At the airport
If you take a flight from an airport in an English-
speaking country, you're likely to hear some of
these phrases.
Checking in
Did you pack these bags yourself?
Have you left these bags unattended?
Does the luggage belong to you?
Have you been with your bags the whole time?
Has anyone given you anything to take on the
flight?
How many bags do you have to check in?
Do you have any hand luggage?
Are you carrying any restricted items?
Can I see your passport?
Would you like an aisle seat or a window seat?
(aisle = next to the corridor)
Your gate number is … and your flight boards at ….
(gate number = the numbered area of the airport
where your flight leaves from)
Going through security
You need to put your hand luggage through the x-
ray machine. Some items cannot be taken on board
as hand luggage (such as knives, aerosol cans etc.)
As you pass through security, you may set off the
alarm. When this happens, the airport personnel
search you.
In the departure lounge
When you pass through security, and before you
board your flight, you can wait in the departure
lounge. At international airports there is duty free
shopping, where you can buy goods without paying
taxes.
Airport announcements
Please proceed to gate number… (proceed = go to)
In a few moments we will be calling all passengers
with priority boarding.
Please have your boarding card ready for inspection
Shopping vocabulary
Types of shops
department store - a shop that sells many different
items in different departments. Harrods is probably
the world's best known department store.
supermarket - a large shop that sells mostly food
and household items.
Grocer’s (UK) / grocery store (US) - a shop that
sells food.
greengrocer - sells fresh fruit and vegetables.
Butcher’s - sells fresh meat.
Baker’s - sells fresh bread and cakes.
Fishmonger’s - sells fresh fish.
Chemist’s (UK) / drugstore (US) - sells medicines and toiletries.
pharmacy (US) - sells medicines.
Newsagent’s - sells newspapers and magazines.
Stationery - sells paper goods.
Optician’s - sells glasses / contact lenses.
DIY store - sells things for home improvement.
hardware shop / hardware store / ironmonger -
hard goods, such as nails and screws.
corner shop (UK) - a shop on the corner of your
street, selling a range of basic goods - food,
newspapers, sweets, bread, etc.
delicatessen (deli) - sells specialist food not
normally found in supermarkets. For example, an
Italian deli, an Asian deli.
bookshop / bookstore - books.
market - market traders (people who work on a
market) have stalls that sell fruit and vegetables,
clothes, household items and so on.
petshop - for pets and pet food.
flea market - a group of stalls selling old furniture
or clothes.
tea shop (UK) - like a cafe, but sells tea and cakes.
petrol station (UK) / gas station (US) sells petrol,
car products and sometimes food.
Using 's
When we talk about shops, we often put an 's on
the end. For example, "I'm going to the chemist's /
greengrocer's / butcher's / baker's / newsagent's /
fishmonger's/ optician's."
We don't use an 's with these shops: supermarket,
hardware store, petrol station, department store.
Asking for things
"Do you have any…?"
"I'm looking for…"
"I wonder if you could help me…?"
What the shopkeeper says
"I'm sorry, we're out of stock."
"I'm sorry, that's the last one."
"I'm sorry, that's all we have left."
What a sales person says
"Can I help you?"
"Are you looking for anything in particular?"
Your reply
"I'm just looking, thank you."
"I'm just browsing, thank you."
Asking about things
"Do you have this in another size?"
"Do you have this in another colour?"
"Is this made of leather / silk / plastic…?"
"Does this come with a guarantee?"
"Is this fully refundable?"
"Can I bring this back if it's not the right size?"
"Can I bring this back if it doesn't fit?"
Paying - what the shopkeeper says
"Do you have anything smaller?" (If you pay with a l
arge denomination note.)
Paying - what you say
"I'm sorry, I don't have any small change."
"I don't have anything smaller."
"Would you have change for this?"
"Can I have the receipt, please?'
"Can I pay by credit card?"
"Can I pay in cash?"
"Is this on sale?"
