Series ID: EDKS-BASIC-ZH-0016 · Lesson No.016 · 零基础英语第十六课 · Pre-A1 → A1

Shopping and Money | 购物与金钱

How much is this? I’d like two, please. Can I pay by card? Could I have the receipt?
这个多少钱？我想要两个。可以刷卡吗？可以给我收据吗？

Shopping brings together numbers, quantity, questions, clothes, food, comparison, politeness and repair. A real purchase is not one sentence. It is a sequence of decisions.

购物会把数字、数量、问句、衣服、食物、比较、礼貌和交流修复全部连接起来。一次真实购买不是一句话，而是一连串判断和操作。

This lesson builds a complete beginner purchase loop: find → ask → compare → choose → pay → check → leave.

Chinese Edition Hub · 中文版入口 · ← Lesson No.015 · Home and Rooms

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The shopping map | 购物路线

• shop/store, customer, cashier, counter
• price and cost
• How much is this? / How much are these?
• numbers, decimals and currency
• cheap, expensive, cheaper, more expensive
• sale, discount, full price
• quantity and unit price
• I want / I’d like / I’ll take…
• this/that/these/those
• Do you have…?
• cash, card, contactless, mobile payment
• receipt, change, total
• checking the price and quantity
• wrong item / wrong price / missing item
• return, exchange, refund as recognition vocabulary
• polite refusal and ending the transaction
• Mandarin money expressions vs English structures

1. Shop and store | 商店

shop is very common in British English. store is very common in American English and widely understood internationally.

• a clothes shop
• a grocery store
• a bookshop
• a convenience store

2. Customer and cashier | 顾客与收银员

• customer — 顾客
• cashier — 收银员
• shop assistant / sales assistant — 店员
• counter — 柜台

Knowing role words helps learners understand signs and workplace instructions.

3. Price | 价格

• What’s the price?
• The price is twenty dollars.
• Is that the final price?

The most natural beginner question in many shopping situations is still How much is it?

4. How much is this? | 这个多少钱？

• How much is this?
• How much is that?
• How much is the jacket?

Use is for one item.

5. How much are these? | 这些多少钱？

• How much are these?
• How much are those?
• How much are the shoes?

Use are for plural items.

6. It is / they are | 回答价格

• It’s ten dollars.
• They’re twenty-five dollars.
• It’s $8.50.

Spoken currency wording depends on the country and currency. Learn local conventions where you live or travel.

7. Dollars and cents | 元与分

• $5.00 → five dollars
• $5.50 → five dollars fifty / five fifty depending on context and region
• $0.80 → eighty cents

When clarity matters, say the currency name explicitly.

8. Decimal point | 小数点

In general number reading, English says point:

• 3.5 → three point five
• 7.25 → seven point two five

Price reading often follows currency conventions rather than mathematical decimal reading.

9. Total | 总价

• The total is thirty dollars.
• What’s the total?
• Is that the total?

total means the final combined amount.

10. Each | 每个

• They’re two dollars each.
• Each one is five dollars.

each is useful for unit price.

11. Two for ten | 两个十元

• Two for ten dollars.
• Three for twelve dollars.

Promotional signs often omit full grammar. Learners need to recognise compressed commercial language.

12. Cheap and expensive | 便宜与贵

• This is cheap.
• That jacket is expensive.
• These shoes are too expensive for me.

cheap describes low price. It can sometimes imply low quality when used about people or style, so use it carefully outside price discussion.

13. Cheaper | 更便宜

• This one is cheaper.
• The blue shirt is cheaper than the black shirt.

cheap → cheaper.

14. More expensive | 更贵

• This one is more expensive.
• The jacket is more expensive than the shirt.

Do not say expensiver.

15. Better value | 更划算

better value means the combination of price and what you receive seems better.

• The larger pack is better value.

This is useful but slightly above absolute beginner vocabulary.

16. Sale | 促销 / 特价

• It’s on sale.
• These shoes are on sale.
• Is this on sale?

on sale often means discounted in American English. In some British contexts, for sale means available to buy. Learn the whole phrase.

