CONTENTS

Sample answers

Sample questions and answers  from speaking part 1, 2 and  3

Key vocabulary

Words and terms frequently used  when talking about family

Word formation

Learn how to use  wide variety of parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives

Collocations

Find out groups of words that usually used together by native speakers

Useful resources

References to teaching and authentic materials related to this topic: IELTS blogs, podcasts, videos and articles

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Clothes and Fashion: Sample questions and answers for IELTS speaking exam

 

 

Part 1

  1. What type of clothes do you like to wear?

– Well, I prefer casual clothes – simple and comfortable. A pair of jeans and a shirt would be perfect. I am not really the fashionable type. But of course, I also dress up for special occasions.

 

  1. What kind of clothes do people in your country usually wear?

-Climate affects people’s clothing. I live in the tropics, so people in my country usually wear clothes with light fabrics. We also wear light-colored clothes. For casual attire, a pair of jeans or short pants and a shirt for men or blouse for women are common.

 

  1. How important is fashion to you?

-I am not much worried about it actually. I prefer wearing simple yet presentable clothes.

 

  1. What kind of clothes do you dislike?

-Well, I dislike wearing untidy and eccentric clothes. Example would be tearing or ripped jeans. I also avoid clothes with flashy colors or those that are too stunning.

 

5. Do you think people behave differently in different kinds of clothes?

 

-Yes, I think people behave differently when they wear different clothes. For example, one who wears formal clothes may portray an image of being professional and confident. Wearing casual clothes, on the other hand, makes us look comfortable and relaxed.

 

6. What kind of clothes do people wear to work in your country?

 

-Those who work in the corporate wear either smart casual or business/formal attire on a regular work day. Some employees such as teachers have uniforms. Other workers are allowed to wear casual clothes to works.

 

Part 2

Describe someone you know who dresses well. You should say

  • who they are
  • how you know them
  • what kind of clothes they wear

and say why you like the way they dress.

 

Let me talk about a friend who dresses very well. Her name is Tina. We are of the same age and she is currently a professor in a prestigious university in my country. Although she is not in the fashion industry, she dresses fashionably. She is tall, not very slim and is very attractive.

She has been my friend since high school. I get to see her from time to time as she also lives in my neighborhood. We also spend time together with friends especially on weekends.

Actually, she doesn’t have a specific dressing preference or style. I think she bases her attire on the weather as well as on occasions and events, I usually see her wearing light colored dresses and high-heeled shoes when she goes to work. She also wears formal clothes. She is fond of accessories which looks fashionable. Her footwear always matches her dress. I think she has a huge collection of clothes, shoes and bags as I rarely see her wearing the same set after some time. I see her wear casual clothes too but they don’t look plain or boring on her.

I think she can carry herself very well in any kind of dress. She looks comfortable no matter what her attire is. She always looks clean and tidy. I like her style because she doesn’t dress extravagant or offensive. She always looks professional and presentable.

 

Part 3

  1. How important are clothes and fashion to you? [Why/Why not?]?

Clothes and fashion are not that important to me. I always prefer comfortable clothes but making sure that I’d look presentable and clean. I am more of being practical in choosing what I wear.

  1. How different are the clothes you wear now from those you wore 10 years ago?

Well, I can say that there hasn’t been much change with the clothes I wear now with that of about 10 years ago. I still wear the regular jeans and shirt for casual days or formal clothes on business events. But, I think since the trend has changed, the kind of these basic clothing has also changed for me, especially when it comes to the style of the jeans and shirts. I used to wear straight-cut jeans but nowadays, I wear contemporary style such as slim-fit clothes.

 

  1. What do you think the clothes we wear say about us?

At times, I think the clothes we wear may show part of our personality or status. For example, clothing may determine the kind of job a person has. For some, it may be a tool for expression. Some could be stylish and fashionable which may reflect their personality as being creative.

 

 

 

Key vocabulary: Definitions and examples

 


WORD/PHASE

 

DEFINITION

 

EXAMPLE

 

 

casual clothes

Informal, everyday dress

 

Every last Friday of the month council staff donate a pound to wear  casual clothes to work

 

fashionable

 

popular or in fashion at a particular time

 

People can spend small fortunes on themselves , go out to all the trendy places and stand around admiring themselves in their  fashionable clothes.

