Speaking Boost · A2 · Lesson 19 of 50
Speaking Boost A2 · Block 4: Shopping and Money

What was the first thing bought online?

In 1994, a young man paid $12.48 for a Sting CD, the first safe online purchase. In the same year, Amazon started in a garage. Talk about online shopping, solve order problems, and call customer service.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Online shopping

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Do you shop online? What do you buy?
  2. What was the last thing you ordered online?
  3. Which apps or websites do you use for shopping?
  4. Do you read reviews before you buy?
  5. How do you usually get your parcels?
  6. Do you prefer shopping online or in shops?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about your online shopping.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. Last week I a new lamp online.
  2. The was very fast — only one day!
  3. There's a for you at the post office.
  4. My order three days late.
  5. Always read the before you buy.
  6. The jeans were too small, so I them.
  7. When the box arrived, the cup inside was .
  8. You can your parcel on the website.
2.3

Meanings

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. a person who brings parcels =
  2. an opinion from a customer =
  3. delivery you don't pay for =
  4. to send something back = to
  5. to say you are not happy = to
  6. a secret word for your account =
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to talk about online shopping.

  • I ordered... online.Я замовив(-ла) ... онлайн.I ordered a dress online last week.
  • It arrived... / It didn't arrive...Воно прийшло... / Воно не прийшло...It arrived after two days.
  • There was a problem with...Була проблема з...There was a problem with the size.
  • They sent me the wrong...Мені надіслали не той...They sent me the wrong colour.
  • I'd like to return...Я хотів(-ла) б повернути...I'd like to return these shoes.
  • I'm writing to complain about...Я пишу, щоб поскаржитися на...I'm writing to complain about my order.
  • Where is my order?Де моє замовлення?I ordered it two weeks ago. Where is my order?
  • The reviews say...У відгуках пишуть...The reviews say it's very good quality.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

The first click

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

What was the first thing bought online?

Today, millions of people buy things online every minute. But what was the very first thing bought online in a safe way?

In August 1994, a young man in the USA called Phil Brandenberger used his computer to buy a music CD: "Ten Summoner's Tales" by Sting. He paid $12.48 plus delivery with his credit card. The website was called NetMarket. The newspapers wrote about it because it was the first time someone paid online and the card information was safe.

In the same year, a man called Jeff Bezos started a small online bookshop in his garage. He called it Amazon. At first, it only sold books. Today, it sells almost everything!

In those years, a lot of people were afraid to pay online. They thought someone could steal their money. Today, most of us pay online without thinking about it.

What did you buy the first time you shopped online?

3.2

True or false?

  1. The first safe online purchase was in 1994.
  2. Phil Brandenberger bought a book.
  3. He paid with his credit card.
  4. Amazon started as a big supermarket.
  5. In the 1990s, many people were afraid to pay online.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. What was the first thing you bought online?
  2. Were you afraid to pay online the first time?
  3. What do you never buy online?
  4. How has online shopping changed your life?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Past Simple: regular

-ed.

I ordered, it arrived, I returned, they delivered, I complained

Past Simple: irregular

Learn them!

buy → bought, pay → paid, send → sent, get → got, come → came, take → took, find → found

Negatives and questions

didn't + verb, Did + subject + verb?

It didn't arrive. Did you pay online? When did you order it?

Common problem phrases: It arrived late. It didn't arrive. They sent the wrong size. It was damaged. Careful: ✗ It didn't arrived → It didn't arrive. ✗ I buyed → I bought. ✗ Did you paid? → Did you pay?

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. I
    a new phone last week.
  2. It
    on time.
  3. They
    me the wrong size.
  4. by card?
  5. I
    a lamp online.
  6. When
    it?
  7. The courier
    at 9 p.m.
  8. I
    500 hryvnias for delivery.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. I buyed shoes online. →
  2. The parcel didn't arrived. →
  3. Did you paid online? →
  4. They sended the wrong colour. →
  5. When you ordered it? →
  6. The courier comed late. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use Past Simple.

