Courses

Basic English Course 2

Unit 2: Shopping Experiences

Learn how to talk about clothes, accessories, prices, sizes, preferences, needs, and simple store situations in natural everyday English.

ClothesPricesSizes and fitStore language
Unit Objective

By the end of this unit, students will understand how to name common clothes and accessories, ask and answer prices, describe style and fit, express likes and needs, and use practical shopping expressions in stores or shopping areas.

Learners looking at clothes in a store
Topic cluster 1

Clothes and Accessories

Students begin with the words they need to identify what people wear and what stores sell.

Open topics
01 Core clothing words
What we will learn: We will learn the most useful clothes and accessories for a basic shopping conversation.

Upper body

shirt
T-shirt
jacket
sweater
coat
blouse

Lower body

jeans
pants
shorts
skirt
dress

Feet

shoes
sneakers
boots
sandals

Accessories

scarf
hat
watch
bag
sunglasses
perfume

02 Items that usually work in plural
What we will learn: We will learn why some shopping words often need plural language in English.

Singular items

Use a or this/that with one item.

a shirt this jacket that scarf

Common plural items

Use these/those or plural verbs with items that normally come in pairs or plural form.

these jeans those shoes these sunglasses

This jacket is comfortable.

These jeans are expensive.

Those shoes are elegant.

Clothing style and fit in a modern store
Topic cluster 2

Style, Size, and Fit

This cluster adds language that students need when clothes are not just items, but choices.

Open topics
03 Colors, styles, and shopping adjectives
What we will learn: We will learn how to describe clothes with color, style, comfort, and price adjectives.

Colors

black
white
blue
pink
green
brown
colorful

Style

casual
formal
elegant
sporty
modern
old-fashioned

Feeling

comfortable
tight
loose
soft
warm
light

Price opinion

cheap
expensive
affordable
a good deal
on sale

This jacket is modern and comfortable.

Those sneakers are sporty and affordable.

That dress is elegant, but it is expensive.

04 Sizes and fit
What we will learn: We will learn how to talk about clothing size and whether something fits well.

Size language

What size are you? I am a small / medium / large / extra large. Do you have this in medium? Do you have this in XL? Can I try a larger / smaller size?

Fit language

It fits well. It is too big. It is too small. It is tight / loose.

Common size order

XS = extra small
S = small
M = medium
L = large
XL = extra large
XXL / 2XL = double extra large

When L is not enough

If large feels tight, ask for XL. If XL is still tight, ask for XXL or 2XL.

Natural shopping questions

Do you have a larger size?
Do you have a smaller size?
Is this available in XL?
Can I try this in large?

How to decide

Sizes change by brand and country. Check the size chart, chest, waist, hips, and how the clothing feels when you try it on.

Usage note

Fit means the size is correct for the body. Comfortable means it feels good when you wear it. In English, students can say I am a medium in a clothing store, but it is also very common to say I wear medium or I wear size M.

For shoes or pants, people usually use numbers instead of S, M, L: I wear size 8 shoes or I wear size 32 pants.

05 Wear, try on, and buy
What we will learn: We will learn the difference between three essential shopping verbs.
shopping verb

wear

usar / llevar puesto

Use clothes on your body. I wear jeans on weekends.

phrasal verb

try on

probarse ropa

Put clothes on before buying them. Can I try on this jacket?

shopping verb

buy

comprar

Pay money for something. I need to buy new shoes.

Learners checking price tags and clothing options
Topic cluster 3

Shopping Patterns

Students organize useful shopping sentences without reopening a full tense explanation.

Open topics
06 This, that, these, and those
What we will learn: We will learn how to point to items naturally in a store.

Near + singular

this
this shirt
this jacket
this scarf

Far + singular

that
that dress
that hat
that perfume

Near + plural

these
these shoes
these jeans
these sunglasses

Far + plural

those
those boots
those pants
those bags

How much is this shirt?

How much are these shoes?

I like that jacket.

Those sunglasses are cool.

07 Asking and answering prices
What we will learn: We will learn the most useful price questions and how to read prices in pesos.

Simple price questions

How much is it? How much is this scarf? How much are these shoes?

Cost questions

How much does it cost? How much does a scarf cost? It costs forty-five thousand pesos.

