Speak English Around Town » LESSON 1 - Going Shopping
Lisa: May I help you?
Amy: I'm just browsing.
Lisa: Let me know if I can help. My name is Lisa.*
Amy: Do these pants come in black?
Lisa: Yes, but we're sold out. They're so popular, we can't keep them in stock.
Amy: Do you have any black pants on sale?
Lisa: Yes, these are marked down from $69.95 to $24.95.
Amy: That's a good buy, but I'm not crazy about the fabric.
Lisa: What about these pants? These are on sale for $49.
Amy: That's a little pricey, but I'll try them on.
(Amy enters the fitting room with the pants. A few minutes later, Lisa comes to check on her).
Lisa: How are the pants?
Amy: A little snug.**
Lisa: That style does run small. Let me bring you the next size up.
(Lisa hands Amy the pants and Amy puts them on).
Amy: These pants are a little big, aren't they?
Lisa: No, they fit nicely!
Amy: They're baggy in the back, don't you think?
Lisa: No, they're perfect. Take my word for it.
Amy: I'm just not sure. I think I'd better hold off for now.
* Sales clerks often introduce themselves by giving their first name. They usually work on commission, so they get a percentage of the sale. When you check out, the cashier may ask, "Was anybody helping you today?" You tell the cashier the name of the sales clerk and he or she gets credit for the sale.
snug** - close-fitting; tight
Tag questions are short fragments at the end of a sentence. They tum a statement into a question. They are common in spoken English.
Note these uses and examples. The tag is underlined:
=> To check if something is true: You're going to the party tonight, aren't you?
=> To ask for agreement: We should bring a bottle of wine to the party, shouldn't we?
=> To emphasize something: Sara's certainly self-confident, isn't she?
=> To make a request more friendly: Open the door, could you?
If the verb in the main part of the sentence is positive ( + ), the verb in the tag is negative (-).
| Main verb ( +) | Tag verb(-) | Example |
| are ('re) | aren't | You're in good shape, aren't you? |
| should | shouldn't | We should go, shouldn't we? |
| can | can't | She can swim, can't she? |
| do | don't | You do love me, don't you? |
| 'll be (will be) | won't | They'll be here later, won't they? |
If the verb in the main part of the sentence is negative (-), the verb in the main part of the tag is positive ( + ).
| Main verb (-) | Tag verb(+) | Example |
| 're not (are not) | are | You're not coming, are you? |
| shouldn't | should | We shouldn't give up, should we? |
| can't (cannot) | can | We can't leave now, can we? |
| don't (do not) | do | We don't play with our food, do we? |
| won't | will | You won't cry when I go, will you? |
Example:
You've got class tomorrow, _____?
Answer: You 've got class tomorrow, don't you?
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