GOSSIP AT THE OFFICE.- Session 2.- Going shopping.
Read the text and listen to the situation.
Susana: Uffff... One more month and everything will be over! Susana thinks to herself.
Lourdes: What's wrong Susana? Are you OK?
Susana: ...Oh.. me? (she is kind of daydreaming) Sorry, I was just thinking about this being our last month here!
Lourdes: I know! I can't believe it! Time has travelled so fast!
Susana: I feel really weird, because on the one hand I'm looking forward to going back home, sunbathing and trying my mum's fabulous paella! ...However... leaving all this... ufff , I prefer not to think about it!
Lourdes: Yeah, the same happens to me and I can't stop thinking "now what?" What am I doing next year? Uff ( We'd better not think about that! You know what?
Susana: What?
Lourdes: Let's go shopping! Kate told me that today all the shops are having sales! We should bring some presents for our family and friends, don' t you think?
Susana: Oh great! You are right! We can' t go back home empty-handed! so... let's go shopping!!!.
Lourdes: Yes! We should enjoy our last month here! Let's go!
Write in the forum.
When we spend some time abroad or in any other place different from our home, it's normal to have mixed-feelings. Have you ever been in the same situation as our friends? When was it? How did you feel? Enter the forum and tell your classmates.
1.- What to say: Let's go window shopping.
"But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy something, which does not represent your life and talent, but a goldsmith's."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Lourdes and Susana go to the nearest tube station. There, They take the Bakerloo Line till Notting Hill Gate, and there, they change to the Central Line to Oxford Circus.
Lourdes: he, he, he...
Susana: What are you laughing at?
Lourdes: He, he .. I was thinking about the first day we had to take the underground, remember?
Susana he, he … oh yeah! He, he... we didn't even know how to buy a ticket! (she says laughing).
Lourdes: I know! He, he... ufff, we've learned so many things here!! (kind of sad).
A few hours later...
Susana: Yes, it's unbelievable, but True! Oh look! It's Harrods!!! let's go there! (very excited).
Lourdes: ufff... I'm exhausted! Are you kidding me? Harrods it's really expensive even on sales!
Susana: I know, but we don't need to spend any money, let's just take a look! I've heard it's quite interesting going inside, not for the stuff you may buy, but for the people! And who knows... what If we find this really cute rich guy…
Lourdes: (She interrupts what Susana is saying) yeah, and he falls in love with me! Come on Susana!... OK... (kind of tired) let's go in...
Susana: Great! How exciting!
1.1.- Going shopping.
Going shopping can be really interesting when you go abroad. You don't even need to spend any money, just go to to the stores and mix with the local people, you will learn a lot about the culture, people's preferences, and who knows! You may even discover a new trendy style!
When going to the shops, there are some useful phrases that you need to know to get by. Here you have some of the most common ones.
What to say when shopping | Qué decir cuando se va de compras |
---|---|
Can I help you? | ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? / ¿Le ayudo en algo? |
Could you help me, please? | ¿Me puede ayudar por favor? |
Yes, please. I'm looking for... ( a pair of jeans, a T-shirt...) | Sí, por favor. Estoy buscando...(unos vaqueros, camiseta..) |
No thanks, I'm just looking! / I'm just taking a look! | No gracias, sólo estoy mirando. |
Excuse me, where can I try this on? | Perdone, ¿dónde me puedo probar ésto? |
The changing rooms are over there! | ¡Los probadores están por allí! |
What size are you? (A.E) / What size do you take? (B.E) | ¿Qué talla tiene? |
I'm an "L" please / I take an "L", please. | Tengo la "L" por favor. |
Does it suit you? / It really suits you. | ¿Le queda bien? / ¡Le queda realmente bien! |
I'm afraid it's too small/big. Have you got a smaller / bigger size, please? | Me temo que es demasiado pequeño / grande. ¿Tiene una talla más pequeña / grande? |
Have you got this one in a different colour, please? | ¿Lo / la tiene en un color diferente, por favor? |
Is this on sale? | ¿Está en rebajas? |
Is it washable? | ¿Se puede meter en la lavadora? |
