Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about shopping and money.
Example: I want to _____ a new bag. (buy / sell / pay)
Answer: I want to buy a new bag.
Shopping and Money in English
Shopping is part of everyday life. We buy food, clothes, and other things we need. To shop, we also need to understand money — how to pay, how much things cost, and how to ask for help in a shop.
In this lesson, you will learn the most important English words for shopping and money. These words will help you in supermarkets, markets, and shops every day.
A Short Shopping Situation
Read this simple situation to see the vocabulary in action:
Maria goes to a small shop. She wants to buy some bread and milk. She looks at the price. The bread costs £1.50. She pays with a £5 note. The shop assistant gives her change. Maria is happy with her shopping!
Now let's learn the key words from this situation — and many more.
Key Vocabulary and Meaning Breakdown
1. Places and People
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| shop | noun — a place where you buy things | There is a small shop near my house. | Also called a store in American English |
| supermarket | noun — a large shop that sells food and many other items | I buy fruit and vegetables at the supermarket. | Bigger than a normal shop |
| market | noun — an outdoor or indoor place with many sellers | We go to the market on Saturday morning. | Often cheaper than a supermarket |
| shop assistant | noun — a person who works in a shop and helps customers | The shop assistant showed me the new jackets. | Also called a sales assistant |
| customer | noun — a person who buys something in a shop | The customer paid for her shopping. | You are the customer when you shop |
| checkout | noun — the place in a shop where you pay | There is a long queue at the checkout. | Often called the till in British English |
2. Things in a Shop
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | noun — how much something costs | What is the price of this shirt? | We ask: How much is it? |
| receipt | noun — a piece of paper that shows what you bought and how much you paid | Keep your receipt if you want to return the item. | Pronounced: reh-SEET (the 'p' is silent) |
| bag | noun — a container to carry your shopping | I put all my shopping into a big bag. | E.g. a plastic bag or a shopping bag |
| trolley | noun — a large metal basket on wheels used in a supermarket | I need a trolley because I have a lot to buy. | Called a cart in American English |
| basket | noun — a small container to carry a few items in a shop | I only need a basket — I am buying two things. | Smaller than a trolley |
| shelf | noun — a flat board in a shop where products are placed | The biscuits are on the top shelf. | Plural: shelves |
3. Money and Paying
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| money | noun — coins and notes used to buy things | I have some money in my pocket. | Uncountable noun — we do NOT say "moneys" |
| coin | noun — a small, round, metal piece of money | I found a 50p coin on the floor. | E.g. 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2 |
| note | noun — a flat piece of paper money | She paid with a £10 note. | E.g. £5, £10, £20, £50 notes |
| change | noun — the money you get back when you pay more than the price | The item costs £3. I pay £5. My change is £2. | Important word at the checkout! |
| card | noun — a small plastic card used to pay without cash | Can I pay by card, please? | Also: debit card or credit card |
| cash | noun — coins and notes (physical money) | I don't have cash. Can I pay by card? | The opposite of paying by card |
| cheap | adjective — not expensive; low in price | This bread is very cheap — only 80p! | Opposite: expensive |
| expensive | adjective — costs a lot of money | That jacket is very expensive. It costs £200! | Opposite: cheap |
| free | adjective — costs nothing; you do not pay | The bag is free today! | Very useful word in shops and markets |
| sale | noun — a time when prices are lower than normal | Everything in the shop is on sale this week. | Common phrase: on sale |
4. Shopping Action Words (Verbs)
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| buy | verb — to get something by paying money | I want to buy some apples. | Past tense: bought |
| sell | verb — to give something to someone in exchange for money | This shop sells fresh vegetables. | Past tense: sold |
| pay | verb — to give money for something | I pay £2 for the coffee. | Past tense: paid |
| cost | verb — to have a particular price | How much does this cost? | Past tense: cost (no change) |
| spend | verb — to use money to buy something | I spend £50 at the supermarket every week. | Past tense: spent |
| return | verb — to take something back to the shop | I want to return this shirt. It is too small. | You usually need a receipt to return something |
Collocations and Useful Expressions
Collocations are words that often go together. Learn these common shopping and money collocations in English.
go + shopping
I go shopping every Saturday morning.
pay + by card
Can I pay by card, please?
pay + in cash
She always pays in cash.
spend + money + on
I spend a lot of money on food.
cost + a lot
That coat costs a lot!
on + sale
These shoes are on sale — 50% off!
get + change
I gave him £10 and got £3 change.
do + the shopping
My mum does the shopping on Friday evenings.
make + a shopping list
I always make a shopping list before I go to the supermarket.
look + for
I am looking for a blue coat.
