Going Shopping in English - Spoken English for Travel

Summary

This lesson teaches essential English for shopping, covering key phrases for asking about products, prices, discounts, and deliveries. It includes practical dialogues on finding sizes, discussing deals, arranging delivery, and returning items. Viewers learn how to ask questions like ‘How much is this?’ and understand terms like ‘sold out’, ‘in stock’, and ‘get in’. The video also explains conversational number formats and provides tips for navigating the shopping experience in English-speaking countries. Aimed at helping learners use English confidently in retail settings, it also offers practice scenarios for better understanding.

Takeaways

• 😀 Learn how to ask for items, discuss prices, and talk about discounts when shopping in English.
• 😀 Understand how to inquire about product sizes and availability, using questions like 'Do you have it in a medium?' or 'Do you have this top in green?'
• 😀 'Sold out' means a product is no longer available, while 'in stock' means it’s available for purchase.
• 😀 Learn how to talk about product delivery services, including asking if a store offers delivery or arranging a delivery time.
• 😀 Discover how to ask for product prices using phrases like 'How much is this?' or 'Can you tell me how much this costs?'
• 😀 Practice understanding prices when they’re spoken in a conversational way, like 'Two nine nine ninety-nine' instead of 'two hundred ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents.'
• 😀 Understand key vocabulary like 'slot' in relation to delivery times, meaning a specific time window for a service.
• 😀 Learn how to deal with returns, exchanges, and refunds, with examples like 'I’d like to return these jeans' or 'Can I get a refund?'
• 😀 Discover how to use a loyalty card for discounts and when it can’t be used with other offers.
• 😀 Understand how to resolve problems with purchases, such as receiving an item that doesn’t fit or isn’t liked, and the options for exchanging or returning it.
• 😀 Gain practical phrases to use when shopping, from asking about delivery to seeking a refund or exchange, enhancing your shopping experience in English.

Q & A

What does the phrase 'sold out' mean in the context of shopping?

'Sold out' means that all of the product has been sold, and there are no more available in the store.

How can you ask for a different size of an item in a store?

You can ask, 'Do you have this in a medium?' or 'Do you have this in a smaller size?' You could also use 'I’m looking for...' to describe what you want.

What does 'get in' mean in the context of shopping?

'Get in' is a phrasal verb that refers to having a product delivered to the store, such as 'We’re getting more sizes in next Monday.'

What does 'in stock' mean?

'In stock' means that the product is available for purchase at the store. The opposite is 'out of stock.'

How can you ask about the price of something in a store?

You can ask, 'How much is this?' or 'How much are these shoes?' For a more formal approach, you can say, 'Can you tell me how much this is?'

Why do some stores break up numbers like 'two nine nine ninety-nine' when stating prices?

In spoken English, people often break large numbers into smaller parts for clarity, especially when the number is between 100 and 1000. For example, 'two nine nine ninety-nine' for 299.99.

How can you arrange for a delivery when shopping in a store?

You can ask, 'Can I have this delivered?' or 'Do you offer a delivery service?' You might also inquire about the delivery schedule, such as 'Do you deliver at weekends?'

What is a 'delivery slot'?

A 'delivery slot' refers to a specific time period when a delivery will occur. For example, a delivery slot could be from 10 AM to 4 PM.

What should you do if you want to return an item to a store?

You should ask for the receipt and explain the reason for your return, such as, 'I bought these jeans last week, and I’d like to return them.' Depending on the store, you might be able to exchange the item or get a refund.

Can you use a loyalty card discount in combination with other offers?

Usually, loyalty card discounts cannot be combined with other offers, such as 'buy one get one free.'