Everyday Dialogues

Going to the
Supermarket
In this lesson, you will learn English words and expressions
to use when grocery shopping. You’ll learn words for the
main sections in a supermarket and the different products
that are available. After this lesson, you will find it easier
to grocery shop in an English-speaking country.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. Do you like grocery shopping? Why or why not?

2. W
 hat is your favourite supermarket?
What do you like about it?

3. N
 ame one product that is always
difficult to find in a supermarket.

B. Vocabulary Preview

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

1. groceries a) soap that you use to wash your hair

2. dairy b) a long lane that you walk down in a store
3. shampoo c) the place where you buy freshly sliced meat
4. beauty supplies d) milk products, such as cheese and yogurt
5. aisle e) a place where you buy baked goods, such as bread and muffins
6. produce f) soap for washing clothing
7. ground beef g) fresh fruits and vegetables
8. deli h) items that you use to take care of your appearance, such as makeup
9. bakery i) products that you buy at a supermarket (mainly food items)
10. laundry detergent j) meat from a cow that is ground up (used to make hamburgers)

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 Going to the Supermarket
Everyday Dialogues

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

Customer: Excuse me. Where can I find the butter?

Clerk: It’s in the dairy section at the back of the store. I can show you.

Customer: That’s okay. I can find it myself now.

Clerk: Is there anything else you’re looking for today?

Customer: Can you also tell me where to find the shampoo?

Clerk: Sure. It’s with the health and beauty supplies in aisle 4.

Customer: Thanks a lot.

Clerk: You’re welcome. Have a good day.

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 Going to the Supermarket
Everyday Dialogues

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

1. Where can I find the butter? 4. That’s okay. I can find it myself now.

• Where are the potatoes? • That’s all right. I’ll find it.
• Can you point me toward the ground beef?
• Do you carry muffins? 5. Is there anything else you’re looking for today?
• Where would the sliced ham be?
• Can I help you find anything else?
• Can you direct me to the frozen peas?
• Do you need anything else?

2. It’s in the dairy section at the back of the store.

6. Can you also tell me
• They’re in the produce section where to find the shampoo?
against the far wall.
• Where is the laundry detergent?
• It’s in the meat department
• Where can I find toilet paper?
on the opposite wall.
• They’re in the bakery at the front of the store.
7. I t’s with the health and
• It’s in the deli near the front entrance.
beauty supplies in aisle 4.
• They’re in the frozen food
section in the middle aisle. • It’s with the household and cleaning products.
• It’s with the paper products.
3. I can show you.
8. You’re welcome. Have a good day.
• I’ll show you.
• I can take you there. • Sure. Enjoy your day.
• No problem.

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 Going to the Supermarket
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?

Customer:             me. Where can I find the             ?

Clerk: It’s in the             section at the back of the store. I can show you.

Customer: That’s okay. I can find it             now.

Clerk: Is there             you’re looking for today?

Customer: Can you also tell me where to find the             ?

Clerk: Sure. It’s with the health and                in           4.

Customer: Thanks a lot.

Clerk: You’re             . Have a good day.

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 Going to the Supermarket
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

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

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 Going to the Supermarket
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 two grocery items does the customer need to find?

2. What two sections does the clerk send the customer to?

3. What does the grocery clerk offer to do?

4. How does the customer respond to the clerk’s offer?

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 Going to the Supermarket
Everyday Dialogues

Review cont.
Task 2
Example:
SHOPPING LIST Q: Where can I find
the tomato sauce?
Work with your partner. Take turns being a grocer and a shopper. A: The tomato sauce is in the
Add several items to each section of the grocery store Canned Goods section.
as you practise asking for the location of items.

1. Produce 2. Dairy 3. Meat 4. Fish

5. Poultry 6. Deli 7. Bakery 8. Frozen Foods

9. Canned Goods 10. Health & 11. Household 12. Paper Products

Beauty Supplies Cleaning Products
• tomato sauce

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 Going to the Supermarket
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Low Int

In this lesson, a customer asks a clerk for help in finding
some items at a supermarket. Students learn vocabulary
and expressions to use when grocery shopping.
TIME: 1.5 hours
TAGS:  everyday dialogues, supermarket, grocery store,
shopping, groceries, food, products, grocer

Pre-Reading Review (Assessment Tasks)

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS TASK 1

Discuss as a class or in small groups. Answers will vary. Play the audio from this lesson. Then assign the questions. You
can decide if you want your students to say or write the answers.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
1. T he customer needs to find butter and shampoo.
1. i 3. a 5. b 7. j 9. e 2. T he clerk directs the customer to the dairy
2. d 4. h 6. g 8. c 10. f section and the health and beauty section.
3. T he clerk offers to show the

Dialogue Reading customer where the dairy section is.

4. T he customer declines the offer

Give your students time to read the dialogue in pairs. but asks where to find another item.

Practice TASK 2

Answers will vary. You can assess two students

Have your students read the dialogue again and at time while they complete this activity.
practise subbing in some of the different expressions.

SPELLING NOTE:
Listening Practice
Note that Towards is an acceptable
variation of Toward in Canadian English.
Have students complete the dialogue by listening
to the recording or by having two students read
the completed dialogue from page 2.

Vocabulary Building

Individual answers.

Write Your Own Dialogue

Encourage your students to use vocabulary from the model.

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 Going to the Supermarket
Everyday Dialogues

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