Shopping Without Haggling: Department Stores and Chain Stores
Learning Goals:
- Learn new words about shopping in stores.
- Understand a short story about shopping in a department store.
- Talk about your own experiences in department stores and chain stores.
- Practice asking for help or information while shopping.
Key Words:
- Department Store: A big store with many different sections (e.g., clothes, shoes, home goods).
- Chain Store: A store that is part of a larger company with many stores in different places.
- Fixed Price: The price you see is the price you pay. No bargaining!
- Sale: A special time when prices are lower.
- Discount: A reduction in the price of something.
- Return: To take something back to the store because you don’t want it or it doesn’t work.
Let’s Talk About It!
- Do you like shopping in department stores or chain stores? Why or why not?
- What are some good things about shopping in these stores? (Lots of choices, easy to find things, sometimes they have sales.)
- What are some things you don’t like? (Can be crowded, things might be expensive.)
Important Phrases:
- Excuse me, can you help me find…?
- Do you have this in a different size/color?
- How much is this?
- Can I try this on?
- I’d like to return this.
Let’s Read a Story!
Julia went to a big department store. She had never been there before and was excited. There were so many different clothes and shoes! Julia found a beautiful coat. She liked that the price was clearly marked, so she didn’t have to worry about bargaining. She asked the salesperson to help her find the right size. Julia bought the coat and was very happy with her purchase.
Questions About the Story:
- Where did Julia go shopping?
- What did she buy?
- Why was Julia happy about the price?
Talk with a Partner!
Imagine you are shopping in a department store. One person is the customer, and the other is the salesperson. Practice asking and answering questions about a product. Use the phrases you learned.
Example:
- Customer: Excuse me, can you help me find a blue sweater?
- Salesperson: Of course! What size are you looking for?
Homework:
Write a short review of your favorite store. What do you like about it? What do they sell?
Extra Fun:
Go window shopping! Visit a department store or chain store and look at the items on display. What would you like to buy if you could?
