A1+Functional

Describing and Buying Things in English: A Practical Guide for Beginners

Posted on by adminatlingofrnd

Welcome to our lesson on describing and buying things in English! If you’re just starting to learn English, this is a super important skill. Imagine you’re in a shop and you want to buy a new t-shirt or some food. Being able to describe what you want and ask for it is essential for everyday life. This lesson will give you the basic vocabulary and phrases you need to start describing and buying things in English with confidence.

Why Learn to Describe and Buy Things in English?

Learning how to describe and buy things opens up a whole new world! Think about it:

  • Travel: When you travel to English-speaking countries, you’ll need to buy food, souvenirs, and other things.
  • Everyday Life: Even if you don’t travel, you might shop online from English websites, or talk to English speakers in your own city.
  • Making Friends: Talking about things you like and want to buy is a great way to start conversations with new people.

So, let’s get started and learn some useful English to help you in these situations. This is English for beginners, so we’ll keep it simple and practical.

Essential Vocabulary for Describing Items

When you want to buy something, you often need to describe it. Here are some basic words to help you:

Colors

  • Red
  • Blue
  • Yellow
  • Green
  • Black
  • White
  • Pink
  • Orange
  • Purple
  • Brown
  • Grey

Example: “”I want a red shirt.””

Sizes

  • Small
  • Medium
  • Large
  • Big
  • Small
  • Long
  • Short

Example: “”Do you have this in medium size?””

Describing Qualities

  • New
  • Old
  • Good
  • Bad
  • Cheap
  • Expensive
  • Beautiful
  • Nice
  • Comfortable
  • Useful

Example: “”I’m looking for a cheap bag.””

Types of Shops

  • Shop / Store (general words)
  • Supermarket (for food and groceries)
  • Clothes shop (for clothes)
  • Shoe shop (for shoes)
  • Bookshop / Bookstore (for books)
  • Market (often for food and local products)
  • Pharmacy / Chemist (for medicine)

Example: “”Let’s go to the supermarket to buy food.””

Useful Phrases for Buying Things

Now let’s learn some phrases you can use when you are buying things. These are basic English phrases that are very useful in shops and markets.

Greeting and Asking for Help

  • Excuse me, (to get attention politely)
  • Hello,
  • Good morning / afternoon / evening,
  • Can you help me?
  • I need help, please.

Example: “”Excuse me, can you help me?””

Saying What You Want

  • I’m looking for a … (e.g., “”I’m looking for a red dress.””)
  • I want to buy a … (e.g., “”I want to buy a book.””)
  • Do you have … ? (e.g., “”Do you have any apples?””)
  • I’d like … (e.g., “”I’d like a bottle of water, please.””)

Example: “”I’m looking for a blue t-shirt.””

Asking About Price

  • How much is this? (pointing to an item)
  • How much does this cost?
  • What’s the price of this?
  • Is it expensive?
  • Is it cheap?

Example: “”How much is this book?””

Asking About Size and Color

  • Do you have this in … (color/size)? (e.g., “”Do you have this in blue?””)
  • What sizes do you have?
  • Do you have a smaller/bigger size?
  • Do you have other colors?

Example: “”Do you have this in a smaller size?””

Making a Purchase and Paying

  • I’ll take it. (when you decide to buy)
  • I’ll buy it.
  • Can I pay by card/cash?
  • Where can I pay?

Example: “”I’ll take it. Can I pay by card?””

Saying Thank You and Goodbye

  • Thank you. / Thanks.
  • Goodbye.
  • Thank you very much.
  • Have a nice day.

Example: “”Thank you very much. Goodbye.””

Example Dialogues: Putting it all together

Let’s see how to use these words and phrases in real conversations. These are examples of spoken English practice in a shopping situation.

Dialogue 1: Buying a T-shirt

Customer: Excuse me,
Shop Assistant: Hello, can I help you?
Customer: Yes, I’m looking for a t-shirt.
Shop Assistant: Okay, what color and size?
Customer: Blue, and size medium, please.
Shop Assistant: Here you are. We have this blue t-shirt in medium.
Customer: How much is it?
Shop Assistant: It’s $10.
Customer: Okay, I’ll take it.
Shop Assistant: Great. Please pay at the counter over there.
Customer: Thank you.
Shop Assistant: You’re welcome. Have a nice day!

Dialogue 2: Buying Apples at a Market

Customer: Good morning.
Market Seller: Good morning! Can I help you?
Customer: Yes, I want to buy some apples.
Market Seller: Sure, we have red and green apples. Which ones?
Customer: Red apples, please.
Market Seller: How many?
Customer: Four, please.
Market Seller: Here you go. That’s $2.
Customer: Here you are.
Market Seller: Thank you.
Customer: Thank you. Goodbye.
Market Seller: Goodbye!

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s your turn to practice! Try these exercises to improve your shopping vocabulary and phrases.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct word from the box to complete the sentences.

(colors, price, shop, help, size, buy)

  1. Excuse me, can you ______ me?
  2. I want to ______ a new jacket.
  3. How much is the ______ of this bag?
  4. Do you have this t-shirt in different ______?
  5. What ______ do you like best, red or blue?
  6. Let’s go to the clothes ______ to find a dress.

Exercise 2: Matching

Match the phrases to their meanings.

  1. How much is this?
  2. I’ll take it.
  3. Do you have this in small?

Meanings:

  1. You want to buy the item.
  2. You want to know the cost.
  3. You are asking about the size.

Exercise 3: Short Answer Questions

Answer these questions in short sentences.

  1. What do you say to get someone’s attention in a shop?
  2. What do you say when you want to know the price of something?
  3. What do you say when you decide to buy an item?

Answers to Practice Exercises

Answers 1: Fill in the Blanks

  1. Excuse me, can you help me?
  2. I want to buy a new jacket.
  3. How much is the price of this bag?
  4. Do you have this t-shirt in different sizes?
  5. What color do you like best, red or blue?
  6. Let’s go to the clothes shop to find a dress.

Answers 2: Matching

  1. How much is this? – b (You want to know the cost.)
  2. I’ll take it. – a (You want to buy the item.)
  3. Do you have this in small? – c (You are asking about the size.)

Answers 3: Short Answer Questions (Example Answers)

  1. You can say: “”Excuse me.”” or “”Hello.””
  2. You can say: “”How much is this?”” or “”How much does it cost?””
  3. You can say: “”I’ll take it.”” or “”I’ll buy it.””

Great job! You’ve learned some important phrases for describing and buying things in English. Keep practicing these phrases and your spoken English practice will improve quickly. Try using these phrases next time you go shopping, even if it’s just to practice saying “”Hello”” and “”Thank you””!

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