wear
usar / llevar puestoUse clothes on your body. I wear jeans on weekends.
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.
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.
Topic cluster 1
Clothes and Accessories
Students begin with the words they need to identify what people wear and what stores sell.
Open topics
Clothes and Accessories
Students begin with the words they need to identify what people wear and what stores sell.
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 scarfCommon plural items
Use these/those or plural verbs with items that normally come in pairs or plural form.
these jeans those shoes these sunglassesThis jacket is comfortable.
These jeans are expensive.
Those shoes are elegant.
Topic cluster 2
Style, Size, and Fit
This cluster adds language that students need when clothes are not just items, but choices.
Open topics
Style, Size, and Fit
This cluster adds language that students need when clothes are not just items, but choices.
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.
try on
probarse ropaPut clothes on before buying them. Can I try on this jacket?
buy
comprarPay money for something. I need to buy new shoes.
Topic cluster 3
Shopping Patterns
Students organize useful shopping sentences without reopening a full tense explanation.
Open topics
Shopping Patterns
Students organize useful shopping sentences without reopening a full tense explanation.
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.
Topic cluster 4
Store Language and Shopping Expressions
This final cluster gives students the phrases they need for basic interaction and description.
Open topics
Store Language and Shopping Expressions
This final cluster gives students the phrases they need for basic interaction and description.
09 Store interaction phrases
What we will learn: We will learn short, polite phrases that people use in stores.
Can I help you?
A shop assistant offers help. Can I help you?
I'm just looking, thanks.
A polite way to say you do not need help now. I'm just looking, thanks.
Do you have this in another size?
Use it when the item is too big or too small. Do you have this in medium?
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?
Where are the fitting rooms?
Ask where you can try on clothes. Where are the fitting rooms?
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 phrasal verbs, expressions, and idioms
What we will learn: We will learn natural shopping language for clothes, prices, size, style, and store situations. The Spanish meaning is approximate; the example shows the real context.
PV Phrasal verbs for shopping and clothes
try on
probarse ropaPut clothes on before buying them to check size, color, or comfort. Can I try on this jacket?
Click to listenput on
ponerse una prendaPlace clothing on your body. Put on your sweater. It is cold outside.
Click to listentake off
quitarse una prendaRemove clothing from your body. Please take off your hat inside.
Click to listenpick out
escoger / elegirChoose one item from several options. I need to pick out a dress for the concert.
Click to listenlook for
buscarTry to find a specific product, size, or color. I am looking for a black jacket.
Click to listenpay for
pagar por algoGive money for a product or service. I am going to pay for these shoes.
Click to listencheck out
mirar / revisar / pagar en cajaLook at something interesting, or pay at the cashier depending on context. Let's check out the new jackets.
Click to listensell out
agotarseBecome unavailable because all items were sold. The blue sweater sold out.
Click to listengo with
combinar conMatch or look good with another item. These shoes go with your jeans.
Click to listendress up
vestirse eleganteWear nicer or more formal clothes for an event. We need to dress up for the concert.
Click to listenEX Common shopping expressions
window shopping
mirar vitrinas sin comprarLooking at products without planning to buy them. We are just window shopping today.
Click to listenon sale
en ofertaUse it when the price is lower than usual. This jacket is on sale.
Click to listena good deal
una buena ofertaA good price for the value. These shoes are a good deal.
Click to listenin style
de modaUse it for clothes or accessories that are fashionable now. White sneakers are in style.
Click to listenout of style
pasado de modaUse it when something is not fashionable now. That old hat is out of style.
Click to listenIt fits well.
queda bienUse it when the size and shape are comfortable. This shirt fits well.
Click to listenI'll take it.
me lo llevoUse it when you decide to buy one item. It looks great. I'll take it.
Click to listenID Real shopping and clothes idioms
shop till you drop
comprar hasta cansarseInformal and playful. Use it when someone shops a lot. On Saturday, we are going to shop till we drop.
Click to listencost an arm and a leg
costar un ojo de la caraInformal. Use it for something very expensive. That perfume costs an arm and a leg.
Click to listenbreak the bank
salirse del presupuesto / gastar demasiadoUse it when something costs more than you can comfortably pay. This jacket is nice, but it will break the bank.
Click to listenfit like a glove
quedar perfectamenteUse it when clothing fits extremely well. This dress fits like a glove.
Click to listendress to impress
vestirse para causar buena impresiónUse it when someone wears nice clothes to look attractive or professional. For the concert, we want to dress to impress.
Click to listenworth every penny
vale cada centavoUse it when something is expensive but the quality is good. These boots are worth every penny.
Click to listenfor a steal
muy barato / a precio regaladoInformal. Use it when the price is surprisingly low. I got this scarf for a steal.
Click to listen13
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.
14
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 shopping phrasal verbs and idioms such as try on, look for, go with, cost an arm and a leg, and fit like a glove.