Online Shopping. Speaking exercise

Online shopping

In this lesson we will be talking about Online Shopping in English, and looking at a grammar point with no exceptions: the gerund after prepositions.

 

"I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist".
— Tammy Faye Bakker

If you have purchased online English classes with OLA, you will already have experienced the convenience of online shopping. You probably didn’t even think twice about it, as online shopping has quickly become one of the most popular ways to buy things in modern society. When it first began, I remember people being rather untrusting of buying things over the internet, or entering their card details into a website, but now it seems that people accept the fact that they are just as likely to be the victim of credit card fraud in a bar or restaurant as they are on a website.
 

Before we get started with today’s lesson, here is a list of vocabulary that will help you talk about online shopping with your native English-speaking teacher in your conversation classes via Skype.
 

World currencies

English vocabulary related to Online Shopping

• Credit card    
• Currency    
• Cash        
• Coins        
• Debit card    
• Deposit money     
• Gift card    
• Sales        
• Profits        
• Retail        
• Auction    
• Deliver
• Delivery    
• Receipt    
• Complain
• Complaint    
• Return        
• Refund        
• Withdraw money

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Grammar to use in your online English conversation class

Gerund after Preposition

This is a great rule which has no exceptions. If you want to use a verb after a preposition, you must use the gerund (which acts as a noun). 

Examples:

• √ You pay after receiving the goods
  X You pay after to receive the goods
   
• √ You can try the product before paying for it.
   
• √ I am looking forward to seeing you
   
• √ I dream of buying everything online
   
• √ I’m afraid of entering my card details
   
• √ Online shopping is the same as buying things at a shop.

Note: In sentences such as the following, the to is not a preposition, but is part of the to-infinitive:

• I want to go to the shopping centre
• I used to live in London
• You have to pay in advance

Useful verb forms:

• Buy - bought - bought
• Withdraw - withdrew- withdrawn
• Sell - sold - sold
• Send - sent - sent

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Common mistakes:

     X by Internet
     √ ON THE Internet

     X more cheaper
     √ cheaper

     X claim
     √ complain

Common pronunciation problems:

• Receipt /rɪ’si:t/   *silent ‘P’
• Automatic /ˌɔ:tə’mætɪk/
• Euro  /'jʊərəʊ/

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E-commerce

Questions we will discuss in your online English conversation class:

• Do you shop online? Why or why not? 
• What items or services do you purchase online?
• How do you pay for the things you buy online?
• What are the advantages of shopping online?
• Have you had a bad experience / been disappointed with something you bought online?
• Did you ask for a refund?
• What would you never buy online? 
   
• What things do you prefer buying from a shop?
• Do you prefer to use cash or debit/ credit cards?
• How much cash do you normally have on you?
• Do you set a limit on how much you can withdraw?
• What things do you buy with your credit card?
• What things do you use cash for?
• Which is handier, cash or credit card?
• What is the future of the way we pay?

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Practice reading and listening before speaking with your native English-speaking teacher:

This article looks at the pros and cons of doing your grocery shopping online, rather than going to the supermarket. 

“Here in the UK we are the biggest online shoppers in the developed world, with over 36 million of us going online every day. But when it comes to our weekly shopping the vast majority of us still prefer to get in our car and drive to the supermarket…”  Read more…

And this short video gives you useful tips and advice for buying goods and services online:

Do listening exercise on this video!

 

Speaking practice:

Now book your online English conversation class with one of our native English-speaking teachers to put into practice what you’ve learned in this lesson.

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