Unidad 1 - Communicative Skills - Shop for food

Types of shops in English

Tipos de lugares para comprar en Ingles 

department store – a shop that sells many different items in different departments. Harrods is probably the world's best known department store.

supermarket – a large shop that sells mostly food and household items.

grocer (UK) / grocery store (US) – a shop that sells food.

greengrocer – sells fresh fruit and vegetables.

butcher - sells fresh meat.

baker – sells fresh bread and cakes.

fishmonger – sells fresh fish.

chemist (UK) / drugstore (US) – sells medicines and toiletries.

pharmacy (US) – sells medicines.

newsagent - sells newspapers and magazines.

stationer – sells paper goods.

optician – sells glasses / contact lenses.

DIY store – sells things for home improvement.

hardware shop / hardware store / ironmonger – hard goods, such as nails and screws.

corner shop (UK) – a shop on the corner of your street, selling a range of basic goods – food, newspapers, sweets, bread, etc.

delicatessen (deli) – sells specialist food not normally found in supermarkets. For example, an Italian deli, an Asian deli.

bookshop / bookstore – books.

market – market traders (people who work on a market) have stalls that sell fruit and vegetables, clothes, household items and so on.

petshop - for pets and pet food.

flea market – a group of stalls selling old furniture or clothes.

tea shop (UK) – like a cafe, but sells tea and cakes.

petrol station (UK) / gas station (US) sells petrol, car products and sometimes food.

Using 's

Usos

When we talk about shops, we often put an 's on the end. For example, "I'm going to the chemist's / greengrocer's / butcher's / baker's / newsagent's / fishmonger's/ optician's."

We don't use an 's with these shops: supermarket, hardware store, petrol station, department store.

Asking for things

Preguntar por cosas

"Do you have any…?"
"I'm looking for…"
"I wonder if you could help me…?"

What the shopkeeper says

Lo que responde el dueño del negocio

"I'm sorry, we're out of stock."
"I'm sorry, that's the last one."
"I'm sorry, that's all we have left."

What a sales person says

Lo que dice un vendedor

"Can I help you?"

"Are you looking for anything in particular?"

Your reply

Vos respondes

"I'm just looking, thank you."
"I'm just browsing, thank you."

Asking about things

Preguntando acerca de cosas

"Do you have this in another size?"
"Do you have this in another colour?"
"Is this made of leather / silk / plastic…?"
"Does this come with a guarantee?"
"Is this fully refundable?"
"Can I bring this back if it's not the right size?"
"Can I bring this back if it doesn't fit?"

Paying – what the shopkeeper says

Pagando - Lo que el dueño del local dice

"Do you have anything smaller?" (If you pay with a large denomination note.)

Paying – what you say

Pagando - Lo que vos decis

"I'm sorry, I don't have any small change."
"I don't have anything smaller."
"Would you have change for this?"
"Can I have the receipt, please?'
"Can I pay by credit card?"
"Can I pay in cash?"
"Is this on sale?"

---------------------- otro texto complementario en ingles

Lesson Plan: At the Grocery Store

Unless you eat out in restaurants every day of the week, you will find yourself at a grocery store at some time to load up on goodies. As most people know, large supermarkets sell more than just food. They can sell everything from aspirin to zippers. There are several vocabulary terms that are commonly used with food and food containers. Look at these examples.

   Items

   cans- of tuna, peaches                      packages- of sausage, gravy mix

    bottles- of milk, soda                        box- of cereal, cake mix

    jars- of jelly, olives                             cartons- of milk, eggs

    bags- of chips, cookies                     tubes- of toothpaste   

    tubs- of butter

  

   Amounts

   pound- of hamburger, potatoes               bunch- of grapes, bananas

   head- of lettuce, cabbage                        gallon- (quart/pint/liter) of milk         

   loaf of- bread        

   Sections in a grocery store  

   check out line                                    

    produce- vegetables, fruit

    bakery- bread, pastry, rolls,

    canned goods- beans, tomato sauce, tuna fish

    dairy- milk, cheese, yogurt

    meat/fish/poultry- steaks, salmon, chicken           

    frozen foods-  ice cream, pizza, TV dinners

    health and beauty aides- shampoo, toothpaste, lip stick

    dry goods- toilet paper, paper napkins, laundry soap       

  

English Dialogue

Students should work together in pairs and read the following dialogue, one student reading one part, the other student reading the other. Note the expressions used in the dialogue and the progression of the conversation. The dialogue can be used as a model to have similar conversations.

