Everyday Dialogues

Going Shopping
In this lesson, you will learn some useful vocabulary
and expressions to use when you go shopping for
clothes. You will also learn how to describe clothing.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. Where do you shop for clothing?

2. D
 o you usually try clothing on
before you buy it? Why or why not?

3. How do you usually pay for purchases at a shop?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. department a) a card that allows you to pay with your bank account funds
2. on sale b) the private area where you try on clothing
3. sweater c) offered at a lower price for a limited time
4. dressing room d) a thick, long-sleeved shirt, often made of wool
5. rack e) something that clothes hang from or sit on in a store
6. debit card f) a section that sells specific items
7. account g) the financial record for a particular person or organization
8. temporary h) a reduced price
9. discount i) for a short or limited amount of time
10. bargain j) a really good deal or offer

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns
being each character. Practice your intonation and pronunciation.
Circle any new words or phrases that you need to practice.

Clerk: Can I help you?

Customer: I’m just looking right now, thank you.

Everything in this department is on sale today.

Clerk:
If I can be of any help, just let me know.

(ten minutes later)

Customer:
Can I try this sweater on, please?

Certainly. The dressing rooms are over there.

Clerk: (a few minutes later)
How was it?

Customer: It’s a little bit too big. Do you have a smaller size?

Clerk: Did you check the rack?

Customer: Yes, but there weren’t any.

I’ll have a look in the back. I’ll be back in a minute.

Clerk: (a few minutes later)
Yes. We have one.

Customer: Great. I’ll take it.

Clerk: How would you like to pay for that?

Customer: Do you take debit cards?

Yes, of course. But if you would like to open an account

Clerk:
with us today, you’ll receive 10% off your first purchase.

Customer: Okay. That sounds good.

Just fill out this form and I’ll give you a temporary card today.
Clerk: Your actual card will be mailed in about two weeks. With the sale
and the extra 10% discount, your purchase comes to $49.99, including tax.

Customer: What a bargain! Thank you.

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on page 2,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. Can I help you? 7. The dressing rooms 13. I ’ll be back in a minute.
are over there.
• May I help you? • I’ll be right back.
• The fitting rooms • It’ll just be a moment.
2. I’m just looking right now. are right here.
• The change rooms 14. How would you
• I’m just browsing.
are at the back. like to pay for that?

3. E
 verything in this • How do you want
8. H
 ow was it? /
department is on sale today. to pay for that?
How were they?
• How will you be paying?
• All the sweaters
• How did it/they fit?
are on sale today.
• How did you like it/them? 15. Do you take debit cards?
• Everything in the store
is 25% off today. • Do you accept VISA?
9. It’s a little too big.
• Can I pay with MasterCard?
4. I f I can be of any help, • It’s a bit too loose. • Do you take
just let me know. • It’s a touch too long. American Express?
• It’s a little too small. • Can you take
• If you need anything,
• It’s a little too tight. personal checks?
just give me a shout.
• It’s a bit too short.
• I don’t like the color. 16. Yes, of course.
5. C
 an I try this
• I don’t like the style.
sweater on, please? • Yes, certainly.

• I’d like to try this 10. Do you have a smaller size?
17. That sounds good.
sweater on, please.
• Do you have a bigger size?
• That sounds great.
• Do you have
 an I try this sweater
6. C • Sounds good.
any other colors?
on, please?
• Do you have
18. Just fill out this form...
• this blouse any other styles?
• this dress • Does it come • Just complete
• this suit in other colors? this application...
• this jacket
• this shirt 11. Did you check the rack? 19. What a bargain!
• these shoes
• Did you look on the shelf? • What a good deal!
• these boots
• these pajamas
12. I ’ll have a look in the back.
• these shorts
• I’ll check the storage room.

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice
Listen to the recording of the dialogue from page 2. Fill in the missing
words as you listen. Listen again. Now look back at page 2 and check your
work. Did you fill in the correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Clerk: Can I help you?

Customer: I’m             right now, thank you.

Everything in this             is on sale today.

Clerk:
If I can be of any help, just let me know.

(ten minutes later)

Customer:
Can I try this             on, please?

Certainly. The             rooms are over there.

Clerk: (a few minutes later)
How was it?

Customer: It’s a little bit             . Do you have a smaller size?

Clerk: Did you check the rack?

Customer: Yes, but there weren’t any.

I’ll             in the back. I’ll be back in a minute.

Clerk: (a few minutes later)
Yes. We have one.