Short answers

It is forty-five thousand pesos. They are eighty thousand pesos. It costs forty-five thousand pesos.

Complete answers

This jacket costs forty-five thousand pesos. That dress costs one hundred twenty thousand pesos. These shoes cost eighty thousand pesos.

$45,000

forty-five thousand pesos
This jacket costs forty-five thousand pesos.

$80,000

eighty thousand pesos
These shoes cost eighty thousand pesos.

$120,000

one hundred twenty thousand pesos
That dress costs one hundred twenty thousand pesos.

$250,000

two hundred fifty thousand pesos
Those boots cost two hundred fifty thousand pesos.

Usage note

Use costs with one item: This jacket costs... Use cost with plural items: These shoes cost... In conversation, students can also answer with It is... or They are... when the price is clear.

08 Likes and needs
What we will learn: We will learn how to express clothing preferences and shopping needs.

Preferences

I like to wear pink shirts. She likes wearing dresses. They like comfortable clothes.

Needs

I need to buy jeans. He needs to buy shoes. We need clothes for a trip.

Teacher note

This section introduces useful sentence patterns only. It does not reopen a full verb-tense explanation because students have already worked with the basic present forms.

Shop assistant helping adult English learners in a store
Topic cluster 4

Store Language and Shopping Expressions

This final cluster gives students the phrases they need for basic interaction and description.

Open topics
09 Store interaction phrases
What we will learn: We will learn short, polite phrases that people use in stores.
store phrase

Can I help you?

A shop assistant offers help. Can I help you?

store phrase

I'm just looking, thanks.

A polite way to say you do not need help now. I'm just looking, thanks.

store phrase

Do you have this in another size?

Use it when the item is too big or too small. Do you have this in medium?

store phrase

Do you have this in another color?

Use it when you like the item but want a different color. Do you have this in black?

store phrase

Where are the fitting rooms?

Ask where you can try on clothes. Where are the fitting rooms?

store phrase

I'll take it.

Use it when you decide to buy something. It fits well. I'll take it.

10 What is it like?
What we will learn: We will learn how to ask for a description, not a preference.

Ask for description

What is it like? What is that perfume like? What is the store like?

Answer with adjectives

It is fresh and sweet. It is big and modern. It is comfortable but expensive.

Common confusion

In What is it like?, the word like means "similar to / description." It does not mean "gustar."

11 Store routines and reviews
What we will learn: We will learn how to describe a store, a shopping area, and normal shopping routines.

Store information

The store opens at 7 a.m. The store closes at 9 p.m. The mall has many clothing stores.

Shopping routines

I usually go to the mall. People buy clothes at this store. This store sells shoes and accessories.
12 Real shopping expressions and idioms
What we will learn: We will learn common shopping expressions that sound natural in real contexts.
idiom

shop till you drop

comprar hasta cansarse

Informal and playful. Use it when someone shops a lot. On Saturday, we are going to shop till we drop.

expression

window shopping

mirar vitrinas sin comprar

Looking at products without planning to buy them. We are just window shopping today.

expression

on sale

en oferta

Use it when the price is lower than usual. This jacket is on sale.

expression

a good deal

una buena oferta

A good price for the value. These shoes are a good deal.

idiom

cost an arm and a leg

costar un ojo de la cara

Informal. Use it for something very expensive. That perfume costs an arm and a leg.

expression

in style / out of style

de moda / pasado de moda

Use it to talk about fashion. White sneakers are in style.

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Language Model

Store conversation model for reading and analysis

Assistant: Can I help you?

Customer: Yes, please. I need to buy a jacket.

Assistant: What size are you?

Customer: I am a medium. Do you have this jacket in black?

Assistant: Yes, we do. It is on sale today.

Customer: Great. How much does it cost?

Assistant: It costs eighty thousand pesos.

Customer: It fits well. I'll take it.

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Unit Summary

What this explanation covers

Vocabulary

Students recognize clothes, accessories, styles, sizes, fit words, and shopping adjectives.

Shopping patterns

Students use practical patterns such as How much is...?, How much does it cost?, I like to wear..., and I need to buy....

Store interaction

Students understand phrases such as I'm just looking, Can I try it on?, Do you have this in another size?, and I'll take it.

Expressions

Students meet real shopping expressions such as shop till you drop, window shopping, on sale, and a good deal.