APIEIELTS Speaking: Money and Spending
Money and spending
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
Module 1: Build Up Your Words and Ideas
Learn useful words about money, see real spending habits, and practice simple speaking patterns.
How to use this lesson
• Use this lesson to build speaking fluency about money in 25 minutes.
• Listen to student recordings and review their AI feedback together.
• First, complete the vocabulary and fun facts in Module 1 to warm up.
• Next, record your answers for Part 1 and Part 2 in Module 2.
4 Everyday Sentence Patterns for Money
Use these simple shapes when you speak. Click any sentence to hear it aloud.
"I'm going to save five pounds a week."
🔊 Listen"I'll just buy this sandwich with cash."
🔊 Listen"I usually spend my allowance on books."
🔊 Listen"It's hard for me to afford a new laptop right now."
🔊 ListenVocabulary Check (5 Questions)
Choose the best word to complete each everyday sentence.
1. My parents give me a weekly _________ of twenty dollars to buy snacks and school supplies.
2. Before the new semester starts, I always set up a monthly _________ to track what I spend.
3. That new flagship smartphone is over £900, so as a student I really cannot _________ it.
4. I bought this leather jacket on sale for only twenty pounds. It was a genuine _________!
5. The local street food vendor doesn't take bank cards, so make sure you bring some physical _________.
Collocations Matching (6 Pairs)
Match each common money phrase with its everyday English definition.
Meaning Reference Key:
Guess-the-Number Fun Facts!
Discover what happened in a famous MIT experiment on credit cards versus physical cash.
The Famous MIT Experiment (Prelec & Simester, 2001)
In this MIT experiment, students made bids. Some were told they would pay by credit card and some were told they would pay in cash.
Credit Card Bids vs Cash
How many times as much did the students who would pay by credit card bid as the cash group?
Study Setup
What fraction of the students were told they would pay in cash?
Module 2: IELTS Speaking Practice
Answer the questions, record your voice, and check natural model answers.
Everyday Money Questions
Speak naturally for 15-20 seconds per question. Aim for 2-3 direct sentences with everyday conversational phrases.
Do you like shopping?
Your Voice Answer:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
"Well, to be honest, I really enjoy browsing for clothes, though I don't buy things often. When I see a good bargain, it feels great, but I try to stick to a budget so I don't overspend."
Useful Speaking Notes:
• browsing for clothes: looking around without buying immediately.
• a good bargain: an item at an especially low or discounted price.
• stick to a budget: spend only what you planned beforehand.
Do you save money?
Your Voice Answer:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
"Yes, definitely. You know, I usually put aside some cash every month from my part-time job. I'm actually trying to cut down on takeout food so that I can save up for a brand-new laptop."
Useful Speaking Notes:
• put aside some cash: store away money for the future.
• cut down on: reduce how much you consume or spend.
• save up for: collect money over time to buy a particular target item.
Do you shop online?
Your Voice Answer:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
"Well, almost all the time! You know, it's just super convenient to order things online and compare prices. Plus, I can often get a great discount or voucher codes that save me quite a bit of money."
Useful Speaking Notes:
• order things online: buy products via internet apps or websites.
• compare prices: check different sellers to find the best deal.
• get a great discount: receive a reduced price on an item.
Who do you go shopping with?
Your Voice Answer:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
"To be honest, I usually go with my closest friend. We love to check out local shops together on weekends. She's great at hunting for deals, so she always stops me from making an impulse buy."
Useful Speaking Notes:
• check out local shops: visit neighborhood physical stores.
• hunting for deals: actively searching out special offers or low prices.
• an impulse buy: purchasing something spontaneously without thinking.
Long Turn (Cue Card)
Read the cue card below. Take 1 minute to plan your ideas, then speak for 60 to 90 seconds.
Describe something you bought
You should say:
- what it was
- where you bought it
- how much it cost
- and explain why you bought it.
Quick tip: Jot down 3 or 4 keywords before pressing record: item name, store, price estimate, and the main reason you needed it.
Record Your 60-90 Second Answer:
[Bài tập luyện nói]
"Well, I'd like to talk about a pair of wireless headphones that I bought about three months ago. At the time, my old earphones stopped working, and I really needed a new pair for studying in the campus library and listening to podcasts while commuting.
I decided to purchase them at a local electronics store near my apartment. The original price tag was around seventy pounds, which was a bit steep for me. Luckily, the shop was running an end-of-season clearance, so I managed to pick them up for a bargain at fifty pounds.
To be honest, it was definitely worth every penny. They have excellent battery life, and they completely block out noisy backgrounds. Buying them helped me stay focused on my studies, and because I had set money aside beforehand, I didn't break the bank to get them."
Useful Expressions Breakdown:
• pick them up for a bargain: bought the item at a very attractive, discounted price.
• worth every penny: completely worth the cost because of its high usefulness.
• set money aside: saved a little bit of money intentionally in advance.
• break the bank: spend more cash than one can reasonably afford.
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