    Band 6-7

    okay so I bought an air fryer and it's really something which I wanted to get from a very long time but it was not worth it because it was really way overpriced and I got it it was a wrong product I ordered a 1600 watt product and I got an 1200 watt product that is not even matching the cost then I put it in the refund and I the worst part here was I got my refund after 13 days that was not reasonable at all so I had to return it and the worst part here is I ordered it again I need to refund it because it was not working at all and after that when I felt like I wasted one month on a product which I couldn't even use so that was really a very bad feeling for me and I would say that's a pathetic experience of buying an air fryer and I still don't have that air fryer

    Band 6-7

    The recent thing I brought was a winter hoodie from AGO, an online platform. The hoodie was from GAP, which is a Renault brand for hoodies. I wanted to return it because I ordered a size which was a bit loosened up for me. When I tried to return it, I thought of replacing it with a lower size, but unfortunately, there was no lower size in stock at that time. So then I was thinking what should I do, but after a few hours, I found out they had restocked the item so that I kept the replacement instead of a return. I liked that hoodie very much. It was on my wish list for over a month and I ordered it at a huge discount, which I was feeling very grateful and I felt I was lucky. The hoodie is a black hoodie with a monkey cap, which has a textured logo on it and it looks great on me. I asked the feedback from my roommates how was it looking on me. They told it's looking great on me. It was looking wonderful and they asked me how did you get it at that price. Then I explained them this is what happened. I used my coupons and all. I used my credit card discounts so that I grabbed the offer as soon as the sale went live.
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