English Lessons that Speak. Self-access learning and development. Lesson A7. QT

In this lesson we will practise how to ask for something in a shop.
First, let us think of some of the items we would buy in various kinds of shop.
   1. The Grocery Store.
Sugar, butter, flour, coffee, tea, milk, eggs, spices, sauces, salt, pepper, pasta, rice, lentils, tins of beans, tins of fruit, breakfast cereals, cheese, yogurt.
   2. The Butchers.
Meat of various kinds such as beef, pork, lamb and chicken and also sausages, mincemeat (or ground beef), liver and kidneys.
    3. The Bakers.

Bread:- white, brown or wholemeal loaves, French Sticks (or baguettes), bagels, buns and rolls.
Cakes and pastries:- sponge cakes, fruit cakes, croissants, English muffins and Danish pastries.
    4. The Greengrocers.

Vegetables:- potatoes, carrots, onions, tomatoes, peas, green beans, green red or yellow peppers, parsnips, turnips, lettuce, cucumbers, mushrooms, cabbage, cauliflower.
Fruit:- apples, pears, oranges, lemons, grapes, bananas, melons, peaches, nectarines, plums, Kiwi fruit, figs, dates, passion fruit, mangoes, nuts.
    5. The Hardware Store.

Pans, kitchen utensils (tin opener, corkscrew, whisk), cutlery (knives, forks, spoons), crockery (cups, saucers, plates), kettles, basins, jugs, brushes, brooms, dustpans, clothes lines, clothes pegs, paint, electrical goods, tools, nails and screws.
    6. The Pharmacy/Chemist.

Toiletries:- soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, suntan lotion, razors, shaving soap, deoderants, hairspray, makeup.
Medicines:- painkillers, cough medicine, throat pastilles, indigestion powders and pills, vitamin pills, antiseptics, ointments, plasters and bandages.
    7. The Newsagent/Stationer.

Newspapers, magazines, notepaper, envelopes, pens, pencils, rubbers/erasers, rulers, ring-binders, folders, staplers and staples, paper clips and greetings cards.
    8. The Post Office.

Postage stamps, airmail letters, notepaper, envelopes, brown paper and string for wrapping parcels, television licences, car tax discs.
    9. The Clothes Shop.

Men:- suits, jackets, trousers/pants, shorts, shirts, t-shirts, sweaters, ties, socks, hats, waistcoats and men's underwear (vests, underpants/briefs/boxer shorts).
Women:- dresses, skirts, blouses, sweaters, cardigans, stockings, tights/panty hose, scarf, shoes, belts, women's underwear (briefs, knickers, bras, underslips)

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

    English has nouns you can count, called 'countable nouns'.
For example:

1 carrot    2 carrots
1 newspaper    2 newspapers
1 tie    2 ties
1 kettle    2 kettles

    English also has nouns you can't count, called 'uncountable nouns'.
For example:

soap
bread
toothpaste
cheese
beef

    With uncountable nouns we use their unit of quantity (kilo, box, bottle, packet) to do the counting.

For example:

1 kilo of beef    2 kilos of beef
1 bar of soap    2 bars of soap
1 tube of toothpaste    2 tubes of toothpaste
1 loaf of bread    2 loaves of bread
1 tin of soup    2 tins of soup
1 litre of milk    2 litres of milk

With some common uncountable nouns we just use 'some' or 'any'.

For example:

some news
some information
some homework
some money

Much and Many

We use 'many' with countable nouns.

For example:

How many carrots do we need?
We haven't got many shops near us.
You have so many ties in your wardrobe.

We use 'many' with uncountable nouns and their quantities.

For example:

How many litres of milk are in the fridge?
Do we need many loaves of bread?

We use 'much' with uncountable nouns only.

For example:

How much milk have we got?
Have we got much bread left?
I don't eat much beef.

Say 'much' or 'many' in the blanks in the following sentences:

1. How _ _ _ _ wine is in that bottle?
2. There is not _ _ _ _ sugar in this packet.
3. How _ _ _ _ tomatoes would you like?
4. There are _ _ _ _ flowers in the garden.
5. How _ _ _ _ flour do you need to make the cake?
6. How _ _ _ _ rings are on your fingers?
7. It's getting late and there's still _ _ _ _ work to do.
8. There are _ _ _ _ homeless people.
9. How _ _ _ _ cookies can you eat?
10. How _ _ _ _ homework do you have?

Now listen to the same sentences said correctly.

