Speaking Boost · A2 · Lesson 17 of 50
Speaking Boost A2 · Block 4: Shopping and Money

Why do prices end in .99?

9.99 feels much cheaper than 10, and your brain is the reason! Learn the "left-digit effect", buy clothes with a real price list, and return something that doesn't fit.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

In the shop

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. What did you buy last time you went shopping?
  2. Do you like trying on clothes in shops?
  3. What is your shoe size?
  4. Do you look at the price before you buy?
  5. Have you got a favourite clothes shop?
  6. What colour suits you best?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then use it in a shop sentence.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. How much does this dress ?
  2. What are you? — Medium.
  3. Excuse me, can I this jacket?
  4. The is at the back of the shop.
  5. These jeans don't — they're too long.
  6. Blue really you!
  7. You gave me 500, so here's your : 120 hryvnias.
  8. Sorry, we don't have that phone. It's .
2.3

Shop meanings

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. too big ↔ too
  2. in stock ↔
  3. money you get back after paying =
  4. money back when you return something =
  5. to give back and get another = to
  6. the right size = it
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to buy clothes in a shop.

  • Excuse me, how much is / are...?Перепрошую, скільки коштує / коштують...?Excuse me, how much are these boots?
  • Can I try it / them on?Можна приміряти?I like this shirt. Can I try it on?
  • Do you have this in a bigger / smaller size?У вас є це на розмір більше / менше?Do you have this in a bigger size?
  • It's too... / They're too...Воно занадто... / Вони занадто...It's too tight. They're too long.
  • I'll take it / them.Я це візьму.They fit perfectly. I'll take them.
  • Can I pay by card / in cash?Можна заплатити карткою / готівкою?Can I pay by card?
  • I'd like to return this.Я хотів(-ла) б повернути це.I'd like to return this. It doesn't fit.
  • Here's the receipt.Ось чек.Here's the receipt. Can I have a refund?
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

Why 99?

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Why do prices end in .99?

Look at the price tags in a shop: 99 hryvnias, 499, 9.99 euros. Why don't shops just write 100 or 500 or 10? It's only one small difference!

The answer is in our brains. We read numbers from left to right, and the first number is the most important for us. So 9.99 starts with 9, and it "feels" much cheaper than 10.00, even though the difference is only one cent. Scientists call this the "left-digit effect".

Some studies show that prices ending in 9 can really help shops sell more. Many people also think a .99 price means there is a discount, even when there isn't one!

Expensive shops often do the opposite. In luxury shops, prices are usually round, like 1,000 or 2,500. A round price feels more elegant and "high quality".

So next time you see 999 hryvnias, remember: it's really 1,000!

3.2

True or false?

  1. Many prices end in .99.
  2. We usually read numbers from right to left.
  3. 9.99 often feels much cheaper than 10.00.
  4. A .99 price always means there is a discount.
  5. Luxury shops often use round prices.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Do you notice .99 prices? Do they work on you?
  2. Why do you think luxury shops use round prices?
  3. What other price tricks do you know?
  4. What is the best bargain you remember?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

How much is / are...?

is for one thing (singular), are for more (plural).

How much is this bag? How much are these shoes?

this / that / these / those

this / these = near you; that / those = far from you.

This shirt is nice. Those jeans over there are expensive.

it / them

Pronouns for things.

I like this jacket. Can I try it on? I love these boots. I'll take them.

Trousers, jeans, shorts, glasses are plural: These jeans are too long. How much are they? Careful: ✗ How much is these shoes? ✗ This jeans → These jeans. ✗ Can I try on it? → Can I try it on?

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. How much
    these shoes?
  2. How much
    this hat?
  3. jeans are too big.
  4. Can I try
    ?
  5. Look at
    boots over there!
  6. I like these earrings. I'll take
    .
  7. dress in the window is beautiful.
  8. Do you have this
    a smaller size?
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. How much is these trousers? →
  2. This jeans are perfect. →
  3. Can I try on it? →
  4. I'll take it. (about two T-shirts) →
  5. Look at that shoes! →
  6. Do you have it on a bigger size? →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use this / these, it / them and shop phrases.