I would like to return this, could I have a refund, please. | Me gustaría devolver esto. ¿Me puede devolver el dinero por favor? |
Opening hours | Horario de apertura |
What time do you open / close? | ¿A qué hora abren / cierran por favor? |
Do you open on Sundays? | ¿Abren los domingos? |
We open from (9 a.m.)... till (5 p.m.). | Abrimos de (9) a (5). |
We're closed at lunch time between 12 and 2 p.m. | Cerramos a medio día de 12 a 2. |
How to pay | Cómo pagar |
Cash or credit card? | ¿En efectivo o tarjeta? |
I'll pay by credit card, please. | Con tarjeta por favor. |
Do you take credit cards? | ¿Aceptan tarjetas de crédito? |
How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? |
Do you want your receipt in your bag? | ¿Quiere que le meta el recibo en la bolsa? |
Here's your (T-shirt) and your receipt. | Aqui tiene su... (camiseta) y su recibo. |
Do you give refunds? | ¿Devuelven el dinero? |
You can take anything back up to three weeks after purchase, but you need to keep your receipt. | Puede devolver cualquier cosa en un máximo de tres semanas, siempre y cuando guarde el ticket. |
Saying Goodbye | Despidiéndose |
Have a nice day! | ¡Qué tenga un buen día! |
Thank you, you too! | ¡Gracias, usted también! |
1.2.- Now you put it into practice (I).
What to say? | Match | When? |
---|---|---|
1. Have you got a bigger size, please? | a. To offer help. | |
2. Card or credit card? | b. The customer asks for a place to try something on. | |
3. Where are the changing rooms, please? | c. The customer indirectly asks the shop-assistant to leave him / her alone. | |
4. Does it suit you? | d. The customer asks for help. | |
5. Can I help you? | e. What you are trying on doesn't suit you. | |
6. I'm just looking, thank you. | f. The shop-assistant asks you for your size. | |
g. The shop-assistant asks you if you like it or not. | ||
h. The shop-assistant asks you how you want to pay. |
What would you say in the following situations? Be polite.
- You want to take back a T-shirt you bought last week. You want your money back.
- You found a fabulous pair of jeans and you want to try them on.
- You are going to pay. The shop-assistant asks you how you want to pay.
- Those shoes are too small.
Listen to a real shopping conversation and take the quiz available on the web page. Good luck!
How many did you get right?
Don't worry if you didn't do it very well. Listening is one of the most complex things of learning a foreign language, just keep going! You're doing great!
Make it real!
Enter the forum and record your voice with the sentences you wrote in exercise 2. Try to be natural!
2.- How to say it: Reported Speech (II). Questions.
Read the following examples carefully. What type of sentences are they? What is the main difference between them?
- "Did you see Mr. Parker at the canteen this morning?" Susan asked. Susan asked if I had seen Mr. Parker at the canteen.
- "Where's your stapler?" Molly asked Peter. Molly asked Peter where his stapler was.
As seen above, we need to differentiate two types of questions in English: Yes/No questions and Open questions. Let's take a closer look at both of them:
- Yes / No questions. They are those in which we elicit a "yes" or "no" answer.
- Example: Is the manager in his office? Yes, he is / No he isn't.
- Open questions. They are those in which we ask for some specific information.
- Example: When is Mr. Parker travelling to New York? On Monday at 10 p.m.
Like in Statements, when reporting questions some changes are needed:
Reporting yes/no questions.
When reporting yes/no questions, we usually use if or whether + Subject + Verb. Always bearing in mind that we need to place the verb a step backwards in time. Example:
- Has Kate sent the report to Sally? Alan asked me. → Alan asked me if/whether Kate had sent the report to Sally.
- Is the stapler on the table? Mary wondered → Mary wondered whether/if the stapler was on the table.
Reporting Open questions.
Open questions usually start with a -wh element:
- Where is the closest vending machine?, What's your address?
To report this type of questions, we place the -wh element +Subject + Verb. Remember that Like in any reported sentence, the verb needs to be traced a step backwards in time.
- Example: "Where's the canteen?" Paul asked me → Paul asked me where the canteen was.