17. Discount | 折扣

• There’s a ten-percent discount.
• Do I get a discount?
• This has a twenty-percent discount.

Percent language builds on Lesson 005 numbers.

18. Full price | 原价 / 全价

• It’s full price.
• This item is not discounted.

Commercial wording varies, but these are useful recognition phrases.

19. Price tag | 价签

• The price tag says $20.
• There is no price tag.
• Can you check the price?

If a displayed price and checkout price differ, ask for clarification rather than guessing.

20. I want… vs I’d like… | 想要与礼貌购买

• I want this one.
• I’d like this one, please.
• I’d like two, please.

I’d like is a useful polite service phrase.

21. I’ll take it | 我买这个

• I’ll take it.
• I’ll take this one.
• I’ll take two.

This common shopping phrase means you have decided to buy the item.

22. I’ll take these | 我要这些

• I’ll take these.
• I’ll take the black shoes.
• I’ll take three bottles.

Plural object → these/those.

23. Do you have…? | 你们有……吗？

• Do you have water?
• Do you have this in blue?
• Do you have a larger size?
• Do you have any more?

This frame works across food, clothes and general retail.

24. Is there another one? | 还有另一个吗？

• Is there another one?
• Do you have another colour?
• Do you have another size?

another helps continue the search without restarting the whole conversation.

25. How many do you need? | 需要多少个？

• How many do you need?
• I need two.
• I need six bottles.

This reuses countable quantity from Lessons 005 and 009.

26. How much do you need? | 需要多少量？

• How much rice do you need?
• How much water do you want?

Use how much for uncountable amount.

27. One kilo / half a kilo | 重量单位

• one kilo
• half a kilo
• 500 grams

Unit systems vary by country and product. Learn the local units used in shops.

28. A bottle, a box, a bag, a pack | 包装单位

• a bottle of water
• a box of tea
• a bag of rice
• a pack of tissues

Shopping quantities are often packaging quantities rather than raw noun counts.

29. Basket and trolley/cart | 篮子和购物车

• shopping basket
• shopping trolley — British
• shopping cart — American

Recognise regional alternatives.

30. Cash | 现金

• Can I pay in cash?
• I’m paying cash.
• Do you take cash?

cash is uncountable in ordinary use.

31. Card | 卡

• Can I pay by card?
• Do you take cards?
• I’ll pay by card.

by card is a common payment phrase.

32. Contactless | 非接触支付

• Can I pay contactless?
• Contactless is fine.

Wording varies by country and payment system. Recognition is often more important than production at A1.

33. Mobile payment | 手机支付

• Can I pay with my phone?
• Do you accept mobile payment?

Payment methods change over time, but these general phrases remain useful.

34. PIN | 密码

You may hear:

• Enter your PIN.
• Please enter your PIN.

Do not share your PIN with other people. This is ordinary financial privacy vocabulary.

35. Tap / insert / swipe | 刷卡动作词

• Tap your card.
• Insert your card.
• Swipe your card.

Which action is used depends on the payment terminal and card technology.

36. Receipt | 收据

• Would you like a receipt?
• Yes, please.
• Could I have the receipt?

A receipt records the transaction and can matter for returns or checking.

37. Change | 找零

• Here’s your change.
• Keep the change. — only when appropriate
• I think the change is wrong.

change can mean coins/small money returned after cash payment.

38. Exact change | 刚好的零钱

• Do you have exact change?
• I have exact change.

Useful in cash-based situations.

39. Bag | 袋子

• Would you like a bag?
• No, thank you.
• Yes, please.

Some places charge for bags or encourage reusable bags. Listen for the actual local policy.

40. Need a bag? | 省略式服务英语

Staff may say:

• Need a bag?
• Receipt?
• Cash or card?

These are compressed service questions. Beginners should recognise them even though they are not full classroom-style sentences.

41. Cash or card? | 现金还是刷卡？

• Cash or card?
• Card, please.
• Cash, please.

This is a choice question with omitted words.

42. Anything else? | 还要别的吗？

• Anything else?
• No, that’s all, thank you.
• Yes, one more bottle, please.

This phrase appears in shops, cafés and service counters.