  1. Describe the last thing you bought in a shop. How much was it?
  2. What clothes suit you? What colours don't suit you?
  3. Tell about a time something didn't fit.
  4. What do you do if you don't like something you bought?
  5. What is the most expensive thing you have in your bag now?
  6. Describe a great bargain you found.
5

At the clothes shop

8 min
5.1

Shop and pay

You have 4,000 hryvnias. Your teacher is the shop assistant. Ask about prices and sizes, try things on, and buy what you need. How much do you spend? How much change do you get?

Shop 1

Clothes

  • T-shirt — 499 UAH
  • Jeans — 1,299 UAH
  • Jacket — 2,499 UAH
  • Scarf — 350 UAH
Shop 2

Shoes

  • Trainers — 1,999 UAH
  • Boots — 3,199 UAH
  • Sandals — 899 UAH
  • Socks (3 pairs) — 199 UAH
Shop 3

Accessories

  • Sunglasses — 799 UAH
  • Bag — 1,599 UAH
  • Watch — 2,999 UAH
  • Earrings — 450 UAH
5.2

Return it

Act it out with your teacher.

  1. You bought jeans yesterday, but they don't fit. Go back to the shop.
  2. Explain the problem.
  3. Ask for a bigger size or a refund.
  4. What if they don't have your size?
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Where do you usually buy clothes?
  2. Do you like shopping for clothes? Why?
  3. What is your favourite piece of clothing?
  4. How often do you buy new shoes?
  5. Do you prefer shopping alone or with friends?
  6. Do you always try clothes on before you buy them?
  7. Do you keep receipts?
  8. Do you buy clothes in sales?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who in your family loves buying clothes?
  2. What do your friends say when you try things on?
  3. Do your parents like expensive or cheap shops?
  4. What does your partner or best friend always buy?
  5. Who in your family never takes things back to the shop?
  6. What do teenagers like to buy?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is it better to buy cheap clothes or expensive ones?
  2. Should shops show the real price, like 1,000, not 999?
  3. Are shop assistants helpful or annoying?
  4. Do people buy too many clothes?
  5. Is it OK to return clothes you wore once?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

The shop assistant

You

Shop assistant

You work in a clothes shop. A customer (your teacher) comes in. Help them:
  • greet them and ask what they need
  • show them clothes and tell them the prices
  • help with sizes and the changing room
  • take the payment and give the change
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use this / these, How much is / are and polite phrases.
Your teacher

Customer

Says things like:
  1. I'm looking for a warm jacket.
  2. Do you have this in blue?
  3. It's too tight.
  4. Can I pay by card?
7.2

The difficult return

You

Customer

You bought a coat last week, but there is a problem with it (choose: wrong size, a hole, or you changed your mind). Go back to the shop and solve it:
  • explain the problem
  • show the receipt
  • ask for an exchange or a refund
  • stay polite if the assistant says no
You do most of the talking. Use: I'd like to return this... · It doesn't fit... · Here's the receipt... · Can I exchange it for...?
Your teacher

Shop assistant

Is not very helpful at first and says things like:
  1. Did you wear it?
  2. We don't give refunds, only exchanges.
  3. We don't have a bigger size.
  4. OK, let me call my manager.
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

costsizetry onfitsuitschangerefundout of stock
  1. How much does this bag ?
  2. What are your shoes?
  3. Can I this dress?
  4. These boots don't — they're too small.
  5. That green jumper really you.
  6. Don't forget your !
  7. It's broken. I'd like a .
  8. Sorry, that model is .
H2

How much is / are, this / these, it / them

  1. How much these jeans?
  2. How much this scarf?
  3. shoes are too small.
  4. Can I try ?
  5. Look at bags!
  6. I love these socks. I'll take .
  7. coat is beautiful.
  8. Do you have it red?
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. How much are these shoes?
  2. How much is these trousers?
  3. Can I try it on?
  4. This jeans are too long.
  5. I'll take them.
  6. Look at that boots!
  7. Do you have this in a bigger size?
H4

Match the two halves

  1. Excuse me,
  2. I like this shirt.
  3. Do you have this
  4. They fit perfectly.
  5. Can I pay
  6. I'd like to return this.
  7. Here's the receipt.

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.