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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 6-7

    the item which I needed to return was a protein powder which I bought from Amazon three months earlier and I was looking to buy the product just because of the customer reviews was really great as compared to the other protein brands which shown in the website and it just had a 4.3 rating as compared to others and also the price was really great so I was just going for the product and eventually it came within one and half days because I was having a prime and then after two three days I just opened that product and when I tried to consume it it really tasted stale and then I was pretty much disappointed with that and I was not able to do anything but just to dispose of the product and later I just heard from my friend that Amazon do help with the refund if the product is even non-returnable and then I approached Amazon customer service by the way and then they told me that the item needs to get some photos and well need an investigation of two three days as it's a high value product then I helped them with the details and waited patiently for two three days and after that I approached them back within their preferred time and then I was offered a refund or a replacement since I was not happy about the product I went for refund instead so that I can purchase the item elsewhere and then within one and half days the refund has been processed to my account I was really thankful to Amazon because even I had a bad experience with such a product Amazon customer service was really great at the moment I was being happy about the issue and I just share to all the friends that we can truly rely on Amazon other than other online websites which we are having because their customer service policies are

    Band 6-7

    The thing that I bought was an earphone from an online shop. After buying that earphone, I just used it for about one week. And one of the earphones got repaired and it's not working properly. And its mic is also not working properly after two weeks. Then I tried to return to the customer, to the online website. And they are showing that you have to return it in seven days. So I have used it for about two weeks. So its expiry date has finished for returning. So it's a loss of money for me and I'm not using it right now. Actually I bought that for an emergency that I'm attending a class at that time. An online class regarding robotics and automation, which was provided in my college at that time. So the class was at 8 p.m. at night. So a lot of chaos are there in my hostel while I'm staying there. So I just bought that to attend that class. After using that earphone for 2-3 days, it started some kind of glitching sounds inside that. But I didn't mind that mistakes and errors. But after two weeks, one of the sides did not get charged. The valetry got beat. Actually that's a loss of money for me. And the site name is I think eBay. eBay is a fake name for eBay.

    Band 6-7

    Recently I am very fond of wristwatches, so I am a person who always scroll in social medias. When I like something I always search for pages or shops that sells these things. Recently I had seen an Instagram page where they sell these watches which is not that expensive which is affordable range of watches. So I have seen a beautiful watch, it's a company watch by SILFINGER and I like the color, the combination and everything. So I ordered the watch from them but when I got the watch I wore it for one day, the next day onwards the time was very slow. So I tried to fix it many times and it didn't work. So first day onwards there were problems with the watch and I tried to return, I contacted the person, he didn't reply, I left a message, that time also I didn't get any reply from them. So this incident made me very, I was very depressed, so it made me think that before buying anything online I have to double check things, I have to go through the reviews and all. So it was a very bad experience for me and it taught me a lesson to think twice before buying anything from this kind of Instagram pages. So next time whenever somebody ask me I will also give them the advice to think about twice before buying things or to ensure the, and ensure it's safe.

    Band 6-7

    Recently, I had bought one churidar through online session, that is really worth for me because it is very cheap, very comfort and everything but I could see that there is more damages in that item, so after that I planned to give return, so there is, I couldn't find any options regarding this return, but even though I had, I loved that piece and I loved that churidar that much, I loved that piece, that is why I ordered again, but I don't know what to do through this my period.

    Band 6-7

    Something that I really want to return is this set of white pants that I bought a month ago. I was so excited and elated when it actually arrived but to my dismay it was too tight for me from my waist and therefore I decided to eventually return it. But I tried contacting the company through their website but they didn't respond. In fact I even tried mailing them but it was to no avail. It just made me realize that the company wasn't a very good company and I even have written a bad review in their google reviews but at the end what I've realized is that it was a waste of money to spend so much on just a pair of white pants and what I've learned from this is that I should always be frugal with money and do my due research. That is something I regret that I didn't do much research about it before buying it.

    Band 6-7

    So yesterday was father's day and I planned on buying something for my father which was a neck massager. It came but it turned out a bit disappointing than I thought it would. So I am planning to return it. I bought it from an online company called Amazon and checked that if return was possible or not. The return policy was there and I returned it today. The massager was black in color and I thought the neck massager was for your pain in the muscles but it turned out to be used for when your muscles are a bit sorrow like sore. Like when you come after a gym session and there is water retention in your muscles and you genuinely need to have a massager for loosening them up. But my father is someone who does not go to gym and I don't think his muscles are sorrow. Therefore, I am planning to return it.

    Band 6-7

    yeah recently two years back we bought a TV we bought a TV of 45 inches from LG company but I really wanted to return it because I don't like the video quality that that it is displaying and it has some poor connection issues and it doesn't have many smart features so that I really wanted to change my TV anyway I won't I could not return it to the service provider at the LG company because it has been two years but if there is any chance I will definitely return it and I will I will get a new 65 inches LG TV only with a smart features and especially Bravia LED OLED OLED because it has many features smart connections I didn't build OTT apps everything in a fingertips

    Band 6-7

    During my friend's wedding, I purchased a saree impulsively and I thought it would look good on me and I did not see the price tag and I just went there and bought it but after buying it, I regretted it so much because that saree didn't look good on me and it was not appropriate for wedding functions. It is an unnecessary and irrelevant spend for me and when I went back there for returning, they said that this was on sale so you cannot return it. I tried to persuade them that I can buy another thing from them instead of this but they stick to this notion that this is not a returnable item. So I did not have any choice and I have to keep the saree with me and it's been there in my wardrobe for last two years and I have never even tried it on again.

    Band 6-7

    I had purchased this beautiful pair of sneakers from an online store. The reason why I got attracted to it is because of the heel size. It had really big heels which I really liked in a pair of sneakers. After purchasing it, I found the size of the shoe was a size smaller than what I had expected because of which while wearing it had bruised my heel as well as my toes. Now on trying to return it back to the online seller, the seller bluntly refused me stating that the shoes were used and he could not take them back. I then realized that I was stuck with these pair of shoes which I could not return and neither could I wear them. Also I could not give them to somebody else as they had really large heels and I do not believe anybody else will like them. Thus I was stuck with these shoes. I had lot of resentment towards the online seller but also I took this as a lesson for myself that if it is something which needs a fitting, I should not go online to buy it but I should go to a physical shop, test them out and then purchase them so that even if there is an issue, I can physically go to the shop and explain my concerns to them.

    Band 6-7

    I am a huge fan of wearing different types of clothes of various brands and have a big collection of many clothes of various brands. For example, I have many t-shirts, jackets and jeans and shoes of many different brands. But last year I bought a jacket of H&M company from Delhi when I visited there with my father. That jacket was so well maintained and nicely made. It is a handmade jacket that I like very much and it has a beautiful texture and it has a little branding on its right side and a very aesthetic print on the back of the jacket. I liked it very much and tried it some days and it feels so comfortable to me. But when I returned to my state J&K after 2-3 washes, the jacket texture was completely gone and it is so weird and sticky and it is so weird to wear that jacket. Moreover, I tried to contact the company but they are not comfortably talk to me and continuously they talks about returning jacket through parcel or returning to their outlet. They do not provide any facilities of returning that jacket in the store of that same brand in Jammu. They are continuously saying me to return that jacket in Delhi to their original store from where I bought that jacket and I feel very stressed. But however, at the end I have to put that jacket with me and not return it.

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