CONTENTS

SAMPLE ANSWERS
1 Sample questions and
answers from speaking part 1,

TOPIC:
2 and 3.
1. 2.

KEY VOCABULARY
3. 2 Words and terms frequently

CLOTHES &
used when talking about
clothes.
4.

WORD FORMATION
3 Learn how to use a wide

FASHION
variety of parts of speech,
such as nouns, verbs,
adjectives.

COLLOCATIONS

Sample answers, useful 5. 4 Find out groups of words that

usually used together by
native speakers.
vocabulary and resources for
IELTS speaking exam 5
USEFUL RESOURCES
References to teaching and
authentic materials related to
this topic: IELTS blogs,
podcasts, videos and articles.
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1. SAMPLE ANSWERS
PART 1
4. What kind of clothes do you dislike?
1. What type of clothes do you like to wear?
-Well, I don’t really go for too bright colours that are
- Even though I prefer casual clothes – simple and difficult to style with other pieces of clothing. I prefer
comfortable – I still try to stay fashionable. A pair of my garments to match each other perfectly, so that I
jeans and a clean white shirt can be a perfect don’t have to be worried about my looks every day.
match if styled appropriately. Of course, I also tend
to dress up for special occasions. 5. Do you think people behave differently in different
kinds of clothes?
2. What kind of clothes do people in your country
usually wear? -Yes, I am of the opinion that clothes can significantly
change how we feel about ourselves, and
- Climate definitely affects people’s clothing. I live in a consequently – our behaviour. For example, one who
Northern region, so people here normally wear wears formal clothes may portray an image of being
something on a warmer side. It can be a large fur professional and confident. Wearing casual clothes, on
jacket in winter or a light trench in spring. the other hand, makes us feel and look more
Underneath, we opt for a pair of good-quality trousers comfortable and relaxed.
or a skirt and a beautifully colored shirt.
6. What kind of clothes do people wear to work in
3. How important is fashion to you?
your country?
- I think fashion plays a huge role in culture. Even if I
- People usually go for smart casual or formal attire on
don’t necessarily follow all its latest trends, I do try to
a regular workday. Some employees have uniforms,
stay on top of it to make my style more presentable.
and other workers are allowed to wear random
clothes to work.

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PART 2

Describe someone you know who dresses well. You Let me talk about a friend who dresses very well. Her name
should say is Tina. She is a little bit older than me, and she is currently
• who they are a professor in a prestigious university in my country.
• how you know them Although she is not involved the fashion industry, I find her
• what kind of clothes they wear attire quite fashionable. She is tall, slim and very
and say why you like the way they dress. attractive.
She has been my friend since high school. I get to see her
from time to time as she lives in my neighborhood. We also
spend time together with friends, especially on weekends.
Actually, Tina doesn’t have a specific dressing preference
or style. I think she bases her attire on the weather as well
as on what is appropriate to wear to occasions and events
she is invited to. I usually see her wearing light colored
dresses and high-heeled shoes when she goes to work.
She also wears formal clothes. Tina’s choice of simple but
stylish accessories adds to the look as well. I think she has
a huge collection of clothes, shoes and bags as I rarely see
her wearing the same outfit. Of course, I do notice her
wearing casual clothes too, but they don’t look plain or
boring on her at all.
I think Tina can carry herself very well in any kind of
garments. She looks comfortable no matter what her attire
is. I like her style because she doesn’t dress extravagant
or offensive. She always looks professional and
presentable.

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PART 3

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

Since I am sure that the first impression builds a whole image of a person in front of us for a long time, clothes they
choose to wear play a huge role in determining this image (idea). Thus, I think that fashion is quite important in my
life, because I always try to look presentable and smart, and there is nothing worse than an outdated look that
doesn’t match the occasion (explain). However, I make sure not to be too carried away when it comes to the latest
crazy fashion trends – they are more suitable for celebrities (alternative).

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

Well, interestingly, the style of clothes has not changed much (idea), because I have always opted for something
more formal and presentable – at school and at work (explain). But the fashion trends have altered significantly, and
that’s why my old photos from a decade ago make me laugh right now. I still prefer to wear nice dresses, high-
quality shirts and skirts with high heels when I want to look smart, and skinny jeans with a clean t-shirt or a jumper
for more relaxed days (example).

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

At times, I think the clothes we wear may show off a significant part of our personality or status (idea). For example,
clothing may frequently give away what kind of job a person has. For others, clothes may be a tool for self-
expression example). I have heard many stories of people who fixed their low self-esteem by dressing bolder and
more fashionable. So, the way we dress definitely speaks a lot about the way we show ourselves to the public. And
the ability to correctly match one’s clothing with their status or inner world can be considered a real psychological
skill (explain).

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2. KEY VOCABULARY

informal, everyday dress Every last Friday of the month council staff donate a
casual clothes/attire pound to wear casual clothes to work.

popular or in fashion at a People can spend small fortunes on themselves, go

fashionable particular time out to all the trendy places and stand around admiring
themselves in their fashionable clothes.

to dress in smart or formal I am not really a fashionable person. But of course, I

dress up clothes like to dress up for special occasions.

relatively low in density I live in the tropics, so people in my country usually

light fabrics cloth, typically produced by wear clothes made of light fabrics.
weaving or knitting textile fiber

hard-wearing trousers made of She was wearing blue denim pair of jeans and a
pair of jeans denim for informal wear jacket.

trousers There is nothing more comfortable then a new pair

short pants of short pants and a brand-new shirt.

a light piece of clothing covering Jeff had changed into a clean shirt and trousers.
shirt the torso and arms, with buttons
down the front and usual collar

a shirt-like article of women's For casual attire, a pair of jeans or short pants and a
blouse cloth shirt for men or blouse for women are common

