Shopping ESL Activities, Role-Plays, Worksheets and Games
In this creative shopping board game, students ask and answer questions about prices, items, and where to buy particular items. In groups, players take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter along the board. When a player lands on a square containing shopping items, the player asks the student to their left for the relevant items using the shopping language on the game board. For example, if the square contains the words 'an apple' and 'a banana', the player says, "Can I have an apple and a banana, please?" The student to their left refers to the price list, calculates the total price and responds, e.g. 'That's $2, please.' When a player lands on a 'Where can I buy...?' square, they answer the question with 'You can buy... at the...' If the player makes a suitable question or sentence, they stay on the square. If not, they go back two spaces. The first player to reach the finish wins the game.
In this free clothes shopping activity, students order conversations set in a clothes shop and role-play clothes shopping dialogues. First, students sort three mixed-up clothes shop dialogues into conversation one, two and three. Students do this by reading the customer and shop assistant responses and labelling the lines 1, 2, or 3, depending on which conversation they belong to. Students then practice the three shopping conversations with a partner. Afterwards, students create their own clothes shopping dialogue between a shop assistant and customer and present it to the class.
Here is a communicative shopping role-play activity to help students practice asking and saying how much things cost. Four students take on the role of shop assistants and four students are shoppers. The aim of the activity is for the shoppers to save the most money possible by finding out the cost of each item on their shopping list in the four shops and buying each item from the cheapest place. The shoppers ask the price of the items on their list to each shop assistant in turn, noting down the prices on their shopping list. Next, the shoppers compare the prices, go to the shops with the cheapest items and buy them. The shoppers then calculate the total amount of money they spent and write it on their list. When the students have finished, they swap roles and repeat the activity. Afterwards, students with the same shopping lists compare their answers to check they have the same totals.
In this free shoe shop role-play activity, students put a shoe shop conversation in order and role-play a shoe shopping dialogue. In pairs, one student takes on the role of the shop assistant and the other is the customer. Students then take it in turns to read each sentence to their partner and number the sentences in order. When the pairs have finished, they check the correct order and practice the dialogue with their partner. After that, pairs create a new shoe shopping dialogue of their own which they then role-play in front of the class.
In this communicative shopping role-play activity, students take on the roles of shop assistants and customers and practice buying and selling items in a shop. Half the students are shop assistants and the other half are customers. The customers go around to each shop and try to buy the items on their shopping list. When a customer makes a purchase, they write down the cost on their shopping list next to the item. After a customer has completed their shopping list, they write down the total cost of all the items and show you their answer. If there is a mistake, the customer goes back to the shops and confirms the prices. When everyone has finished, students swap roles and repeat the activity, so everyone has a chance to practice being the shop assistant and customer.
In this fun shopping game, students act as customers and shop assistants, and practice buying and selling items in a shop. In groups, students stand a card up on their table to show the name of their shop, e.g. bakery. The aim of the activity is to be the first group to buy all the items on their shopping list. To do this, each group sends out one student (the customer) from their group to buy the first item on their shopping list. The students left waiting at the table take it in turns to be the shop assistant for their shop. The customer then goes to what they think is the right shop and begins a conversation with the shop assistant, e.g. 'Hi, have you got...?' If the shop assistant has the item, they sell it to the customer and hand over a shopping item picture card. If the shop assistant doesn't have the item, the customer goes and finds the right shop. When the customer has the item, they return to their group and the second customer goes off in search of the next item on the list. The first group to buy all the items on their shopping list wins.
In this enjoyable clothes shopping game, students build a clothes shop conversation between a shop assistant and customer by matching sentence halves together. First, students look for the Hello, can I... domino and place it face up on the table. The first player then puts down one of their dominoes on either side of the domino on the table, making sure that the sentence halves go together to form a sentence or question by a shop assistant or customer, e.g. 'Hello, can I help you?' The other players then take it in turns to match their dominoes in the same way by putting them down at either end of the domino chain. The first player to get rid of all their dominoes wins the game. The remaining players continue putting down their dominoes until all the dominoes have been placed correctly to form a clothes shop conversation.
In these communicative shopping role-plays, students practice shopping language in a newsagent's and in a clothes shop. One student takes on the role of a newsagent shop assistant and the other is a customer. The information on the shop assistant's card shows the items they have for sale and the cost of each item. If they don't have what the customer wants, they try to sell them something else. The shopping list shows details of the preferred items the customers want to buy and their total budget. Some shopping items may be too expensive to buy or the shop assistant may not have what they want. If that's the case, the customers buy a similar or cheaper item. When the students have completed the role-play, they move on to the second role-play that focuses on clothes shopping. Students swap roles, so the shop assistant now becomes the customer and the customer becomes the shop assistant. The roles are the same as before, but this time the customer has a $200 gift voucher which they can't go over budget on. Finally, students present their role-plays to the class.
This handy containers worksheet helps students to practice or review container words. First, students complete shopping items on the worksheet with container words from a box. Students can use the container words more than once and several items have more than one correct answer. After that, students write new shopping items to go with the container words and their answers are reviewed.
