Lesson 4.2.3. Speech etiquette in a shop

At the clothes shop

Ex 1. Hannah and Daniel are clothes shopping. Listen to their conversations. Which clothes do they choose? Tick (✔) the correct picture for each conversation.

Conversation 1 A B C

 

Conversation 2 A B C

Conversation 3 A B C

Conversation 4 A B C

 

 

Conversation 5 A B C

Conversation 6 A B C

Conversation 7 A B C

Conversation 8 A B C

 

Ex 2. Listen to the recording again and complete these sentences using words from the dialogues.

1. He doesn’t like the.......fur........ collar.

2. He’d prefer a single-......................... jacket.

3. Halterneck tops don’t................... her.

4. He likes the bead................... on the front.

5. These jeans are too...................; he’s after some baggy ones.

6. Not..................., just baggy. You know,................... -fitting.

7. She doesn’t want shoes with high..................

8. The chunky-knit jumper makes her.......................................

9. She doesn’t want a track suit with stars or stripes on it, she wants a completely................... one.

10. He’s going to buy his mother a................... hat and gloves.

11. He’d rather have a................... top than a blouson jacket.

12. He likes the one with the eagle...................on the front.

Ex 3. Fill each gap with a word or phrase given below: fit,smartly,accessories,rinse,size,dressed,wearing,go with,suit,sportswear,try on,clothes

1. I’ve put on so much weight my clothes don’t fit me any more.

2. I never wear red, it just doesn’t …..me.

3. You’ve got a new jacket, you just need a pair of trousers to…… ….. it.

4. A: I’d like to…. ….. this dress, please.

B: Sure. There’s a fitting room over there.

5. I like this top, but it’s too small. Have you got it in a bigger …?

6. You can’t go out ….. like that, you’ll catch a cold. Go and put a pullover on.

7. What are you …. to the party tonight?

8. A: Do you sell silk scarves?

B: Yes. You want WOMEN’S….. on the 2nd floor.

9. INSTRUCTIONS: Take care of your swimsuit: ……..thoroughly in cold water immediately after use.

10. Casual ……. are OK for a party, but this is a wedding so you will have to dress…..

11. A: I’d like to buy some new trainers.

B: OK. I know a good …….. shop in West Street.

Ex 4. Underline the odd one out in each group. Explain why the word is different.

e.g. They are only worn indoors.

1. sandals trainers slippers boots

2. suede leather shiny wool

3. jeans trousers leggings tights

4. gloves skirt earrings belt

5. striped frilly checked spotted

6. x-large reduced medium small

Writting

Ex 5. Write a description of another model on the catwalk.

Grammar: Making Comparisons

Ex 6. Complete the table, then say how we form the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives.

	Comparative	Superlative
big		the biggest
short		the shortest
beautiful		the most beautiful
large		the largest
expensive	more expensive
long
bad	worse
good		the best
little		the least

Ex 7. In pairs, use the following expressions to compare the things in the pictures, as in the example.

much cheaper, the most expensive, less expensive, not as nice as, longer than, the shortest, the same price as, shorter than, not as long as, much more beautiful

 

The purple skirt is much cheaper than the brown skirt.

Ex 8. Explain the words in the list. Which of them can we use with a pair of?

Boots, belts, tights, jeans, tracksuit, leggings, gloves, shorts, trainers, cardigan, socks, shoes, tie, sweatshirt, jumper, coat, shirt, skirt, scarf, jacket.

Communication

Ex 9. Study the following phrases, that are used at a clothes shop.

Assistant: Can I help you? Customer: Yes, I’m looking for (=I want) a blue jumper.

Assistant: Can I help you? Customer: No, I’m just looking, thanks. (= I don’t need help).

Assistant: Can I help you? Customer: I’m being served, thanks. (= another assistant is already serving/ helping me)

Assistant: What size are you looking for? (e.g. big? small? medium? 44?46?48?)

Customer: Where’s the changing room? (= the room where you try on clothes; also called the fitting room)

Assistant: It’s down there on right.

