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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 >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

    I once ordered a sunscreen online and before ordering I didn't see the Once from the online site Flipkart, I ordered a sunscreen and it was actually an online payment. So I did the payment and when the product arrived I opened it and to my shock it was an entirely different product. What I actually ordered was a sunscreen from the company Dermaco but I got a different product which is from a different company and it was a small face wash. Also the size of the face wash was very small not even like half the price which I paid for. So I was very shocked and distressed and then I checked to then I thought of returning it and getting refunds. So when I checked the page I found that there was no return policy for the particular product. I felt very much like cheated because they sent the wrong product and after all this no return policy also. That was a time I regret greatly for ordering something online but all my previous experiences were really good that's why I order things online. So that was the first time I'm having an entirely bad experience. I immediately reported this. I sent a mail but I didn't get any reply. So from that time onwards I am very afraid to purchase anything from that site. So I haven't purchased anything from that site until then.

    Band 6-7

    Firstly, I want to introduce that November and December time in India is famous for the wedding period. It's also known as the wedding season of India. So online shopping obviously becomes very, very important and it becomes very, very famous at this time of the year. Naturally, I was invited to a few weddings and I wanted to shop online. Personally, I prefer shopping in person because that just means I can double check or triple check my material I'm buying or the type of dress I'm buying or if it fits me or not. But this time, since I had absolutely no time, I could allot for shopping, I chose to do online shopping. I bought this beautiful looking sari online, which looked good on the camera, on the screen of my phone. But when I bought it, it was not great. The material was very slippery, was not silky and it had multiple faults everywhere. The zipper they gave with the sari did not work and some of the material was even torn. So it was blue color, that is why I loved it. Additionally, it was a lot of, it was very expensive. I had to return it because I couldn't wear it anywhere and I prefer, that is why I prefer going to buy on my own.

    Band 6-7

    Okay, so I'm fond of buying books. So recently I went to this place and I bought a few books and one of the book was a bit torn and I usually have this habit to look for all the items that are proper and not at all torn in any manner. So I asked him to change it for me and most of the books were torn, the one that I wanted. So he kept smiling as I asked him to change it and I asked him the reasons why this particular book is torn and why its issue so bad. But then he gave me one book and it looked fine when I bought it. Eventually when I reached home, I scanned that same book again and the book still had some issues and I was really not satisfied with that. So that's all.

    Band 6-7

    In the city that I live, that is Ahmedabad, I have a bookstore that I have been very fond of. I often go to that store to purchase books that I have been wanting to read. One of the days I went to the store to purchase a book called Divergent. It was a book that I was really wanting to read, which was about a dystopian society with also some sci-fi elements to it. After I purchased the book and came back home, I observed that there were a lot of places where the book was chipped and it was used, which is alright. I would love to read a pre-loved book, however, a lot of pages were missing here and there. When I went back to return the book, it was extremely awkward because I was very familiar with the people who are in charge of the bookstore and those that help with customer service. When I approached them as to whether or not they would be willing to take the book back, they were very kind to me and they were readily willing to take the book back. However, it was very awkward in the sense that it created a situation where people that I really knew and cared for were obviously going to suffer a loss because of a book that was bought by them without going through the mechanism required.

    Band 6-7

    I recently bought a pink and golden top from my favorite clothing brand. After trying it on, I realized that it does not fit me properly, so I wanted to return it. However, I was disappointed because the salesperson refused to accept it back. He said that he has a no return policy. This was opposed to what he told me when I was shopping for this top initially. I felt very cheated because I had specifically inquired about the fact that whether I would be able to return this item and I had been told that yes, indeed this item would be eligible for return within 15 days of shopping. When I tried it on a day later, I instantly realized that it does not fit me properly, it does not enhance my features and it would be better for me if I shopped a similar item from another brand that would cater better to my sizes. However, when I approached the salesperson who was responsible for showing me this particular piece of clothing, he outrightly refused. He said that they have a strictly no return policy and I can instead look at other similar items from the shop and exchange the top. I did not want to do that because I believed that purchasing a similar top from that particular clothing brand would not suit me since the sizes for these items are uniform and I wanted to pick a similar item from a different brand. So, I felt very disappointed that the salesperson was not completely honest about their no return and exchange policy and it led to loss of money for me.
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