IELTS Speaking Part 1 Perfume: Study the sample answers to the questions about perfume below. Learn what collocations and topic vocabulary words you can use when talking about perfume, cologne, or fragrances. Get ideas on this post and achieve band 9.0 in speaking!
PART 1
PERFUME
Do you use perfume?
(Answer 1)
Definitely not! I have perfume intolerance, my nose is very sensitive to fragrances every time I smell some perfume, especially if it’s a strong one, I get headaches and a runny and stuffy nose.
(Answer 2)
I love wearing perfume – my day is not complete if I cannot dab perfume on my wrists, behind my ear, and inside my elbow. And I don’t put on a strong one that drives people away, I wear a faint one.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Perfume intolerance [noun] – another term for perfume allergy; a condition in which people exhibit allergic reactions to some ingredients of perfume
Sensitive [adj.] – being reactive to stimuli
Fragrances [noun] – perfume; scent
Strong (perfume) [adj.] – to have a disturbing smell; strong-smelling
Runny nose [noun] – have an excess nasal drainage
Stuffy nose [noun] – the presence of excess secretions and mucus in the nasal passages
Dab on [phrasal verb] – to put some perfume with quick light touches
Drive away [phrasal verb] – stay away
Faint (perfume) [adj.] – opposite of strong; light
i.) FIRST ANSWER: The speaker gave a negative answer straightly and explained his reason clearly. He used some topic vocabulary words that relate to the topic of perfume. Brief answer but equipped with the right vocabulary words.
ii.) SECOND ANSWER: The speaker gave a positive answer but not in the way of saying YES instead, he used the expression ‘I love’ which means the same as YES. To make his answer a bit longer, he added details on which body parts did he apply perfume. Take note of some topic vocabulary words that he used when talking about perfume. It shows how wide his vocabulary knowledge is!
What kind of perfume do you like?
(Answer 1)
As I said I don’t use any perfume because of my allergy. So as much as possible, I stay away from fragrances. To be honest, it’s a struggle for me since some people who wear perfume and who don’t know my allergy would think that I’m rude because I cover my nose when they come near me.
(Answer 2)
There’s only one perfume that I’m crazy about and that’s oceanic perfume. The scent is a mix of synthetic compounds that evoke natural aromas of ocean spray, mountain air, or clean linen. I loved it because it smells fresh and to tell you honestly it’s one of the top-selling fragrances in the world.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Stay away [phrasal verb] – to not go near; avoid
Crazy about [idiom] – to be very interested
Synthetic compounds [noun] – a substance that is man-made rather than being produced by nature
TIPS
i.) FIRST ANSWER: The speaker reiterated his thought about not using perfume. Use the expressions: As I’ve said, Like I’ve said, As I’ve said a while ago, As I’ve mentioned earlier…’ when repeating what you’ve previously said to sound very natural. Right after that, add new ideas to your answer to be able to speak a bit more.
i.) SECOND ANSWER: The speaker expressed his love of perfume by explaining his favorite in a detailed way. He flaunted his English skills by using some topic vocabulary related to perfume. You should use some topic vocabulary words to get a better mark in Lexical Resource.
Several types of perfume:
For Men & Women
Citrus/Fresh Scent
Floral
Fruity
Oriental
Woody
Would you pay a lot for perfume?
(This is only asked if your answer to the previous question is YES.)
(Answer 1)
No, I wouldn’t. I don’t want to spend a fortune on just perfume. Well, I use an affordable fragrance and so far I can’t complain. I’d rather spend a lot on my needs and not my wants.
(Answer 2)
This may sound crazy for some but yes I would. I use some niche perfumes and I couldn’t be happier. For me, it’s a personal investment – dabbing a smidge of perfume makes me smell good and this gives a good impression to people. I don’t want to sound like a braggart but mine is an expensive perfume for ladies.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Spend a fortune [expression] – to spend a lot
Niche perfumes [noun] – refers to perfumes that are available in limited quantity; it has an exclusive and original scent that is very different from what common people wear [Note: Designer perfume or mainstream scent is the opposite of niche perfume]
Couldn’t be happier [idiom] – to be very happy
Dab or dab on [verb] [phrasal verb] – to put on a substance like perfume with light quick touches
Smidge (of) [noun] – a very small amount
Braggart [noun] – a person who proudly talks a lot about himself or herself and his or her possessions or achievements
TIPS
i.) FIRST ANSWER: The speaker just gave a straight negative answer to the question and simply gave his reason as to why he wouldn’t want to spend a lot. Brief answer and it’s on point!
ii.) SECOND ANSWER: The speaker started her answer in a very natural way by saying that people would think she’s crazy for spending a lot. Then supported her argument with a very good explanation and she used some advanced words in her answer. She ended her answer by reiterating that her perfume was expensive.
Do you give perfume as a gift?
Not at all because I’m afraid that when I give it as a present to someone, he may not like the smell and will not use it. So it’s just a waste of money unless the person asks me to buy him a specific perfume, I would surely gift him one.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Waste of money [expression] – bad use of money
Unless [conjunction] – except if
Gift [used as a verb in the answer] – give something as a gift
i.) When expressing a negative answer, you can use expressions like: Not at all; Definitely not; Absolutely not, instead of just saying NO. Always make sure to give a reason why you say this and that to express your answer longer.
Have you received perfume as a gift?
No, not even once and I don’t want to receive one because I only like one kind of perfume. I only wear one sophisticated perfume that I buy personally from a certain shop. And I don’t want other people to know the kind of perfume I use.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Not even once [expression] – used to emphasize that something has never happened
One kind of [expression] – another way to say one type of
TIP
i.) Simply, the speaker provided his personal reasoning about why he didn’t want to receive perfume as a gift. His answer’s short but a very straightforward answer. Take note, you don’t necessarily use advanced vocabulary in every answer, you have to focus on spontaneity when answering questions as it is really important.
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And that’s all about IELTS Speaking Part 1 Perfume recent topic! This is one of the latest topics in IELTS, make sure you use the right collocations or words when talking about perfume. Ace your exam!
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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