Husband: Do you have the shopping list?

Wife: Me? I thought you brought it?

Husband: No. I thought you did. Oh, well, we'll have to rely on our memories.

Wife: We need some refried beans for tostados. I think it's on aisle 3.

Husband: Here it is. Oh look, do you want to get some jalapeño's?

Wife: Are you nuts? Those things will set my mouth on fire. Let's go to the produce section, we need fruit for the

          kids’ lunches.

Husband: How about these apples?

Wife: I don't think they want apples. Last time we bought them they were mealy, and they refused to eat them.

         These grapes look good. How many should I get?

Husband: Get two bunches, no three. I'll eat some for a snack.

Wife: OK, on to the meat section. You wanted some hamburger, right?

Husband: Yes, get about three pounds. Be sure it's lean. Do we still have plenty of bacon and sausage for

                   breakfast.

Wife: Yes, but that reminds me, we have no eggs. We should get 2 cartons.

Husband: What size carton- a dozen, a dozen and a half, or two dozen?

Wife: The two dozen carton. We need milk, right?

Husband: Yes, on to the dairy section. Here's the milk. What kind should we get- whole,  2%, or skim? And how

                  much?

Wife: Get 2%, the kids won't drink skim milk. Get a gallon jug.

Husband: Do we need any cheese?

Wife: Yes, we'll need some for the pizza on Tuesday. Get two large packages. Do we have everything?

Husband: We had better get Kool-Aid; if we don't the kids will have a fit.  

Wife: You’re right. I think Kool-Aid is on aisle 7. What flavor- cherry, orange, or grape?

Husband: Get all three. I need some shaving cream and razor blades. Which way to the health and beauty

              section?
Wife: It's to the right, three aisles down. We also need deodorant.

Husband: Right, spray or roll on?

Wife: Roll on.

Husband: I just thought of something else. We need some bread and pastry.

Wife: The bakery is that way. How many loaves should we get?

Husband: One loaf of whole wheat and one loaf of sour dough. And a dozen croissants.

Wife: That's everything. Let's go to the checkout.

Husband: Oops. I only have five dollars. Did you bring your checkbook?

Wife: No, but there's an ATM near the front door. You go get the cash and I'll get in line at the check out counter.   

After reading, close your book and tell your partner a summary of the dialogue. Then switch and have your partner tell his or her summary. Start like this: This dialogue is about a husband and wife at a grocery store. They bought ...This may seem silly, since you both already know what the dialogue is about, but the purpose is to practice using your English, not to give information or test your reading skills.

Conversation Activities

1. Pair work- discussion

     Do you go to the grocery store often? Tell your partner about it usingsome of the ideas for discussion below.

     Your partner should ask questions to get more information.

• when do you go
• where do you go- a supermarket or local mom and pop store
• what kind of food do you usually buy
• how often do you go

2. Pair work- role play

     The situation: At a grocery store

      Working with a partner, role play the situation, using the information below

    The roles: A husband and wife or two roommates

     laundry soap                    corn chips                  eggs

         can of tomatoes              salt                            pepper

         oranges                           face soap                   bacon

        onion                               garlic                         bell pepper

        cereal                              rice                            chicken

        12 pack of beer                 milk                           salsap; salsa

        bread                               tissue                         cooking oil

        flour                                brown sugar                honey

        grape jelly                        toilet paper                 Q-tips

        basil leaves                       water melon                 can of pork and beans

        blue berry yogurt              kitchen cleanser          canned apricots

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