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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

    So, I brought this I recently ordered cargo pans from the Meishu application which is available in the India I don't know if it is available in other countries. It is the app which gives you clothes or the accessories at the minimum low price so that everyone can afford it. At that time I was suffering from financial crisis I thought of trying that app and I ordered the cargo pans which really cost me around 250 rupees I guess so I ordered two pans I was really excited and I was waiting for the cargo pans to come and I would wear it and I would go to the sports week but then it was taking a long time to arrive and finally one point it came and I was really excited I just ran I gave the money to the delivery boy I came back to my room I opened the packing and all and I saw it was not cargo pans and that there was some jeans which was really torn no one can wear it and a piece of cloth was like old cloth and I was really disappointed by the app I wanted to give zero rating when I got to the customer care she couldn't solve my problem she told me that she could not do anything if I if I would talk to the manager also she could not do anything and she told me there is some issue in the intermediate of delivering that package and I told her what would I do if there was an issue in the intermediate situation but still that was really bad experience and I wanted to return it but I couldn't

    Band 6-7

    so the thing that I bought and really wanted to return is a shirt I bought it from an online platform that is called Myntra. I basically like to shop in offline stores because in offline stores we can get to explore a lot of options and we can try the size on and we can also get the get to know the quality of the fabric but my friend suggested me that there is a sale going on in the online platform shop and I visited the website and order a shirt from it it was a shirt a check shirt and I do not like it because the quality was not that much good and the size was also small and it was very different from what it was looking in the picture I found distressing that how will I return it and how it how I will get my funds back and then my friend suggested me that you should apply for its return and refund option then I click on it and I submit all the details with a photograph of the particular shirt and then their team member contacted me and I gave him my address and my account number to which I wanted the refund of my purchase and after 7 to 8 working days they process my order and I got the refund and I feel very relaxed because it was a tense situation because I it was my first time that I have shopped online and it went wrong

    Band 6-7

    I have recently bought a smartwatch with an expectation of it being very useful to me. Initially I had in my mind that if I had a smartwatch at all, I can reduce the use of my phone. A good smartwatch will allow you to do the functions of the mobile just in your wrist. And eventually I purchased a Samsung Galaxy 4 watch which costed about Rs.10,000. I was expecting it to be a good watch. However, it turned out to be not useful for me, especially when we consider the price range. What actually happened is that while we are having a phone which has a bigger screen, which can do the things tasks more easily, we will not attend to the watch. After a while, the rate at which I used the watch diminished and now I rarely use it. I need to charge it too frequently. Moreover, I think it is not worth the price. I really do want to return the watch and I am looking for options for an exchange or returns. Since it has crossed the period of return to the buyer, I can't do that anymore. Now I understood that before purchasing such a watch,

    Band 6-7

    A few months ago, I bought a pair of wireless noise cancelling headphones from an online store. They were from a popular brand and I had been saving up for quite some time to get them. I was really excited because I needed something reliable for my online classes and also for listening to music while travelling. However, when the headphones arrived, I was quite disappointed. First of all, the sound quality did not live up to the glowing review I had read, the bass was too heavy, the terrible pause muffled, and the noise cancellation sling barely made a difference. On top of that, they were quite uncomfortable to wear for long periods, which was a big issue for me since I planned to use them for an hour at a stretch. Naturally, I decided to return them. I contacted customer service and explained the issue, expecting a smooth return process. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. The customer support was unresponsive at first. When I finally got through, they told me that I had missed the 7-day return window by just one day. I was frustrated because the product had generally not met the advertised quality. Afterward, I felt a mix of emotions. On the other hand, I was annoyed and slightly cheated because I had spent a significant amount of money on a product that did not meet my expectations. On the other hand, I realized it was a learning experience. I became more conscious with online purchases, always reading the fine print and watching unfiltered reviews before making a decision. In the end, while I did not get my money back, I gained a valuable lesson.

