Buying, saving, spending, and getting good value for money. 20 questions from A1 to C1, with follow-ups and role plays. Answer out loud in full sentences.
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A1Beginner
Do you like shopping?Then: What do you like to buy?
Where do you usually buy food?
Do you pay with cash or with a card?
Is there an outdoor market where you live?Then: What can you buy there?
A2Elementary
What was the last gift you gave someone?Then: Why did you choose it?
Do you prefer shopping online or in stores?Then: Which is easier for you?
Have you ever bought something and then changed your mind?Then: What did you do?
How often do you look for sales or discounts?
B1Intermediate
What is something you think is worth paying more for?Then: Why does quality matter to you there?
Have you ever bought something you never actually used?Then: Why do you think that happened?
If someone gave you a gift card for any store, where would you spend it?
What advice would you give a young person about saving money?
What is the best market or shopping street you have ever visited?
B2Upper intermediate
Compared with a generation ago, do people now buy more things than they really need?Then: What do you think has driven that change?
What are the pros and cons of paying with your phone instead of cash?
In some places people bargain over prices, and in others that seems rude. How does it work where you are from?
Could you live without online shopping for a whole year?Then: What would you miss most?
C1Advanced
To what extent do advertising and social media create desires that people did not have before?
Should stores take responsibility for the waste their packaging creates, or is that mainly up to consumers?
Some people decide to buy almost nothing new for a year. What do you think motivates them, and what might they gain or lose?
Role plays
Work with a partner or a tutor. Read the situation together, then each person opens only their own card. Use the phrases to help you.
B1 Intermediate
Returning a faulty item without a receipt
Two weeks ago you bought a pair of headphones at this store. One side has stopped working, and you can’t find the receipt.
Card A: Customer
Explain the problem and ask for a refund. You still have the box and the card you paid with. If a refund isn’t possible, decide what else you would accept.
Card B: Store assistant
Store policy says refunds need a receipt. You can offer an exchange or store credit, or try to find the purchase using the customer’s card. Stay friendly but follow the rules.
Useful phrases
I bought these here about two weeks ago.
They stopped working after…
Unfortunately, I don’t have the receipt.
Our policy is that…
Would you accept…?
Could I speak to a manager, please?
A1 Beginner
Buying a gift at a market
You are at a busy outdoor market. You want to buy a small gift for a friend, but you don’t want to spend too much.
Card A: Shopper
Ask about two or three things. Ask about prices and colors. You only have 20 dollars. Choose one gift.
Card B: Seller
Show the shopper your things. The scarf is 25 dollars, the mug is 12 dollars, and the bag is 18 dollars. You can give a small discount if they buy two things.