In this communicative clothes shopping role-play activity, students take on the roles of shop assistants and customers and practice buying and selling items in a clothes shop. The aim of the activity is for the shop assistants to sell all the items on their card and for the customers to buy all the items on their shopping list. The customers walk around visiting each shop. When a customer buys an item, the shop assistant ticks the item to show it has been sold and the customer writes down the cost and any savings they have made. If an item is over budget, the customer goes to the next item on their shopping list or uses a saving from a previous purchase to buy the item. If the customer can't find what they want, they can ask for another item or move on to another shop. When everyone has finished, students swap roles and repeat the activity, so everyone has a chance to practice being the shop assistant and customer.
In this engaging bargaining language activitIes, students learn language associated with bargaining and then take part in a role-play at a market where they practice negotiating prices. First, students put a shopping conversation in the correct order. Students then match the words in bold from the shopping dialogue to their definitions. Next, students refer to the conversation to answer questions. After that, in groups, students do a role-play activity between customers and sellers at a market in which they practice bargaining for items. The customers visit the sellers to buy the items on their role cards. Customers start by asking about the price and then convincing the seller to give them a discount by stating a reason. After that, the seller explains why the item is such good value. The pair then has two minutes to negotiate a price. The student who has saved the most money at the end of the role-play wins. Afterwards, students swap roles and repeat the activity, giving everyone a chance to play both roles.
In this free shopping conversation questions speaking activity, students complete questions with shopping vocabulary and use the questions to interview a partner. First, students use shopping vocabulary in a box to complete the shopping conversation questions on the worksheet. Students then take it in turns to ask the shopping conversation questions to a partner, noting down their answers and asking follow-up questions to gain more information. Afterwards, students give feedback to the class on their partner's shopping habits.
In this entertaining shopping vocabulary game, students take part in a quiz where they read definitions and try to write down the correct shopping vocabulary. When everyone has finished, read each definition aloud and elicit the correct shopping vocabulary and spelling from the students. Students score one point for each correct answer and one point for each correct spelling. The student with the most points at the end wins the quiz.
Here is a comprehensive shopping vocabulary worksheet to help students practice describing what they want when shopping. To begin, students complete two shopping dialogues between a customer and a sales assistant with the words provided. Students then refer to the two shopping dialogues to complete a table about the item each customer asked for, along with their specific requirements. Next, students unscramble sentences in a similar shopping dialogue. After that, students write down an item they would like to buy along with at least three specific requirements. Next, students write a shopping conversation between a sales assistant and a customer based on the item and requirements using the dialogues from the worksheet as a guide. Lastly, students role-play their dialogues with a partner.
In this insightful shopping vocabulary worksheet, students learn about different types of shops and the products they sell. Students begin by matching container words with shopping items on their worksheet. Next, students use products on the worksheet to make sentences about what they can buy in each type of shop, e.g. 'You can buy wine and beer in a liquor store'. As an extension, students use the language from the worksheet in a shopping dialogue which they present to the class.
In this shopping vocabulary crossword activity, students complete a crossword by defining and guessing shopping-related words. In two groups, students invent and write down clues for the shopping words written on their crossword. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking their partner for a clue to one of their missing shopping words. Their partner reads out the clue for that word, and the other student tries to guess what it is. If the student guesses the shopping word successfully, they write it on their crossword. If not, their partner continues to give more clues until the student is able to guess the word. Afterwards, students check their spelling by comparing crosswords.
Here is a productive clothes shopping worksheet to help students practice vocabulary and phrases that are commonly used when shopping for clothes. Students start by putting a clothes shop conversation between a salesperson and a customer in the correct order. Students then match vocabulary from the dialogue with definitions. Next, students complete the second part of the clothes shop conversation with words and phrases from a box. Afterwards, students decide whether a salesperson, a customer or both would say a list of words and phrases. Lastly, students use the shopping words and phrases to write and then role-play a clothes shop dialogue between a salesperson and customer.
In this useful shopping phrasal verbs worksheet, students learn and practice phrasal verbs related to shopping. First, students underline shopping phrasal verbs in sentences and match the sentences that go together. Students then circle six more shopping phrasal verbs in a dialogue and match them to definitions. Next, students complete shopping questions with the phrasal verbs and then discuss them with a partner. After that, students complete phrasal verbs in a shopping dialogue with verbs from a box in their correct form. Lastly, students write true sentences about themselves and shopping using the phrasal verbs. As an extension, in pairs, students write and then role-play a shopping dialogue between a customer and a salesperson using the phrasal verbs. Students score one point for each phrasal verb that is appropriately used. The pair with the most points wins.
In this communicative shopping role-plays activity, students match shopping language to two situations and then use the language in role-plays. First, students read extracts from two shopping conversations and decide which extract belongs to which conversation. Next, in pairs, students read scenarios and prepare and role-play two shopping conversations using the language from the box, taking turns to be the customer and shop assistant or customer service representative. Finally, students present their role-plays to the class.