  1. What was the last thing you bought online? Tell the full story.
  2. Tell about a problem with an online order. What happened?
  3. What was your best online purchase?
  4. How did people shop when you were a child?
  5. Did you buy any presents online last year?
  6. Tell about a time a parcel arrived late or didn't arrive.
5

Online order problems

8 min
5.1

What went wrong?

Tell the story of each order in the Past Simple. What should each customer do? Then tell a real story about an online order from your life.

Order 1

The dress

  • Ordered: a red dress, size M
  • Arrived: a blue dress, size L
  • Delivery: 2 days late
  • Customer: very angry
Order 2

The phone

  • Ordered: a new phone
  • Arrived: the box was damaged
  • The phone works, but the screen has a scratch
  • Customer: wants a new one
Order 3

The coffee machine

  • Ordered: 3 weeks ago
  • Did not arrive
  • The tracking says "delivered"
  • Customer: confused
5.2

Online or in a shop?

Give examples from your life.

  1. What do you prefer to buy online? Why?
  2. What do you prefer to buy in a shop? Why?
  3. What are the best and worst things about online shopping?
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. How often do you shop online?
  2. Which shopping app do you use most?
  3. Do you buy food online?
  4. Do you pay for delivery or look for free delivery?
  5. Do you read reviews? Do you write them?
  6. Have you got a favourite online shop?
  7. What do you do with the boxes from parcels?
  8. Do you prefer a courier or a parcel locker?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Do your parents shop online?
  2. Who in your family buys the most online?
  3. Do your friends buy clothes online?
  4. What do older people think about online shopping?
  5. Do children buy things online?
  6. Who taught you to shop online?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is online shopping better than shopping in real shops?
  2. Will shops disappear in the future?
  3. Is online shopping bad for the environment?
  4. Are online reviews true?
  5. Is it safe to pay online?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

The customer service call

You

Customer

You ordered something online, but there was a problem (choose one from 5.1 or your own). Call customer service:
  • say what you ordered and when
  • explain what went wrong
  • say what you want: a new one, a refund or an exchange
  • stay polite
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use Past Simple.
Your teacher

Customer service

Asks short questions, for example:
  1. What is your order number?
  2. When did you order it?
  3. What exactly arrived?
  4. Would you like a refund or a new one?
7.2

The online shopping teacher

You

Helpful friend

Your grandmother or an old neighbour (your teacher) wants to buy something online for the first time. Help them:
  • explain how to choose a shop and read reviews
  • explain how to pay safely
  • explain how delivery and tracking work
  • tell them about your first online purchase
You do most of the talking. Use: First... · Then... · Don't share your password... · When I first ordered online, I...
Your teacher

Grandmother

Says things like:
  1. Is it safe?
  2. How do I know it's a good shop?
  3. Where does the parcel come?
  4. What if it's the wrong size?
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

ordereddeliveryparcelarrivedcourierreviewsreturneddamaged
  1. I some books online.
  2. The was free.
  3. Your is at the post office.
  4. The package yesterday.
  5. The rang my doorbell at 7 a.m.
  6. I read the before I bought it.
  7. I the jacket because it was too big.
  8. The box was .
H2

Past Simple

  1. I a lamp last week.
  2. It on time.
  3. They the wrong colour.
  4. online?
  5. I new trainers.
  6. When it?
  7. The courier late.
  8. We for delivery.
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. I ordered a book online.
  2. It didn't arrived.
  3. They sent me the wrong size.
  4. Did you paid by card?
  5. I bought a phone last month.
  6. The parcel comed yesterday.
  7. When did you order it?
H4

Match the two halves

  1. I ordered a dress online
  2. It arrived
  3. There was a problem
  4. They sent me
  5. I'd like to return
  6. I'm writing to complain
  7. The reviews say

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