43. That’s all | 就这些

• That’s all, thank you.
• No, that’s all.

This cleanly closes the selection stage.

44. Check the total | 检查总价

• Is the total thirty dollars?
• Sorry, did you say thirteen or thirty?
• Can you say the total again?

Lesson 010 repair language matters when numbers sound similar.

45. Thirteen vs thirty | 13 与 30

English -teen and -ty contrasts can affect prices:

• thirteen
• thirty
• fourteen
• forty
• fifteen
• fifty

Stress patterns often differ. If the price matters, confirm rather than guess.

46. Wrong price | 价格不对

• Sorry, I think the price is wrong.
• The label says ten dollars.
• Can you check the price, please?

Use calm factual language.

47. Wrong quantity | 数量不对

• I asked for two, not three.
• There are only five here.
• I paid for six.

Quantity disputes need clear numbers and item names.

48. Wrong item | 商品不对

• This isn’t the one I ordered.
• I ordered the blue one, not the black one.
• I asked for a medium, not a large.

Lesson 012 negatives become transaction-repair tools.

49. Missing item | 少了东西

• One item is missing.
• I paid for three, but I only have two.
• Can you check, please?

Keep the statement short and evidence-based.

50. Return | 退货

• I’d like to return this.
• Can I return this?

Return policies vary by shop, product, country and purchase method. The language does not guarantee eligibility.

51. Exchange | 换货

• Can I exchange this?
• I’d like to exchange this for a smaller size.

This is useful recognition language for clothes shopping.

52. Refund | 退款

• Can I get a refund?
• When will I get the refund?

Refund rules vary. Check the actual store policy and receipt terms.

53. Keep the receipt | 保留收据

A common practical rule is to keep the receipt when a return or exchange may be needed. This is not legal advice; actual consumer rights vary by jurisdiction.

54. Sold out | 售罄

• Sorry, it’s sold out.
• That size is sold out.
• Do you know when it will be back?

sold out means no stock is currently available for sale.

55. Out of stock | 缺货

• It’s out of stock.
• This colour is out of stock.

Similar meaning to sold out, though usage can differ slightly by context.

56. In stock | 有货

• Is this in stock?
• Yes, it’s in stock.

This is slightly above core A1 but very useful in modern shopping.

57. Order online | 网上下单

• Can I order this online?
• Is it available online?

Shopping language now spans physical and online stores.

58. Delivery | 配送

• Do you deliver?
• How much is delivery?
• When will it arrive? — future-language preview

Delivery wording varies by platform. At beginner level, recognise the core nouns and questions.

59. Mandarin transfer: 多少钱 | How much is it?

Chinese can say 多少钱？ very compactly. English usually needs the subject and be verb:

• How much is it?
• How much is this?
• How much are these?

Do not say How much this?

60. Mandarin transfer: 块 / 元 | Currency words

Mandarin colloquial money words do not map directly onto every English-speaking currency. Say the actual currency:

• ten dollars
• twenty yuan
• five pounds
• thirty euros

Use local currency naming accurately.

61. Mandarin transfer: 买两个 | English needs object context

• 我要两个。 → I’d like two, please.
• 我要两瓶。 → I’d like two bottles, please.
• 我要两件。 → English depends on the actual item: two shirts, two jackets, two pieces, etc.

Chinese classifiers do not have one fixed English equivalent.

62. Mandarin transfer: 刷卡 | Pay by card

• 我可以刷卡吗？ → Can I pay by card?

Do not translate 刷 literally as “brush” or rely on one action verb. The natural payment phrase is about method.

63. Reading practice A: clothes shop | 阅读 A

Mei sees a blue jacket for forty dollars. She likes it, but the medium is too large. She asks, “Do you have a smaller size?” The assistant brings a small. Mei tries it on. It fits well. She asks, “Is this still forty dollars?” The assistant says yes. Mei says, “I’ll take it.” At the counter, she pays by card and asks for the receipt.

1. How much is the jacket?
2. What is wrong with the medium?
3. What does Mei ask for?
4. Does the small fit?
5. How does she pay?
6. What does she ask for at the end?

