English speaking lesson · Shopping & Money
Choosing electronics
You're in an electronics shop, deciding between a couple of models. An assistant is on hand. 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.
An electronics shop · you talk to the shop assistant
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Explain what you need, compare two options, ask the questions that matter, and choose one. 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 — looking for anything in particular today?
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 need
Say hello, and say what kind of thing you're looking for.
“Hello! I'm looking for a laptop.”
- 02
Say what it's for
Say what you'll mainly use it for, or what matters most to you.
“It's for work, and something cheap.”
- 03
Ask about the options
Ask a question about one of the options.
“Which one is better? How long is the battery?”
- 04
Check it's the right fit
Check the recommendation matches what you need.
“Yes, that sounds right.”
- 05
Decide and pay
Say whether you'll take it, and how you'd like to pay.
“I'll take it, please — by card. 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.
- laptop
- a small computer you can carry
- “I'm looking for a laptop.”
- phone
- a mobile device for calls
- “I need a new phone.”
- work
- the tasks you do for a job
- “It's for work.”
- cheap
- not expensive
- “Something cheap, please.”
- fast
- quick
- “Is this one fast?”
- battery
- the part that stores power
- “How long is the battery?”
- better
- of higher quality
- “Which one is better?”
- much
- used to ask the price — 'how much'
- “How much is it?”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “That one, please.”
- card
- a bank card you pay with
- “By card, please.”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- budget
- the amount you can spend
- “My budget is around $500.”
- mainly
- for the most part
- “Mainly for work.”
- storage
- space for saving files
- “How much storage does it have?”
- lightweight
- easy to carry, not heavy
- “Something lightweight, ideally.”
- difference
- how two things are not the same
- “What's the difference between them?”
- recommend
- to suggest something as good
- “Which would you recommend?”
- warranty
- a promise to repair or replace
- “How long is the warranty?”
- 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.
- specification
- the technical details of a product
- “What's the specification like?”
- processor
- the part that does the computing
- “Which processor does it use?”
- performance
- how well something works
- “How's the performance for editing?”
- reliable
- working well and not failing
- “Is that brand reliable?”
- compatible
- able to work together with something
- “Is it compatible with my monitor?”
- upgrade
- to improve to a better version
- “Can I upgrade the memory later?”
- coverage
- what a warranty protects
- “What's the warranty coverage?”
- 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.
- spec
- the technical details, in short
- “How does the spec compare?”
- overkill
- far more than you actually need
- “That might be overkill for me.”
- futureproof
- likely to stay useful for years
- “Is it reasonably futureproof?”
- bottleneck
- the part that slows everything else down
- “Where's the bottleneck?”
- marginal
- small enough to barely matter
- “The difference sounds marginal.”
- premium
- extra cost for higher quality
- “Is the premium worth it?”
- sway
- to persuade someone toward a choice
- “That might sway me.”
- 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
- “Brilliant, we're sorted.”
More Shopping & Money lessons
- Trying clothes on
- Buying a gift
- Collecting an order
- Returning an item
- Arranging delivery
- Choosing a phone plan
- Bargaining at a market
- Changing money
- Warranty and repair