Take into account that when someone says something in the present tense and it's still valid at the moment we report it, we don't need to backshift the tense if we don't want to.
- Example: I live in New York → He said that he lives/lived in New York.
- James: "Where's the toilet, please?" → James asked where the toilet is.
- Peter: "Do you want a cup of coffee?" → Peter asked if wanted a cup of coffee.
- Susan: "Can you help me?" → Susan asked me if can I help her.
"Ask" is usually the most common reporting verb in questions, however, there are many others like "wonder, enquire, want to know etc." Click on the link below to take a closer look at other reporting verbs.
2.1.- Now you put it into practice (II).
Read the following questions and put them into Reported Speech. Try to use different reporting verbs.
Example: Peter: "Did Simon clean the office this morning?"
Peter asked me if Simon had cleaned the office that morning.
- Christopher: "Do you want to come to the meeting with me?"
- Betty: "Paul, what time did you come this morning?"
- Mark: "Do you need a pen?"
- Sarah: "Will Sam have lunch with you tomorrow?"
- Steve: "Where is he?"
Read the following text:
"Hi, my name's Steve Faulkner and I need to tell Mr. Parker about a new business I would like to start. It's about computers. The idea is to create a company that anyone with computing problems can reach. How many computers do you have at British Corporation? OK, thank you, I'll talk directly to Mr. Parker tomorrow."
Imagine you are Mr. Parker's secretary and you have to tell your boss what Mr. Faulkner told you on the phone. Start with:
"Mr. Parker, someone phoned you this morning. He said that... ______
Read the original questions and decide which reported question is most appropriate.
Sally: "What do you think of the new film?"
2.1.1.- Now you put it into practice (III).
To read Catherine's grammar explanation click here.
2.2.- Revision of Grammar.
Why don't we revise some of the main grammar points we've seen in this session?
Take a look at the following presentation. You might find it interesting.
3.- Words you need: buying from a catalogue.
Manufacturers make products or offer services. They have always wanted to put what they make in front of customers. For hundreds of years people have been able to walk from their home to the local baker, butcher, shoe maker, dress shop, or hardware store. If someone did not like the quality or the price of something they could just walk down the street to another store and buy something they liked better.
By the time the United States was being settled, the population of the new colonies was much more separated and more rural than in Europe. People had to travel long distances to shops to buy the things they needed. On the other hand, it was difficult for manufacturers to know which products their customers needed or wanted.
In the 1980's, An American company called Sears found a way for buyers and sellers to "meet". The Sears Roebuck & Company catalogue was introduced to offer rural customers a big list of products to look at and buy from home. Once the customers had chosen what they wanted, they would order and pay for their products by mail. Catalogue prices tried to be affordable to rural customers but Sears' also offered expensive items to attract richer families. Each year the arrival of the new catalogue became a family event. They would all sit around the kitchen table and look at what items were new. Nowadays these old catalogues are considered collector items.
Shopping from home was not only convenient in the late 18th and early to mid 19th century, it was also an economic necessity. It was impossible for the manufacturers to open shops all over the US at the time so the Sears catalogue was beneficial to both customers and manufacturers because hundreds of products were displayed to millions of shoppers by the company.
Today shopping from home via catalogue over the internet is convenient and economical for both the consumer and the manufacturer. The shopper can search a large number of online catalogues and stores for the best products at the best prices. The manufacturer only needs to make the number of ordered products not to keep extra stock. The internet has helped both small and large manufactures to meet the exact demand for a larger and more diverse set of products.
Shopping from home has many advantages. Shoppers can view a much greater selection at lower prices using the internet. You can shop online at any time not just when stores are open. The internet offers many extra services like shopping alerts that tell you when something you want is available or even on sale! Also for those that may have physical disabilities, shopping online can be a big aid in helping them to live independently. In addition, obtaining products that may not be offered locally or gift giving for distant relatives and friends is now easy to do over the internet.
Today we can shop online or over our mobile phones. We can also visit a traditional shop near our home. Having choices has been good for both manufactures and consumers. Ten years from now there will be new options that will provide a wider consumer choice and higher quality goods and services.
