# Describe a shop you like to visit: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Places

Describe a shop you like to visit.

You should say:
- where the shop is
- what it sells
- how often you go there
- and explain why you like visiting it

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

The shop I'd like to describe is a small second-hand bookshop in the old part of my city. It's on a quiet side street, just behind the main market, so a lot of people walk past without even noticing it.

As I said, it sells used books, mostly novels, but also history books, old magazines and some textbooks for students. The books are not organised very well, to be honest. There are shelves from the floor to the ceiling, and there are also piles of books on the floor, so sometimes you have to move several of them just to see what's underneath. The owner is an older man who has run the shop for more than twenty years, and he seems to know exactly where every book is, even though it looks like a mess.

I usually go there about once or twice a month, normally on a Saturday afternoon. I don't always buy something, but I like to spend an hour or so looking around. When I do buy books, they're really cheap, much more cheaper than in the big bookshops in the shopping mall.

There are a few reasons I like it. One is the atmosphere. It's quiet and it has that special smell of old paper, which I find very relaxing. Another reason is that you never know what you'll find. Last year I have found an old copy of my favourite novel with a handwritten message inside, and I still wonder who wrote it. And also I like chatting with the owner, because he always recommends books I would never choose myself.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer is well developed and personal, with a nice detail about the handwritten message. Vocabulary is good ("side street", "piles of books", "looks like a mess"), and the speaker uses relative clauses accurately and the present perfect correctly in "has run the shop for more than twenty years". There are two noticeable errors, the double comparative "much more cheaper" (rather than "much cheaper") and the present perfect with a finished time in "Last year I have found" (rather than "Last year I found"), and the reasons are introduced with predictable list markers ("One is", "Another reason", "And also"). For Band 8, the speaker would need more precise and idiomatic description of the atmosphere and smoother linking.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-shop-you-like).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.