Gifts & Giving Topic
Part 1 Questions
Short, personal questions. Answer directly, then add one extra sentence to extend your answer naturally.
1. Do you enjoy giving gifts?
"I do, though I find choosing them stressful. When I get it right it is very satisfying, but that does not always happen."
2. When did you last receive a gift?
"On my birthday a few months ago. My sister gave me a set of good kitchen knives, which I use constantly."
3. Do people in your country give gifts often?
"Fairly often, though mainly for birthdays, weddings and religious festivals rather than casually throughout the year."
4. Do you prefer giving gifts or receiving them?
"Giving, I think. Watching someone open something they genuinely did not expect is more enjoyable than being the one opening it."
5. Is it easy to choose a gift for someone?
"Not always. It depends how well I know them. For close friends it is straightforward, but for colleagues I usually struggle."
6. Have you ever received a gift you did not like?
"Once or twice. I try to look pleased anyway, since the effort someone has made matters more than the object itself."
Part 2 Cue Card
You get 1 minute to prepare, then speak for up to 2 minutes.
Describe a special gift you received
You should say:
- What the gift was
- Who gave it to you
- When you received it
- And explain why it was special
Full model answer
I would like to talk about a fountain pen my father gave me when I finished university.
It arrived without much ceremony. He handed it over in a small wooden box on the morning of my graduation, said something brief about being proud, and then changed the subject, which is entirely typical of him.
The pen itself is not particularly expensive. It is a plain dark green one, quite old, with a slightly worn cap. What I did not know at the time was that it had belonged to his own father, who had used it for nearly thirty years at the shipping office where he worked. My father had it repaired and cleaned before giving it to me.
I only learned that a few weeks later, from my mother. He had not mentioned it at all, which somehow made it mean considerably more than if he had explained it while handing it over.
I use it for anything I actually care about, such as letters, cards and signing documents. I deliberately do not use it for ordinary note-taking, partly to make it last and partly because using it feels like a small occasion in itself.
What makes it special is not the object but what it represents. It connects three generations of my family through something completely ordinary, which is a man going to work every day and writing things down.
I have thought since about what I will eventually do with it, and I imagine I will pass it on in exactly the same way, with as little explanation as possible.
Part 3 Discussion
Deeper, more abstract questions. Give your opinion and explain your reasoning with an example.
1. Why do people give gifts?
Gifts serve a social function well beyond the object itself. They signal that someone has been thought about, which strengthens a relationship. In many cultures gift-giving also marks important transitions such as weddings or births, and helps make those moments feel genuinely significant.
2. Are expensive gifts better than inexpensive ones?
Not necessarily, and often the opposite is true. A well-chosen inexpensive gift demonstrates that the giver understands the person, whereas an expensive one can occasionally feel like a substitute for that understanding. I would say the effort involved in choosing communicates considerably more than the price does.
3. Has gift-giving changed in recent years?
Considerably. Online shopping has made buying gifts far easier, though arguably more impersonal, since people can now send something without leaving home. Gift vouchers have also become common, which is convenient but removes most of the personal element that made a present meaningful.
4. Should children be given expensive gifts?
I would be cautious about it. Children adapt very quickly to whatever becomes normal, so expensive gifts tend to raise expectations that are difficult to sustain over time. There is also genuine value in learning to want something and having to wait for it.
5. Is it appropriate to give money as a gift?
It depends heavily on the culture and the occasion. In many countries money is entirely normal at weddings and at new year, whereas elsewhere it can seem thoughtless. Context largely determines whether it reads as generous or simply lazy.
6. Why do some people find it difficult to accept gifts?
Some people feel uncomfortable being in someone's debt, even socially, and a gift creates a quiet obligation to reciprocate. Others simply dislike attention. I think modesty plays a part too, particularly in cultures where drawing attention to yourself is actively discouraged.
Useful vocabulary for this topic
Ready to practice "Gifts & Giving" out loud?
Book a free trial and get live feedback on your fluency, grammar, and pronunciation from a real tutor.