IELTS Speaking Topic Advertisement Part 1 2 3 Vocabulary and Sample Answers

Advertisement has grown into a global industry. It is a trending topic and frequently appears in IELTS Speaking tests. Since it covers a wide range of ideas, you should be well-prepared for related sub-topics to answer confidently when facing various questions.

Common sub-topics for Advertisement include:

• Places where advertisements appear

• Opinions and feelings about ads

• Positive and negative effects of advertisements

• Methods of advertising a product

This article from IDP will guide you in structuring your answers, improving your vocabulary, and practicing with model answers to help you score well in the IELTS Speaking test.

The IELTS Speaking test includes three parts:

Part 1: You will be asked general questions about familiar topics such as friends, family, and hobbies. This part lasts about 4 to 5 minutes.

Part 2: You will be given a cue card asking you to speak about a specific topic, such as describing an event, a person, or an object. The examiner may then ask one or two follow-up questions.

Part 3: You will be asked additional questions related to the Part 2 topic. These questions are more abstract and require extended, analytical answers. This part is often the most challenging, as it demands quick thinking and well-organized ideas.

Question: What kind of advertisements do you watch?

There are many types of advertisements like pop-ups, celebrity endorsement, product placement, and pay-per-click ads. Personally, I enjoy watching commercials the most because they are interesting and provide useful product information.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Celebrity endorsement

• Product placement

• Pay-per-click ads

• Pop-ups

Question: Why do you think there are so many advertisements now?

Mainly because advertisements bring huge benefits to companies. By advertising, businesses can reach potential customers and introduce their products, helping them increase sales and generate profits.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Approach potential customers

• Boost sales

• Make profits

Question: Have you ever bought something because of its advertisement?

I am quite a skeptic, so I tend to doubt the truthfulness of most advertisements. However, I have purchased a product once or twice when someone I admire endorsed it, but only when it was within my budget.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Skeptic

• Sincerity

• Truthfulness

• Endorsing

Describe an advertisement you remember well

Let me talk about a commercial I remember clearly, even though it aired a long time ago. It was a fabric softener advertisement by Unilever called Comfort.

I do not recall exactly where I first saw it, but back then, TV commercials were very popular. I still watch it sometimes on YouTube to show my students how effective advertising works.

What made this ad stand out was its emotional message. While most commercials used humor, Unilever created a touching story about Lily, a loving housewife, and Andy, a famous rock musician. Despite his fame, Andy always cherished the scent of Comfort, which reminded him of home. The company even released a series of similar commercials. As a result, Comfort became a household name. It was a costly but successful marketing strategy.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Commercial

• Aired

• Fabric softener

• Manufacture

• At their height

• Poignant

• Intriguing

• Devoted

• Affection

• Long-lasting freshness

• Convey the idea

• Tactic

Describe your feelings about advertisements

Advertisements often drive me nuts, especially TV commercials. When I am enjoying a TV show, ads interrupt the experience, which can be annoying and ruin my mood.

Interestingly, my niece loves watching ads. Every commercial keeps her in suspense and makes her laugh. This helps her mom a lot—she plays ads to distract her while feeding her, and she ends up eating more.

Of course, it depends on the content. Some ads are inspiring. For example, a Nike commercial featured a powerful message about women: “If they say you are crazy, show them what crazy can do.” On the other hand, I get upset when ads exaggerate product features.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Drive somebody nuts

• Interrupt

• In no mood for something

• Be really into something

• Keep somebody in suspense

• Crack somebody up

• A great benefit to somebody

• Spoon-feed

• Eat like a horse

• Top-notch

• Renowned

• Multinational corporation

• Motivational

• Get mad at something

• Exaggerate

Question: Do people usually buy products after watching advertisements?

Yes, otherwise companies would not invest so much in advertising. Many people make purchases after seeing ads that highlight outstanding features. Celebrity endorsement is also a powerful marketing tactic that helps businesses promote their products.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Outstanding

• Marketing tactic

• Celebrity endorsement

• Enterprise

Question: Are advertisements a good or bad influence on children?

I believe advertisements mostly have negative effects on children. Since ads often target young audiences, kids can be easily influenced. They tend to nag their parents to buy items they see on TV—often junk food—leading to unhealthy habits.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Predominantly

• Manipulate

• Pester somebody for something

Question: Should there be controls on advertising?

Yes, especially for adult products like alcohol. These should not be shown during prime time. TV shows for younger audiences must also avoid product placement of harmful items. Children are impressionable and tend to imitate what they see, so if they watch characters drink or smoke, they may want to try it too.

High-scoring vocabulary:

• Prime time

• Target audience

• Copy the behavior

Types of Advertisements

Advertisement Objectives

Advertising Actions

Advertising Results

Master the Advertisement Topic with IDP

We hope this article helps you apply the right vocabulary for the IELTS Speaking test topic Advertisement. Continue learning and practicing with updated test questions to reach your desired score.

To support your preparation, IDP offers a wide range of learning resources including:

• IELTS events and workshops

• Personalized course recommendations based on your level

• Exclusive preparation materials including tips, videos, and online practice developed by experts at Macquarie University

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