Useful Phrases in a Shop
Here are some simple phrases you can use when you go shopping:
- How much is this? — Asking the price of one item
- How much are these? — Asking the price of more than one item
- Can I pay by card? — Asking if you can use a card to pay
- Do you have this in a bigger size? — Asking for a different size (for clothes)
- Can I have a receipt, please? — Asking for your receipt
- I'd like to return this. — Saying you want to bring something back
- Have you got a bag? — Asking for a shopping bag
Important Differences and Confusing Words
Buy vs Pay vs Spend
These three verbs are all about money, but they are used differently.
Buy — focuses on getting the item.
I buy a coffee every morning.
We say: buy + something
Pay — focuses on giving the money.
I pay £3 for my coffee.
We say: pay + for + something or pay + amount
Spend — focuses on the total amount of money used.
I spend £15 at the café this week.
We say: spend + money + on + something
Cheap vs Inexpensive vs Free
Cheap — low in price. This word can sometimes sound negative (like low quality).
These shoes are very cheap. I think the quality is bad.
Inexpensive — a politer way to say low in price. For A1 learners, cheap is fine to use.
This restaurant is inexpensive.
Free — costs nothing at all. Zero price!
The coffee is free with your meal.
Shop vs Store
Shop — the normal British English word for a place where you buy things.
I am going to the shop.
Store — the normal American English word. Also used in British English for large shops (e.g. department store).
I am going to the store. (American English)
Both words are correct and understood in English. At A1 level, use shop in your lessons and writing.
Cost vs Price
Cost is a verb.
How much does it cost? ✅
It costs £5. ✅
Price is a noun.
What is the price? ✅
The price is £5. ✅
Do NOT mix them up:
What is the cost? — This is also correct, but less common in everyday speech.
It prices £5. — This is WRONG. We do not use price as a verb like this at A1 level.
Common Mistakes
❌ I want to buy a coffee. How much is the cost?
✅ How much does it cost? or What is the price?
❌ I have no moneys today.
✅ I have no money today. — Money is uncountable. We never add -s.
❌ I pay the coffee with card.
✅ I pay for the coffee by card. — Use pay for (not just pay) and by card (not with card).
❌ She buyed a new dress yesterday.
✅ She bought a new dress yesterday. — The past tense of buy is bought, not buyed.
❌ I go to shopping every weekend.
✅ I go shopping every weekend. — We say go shopping, NOT go to shopping.
❌ This bag is free of charge? No — it costs free.
✅ This bag is free. — We say something is free. We do NOT say it costs free.
❌ The assistant gaved me my change.
✅ The assistant gave me my change. — The past tense of give is gave, not gaved.
Shopping and Money: Quick Summary and Review
In this lesson, you have learned the most important English vocabulary for shopping and money at A1 level. Here is a quick review of what we covered:
- Places and people: shop, supermarket, market, shop assistant, customer, checkout
- Things in a shop: price, receipt, bag, trolley, basket, shelf
- Money words: money, coin, note, change, card, cash, cheap, expensive, free, sale
- Shopping verbs: buy, sell, pay, cost, spend, return
- Key collocations: go shopping, pay by card, spend money on, on sale, do the shopping
- Useful phrases: How much is this? Can I pay by card? Can I have a receipt, please?
Remember these key grammar points:
- Money is uncountable — never say "moneys"
- Say go shopping — NOT "go to shopping"
- Say pay for something — NOT "pay something"
- The past tense of buy is bought
Now practise shopping and money vocabulary in the exercises below.
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