    Band 6-7

    In the olden days, people used to shop from stalls or roadside vendors, but in the recent years, we have seen the development and the change in the manner that individuals like us have started preferring shopping online. The best part is the one-day delivery options that are available through so many of the shopping websites such as Amazon, Flipkart, or even 10-minute delivery options available through Swiggy, Instamart, and so on. There was one time when I ordered a pair of shoes in a hurry through one-day delivery. Since I was joining a new company and it was my first day, I did not have a good pair of shoes. So I bought stilettos through Amazon and they were quite expensive. They looked amazing. Although the next day when I wore them, I realized that they were extremely uncomfortable. The fact that I also got scammed since it was not leather from which the shoes were made of. It was a coating which started chipping off and that is the reason why I wanted to return it. Although expensive, I could not return it and I regret purchasing it till today. Websites like Amazon do not accept used products, but I am still planning to sell it at a thrift store. I am aiming to at least attain half of the price of the original amount from which I bought it. With which I bought it.

    Band 6-7

    I had bought a perfume a few days back which I bought in urgent where I didn't get the chance to even try it out but I just heard from a friend of mine that this perfume was actually really nice and had a great fragrance but when I reached home and I just had a scent of smell of it I really didn't like it because it was too strong of a floral smell which I really don't like and I don't prefer that scent later on the next day when I went to return it I had a doubt that I would be able to return it because I had returned that I had removed the tag off I had thrown it in the dustbin without knowing that I wouldn't like the smell of it but thankfully the staff there understood my situation and were ready to either exchange it or give me the money in return I preferred to exchange the perfume and get a one which I've already used before because the ones which I already know how the smell is so I was really grateful to the staff who helped me carry on this

    Band 6-7

    Speaking of a thing that I really wanted to return is a really expensive and designer lehenga that I had bought from a very renowned shop in my locality. There is a really interesting story associated with this purchase and that is I purchased this lehenga to wear by myself on my cousin sister's wedding. My cousin sister had really a lot of expectations from me as I am the closest cousin to her. So, I had customized this lehenga for myself with a lot of hand-woven embroidery and selected really expensive material for that. To my surprise, when I received this delivery, the lehenga did not fit me and it did not give me a look that I had expected for myself. Moreover, the color was faded at certain parts of the dress and the thread of the embroidery was also sticking out at certain places. So, definitely I would not like to embarrass myself by wearing such a lehenga which would make me look despicable in front of my family, my friends and my other cousins. So, I demanded for a refund and I returned the lehenga.

    Band 6-7

    It might be last weekend or the weekend before that I purchased a set of book, a series which I had already read but I really wanted to have the physical copy for my library collection. But what happened was that when I received the book I wasn't happy about the size or the font inside and either the painting since I was already in a financial constraint and I didn't have enough space to store more books right now and looking for more storage and bookshelf options and overall it felt like a burden for me and that's when I decided to get rid of it and what I first did was to check back on the website whether I have the provision to return it without losing my money at all and yes it did, the webpage allowed easy returns. They came and picked up the thing from me, the book from me and but what happened was that there was a condition that I need to have the actual bill available with me and also proper packaging but I had missed the bill which worried me whether I could easily return this or not. Luckily the pickup agent said it was fine because he had a spare bill to attach to the product and I happily returned it but the thing is that after returning it I felt a little sad because I really loved that book and I wish I had kept it.

    Band 6-7

    The thing I bought first time was a dress which I ordered from the Renote website. And they also had an app which is from Puma. I have been fascinated by their products from first reading. But this was an exhilarating experience. When they had delivered the dress, it was very comfortable and it fitted me well. But I wanted to return it because of their colour. Actually they had replaced me with another colour which was not suiting my body rightly. And they actually didn't accept the return because I had made a late return time which caused me to not get it.

    Band 6-7

    here i am going to talk about a product that i bought last week, actually it was a mobile phone i bought it from amazon and it was you know it wasn't working very well so i decided to return it on amazon i requested them to return my product and refund my money and after several week their delivery personnel came to my location and collected this mobile phone so i was very happy after that when i got refund my money and it was completely a disastrous moment for me because i didn't think about it because amazon is a very good name we all know that it's a global brand name and i bought this product on amazon the overall experience that i got from this product is very very sad so i would say we should be careful about purchasing anything on internet so after all i would say we should definitely purchase product by checking its quality and features so this experience is very learning for me
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