1. How much wine is in that bottle?
2. There is not much sugar in this packet.
3. How many tomatoes would you like?
4. There are many flowers in the garden.
5. How much flour do you need to make the cake?
6. How many rings are on your fingers?
7. It's getting late and there's still much work to do.
8. There are many homeless people.
9. How many cookies can you eat?
10. How much homework do you have?

Also notice the difference between 'flower' and 'flour', which sound the same when spoken.

Flowers grow in the garden.
Flour is used for baking.

Few and Little

We use 'few' with countable nouns.

For example:

I've got a few friends in town.
There are a few things I need.
There are a few good books in the bedroom.

We use 'a little' with uncountable nouns.

For example:

I have a little money for tonight.
Can I borrow a little soap powder?
Have you got a little toothpaste?

The difference between 'some' and 'any'

    As a general rule, you can use 'some' in a positive statement:

I have some money.

But when it is a negative statement you usually use 'any'.

I haven't any money.

Here are more examples for you to practise.

There are some children in the playground.
There aren't any children in the playground.
He always has some days off work.
He never has any days off work.
I always have some food in the house.
I never have any food in the house.

    The same general rule applies when you use 'something' or 'anything'.
He had something to eat.

He hadn't anything to eat.

There is something in the box.

There isn't anything in the box.

You are hiding something behind your back.

I haven't anything behind my back.

Usually, if the sentence is a question, we use 'any', like in these sentences.

Do you have any change?
Have you got any bread?
Has he any children?
Have you any postage stamps?
Has she any homework?

Shopping

These days, most shops are self-service so that you can choose what you want and then take it to the cash desk to pay, but this does not give us much opportunity to practise speaking.
Asking for things
Let us imagine we have to ask for various items in the shop.
Listen to these short conversations.
At the Grocers.
    Customer: I would like some instant coffee please.
Grocer: Large or small, Sir?
Customer: Small please. And could I have some sugar and a tin of beans please?
Grocer: Certainly, Sir. A kilo of sugar and a tin of beans. Anything else, Sir?
Customer: Er! Yes! I'll have half a dozen eggs please.
Grocer: There you are, Sir.

At the Butchers.
    Customer: I'd like some sausages please.

Butcher: Pork or beef, Madam?
Customer: Beef please. About half a kilo.
Butcher: Anything else?
Customer: Do you have any minced beef, please?
Butcher: I do. How much, Madam?
Customer: About half a kilo, please.
Butcher: There you are, Madam.

At the Bakers.
    Customer: Four muffins please, and a wholemeal loaf.

Baker: What flavour muffins?
Customer: Blueberry please.
Baker: Large or small wholemeal loaf?
Customer: Large please.
Baker: Is that all?
Customer: I'll take a white sliced, please.
Baker: There you are!

At the Greengrocers
    Customer: A kilo of potatoes and some carrots please, er, about half a kilo.

Greengrocer: Anything else, Sir?
Customer: Half a kilo of tomatoes, please and an Iceberg lettuce. Thanks!
Greengrocer: Would you like some of these apples, Sir? There are just a few left. Half price to clear.
Customer: Yes! Weigh me four, please.

At the Pharmacy/Chemist
    Customer: Have you got something for a headache please?

Chemist: Yes! These should do the trick.
Customer: And a tube of toothpaste please.
Chemist: Let me put them in a bag for you.
Customer: Thanks.

    Here are two people talking about what they are going to buy.

John: I must drive into town to the hardware store to get some nails.
Paul: While you're there, would you see if they've got any plastic cups to take on our camping trip.
John: OK. While I do that, would you mind going to the corner shop to buy a loaf, please. Thanks.

Useful Phrases

to go shopping
something for a headache
a tube of toothpaste
would you mind . . .
would you like . . .
half price to clear
that should do the trick

Stress and Pronunciation

When a word has several syllables, one or more of the syllables is spoken with more emphasis or 'stress' than the others.
Practise saying the following words with the correct pronunciation and stress.
Place the emphasis on that part of the word which is THIS colour.
Be careful of differences between spelling and speech.
    grocery   sausages   tomatoes   electrical   computer   results
      deoderant    antiseptic    potatoes    mincemeat    companies
      wholemeal    bananas    musical    engagement    probably

Ta i l p i e c e

Keep Right On to the End of the Road.

Course A
End of Lesson A7

(Play the Song)

Link to Introduction

Links to other lessons in Course A : 1 2 3 4 5 6 * 8 9 10

Remember - you can go back to any lesson as many times as you like.

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