Grocery shopping: understanding food labels and quantifiers

A2
90 min
Premium
1

Think about these questions before listening. Share your ideas with a partner.

  1. How often do you go food shopping? Where do you go?
  2. What is your favorite food to buy at the supermarket? Why do you like it?
  3. When you are in a big supermarket, is it easy or difficult to find things? Why?
2

At the Supermarket

Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.

3

Listen to the dialogue again and answer the questions.

01What is Marco looking for at the beginning of the dialogue?
Sample answerHe is looking for pasta.
02Why can't they buy any fresh basil?
Sample answerThey can't buy fresh basil because it is out of stock.
03Why does Emma suggest buying the big box of cherry tomatoes?
Sample answerShe suggests buying it because it is on sale this week.
04What do they do after they find all their items?
Sample answerThey go to the checkout counter to pay.
4

Key vocabulary

Vocabulary
These expressions will help you talk about grocery shopping.
Examples
On sale — when an item has a special, lower price for a short time.
You can also say 'on offer'. For example, 'Are these apples on sale this week?'
Out of stock — when a shop does not have an item available to buy.
This is a useful phrase when talking to a shop assistant. For example, 'I think this pasta is out of stock.'
Make a shopping list — to write down the things you need to buy before you go to the store.
We often use the verb 'make' with 'shopping list'. For example, 'I always make a shopping list on Sunday.'
Checkout counter — the place in a supermarket where you pay for your items.
You can also call this the 'till'. For example, 'Please take your items to the checkout counter.'
Fresh produce — fresh fruits and vegetables.
This is a common section in a supermarket. You can ask, 'Where is the fresh produce section?'
5

Vocabulary for the supermarket

Do you know these words for grocery shopping?

Match each word with its correct meaning.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
6

Grammar: quantifiers (some, any, how much, how many)

Grammar
We use quantifiers to talk about the amount or number of things, like food in a supermarket. We use 'how many' for things we can count (countable nouns) and 'how much' for things we can't count (uncountable nouns). We use 'some' and 'any' for both.
Examples
Do we have any apples? No, we don't have any, but we have some bananas.
Use 'any' in questions and negative sentences. Use 'some' in positive sentences.
How many tomatoes do you need? How much sugar is in this yogurt?
Use 'how many' with countable nouns (tomatoes). Use 'how much' with uncountable nouns (sugar).
Can I have some water, please? Would you like some bread?
We also use 'some' in questions when we ask for or offer something.
Key points
  • Use 'how many' + countable nouns (e.g., eggs, carrots, bottles).
  • Use 'how much' + uncountable nouns (e.g., rice, milk, time).
  • Common mistake: 'Do we have some eggs?' Correct: 'Do we have any eggs?'
7

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01Before I go to the supermarket, I always make a so I don't forget anything.
02After you get all your items, you go to the to pay.
03These biscuits are cheaper this week because they are .
04You can find apples, carrots, and bananas in the section.
05I wanted to buy some milk, but the shop was .
8

My trip to the supermarket

Read the short story about going grocery shopping.

Fill in each blank with the correct word from the word bank.

Word bank
Before I go to the supermarket, I always a shopping list. This helps me remember everything I need. Today, I need milk and some eggs. I also want to buy a lot of produce, like apples and carrots. I hope the avocados are sale this week! When I have everything, I go to the counter to pay.
9

Find the odd one out

Which word or phrase does not belong in each group? Think about the common connection.

01with the nounPlaces in a supermarket
02with the nounInformation on a food package
03with the nounFoods you can count
04with the nounThings you do when shopping
05with the nounWords to describe food
10

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. In your country, do most people prefer to buy fresh produce from big supermarkets or small, local markets? Why?
  2. Is it always a good idea to buy food that is on sale? Why or why not?
  3. Some people always make a shopping list before they go to the store, and some people never do. Which is a better idea? What about you?