In this IELTS Speaking model answer about an expensive activity, we will look at lots of useful vocabulary, collocations and idioms for this topic. In addition, you will practice your listening and pronunciation skills . Â Â
IELTS Speaking Part 2 - Cue Card
Describe an activity you occasionally do which is expensive
You should say:
- What it is
- How often you do it
- Why it is expensive
and explain how you feel about it
Ideas for the Answer
1. IDEASÂ
You can talk about…
- Shopping – clothes, gourmet food, electronic devicesÂ
Shopping can be expensive, especially if you buy brand name clothes, delicacies like caviar and foie gras, and also many electronic devices like computers and tablets.
- Sports – golf, tennis, cycling, sailing, skiingÂ
Many sports need special equipment and so can be quite expensive. Some need you to join a club and membership can be costly.Â
- Travelling
This can cost a lot, especially if you travel abroad, stay in nice hotels and visit lots of sights.Â
- Hobbies
In particular those that need special equipment such as photography, or others that need a continual investment like collection coins or stamps.Â
- Going to expensive restaurants
How to use this sample answer
- Guess the missing words before you listen
- Play, listen and check the missing words
- Listen again, pause and repeat short phrases.
- Listen again and read at the same time
- Note useful words, chunks and phrases
1. Guess the words
Before you listen to the sample answer, try to guess the missing words below!
- I am an ______ reader
- I like to buy books when they are on sale because I can find good ______Â
- It turns ______ to be quite expensive
Put your answers in the comment box below!
2. Now listen and check your answers.
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3. Listen again, pause and repeat each phrase.
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4. Listen and read
Click here to read script
I am an avid reader and love to buy books either online or in real shops.Â
So, I tend to go on a shopping binge for books, either when I have run out of things to read, or when there are sales on.
So typically at the start of summer or the start of winter, I will head off to the bookshops to stock up on lots of new books.
Talking about cost – It can be quite an expensive activity because new books are not cheap, especially hardback books.
I know digital books are cheaper, but I much prefer to read paper books, you know, I just like the feel of the paper and I spend so much time in front of computers at work, I don’t want to be reading screens in my free time.
As I mentioned, I like to buy books when there are sales on, because I can find good bargains, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be paying through the nose for books I like.Â
But, this doesn’t mean I spend less. In actual fact I spend more, because everything is so attractive,
so all in all, it turns out to be quite expensive.
It’s an activity I love doing, and as it’s only once in a while, it does’t break the bank.
5. Note useful words and phrases
See Vocabulary To splash out on something = to spend a lot of money (on something)  To be on sale = to be discounted / at a cheaper price To pay through the nose = to pay more than expected To cost a fortune = to cost a lot To shop around  = to compare different prices, looking for the best priceÂ
Now you know how to talk about IELTS Speaking Part 2Â Expensive Activity, why not go and explore more tips on how to do well in IELTS Speaking Part 2
6 thoughts on “IELTS Speaking Model Answer: Expensive Activity”
apphomi
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Hello Keith,
My name is SiddheshDubey I am from India.
I would like to join your course. Could you please share your contact details so that I can contact you.
Hi – you can contact me via email
[email protected]
In order to talk about an expensive activity I do occasionally which is expensive. I think that is when I buy my cell phone.
First of all, I will often shop around and browse some websites to find some useful informations, just to make sure I can find good bargains and won’t be paying throung the nose for it.
After that I will head off to the smartphone stores where I can choose a smartphone I like most.
As you can see some mobile phones are extremely expensive especially if they come from famous brands in the world like Iphone or Samsung Galaxy. In fact they cost a forture but they make your life more interesting and more convenient with many advanced functions that they have. Actually I like Iphone very much so all in all it turns out to be splashing out on it.
But in fact I only change my mobile phone when it failed so it doesn’t break the bank.
Thank you very much for your useful lesson!
Nice answer – and very good practice of all the idiomatic expressions!