Describe a problem you had while shopping online or in a store.
This test has appeared in 7 seasons · 3 reported by test takers
- Jan–Apr/2026
- Sep–Dec/2025
- May–Aug/2025
- Sep–Dec/2023
- May–Aug/2023
- Jan–Apr/2023
- Sep–Dec/2022
Reported by test takers Forecast only
Part 1
The examiner asks about you and two familiar topics. About 4–5 minutes.
Your home
- Do you live in a house or an apartment? (Why?)
- Which room do you spend the most time in? (Why?)
- What would you like to change about your home? (Why?)
- Do you think you will live there for a long time? (Why not?)
Advertisements
- Do you often notice advertisements? (Why is that?)
- Where do you see advertisements most often? (Tell me more about that.)
- Is there an advertisement you remember from when you were younger? (Why is that?)
- Do you think advertisements influence what you buy? (Why is that?)
Snacks
- Do you often eat snacks? (Why is that?)
- What snacks do you usually eat? (Tell me more about that.)
- What snacks did you like when you were a child? (Tell me more about that.)
- Do you think snacks are bad for your health? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a problem you had while shopping online or in a store.
You should say:
- what you were buying
- where you were shopping
- what the problem was
and explain how you dealt with the problem.
Follow-up question after your talk: Did this experience change the way you shop? / How was the problem solved in the end?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
the way people shop today
- Can you explain why more and more people buy things online instead of in shops?
- How would you compare the problems people have when shopping online with the problems they have in shops?
- In general, what must a shop do to keep its customers?
shops and local communities
- Can you explain why many small shops are closing in towns and cities?
- What could be done about town centres where most of the shops are now empty?
- Can you speculate on how home delivery will change the shops in town centres?
Test titles follow test-taker reports and each season's forecasts — IELTS does not publish its papers. "Reported" means someone reported meeting this topic in a dated test. The questions are written by us in the format of the real test.