Shopping — Unit 23, Beginner English
Shops, prices, paying, and polite requests when you buy things.
Reading: Sam's Saturday Market
My name is Sam. Every Saturday morning, I go to the local market. The market opens at eight o'clock and closes at one. I love going there because the food is fresh and the prices are low.
First, I buy fruit and vegetables. I ask the stall owner: "**How much are** the tomatoes today?" They are only fifty pence for a bag. I buy two bags. Next, I move to the apple stall. Apples are one pound fifty for one kilogram. I buy two kilograms. The stall owner gives me a small **discount** because I am a regular customer. I save twenty pence.
Next, I go to the bakery stall. I buy a large brown loaf and two croissants. The total is four pounds fifty. I pay **in cash** — I always carry coins and notes to the market. The baker gives me my **change** — fifty pence back from five pounds. I put the **receipt** in my bag.
After shopping, I sit at a small café in the market. I order a coffee and a slice of cake. "**How much is** it?" I ask. The waitress says, "Three pounds twenty, please." I have no cash left, so I pay **by card** today. "**Here you are**," I say, and I tap my card on the machine.
I usually spend about twenty-five pounds at the market each week. But this week there is a big **discount** day — everything is twenty percent cheaper. I spend only eighteen pounds. I am very happy. The market is my favourite place to shop.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Word / phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| supermarket | large food shop | I buy fruit at the supermarket. |
| cash | coins and notes | Can I pay in cash? |
| card | bank card | I'll pay by card. |
| receipt | paper proof of payment | Keep the receipt, please. |
| discount | a lower price | There's a 20% discount today. |
| change | money you get back | Here is your change. |
| Word / phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| How much is it? | ask the price | How much is this bag? |
| How much are they? | ask the price (plural) | How much are these shoes? |
| Can I try it on? | test clothes | Can I try it on? |
| I'll take it | decide to buy | I'll take it, thanks. |
| Do you have…? | ask about stock | Do you have this in blue? |
| Here you are | when you give something | Here you are — your receipt. |
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.