The question
How frequently do you buy shoes?
Where do you usually buy shoes?
What is your favorite type of shoes?
Why do some people have too many shoes?
Have you ever bought shoes online?
Do you like wearing comfortable shoes or good-looking ones?
Are people willing to buy expensive shoes?
When was the last time you purchased new shoes?
How to answer it
Eight questions, most of them one-liners, and two that carry the set. "Comfortable or good-looking" is a direct comparison and wants comparative grammar plus a concession — you can admit you have bought something that hurt because it looked right. "Why do some people have too many shoes" is the only question about other people, so it is where the examiner hears whether you can speculate rather than report. Everything else should stay short and specific.
What moves the band
- Name the shoes. Trainers, boots, sandals, something you can walk all day in — the category noun is worth more than "shoes".
- For the last question, an exact answer sounds fluent and takes no thought: about a month ago, and only because the old ones fell apart.
These are candidate recalls. These are questions reported by test-takers after their exams, not official or leaked IELTS material. Wording varies by test version, location and memory. Use them for timed practice — never as a prediction of what you will be asked.
Practise these next
Know the number. Now move it.
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