Speak English Around Town Lesson 1 Idioms, Proverbs, Expressions MCQ Test
LESSON 1 – Going Shopping
GOING SHOPPING
Amy is at a clothing store shopping for a new pair of pants. Lisa, a saleswoman, asks her if she needs any help.
Lisa: May I help you?
Amy: I’m just browsing.
Lisa: Let me know if I can help. My name is Lisa.*
Amy: Do these pants come in black?
Lisa: Yes, but we’re sold out. They’re so popular, we can’t keep them in stock.
Amy: Do you have any black pants on sale?
Lisa: Yes, these are marked down from $69.95 to $24.95.
Amy: That’s a good buy, but I’m not crazy about the fabric.
Lisa: What about these pants? These are on sale for $49.
Amy: That’s a little pricey, but I’ll try them on.
(Amy enters the fitting room with the pants. A few minutes later, Lisa comes to check on her).
Lisa: How are the pants?
Amy: A little snug.**
Lisa: That style does run small. Let me bring you the next size up.
(Lisa hands Amy the pants and Amy puts them on).
Amy: These pants are a little big, aren’t they?
Lisa: No, they fit nicely!
Amy: They’re baggy in the back, don’t you think?
Lisa: No, they’re perfect. Take my word for it.
Amy: I’m just not sure. I think I’d better hold off for now.
* Sales clerks often introduce themselves by giving their first name. They usually work on commission, so they get a percentage of the sale. When you check out, the cashier may ask, “Was anybody helping you today?” You tell the cashier the name of the sales clerk and he or she gets credit for the sale.
snug** – close-fitting; tight
Language Lens: Tag Questions
Tag questions are short fragments at the end of a sentence. They tum a statement into a question. They are common in spoken English.
Note these uses and examples. The tag is underlined:
=> To check if something is true: You’re going to the party tonight, aren’t you?
=> To ask for agreement: We should bring a bottle of wine to the party, shouldn’t we?
=> To emphasize something: Sara’s certainly self-confident, isn’t she?
=> To make a request more friendly: Open the door, could you?
If the verb in the main part of the sentence is positive ( + ), the verb in the tag is negative (-).
|
Main verb ( +) |
Tag verb(-) |
Example |
|
are (‘re) |
aren’t |
You’re in good shape, aren’t you? |
|
should |
shouldn’t |
We should go, shouldn’t we? |
|
can |
can’t |
She can swim, can’t she? |
|
do |
don’t |
You do love me, don’t you? |
|
‘ll be (will be) |
won’t |
They’ll be here later, won’t they? |
If the verb in the main part of the sentence is negative (-), the verb in the main part of the tag is positive ( + ).
|
Main verb (-) |
Tag verb(+) |
Example |
|
‘re not (are not) |
are |
You’re not coming, are you? |
|
shouldn’t |
should |
We shouldn’t give up, should we? |
|
can’t (cannot) |
can |
We can’t leave now, can we? |
|
don’t (do not) |
do |
We don’t play with our food, do we? |
|
won’t |
will |
You won’t cry when I go, will you? |
IDIOMS
- (to) come in
→ to be available in; to be sold in a certain color, style, size, or material
Example: Does this jacket come in leather?
- (a) good buy
→ a good price; a bargain
Example: You bought that Tommy Hilfiger shirt for just $15? That’s a good buy!
- (to) hold off
→ to wait to do something; to delay
Example: We’d like to buy a new car, but we ‘re going to hold off until the new models are released.
- in stock
→ available for sale
Example: If you ‘re interested in that toaster, you should buy it now. We’ve only got a few left in stock.
- just browsing
→ shopping, without necessarily buying anything; only looking
Example: “May I help you find something?” – “No, thanks. I’m just browsing.”
- marked down
→ lowered in price; on sale
Example: This shirt was marked down from $49.95 to $24.95.
- (to) not be crazy about
→ to not like very much; to not be enthusiastic about
Example: I’m not crazy about your plan to spend all day at the mall.
- on sale
→ at a reduced price
Example: I like this leather jacket, but $299 is expensive. I’ll wait until it goes on sale.
- pricey
→ expensive
Example: Lucia’s Trattoria is a great restaurant, but it’s pricey. Dinner for two costs about $150.
- (to) run small / to run big
→ to fit small I to fit large (a cut or style of clothing that is smaller or bigger than expected)
Example: These shoes run small, so if you’re usually a size 7, try an 8.
- sold out
→ completely sold
Example: Gary went to the Apple store to buy the new iPad, but it was sold out.
- take my word for it
→ trust me; believe me
Example: Take my word for it. You won’t find this camera cheaper at any other store.
- (to) try something on
→ to put something on to see if it fits
Example: You’d better try on your wedding dress again before the wedding to make sure it still fits!
