25 Shopping Conversation Questions for A2-B1 English Learners (Free PDF)
- Alex
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Level: pre-intermediate (A2) / intermediate (B1)
Go to the English Conversation Questions Hub for more discussion topics you can use for self-study or for the ESL classroom.
25 Shopping Conversation Questions for ESL Learners (A2/B1)
Download and print the 3-page PDF for your classroom:
Today, when people want to have something, they usually have to buy it. Some people still make their own clothes, plant their own vegetables, or raise animals for food, but most of us have to go to the store for these things. In other words, we have to go shopping!
Do you know how to talk about shopping in English? Can you talk about your shopping experiences? About online shopping, grocery shopping, and your personal brand preferences?
That is the purpose of this page: to practice asking and answering common questions about shopping with confidence and accuracy.
The shopping conversation questions below are ideal for the ESL classroom or for self-study. They are meant for pre-intermediate (A2) and intermediate (B1) English learners, but more advanced learners can enjoy them as well. This resource is meant to help learners practice their speaking skills, and to learn and use some new vocabulary. With these conversation questions, students will use the present simple, past simple, and the present perfect.
If you are ready, let's go shopping!
Warm-up
How old is your current phone? Did you buy it or receive it as a gift?
Example answer: I got my phone three years ago. I bought it.
When do you plan to buy a new phone?
Example answer: I will probably buy a new phone in a year or two.
Shopping Preferences and Experiences
How often do you go shopping for clothes?
Example answer: On average, I go clothes shopping every three months.
Do you like shopping for clothes? What about for other things?
Example answer: I don't like shopping for clothes, but I like shopping for video games.
What are some of your favourite stores?
Example answer: Some of my favourite stores are Wal-Mart, Costco, and Game Stop.
Have you ever had to return something to a store? What happened?
Example answer: Yes. I had to return a shirt because it was too small.
Online Shopping
How often do you shop online? What do you usually buy?
Is there something you will never buy online?
Do you prefer to walk around a store or to look at items on a screen?
Loyalty Programs
Do you have any points cards for specific stores? If so, how often do you use your points?
What kind of rewards do you prefer: discounts, gifts, or cash back?
Grocery Shopping
Who does most of the grocery shopping (shopping for food) in your home?
What is expensive at the grocery store these days?
Do you check prices online or in magazines before you go grocery shopping?
Have you ever left the grocery store and realized you forgot to buy something?
Shopping Idioms
Do you have a credit card? Do you pay off your credit card every month? (Pay off means you pay the full amount so that your CC balance is at zero.)
Do you like to go window shopping? (Go to stores just to look at things.)
Do you like to shop around when you want to buy something? (This means you like to compare prices at different stores.)
How often do you make impulse purchases (also: impulse buys)? (This means you buy things suddenly, without planning.)
Buying and Receiving Gifts
What kinds of gifts do you usually buy for other people?
Do you think a gift card (a card with money for a specific store) is a good gift?
What is one of the nicest things that someone has ever bought for you?
Shopping Behaviours
Do you take advantage of major shopping days like Black Friday or Boxing Day?
Have you ever bought something because a celebrity advertised it?
Do you like to try new brands, or do you usually buy the same brands? (A brand is the name of a company who makes or sells something. Apple is a brand.)
Shopping Conversation Questions Picture Exercise
Complete the dialogues with your own ideas. If you finish quickly, try to create an original dialogue. What questions and other vocabulary do you need to know at the grocery store?
Good job! Do you feel more comfortable discussing shopping in English? I hope so!
If you enjoyed practicing your English with these conversation questions, and you would like to support my work, please consider buying one of my books. Thank you for your support. Until next time, keep learning and keep practicing.
