Describe your favorite shop
Describe your favorite shop.
You should say:
- where it is
- what things it sells
- what sort of people are its customers
And explain why you like the shop so much.
Practise this cue card with a timer Use it in a full mock
One-minute preparation plan
Small independent shops give you more to say than chain stores: the owner, the atmosphere and the customers.
| Cue card point | What to note (keywords only) |
|---|---|
| Where it is | 1–2 specific details: a name, a place, a time, or an example |
| What things it sells | 1–2 specific details: a name, a place, a time, or an example |
| What sort of people are its customers | 1–2 specific details: a name, a place, a time, or an example |
| And explain why you like the shop so much. | Your main reason plus how it affected you—save 30 seconds for this |
Sample answer
My favourite shop is a small second-hand bookshop tucked away on a side street near my old university. You could easily walk past it, because the entrance is just a narrow door between a café and a phone repair shop.
Inside, it sells mainly used books: novels, history, travel guides and a big section of old textbooks, which is why so many students go there. There's also a shelf of local writers' work and a box of postcards and maps that the owner picks up at markets.
The customers are a real mix. During term time it's full of students looking for cheap course books, but you also see retired people who come in every week, and the odd tourist who has found it by accident.
I like it so much mainly because of the atmosphere. It's quiet, it smells of old paper, and the owner remembers what you bought last time and often recommends something similar. Compared with buying online, it feels personal, and I almost always discover a book I would never have searched for.
About 177 words, roughly two minutes at a natural pace. This is an original example written for SpeakingIELTS to show structure and vocabulary—use it for ideas, not as a script to memorise. Real test cards are worded differently, and examiners notice rehearsed answers.
Useful words and phrases
- tucked away
- you could easily walk past it
- a real mix
- the odd tourist
- feels personal
- by accident
Try using three of these in your own answer. For more topic vocabulary, see the vocabulary helper.
Part 3 follow-up questions
After this cue card, the examiner moves to a Part 3 discussion on the same theme. Give an opinion, a reason and an example for each.
- What typical things can visitors to your country buy?
- What things do young people like to buy in your country?
- Is it a good idea to save money?
- Do you think that people are happier if they have money?
- What can shops do to make shopping more pleasant for their customers?
- Do you think that in the future people will do most of their shopping using the Internet?
Practise these Part 3 questions
Check your own answer
Record yourself, then listen once and ask: did I cover every point, keep talking for close to two minutes, link ideas clearly, and explain my reasons at the end? The self-evaluation checklist covers all four speaking criteria.