 





dress up

dress in smart or formal clothes

 

I am not really the fashionable type. But of course, I also dress up for special occasions

 

light fabrics

relatively low in density

cloth, typically produced by weaving or knitting textile fiber

 

I live in the tropics, so people in my country usually wear clothes with light fabrics

 

casual attire

Informal clothes

 

For casual attire, a pair of jeans or short pants and a shirt for men or blouse for women are common

 

pair of jeans

hard-wearing trousers made of denim or other cotton fabric, for informal wear

 

She was wearing blue denim jeans and a jacket

 

short pants

trousers

 

There is nothing more comfortable then a new pair of  pants and a brand new shirt

 

 

shirt

a light piece of men’s clothing covering the torso and arms, with buttons down the front and usu a collar

 

Jeff himself had changed into a clean  shirt and trousers

 

blouse

shirtlike article of women’s cloth

 

For casual attire, a pair of jeans or short pants and a shirt for men or blouse for women are common

 

presentable

looking reasonably tidy, smart etc

 

As long as you’re tidy, clean and  presentable you should be sorted

 

untidy clothes

not arranged neatly and in order

Her whole dress was very  untidy, and looked dirty and slatternly


eccentric clothes

strange and unconventional clothes

I dislike wearing untidy and eccentric clothes


tearing jeans

ripped

He was wearing a pair of old tearing jeans


formal clothes

clothes worn in accordance with rules of convention or etiquette; suitable for or constituting an official or important situation or occasion

Students dress in highly  formal clothes


smart casual

neat, conventional, yet relatively informal in style, especially as worn to conform to a particular dress code

Think of a smart casual outfit as one that you’d wear for a movie or dinner date


business/formal attire

not casual, suitable for official or important occasions clothes

 

Students dress in highly  formal clothes

 

high-heeled shoes

women’s shoes with tall, thin heels

Large numbers of Manhattan women are also reportedly trading high heels for trainers 


accessories

a thing that can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive

Women ‘s  accessories , such as scarves and purses , sold especially well , the company said


footwear

outer coverings for the feet, such as shoes, boots, and sandals

They are the timeless sneakers: relaxed footwear that is effortlessly stylish



to match

if one thing matches another, or if they match, they form an attractive combination

Men may be seen dressed in formal, well-matched suits or sports coats


plain

simply designed or decorated

Her dress was very  plain: a close straw bonnet of the best material and shape, trimmed


boring

tedious, uninteresting

On the whole I find your new dress quite  boring



dress extravagant

to dress using a lot of cloths and accessories in a wasteful or excessive way

I like her style because she doesn’t dress extravagant or offensive



apparel

clothing, when it is being sold in shops

Stores selling  apparel and accessories , however , saw receipts fall 0.9 percent




girly

appropriate to a girl or young woman

Men aren’t afraid to be soft, girly, and foppish




skirt

a piece of outerwear for a woman or girl that hangs from the waist

She always wore a grey  skirt and jacket



to follow trend

to dress in the way that is popular among other people, or suggested by fashion designers and magazines

People follow fashion trends due to various reasons depending on their life style


outfit

a set of clothes that are worn together, especially for a specific occasion or purpose

She even bought a new  outfit for the occasion to help make herself feel good



hipster

a fashionable person

Moscow  hipsters imitate Tarantino ‘s nerdy, owl-eyed look



polo

a close-fitting jumper with a high, turnover neck

I arrived ten minutes later and was scowled at for wearing jeans and a  polo neck under the stipulated T-shirt



stylish

displaying good taste, a sense of style, or the latest fashions

One science teacher tried to convince me that his suit was stylish and expensive



to dress classic-sharp

to dress fashionable in a simple timeless way

There is classic-sharp business shirts and suits



well-fitted

being of the right shape and size for someone

Finally, I found well-fitted jeans in the local store



brightly-colored

with bright colors

I bought this because I wanted something brightly coloured for winter



conservative outfit

Dressing in a way that is traditional and familiar; cautious about change

Because Egypt is a Muslim country , dress should be  conservative and women should not wear revealing clothes



sloppy

casual and loose-fitting

All boys in jeans,  sloppy T-shirts and the usual expensive trainers



loose shirt

not tight

It is already warm, and I am wearing shorts and a  loose shirt



see-through

translucent

This shirt’s a bit see-through when it’s wet

 

Word Formation

 


WORD

PART OF SPEECH

EXAMPLE

 

style

 

noun 

I like vintage, no love vintage and retro, and most things about fashion I don’t limit myself to one  style

stylish

adjective

She was wearing stylish modern dress

 

pair

noun

A pair of jeans and a shirt would be perfect

 

to pair

verb

We made the decision to divorce a year and a half ago.

 


to fit

verb

I really liked these jeans . They fit well and were extremely comfortable

 

fit

noun

The boutique assistants will want to give you their full attention, to help you in and out of dresses and offer advice on the  fit

 

fitted

adjective

The blouse has a fitted bodice

 

 

Collocations

 


 COLLOCATION

EXAMPLE

 

 

clean

dirty

dry

wet

casual

everyday

ordinary

 

adjective+

clothes


work

school

wedding

winter, summer

noun+

clothes

 

put (back) on

remove

change

 

verb+

clothes

 

full-length

long

short

tight

tight-fitting

loose-fitting

shapeless

adjective+

dress

 

zip (up)

unzip

hitch up

lift

pull up

verb+

dress

 

complete

new

summer

winter

interview

party

wedding

adjective+

dress

 

new

summer

winter

interview

party

verb+

outfit

 

be

look

become

remain

make sth

consider sth

verb+

fashionable

 

extremely

highly

very

adverb+

fashionable

 

designer

elegant

immaculate

smart

well-cut

best

good

adjective+

suit

 

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