Useful
phrases a shop assistant says
“Can I help you?”
“Are you looking for anything in particular?”
“Do you need any help at all?”
“We don’t have any of these left in stock.” ( = There is no more of something.)
Useful
phrases a customer says
“I’m looking for …”
“I’d like to buy…”
Indicating a piece of clothing
“Do you have this in …”
– medium / large / small / extra large / XL
– blue / black / beige (other colours etc)
Talking
about the price
Clothes
shops have “sales” when some or all the clothes are discounted.
“Is this in the sales?”
“Is this on sale?”
“There’s a discount of 20% on
this.”
“These jeans are discounted by 20%.”
“It’s a bargain.” (= the low price
is a surprise)
“It’s cheap.” (= doesn’t cost much money)
“It’s expensive.” (= costs a lot of money.)
Trying
something on
When you go clothes shopping, you
probably want to try something on before you buy it so you know it’s the right
size or that it looks good on you!
“I’d like to try this on please.
Where are the changing rooms?”
“Can I try this on?”
Example shopping conversation
Can I try this on?
Sure. The changing rooms are over there…
… (later)
Any good?
No, not really. (It’s the wrong size / It doesn’t really suit me.)
Or, “Yes, I’ll take it.”
Paying
“Where I can pay?”
“The cash tills are over there.”
Other
shopping vocabulary
to suit = to be in your style, or
to compliment your body shape or skin / hair colour
“That dress really suits you!”
to fit = to be the right size
“These jeans don’t fit very well.”
Clothes can
be…
… too big (size
“Large” when you are size “Small”)
… too small (small
size when you are large size)
… too tight (waist
measurement 34 when you are waist 38)
… too loose (waist
measurement 38 when you are waist 34)
… too long (jeans
leg measurement 34 when your leg measurement is 32)
… too short (jeans
leg measurement 32 when your leg measurement is 34)
to go well with / to match = to
look good with your other clothes
“This jumper goes well with my trousers.”
“This colour jumper matches your new trousers.”
Here are some common phrasal
verbs for shopping which you’ll need to know:
pay for something = buy
something
look for something = want to
find something
bring something back =
return it to the shop
try something on = check if
something fits
go with = when something
looks good with another thing
take something in = make
something smaller
take something up = make
something shorter
think about = not decide
immediately
cut back (on) = reduce
Exercises
1.When you can't find something in a shop, you can ask the shop
assistant: ''Excuse me! I'm looking ____________(name of thing).''
2.You like something (clothes) but want to make sure it's the
right size. You say: ''Can I try this / these _________________please?''
3.You want a new shirt for your jeans. You aren't sure if the
shirt is the right colour for the jeans and you ask your friend: ''Does this
shirt go ______________ my jeans?''
4.You're buying something for a friend, but you don't know if your
friend will like it. You say: ''Can I bring it _________________ if it doesn't
fit?''
5.The jeans you like are too long. The shop assistant says: ''You
can take them _________________ .''
6.You like a shirt, but it's too big. You say: ''Do you think I
can take this _______________ ?"
7.The sales assistant wants you to buy something and tells you to
hurry, because the price will go ________________ soon.
8.You aren't sure if you should buy something, so you say to the
sales assistant: ''I'll think ________________ it.''
9.You decide to buy something. You ask: ''Where can I pay ________________
it?''
10.You've spent all your money. You say to yourself, ''I have to
cut _________________ on my spending!''