Customer: Yes, I’ll take this one/ these. (= Yes, I want to buy this one/ these)

Customer: No, I’ll leave it thanks. (No, I don’t want to buy it/ them)

Customer: Excuse me. Where do I pay for these?

Assistant: Over at the cash desk/ till.

Customer: And can I pay by cheque/ credit card?

Assistant: Yes, of course.

Role-play

Ex 10. Imagine that you and your partner are a customer and an assistant. Using these phrases play these situations at the clothes shop:

a: You really love this jacket. It’s your favourite colour and you’ve been looking for one like it for years. It’s cheap and you have a party tomorrow night. You won’t have another chance to shop. Tell an assistant why you want to buy it.

b: Tell a customer to choose another jacket. He/she looks awful in it. The colour does not go with his/her hair. The jacket is too tight and too short. He/she looks like an old lady/man in it. It’s so cheap, the buttons are falling off. Persuade them tactfully not to buy it.

Ex 11. Questions for discussions

1. What do you do at weekends?

2. How do you like to spend your free time?

3. Do you spend Saturdays in town shopping? If so, what do you buy?

4. Do you like shopping for clothes or do you find it frustrating?

5. Does anybody still let their mum choose their clothes?

6. What shops do you like and why?

7. Are they cheap, too expensive, trendy, too grown up, too boring, etc.

Personal Quiz

Ex 12. If shopping was an olympic event, could you shop for your country?

are you a psychologist’s dream shopper or the world’s worst shopper?

For answering these questions, answer other questions below.

1. A friend asks you to go shopping with them. You know they love to shop. What do you do?

a) find your wallet immediately and go shopping.

b) reluctantly agree to go with them, but take some cash ‘just in case’ you see something you like.

c)close the door in their face and close the curtains.

2. You’re trying on an outfit, and ask your friend’s opinion. Do you:

a)listen to what they say, then completely ignore their opinion?

b) believe it when they say they like/hate the outfit and buy/put back the clothes, even though you thought the opposite?

c ) listen to their opinion and try on some other stuff just to be sure?

3. Your friend has asked you for your opinion of their new, very expensive jacket. It is awful and really doesn’t suit them. Do you:

a) smile bravely and tell them it looks fantastic?

b) tell them it is a lovely jacket but that it doesn’t show off their figure/colouring/personality?

c)tell the truth?

4. Would you prefer to buy a pair of designer jeans or a pair of ‘normal’ jeans and a ‘normal’T-shirt for the same price?

a) The normal jeans and T-shirt of course. What’s in a name?

b) The designer jeans. I have an image to keep up.

c) I’d ask a friend what they think I should do.

5. It’s a week before Christmas, and you still haven’t bought a new party outfit. The shops are full and you are exhausted.What do you do?

a) Wake up and realize it was just a terrible dream.

b) Give up and go home. You can come back tomorrow and try again.

c) Keep shopping. You can’t turn up at the Christmas disco in old clothes. What if you miss an amazing outfit?

SCORE:

1 a=1 b=2 c=3 2 a=1 b=3 c=2 3 a=3 b=2 c=1 4 a=3 b=1 c=2 5 a=3 b=2 c=1

5–8: Not only would you compete for your country in the Olympic shopping event, you'd win the gold medal. You are the psychologist’s dream, a definite 'fashion enthusiast' who likes your clothes to make you look good and feel good. Of course, some people would say that you are easily manipulated by the tricks that are used by shops and psychologists, but we know you just love to shop. Shop on!

9–12: You are tempted by the joys of shopping, and you can see some of the benefits, but you are a little bit afraid. You need advice and support from your friends, but with practice and a lot of hard shopping, you could soon be competing for an Olympic shopping medal.

13–15: You wouldn't get picked for the Olympic shopping team, but then again, you wouldn't try even if you were paid. Shopping is a strictly practical activity for you. Only buy something when you really need it. Or even better, get someone else to buy it for you – that will save time.