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Welcome to our Daily English Listening Practice with this week’s series:
Shopping Vocabulary
This is the 4th part of a 5-part series of our advanced English listening practice. Listen to two native English speakers guide you through some shopping vocabulary.
Please listen to the audio files for explanations.
Transcripts unavailable.
Notes from the Audio Files
Sales Associate / Shop Assistant
- Sales Associate: Formal USA
- Shop Assistant: Formal UK
- Help Wanted: A job advertisement, a job listing
- Someone who works here: a member of staff
- “The girl / the guy” who works here: the person you’ve previously seen working there or helping you
How to use it:
“Supermarkets these days are so huge that instead of spending half an hour looking for something, I just ask a shop assistant.”
“Hey, where’s the guy that works here? Oh, I see him, I’ll go ask him for another size.”
Return Policy / Take Something Back
- label/ tags: price or brand labels on the item, usually on clothes
- Lenient: Not strict
- The queen of: very good at doing something / the master of
- Store credit: an amount refunded that you can only use in that specific store
How to use it:
“I bought these jeans a couple of days ago but they don’t really fit me. I’ll take them back tomorrow.”
“Excuse me, what’s your return policy on these? – You can exchange within 30 days for store credit with your receipt.”
Just Browsing / Looking / Window Shopping
- “I’m just browsing, thanks”: “I don’t need any help, thanks.” (Go away)
- Look around: walk around a shop
- Store fronts: the decorated parts at the beginning of the store
- Lure: something that makes you want to do something
- People watching: looking at people in a crowd for fun
- Dragging kids around: Taking unhappy or tired children with you
- “What am I trying to say?” : I’m confused, help me out with what I want to say.
How to use it:
“I can’t really afford any new clothes until I get paid next week, so I just did some window shopping today to get some ideas.”
“Hi there, can I help you find anything? Oh, I’m just browsing, thanks.”
Try Something On / Dressing Rooms
- To gauge: to measure something loosely or just with your eyes
- 9 times out of ten: most of the time
- Still on the hanger: the plastic or metal piece that shows a clothing item
How to use it:
“I can’t really tell if it’ll fit me or not until I try it on.”
” Text: hey, where are you? Text: in the dressing rooms, come see what I’ve tried on”
Check In The Back / Could You Double Check
- In the front: on display to the customers
- “Could you” : polite add on to begin a question
- Pops up: comes up, happens
How to use it:
“I really like this pair, are you sure you don’t have a bigger size in the back?”
“On the phone: Hi there, I think I left my wallet at the counter, could you check the lost and found for me?”
You did it! Get out there and try to use these new phrases as soon as you can! If you do have any questions left though, feel free to ask us in the comments below.
Thanks!
Kat and Mark