64. Reading practice B: supermarket | 阅读 B

David needs rice, milk and apples. Rice is eight dollars a bag. Milk is three dollars a bottle. Apples are two dollars each. He buys one bag of rice, two bottles of milk and four apples. The cashier tells him the total. David checks the amount before paying in cash.

1. How much is one bag of rice?
2. How much is one bottle of milk?
3. How many apples does David buy?
4. What does he check before paying?
5. Does he pay by card?

65. Reading practice C: price repair | 阅读 C

Anna chooses a book with a price tag of twelve dollars. At the counter, the cashier says fifteen dollars. Anna says, “Sorry, the price tag says twelve dollars. Can you check the price, please?” The cashier checks the system and confirms that the correct price is twelve dollars. Anna pays and keeps the receipt.

1. What does the tag say?
2. What price does the cashier first say?
3. How does Anna repair the problem?
4. What is the final price?
5. What does Anna keep?

66. Writing practice: one purchase dialogue | 写一段购买对话

Include:

1. ask price
2. ask for size/quantity
3. choose
4. say payment method
5. ask for receipt

67. Writing practice: compare two prices | 比较价格

Example:

• The blue shirt is $20.
• The black shirt is $25.
• The blue shirt is cheaper.
• The black shirt is more expensive.

Then add preference: I prefer the blue shirt because it is cheaper.

68. Speaking practice: cash or card | 付款角色扮演

Cashier: That’s twenty-eight dollars.
Customer: Can I pay by card?
Cashier: Yes. Please tap your card.
Customer: Could I have the receipt?
Cashier: Of course.

69. Speaking practice: wrong price | 价格纠错角色扮演

Customer: Sorry, I think the price is wrong.
Cashier: What price did you see?
Customer: The label says fifteen dollars.
Cashier: Let me check.

The goal is calm factual repair, not argument practice.

70. Error clinic | 常见错误诊所

Common error	Better English	What broke?
How much this? ✗	How much is this? ✓	be missing
How much these? ✗	How much are these? ✓	plural be
I want buy this. ✗	I want to buy this. / I’ll take this. ✓	verb pattern
Can pay card? ✗	Can I pay by card? ✓	subject + preposition
Give me receipt. △	Could I have the receipt, please? ✓	service politeness
This more cheap. ✗	This is cheaper. ✓	comparative form
It is expensiver. ✗	It is more expensive. ✓	comparative form

71. First weak link diagnosis | 第一个卡点诊断

• I know numbers but cannot ask price → How much frame.
• I hear price but confuse teen/ty → number discrimination.
• I can ask price but cannot compare → cheaper/more expensive.
• I can choose but cannot complete payment → cash/card/receipt sequence.
• I freeze when a price is wrong → repair language.
• I misuse classifiers → English unit/package language.
• I understand full questions but not cashier shorthand → compressed service language.

72. Retrieval lab | 提取练习

• 这个多少钱？ → ______
• 这些多少钱？ → ______
• 我要两个。 → ______
• 我要这个。 → ______
• 可以刷卡吗？ → ______
• 我要现金付款。 → ______
• 可以给我收据吗？ → ______
• 这个更便宜。 → ______
• 这个更贵。 → ______
• 我觉得价格不对。 → ______

Suggested answers: How much is this? / How much are these? / I’d like two, please. / I’ll take this one. / Can I pay by card? / I’ll pay in cash. / Could I have the receipt? / This is cheaper. / This is more expensive. / I think the price is wrong.

73. Ten-minute daily practice | 每天十分钟

2 min	prices and numbers	价格数字
2 min	quantity	数量
2 min	comparison	便宜贵
2 min	payment phrases	付款
2 min	one full purchase role-play	完整交易

74. Seven-day training cycle | 七天训练

Day 1	How much + price reading	问价
Day 2	quantity and packages	数量包装
Day 3	cheap/expensive/comparatives	比较
Day 4	selection language	选择
Day 5	cash/card/receipt/change	付款
Day 6	price/quantity repair	纠错
Day 7	full shop simulation	综合交易