Read the text carefully and choose the correct answer for these questions.
When the US was being settled, what was the main problem between manufacturers and clients?
3.1.- Shopping online.
Nowadays, it is very common for companies to buy the stuff they need on the internet to save time. Here you have some useful vocabulary you should know.
Words or expressions | Palabras o expresiones |
---|---|
Retail store. | Minorista. |
Wholesale. | Venta al por mayor. |
Shipping. | Compra. |
Customer Service. | Atención al cliente. |
Gift card. | Tarjeta regalo. |
To place an order. | Hacer un pedido. |
Site map. | Mapa de la página web. Inicio. |
Order tracking. | Rastreo del pedido (situación en la que se encuentra el pedido). |
Outlet. | Outlet, restos de stock. |
Invoice. | Factura. |
Bill. | Factura, cuenta. |
Free shipping. | Gastos de envío gratuito. |
Shipping and Handling. | Envío y distribución del producto. |
Item. | Producto, unidad. |
Goods. | Mercancía. |
Clearance. | Liquidación de stock. |
Virtual shopping basket/ cart. | Cesta o carrito virtual. |
Return policy. | Normas de devolución. |
Available. | Disponible. |
Sold out. | Agotado. |
One item left. | Última unidad. |
Brand. | Marca. |
Size. | Talla. |
RELATED TO PRICE AND PAYMENT | Relacionado con el precio y forma de pago |
Reasonable. | Razonable. |
Cheap. | Barato. |
Expensive. | Caro. |
A bargain. | Una ganga. |
Cash. | En metálico. |
Cheque. | Cheque. |
Credit card. | Tarjeta de crédito. |
Fidelity card. | Tarjeta de fidelidad. |
Discount. | Descuento. |
Tax. | Impuestos. |
3.2.- Now you put it into practice (IV).
Decide if the following statements are True or False.
Customers become dissatisfied when...
The product or service they want is available.
When buying from a catalogue the company offers you a lot of choices and services. Read the following descriptions and then match them to the appropriate words below. Be careful, there's an extra expression you don't need to use!
- Retail stores Visa Card.
- Company Shipping and Handling.
- Shop catalogue.
- Customer Service.
- Site Map Gift Card.
- Order Tracking.
- Outlets.
Return and Exchange Information.
- Browse or shop in our latest catalogues without ever making a trip to the mailbox. Just choose a catalogue, then click on a product for more information or to add it to your shopping cart. .
- No expiration date or added fees. Accepted online, by phone or at any store or outlet. .
- Find top-quality gear and apparel, in-store events and special promotions. .
- Resources to help retailers improve customer experience and service. .
- Gift certificate. Delivered freely by Email or Mail. Accepted online, by phone or at any store or outlet. .
- This gives visitors a good overall picture of how the site is organized and clearly defines all the resources the website has to offer. .
- Process of packing, distributing and sending merchandise. .
Make it real!
Your boss has asked you to buy some equipment for the office online. Check the website below and look for the items listed below. Then, take notes of 2 different options for each item giving details on the reference, description of the product and price. When you're done send it to your tutor. Have fun!
Items: Stapler, Re-positionable notes, tape, plastic folder, pencil and hard drive.
Appendix.- Licenses of resources.
Resource (1) | Resource information (1) | Resource (2) | Resource information (2) |
---|---|---|---|
By: Craftivist Collective. License: CC by nc 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/craftivist-collective/5312584244/ |
By: Images_of_money. License: CC by 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59937401@N07/5856795621 |
||
By: Ciccio Pizzettaro. License: CC by-nc-sa 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cicciopizzettaro/4297936934/ |
By: Ask?. License: CC by-nc-sa 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ask-for-peace/1342099010 |
||
By: Stetted. License: CC by-nc-sa 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunlitrain/304341390/sizes/o/ |
By: Herby_fr. License: CC by-nc-sa 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/herby_fr/94422385 |
||
By: O5com. License: CC by 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/o5com/5107015769/ |
By: 401K. License: CC by-sa 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68751915@N05/6355351769/ |
||
By: Wwarby. License: CC by 2.0. From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/5146212293/ |