Look at the Part Three response below and the language the candidate has used to express opinions and analyse.
Question: Why do you think some people buy products that they don’t really need?
Answer:
As I see it, people buy goods that are not essential for a number of reasons. The main factor is probably the clever marketing attached to them. I imagine parents, in particular, must be under a great deal of pressure to buy the latest technology such as iPods, mobile phones and games for their children. There is often nothing wrong with the older version at all, but there seems to be a trend in society whereby people feel that they must have the newest or latest version. Advertising doesn’t just give us information about the benefits of a product; a lot of it really tries to convince us that we must have it – it’s very clever really. I also believe that people by nature are very competitive and like to show others that they are successful. We often do this through the possessions we own; you know, so we can show off to others and prove that we are well off because we have the latest gadget, car or technology. From my point of view, a lot of people base their self-image on material things – although of course, on a less serious note, it is a lot of fun playing with the latest piece of technology – especially for men, I think!
Useful language for expressing opinions / analysing:
- As I see it
- The main factor is
- I imagine
- From my point of view