Customer: Great. I’ll take it.

Clerk:             would you like to pay for that?

Customer: Do you take             cards?

Yes, of course. But if you would like to open an account

Clerk:
with us today, you’ll receive             your first purchase.

Customer: Okay. That sounds good.

Just fill out this form and I’ll give you a             card today.
Clerk: Your actual card will be mailed in about two weeks. With the sale
and the extra 10%             , your purchase comes to $49.99, including tax.

Customer: What a             ! Thank you.

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Vocabulary Review
Circle the word or expression in each group
that does not belong, and explain why.

1. a) shoes 5. a) bathrobe 9. a) tailor

b) sweater b) pajamas b) clerk
c) slippers c) vest c) dressmaker
d) sandals d) nightgown d) seamstress

2. a) big 6. a) cardigan 10. a) vest

b) small b) blouse b) tie
c) long c) turtleneck c) boots
d) shorts d) pullover d) sports jacket

3. a) blouse 7. a) belt
b) skirt b) bra
c) shirt c) slip
d) sweater d) panties

4. a) belt 8. a) socks
b) purse b) scarf
c) coat c) stockings
d) earrings d) panty hose

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

Write a dialogue with a partner using phrases from page 3.
One of you will be a clerk and one of you will be a customer.
Practice and present the dialogue to your class.

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Review

Task 1

LISTEN & ANSWER

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

Your teacher will tell you if you have to write or say the answers.

1. What does the customer want to try on?

2. How does the item fit?

3. What does the salesclerk do to help the customer?

4. What special offer does the salesclerk tell the customer about?

5. How does the customer feel about the final price?

Task 2

ROLE-PLAY

Work with a partner. Pretend that you are at a clothing store. Choose an
item of clothing to shop for. Decide who will be the salesclerk and who will
be the customer. Role-play a shopping scenario in front of your teacher.

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Low Int

In this lesson, a customer talks to a clerk at a clothing store.
Students learn useful vocabulary related to clothing and
purchasing, and they practice writing their own dialogues.
TIME: 1.5 hours
TAGS:  everyday dialogues, clothing, fashion, styles,
try on, shopping, shop, store, purchase, buy

Pre-Reading Vocabulary Review

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS 1. b – The other three are worn on one’s feet.

2. d – The other three are adjectives.
Discuss as a class or in small groups. Answers will vary.
3. b – The other three are worn on the top half of one’s body.
4. c – The other three are accessories.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
5. c – The other three are worn to sleep.
1. f 3. d 5. e 7. g 9. h 6. b – The other three are types of sweaters.
2. c 4. b 6. a 8. i 10. j 7. a – The other three are worn underneath clothing.
8. b – The other three go over one’s feet and/or legs.

Dialogue Reading 9. b – The other three create/alter clothing.

10. c – The other three are worn on the top half of one’s body.

Give your students time to read the dialogue in pairs.

Write Your Own Dialogue
Practice
Encourage your students to use vocabulary from the model.

Have your students read the dialogue again and

(continued on the next page...)
practice subbing in some of the different expressions.

Listening Practice

Have students complete the dialogue by listening

to the recording or by having two students read
the completed dialogue from page 2.

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 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Review (Assessment Tasks) SPELLING NOTES:

This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Color,

The following tasks can be used for assessment purposes Checks, Pajamas, Panty hose, and Practice. Most other English-
and/or review practice. You can save all of the tasks until speaking countries spell these words this way: Colour, Cheques,
the end or assess your students throughout the lesson. Pyjamas, Pantyhose, and Practise (when used as a verb; Practice

TASK 1 when used as a noun). Make it a challenge for your students

to find these words in the lesson and see if they know the
Play the recording of the dialogue from this lesson again. alternate spellings.
Give students a short amount of time to write or tell
you the answers to the questions.

1. The customer wants to try on a sweater.

2. The item is too big.
3. T he salesclerk finds a smaller size in the back.
4. Everything in the department is already on sale,
but the salesclerk offers an additional 10% discount
if the customer signs up for a store account.
5. T he customer thinks the final price is a bargain (good deal).

TASK 2

Ask two students at a time to role-play a shopping scenario.

Here are some things to watch for:

• use of greetings
• use of appropriate polite expressions
• use of vocabulary from the lesson
• proper question formation

Copyright 2016, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 2) 9
 Going Shopping
Everyday Dialogues

Copyright 2016, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( LO W I N T / V E R S I O N 4 . 2) 10