75. Self-test: 35 questions | 35 题自测

1. Ask: 这个多少钱？
2. Ask: 这些多少钱？
3. Say: 十美元。
4. Say: 五美元五十分。
5. Translate: 总价。
6. Translate: 每个两美元。
7. Translate: 这个很便宜。
8. Translate: 那个很贵。
9. Translate: 这个更便宜。
10. Translate: 这个更贵。
11. Translate: 打折。
12. Ask: 这个有蓝色的吗？
13. Ask: 有大一点的吗？
14. Say: 我要这个。
15. Say: 我要两个。
16. Ask: 可以现金付款吗？
17. Ask: 可以刷卡吗？
18. Translate: 收据。
19. Ask for a receipt.
20. Translate: 找零。
21. Ask to check the price.
22. Say: 我觉得价格不对。
23. Say: 我要的是两个，不是三个。
24. Say: 这不是我订的那个。
25. Translate: 退货。
26. Translate: 换货。
27. Translate: 退款。
28. Translate: 售罄。
29. Translate: 有货。
30. Correct: How much this?
31. Correct: Can pay card?
32. Correct: This more cheap.
33. Correct: It is expensiver.
34. Build a five-line purchase dialogue.
35. Build a four-line wrong-price repair dialogue.

Answer key | 答案

1 How much is this?; 2 How much are these?; 3 ten dollars; 4 five dollars fifty / five fifty depending on context; 5 total; 6 two dollars each; 7 This is cheap; 8 That is expensive; 9 This is cheaper; 10 This is more expensive; 11 discount / on sale; 12 Do you have this in blue?; 13 Do you have a larger size?; 14 I’ll take this / I’d like this one; 15 I’d like two; 16 Can I pay in cash?; 17 Can I pay by card?; 18 receipt; 19 Could I have the receipt?; 20 change; 21 Can you check the price, please?; 22 I think the price is wrong; 23 I asked for two, not three; 24 This isn’t the one I ordered; 25 return; 26 exchange; 27 refund; 28 sold out; 29 in stock; 30 How much is this?; 31 Can I pay by card?; 32 This is cheaper; 33 It is more expensive; 34–35 answers vary.

76. For parents and teachers | 给家长和老师

Use real price labels, menus, supermarket flyers or invented store cards. Shopping English becomes strong when the learner must make decisions rather than recite vocabulary.

Train number contrasts carefully. A learner who knows grammar but confuses thirteen and thirty can still make costly mistakes.

For Mandarin speakers, explicitly teach that English price questions normally need is/are, and that classifiers such as 件、瓶、盒、袋 map to different English noun or packaging structures.

Role-play complete transactions. Do not stop after “How much is it?” Continue to quantity, choice, payment, receipt and repair.

Keep financial privacy clear. Never ask learners to disclose real card numbers, PINs, bank balances or account details for language practice.

77. What Lessons 013–016 add | 第十三至十六课增加了什么？

Lesson	New real-world control
013	describe and identify people
014	describe, choose and try clothing
015	describe homes, objects and spatial relations
016	complete a purchase and repair transaction errors

The first sixteen lessons now cover identity, objects, wants, location, numbers, time, family, routines, food, repair, questions, negatives, people, clothing, homes and shopping.

78. Final real-world challenge | 最终真实任务

1. Ask the price of one item and several items.
2. Read five prices accurately.
3. Compare two prices.
4. Ask for another size or colour.
5. Choose an item politely.
6. State a quantity.
7. Choose cash or card.
8. Ask for a receipt.
9. Repair one wrong price or quantity.
10. Complete a one-minute purchase from greeting to closing.

If you can do this, you are not merely learning shopping vocabulary. You can complete a basic transaction.

Next natural nodes | 下一批自然节点

• Lesson No.017 · Weather and Seasons · 天气与季节
• Lesson No.018 · Transport and Travel · 交通与出行
• Lesson No.019 · Health and the Body · 身体与健康
• Lesson No.020 · Plans and Future Time · 计划与未来时间

Back to Chinese Edition Hub · 返回中文版入口

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Reference floor: British Council A1 Elementary · British Council A1–A2 Vocabulary · Cambridge Essential Grammar in Use A1–B1.