If you are travelling abroad (to a foreign country) you may have to or want to buy clothes when you are there. If you visit a clothes shop/store, you will normally have to speak in English to the people who work there (the shop/sales assistants). So it is important that you know the vocabulary used in English when buying or shopping for clothes. And this is what you'll learn here.
In this first of two online exercises on buying clothes, you'll both learn and remember commonly used English vocabulary for shopping for clothes. You'll learn phrases that you can use to say what you are looking for and if you like something or not. You'll also learn what you can say when you want to buy a piece of clothing in a clothes shop/store.
After you have done this first part of the exercise, I recommend that you do the second part of the exercise to learn more vocabulary connected to shopping for clothes.
To learn the English vocabulary used for the different parts on a piece of clothing, do the exercise on 'English vocabulary for describing clothes'.
Read the following conversation between two customers (Jane and Maria) and a shop/sales assistant in a clothes shop in Wales. Maria wants to buy a pair of trousers.
From the context, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.
Jane:'This is a good clothes shop. I used to buy a lot of clothes in this shop in London.'
Maria:'I need to buy some trousers and it is normally cheaper to buy them in Britain than in Spain.'
Shop Assistant:'Can I help you?'
Jane:'No thank you, we're just looking.'
Shop Assistant:'Ok. If you need anything, you ask.'
5 minutes later
Maria:'Do you think they have any trousers of the make Calvin Klein?'
Jane:'Yes, they are over there.'
Maria:'I'm a bit confused with the sizes. The clothes only have British sizes on them. Which of the trousers are a european size 38 for the waist? The part of the trousers near the stomach.'
Jane:'Let me look. I think this is a 38 for the waist. And the length? You have long legs so 39, I suppose? Here you are?'
Maria:'Where can I try them on? I don't want to buy them before wearing them?'
Jane:'I don't know, we better ask where the changing rooms are?
Excuse me, where are the changing rooms?'
Shop Assistant:'The changing rooms are over there at the back of the store.'
Jane:'Thank you.'
5 minutes later
Jane:'Do they fit you?'
Maria:'Not really, they are a little bit too tight on my waist. Maybe I need a bigger size. And they are also a little too casual, I need them for work. I'll ask the shop assistant if they have anything which is smart, something more appropriate for work.
Excuse me, do you have anything smarter, more formal in the same make and in a slightly bigger size for the waist?'
Shop Assistant:'Yes we do, try these. A lot of people buy these trousers to wear for work.'
5 minutes later
Jane:'They look very good on you. They suit you perfectly.'
Maria:'I like them, they feel comfortable. The trousers also match my shoes and my top perfectly. The colours combine perfectly.'
Shop Assistant:'How are the trousers?'
Maria:'Perfect. I'd like to take them.'
Shop Assistant:'They are beautiful. Follow me and you can buy them.'
Match the words/phrases in bold from the above text to each of the definitions/descriptions below. Click on the "Check" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.
When the answer is correct, two icons will appear next to the answer. The icon contains extra information on the word/phrase. In the
icon, you can listen to the pronunciation of the word/phrase.
Now you have done this first part of the exercise, I recommend that you do the second part of the exercise to learn more vocabulary connected to shopping for clothes.
Now that you understand the meaning of the words/phrases and when to use them, practise using them by creating your own sentences with them in English. Also click on the icon next to each correct answer and listen how each is pronounced correctly.
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