English speaking lesson · Shopping & Money
Trying clothes on
You're in a clothes shop and something has caught your eye. A shop assistant has come over. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A clothes shop · you talk to the shop assistant
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Say what you're looking for, find your size, try it on, check it's the one and pay. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Hi! Let me know if you'd like a hand with anything.
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the shop assistant.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Say what you're after
Say hello, and say what you're looking for.
“Hello! I'm looking for a shirt, please.”
- 02
Give your size
Say what size you usually wear.
“Medium, please.”
- 03
Try it on
Say how it fits — and ask for another size or colour if you need one.
“It's a bit small — do you have a large?”
- 04
Check it's the one
Confirm which one you want, and ask how much it is.
“Yes, the blue one. How much is it?”
- 05
Pay and finish
Say how you'd like to pay, and finish politely.
“By card, please. Thanks!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the shop assistant.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- shirt
- a piece of clothing for the upper body
- “I'm looking for a shirt.”
- jacket
- a short coat
- “Do you have this jacket?”
- medium
- the middle size
- “Medium, please.”
- large
- the big size
- “Do you have a large?”
- blue
- the colour of the sky
- “In blue, please.”
- small
- not big — the little size
- “It's too small.”
- fits
- is the right size for you
- “It fits well.”
- try
- to test if something is right
- “Can I try it on?”
- much
- used to ask the price — 'how much'
- “How much is it?”
- card
- a bank card you pay with
- “By card, please.”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- jumper
- a warm knitted top
- “I'm after a jumper.”
- stock
- the items a shop has available
- “Is that in stock?”
- tight
- too close-fitting
- “It's a little tight.”
- loose
- not close-fitting
- “It's a bit loose on me.”
- colour
- red, blue, green and so on
- “Any other colour?”
- fitting
- the room where you try clothes on
- “Where's the fitting room?”
- suits
- looks good on you
- “I think it suits me.”
- total
- the full amount to pay
- “What's the total?”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers for that!”
- contactless
- tapping a card to pay without a PIN
- “Contactless, please.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- fit
- how a garment sits on your body
- “How's the fit meant to be?”
- tailored
- cut close to the body
- “Is it a tailored fit?”
- relaxed
- cut loosely and comfortably
- “I prefer a relaxed fit.”
- shade
- a particular version of a colour
- “Any darker shade?”
- fabric
- the material clothing is made from
- “What's the fabric?”
- shrink
- to get smaller when washed
- “Will it shrink in the wash?”
- alterations
- changes made to fit you better
- “Do you do alterations?”
- altogether
- in total — 'how much altogether'
- “How much altogether?”
- receipt
- the printed proof of payment
- “Could I get a receipt?”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- drape
- how fabric hangs on the body
- “Nice drape on this one.”
- cut
- the shape a garment is made in
- “I like the cut of it.”
- flattering
- making you look good
- “It's quite flattering, actually.”
- muted
- soft and understated in colour
- “Something more muted, ideally.”
- versatile
- able to be worn many ways
- “It's a versatile piece.”
- staple
- a basic item you wear often
- “It'd be a real staple.”
- splurge
- to spend more than you planned
- “I might splurge on this.”
- damage
- the cost — 'what's the damage?' (informal)
- “What's the damage?”
- tap
- to pay by touching your card
- “I'll just tap.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Lovely, we're sorted.”
More Shopping & Money lessons
- Buying a gift
- Collecting an order
- Returning an item
- Arranging delivery
- Choosing electronics
- Choosing a phone plan
- Bargaining at a market
- Changing money
- Warranty and repair