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looking reasonably tidy and As long as you're tidy, clean and presentable, you
presentable smart should be good.

not arranged neatly and in order Her whole dress was very untidy, looking dirty and
untidy clothes slatternly.

strange and unconventional I dislike wearing eccentric clothes, they don’t fit me.
eccentric clothes clothes

clothes worn in accordance with Students dress in rather formal clothes when
formal clothes rules of convention or etiquette; attending a business school.
suitable for or constituting an
official or important occasion

neat, conventional, yet relatively Think of a smart casual outfit as one that you'd wear
smart casual informal in style, especially as for a movie or dinner date.
worn to conform to a particular
dress code

not casual, suitable for official or Everyone must wear business attire for meetings at
business/formal attire important occasions clothes our company.

women's shoes with tall, thin A large number of Manhattan women are also
high-heeled shoes heels reportedly trading high-heeled shoes for trainers.

things that can be added to Women’s accessories, such as scarves and purses,
accessories something else in order to make sell especially well, the company said.
it more useful, versatile, or

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attractive

outer coverings for the feet, such They are the timeless sneakers: relaxed footwear that
footwear as shoes, boots, and sandals is effortlessly stylish.

to fit the overall style or another

to match piece of clothing in colour or
Men may be seen dressed in formal, well-matched
suits or sports coats.
other properties

simply designed or decorated Her dress was very plain: a straw bonnet of the best
plain material and shape, decorated with some white
ribbon.

tedious, uninteresting Overall, I find your new dress quite boring.

boring
to dress using a lot of clothes I like her style because her style is never extravagant
dress extravagant and accessories in a wasteful or or offensive.
excessive way

clothing, when it is being sold in Stores selling modern apparel and accessories,
apparel shops however, saw receipts fall 0.9 percent.

appropriate to a girl or young Men aren't afraid to be soft, girly, and foppish.
girly woman

a piece of outerwear for a woman She always wore a grey skirt and a jacket.
skirt or girl that hangs from the waist

to dress in the way that is People follow fashion trends due to various reasons
to follow trend popular among other people, or depending on their lifestyle.
suggested by fashion designers
and magazines

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a set of clothes that are worn She even bought a new outfit for the occasion to help
outfit together, especially for a specific make herself feel good.
occasion or purpose

a fashionable person Moscow hipsters imitate Tarantino’s nerdy, owl-eyed

hipster look.

a close-fitting jumper with a high, I arrived ten minutes later and was scowled at for
polo turnover neck wearing jeans and a polo neck under the stipulated T-
shirt.

displaying good taste, a sense of One science teacher tried to convince me that his suit
stylish style, or the latest fashions was stylish and expensive.

to dress fashionably in a simple There are classic-sharp business shirts and suits.
to dress classic- timeless way
sharp
being of the right shape and size Finally, I found well-fitted jeans in the local store.
well-fitted for someone

with bright colors I bought this because I wanted something brightly-

brightly-colored colored for winter.

dressing in a way that is Because Egypt is a Muslim country, the dress should
conservative outfit traditional and familiar; cautious be conservative and women should not wear
about change revealing clothes.

casual and loose-fitting All boys here are in jeans, sloppy T-shirts and the
sloppy usual expensive trainers.

not tight It is already warm, and I am wearing shorts and a

loose shirt loose shirt.

translucent This shirt's a bit see-through when it's wet, which is

see-through embarrassing.

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3. WORD FORMATION

noun I like almost everything in fashion and I don't limit myself to one style
style only.

adjective She was wearing a stylish modern dress.

stylish

noun A pair of jeans and a shirt would be perfect for this occasion.
pair
verb The dress looked wonderful when paired with a long leather coat.
to pair

noun The boutique assistants will want to give you their full attention, to
fit offer advice on the fit.

adjective The blouse has a fitted bodice.

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

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4. COLLOCATIONS
clean adjective+
dirty clothes
dry
wet
casual
everyday
ordinary

work noun+
school clothes
wedding
winter, summer

put (back) on verb+

remove clothes
change

full-length adjective+
long dress (noun)
short
tight
tight-fitting
loose-fitting
shapeless

zip (up), unzip verb+

hitch up dress
lift

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pull up

complete adjective+
new dress
summer
winter
interview
party
wedding

complete adjective+
new outfit
summer
winter
interview
party

be verb+
look fashionable
become, remain
make stmh
consider stmh

extremely adverb+
highly fashionable
very

designer, elegant adjective+

immaculate, smart, suit
well-cut, best, good

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 5. USEFUL RESOURCES
THIS TOPIC ON IELTS BLOGS ARTICLES
▪ IELTS Speaking Part 1: clothes [ielts-simon.com] IELTS
▪ I am a 28 year old female. How do I dress my age? [quora.com]
Speaking Part 1: Clothes [ieltsliz.com]
▪ How To Dress For Your Age | Appropriate Styles For Men Of
▪ IELTS Clothes & Fashion Vocabulary
Different Ages [realmenrealstyle.com]
[ieltsspeaking.co.uk]
▪ IELTS Cue Card Sample 116 - Describe your favourite VIDEOS
item of clothing [ielts-mentor.com]
▪ Cameron Russel: Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a

PODCASTS model [ted.com]

▪ 12 Phrasal Verbs about CLOTHES: dress up, try on, take off...
▪ The 30 Days Of Discipline Podcast: Dress Your Best
[engVid]
Everyday [30daysofdisciplinejourney.com]
▪ Podcast 77 – What Australians Wear [slowenglish.info]

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