September has arrived and we are getting ready to start the new academic year and get back to our everyday routine. Our students will probably be stocking up on new stationery, clothes and books for school, so we have designed our activities this month with this in mind. Our B2 First and C1 Advanced students will learn some useful vocabulary to describe graphs and comment on shopping habits. A2 Key and B1 Preliminary learners will practise their speaking and listening skills to be better prepared when they find themselves in shopping situations. Finally, the youngest ones can practise their speaking and writing to describe their favourite shop. Happy teaching!

1. 1
September
September has arrived and we are getting ready to start the new academic year and get back
to our everyday routine. Our students will probably be stocking up on new stationery, clothes
and books for school, so we have designed our activities this month with this in mind. Our B2
First and C1 Advanced students will learn some useful vocabulary to describe graphs and
comment on shopping habits. A2 Key and B1 Preliminary learners will practise their speaking
and listening skills to be better prepared when they find themselves in shopping situations.
Finally, the youngest ones can practise their speaking and writing to describe their favourite
shop. Happy teaching!
1. Shopping...........................................................................................................................2
2. Customer service ..............................................................................................................6
3. Let’s go shopping..............................................................................................................9
4. References .....................................................................................................................12

2. 2
1. Shopping
Level: B2 First / C1 Advanced
Skills and content: writing, reading and speaking
Interaction: whole class, in pairs, in groups, individual
activity
Time: 90 minutes
Warm up (15’) – whole class / in pairs
1. How do you prefer doing your shopping? Why?
2. Have your shopping habits changed due to covid? If so, how? Why?
3. Do you usually rely on the same brands and products or do you prefer to keep things
varied? Why?
Discussion (15’) – whole class
Listen to these statements. Do you agree or disagree? Why? Take notes of relevant points
made during the discussion.
1. Digital shopping is here to stay.
2. Customer loyalty (1) has plummeted, with buyers switching brands at unprecedented
rates.
3. Consumers are changing their shopping habits in response to health and safety
concerns.
Follow up (15’) – in pairs / groups of 3
Read some additional information about the statements above. Are they in line with what has
been discussed? Why (not)?
The survey found a 15-30% overall growth in consumers who made purchases online across a broad
range of product categories. Many of the categories see a (2) double-digit percentage growth in
online shopping intent, led by over-the-counter medicines, groceries, household supplies and personal
care products.
Source: Torkington (2021)

3. 3
Physical distancing and stay-at-home orders have forced whole consumer segments to shop
differently. A few months after the pandemic started, consumer shopping online had increased
significantly across many categories. Consumer intent to shop online continued to increase, especially
in essentials and home-entertainment categories. More interestingly, these habits seem like they’re
going to stick as US consumers report an intent to shop online even after the COVID-19 crisis.
Categories where expected growth in online shoppers exceeds 35 percent include essentials such as
over-the-counter (OTC) medicine, groceries, household supplies, and personal-care products. Even
discretionary categories such as skin care and makeup, apparel, and jewellery and accessories show
expected customer growth of more than 15 percent.
Source: Charm et al (2020)
The crisis (3) has prompted a surge of new activities, with an astonishing 75 percent
of US consumers trying a new shopping behavior in response to economic pressures,
store closings, and changing priorities. This general change in behavior has also been
reflected in a (4) shattering of brand loyalties, with 36 percent of consumers trying a
new product brand and 25 percent incorporating a new private-label brand. Of
consumers who have tried different brands, 73 percent intend to continue to
incorporate the new brands into their routine. Gen Z and high earners are most prone
to switching brands.
Source: Charm et al (2020)

4. 4
• Can you explain the underlined expressions (1-5) above?
As consumers contemplate going back out to shop, hygiene and hygiene transparency
have emerged as important sources of concern. It is becoming increasingly important
for stores and restaurants to not only follow hygiene protocols but also communicate
effectively that they are following those procedures.
US consumers have already started to change their behavior in response to hygiene
concerns. Technologies that enhance hygiene, particularly contactless activities such
as food and grocery delivery (5) are taking off. Millennials and Gen Z are the widest
adopters of contactless activities.
Source: Charm et al (2020)

5. 5
Writing (45’) – individually
The World Economic Forum is analysing shopping trends as a result of Covid-19 across a
selection of countries and has asked students aged 16-20 to contribute with an essay. If your
essay is shortlisted, you will enter a draw for a scholarship to travel and attend a series of
sessions for young people about world economy and politics in New York in July 2022. There
are 50 places available.
Has the pandemic changed the way we shop? If so, how? Tell us your shopping habits.
In your essay you should include:
• How do you shop? Is the way you shop different from how you used to shop two
years ago? Why (not)?
• What aspects do you take into consideration when deciding to buy a product?
• Do you think your shopping habits after the pandemic will go back to how they
were before Covid-19? Why (not)?
Write about 180 words.

6. 6
2. Customer service
Level: A2 Key / B1 Preliminary
Skills: speaking, listening and writing
Interaction: whole class, in pairs and individual activity
Time: 60 minutes
Warm up! (10’) – whole class
• Do you like shopping? Why (not)?
• Do you think that customer service is important? Why (not)?
• Can you tell us about a positive experience you’ve had when buying a product / a
service?
o What did you buy?
o Why was it positive?
• Can you tell us about a negative experience you’ve had when buying a product / a
service?
o What did you buy?
o Why was it negative?
• What are the main problems customers usually have when shopping?
• How do you react when you have a negative experience? (e.g. do you just get angry
and leave, ask for a refund, ask to see the manager, give a bad review online?)
Speaking (15’) – in pairs
Work in pairs and use the cards to have a conversation with your partner. Don’t write the whole
dialogue – take notes of key words and ideas, but improvise a natural conversation.
Situation A: shoe shop
Speaker A: customer
Problem
– your brother bought you a pair of sandals for your birthday, but
they are too big for you
– the box they came in showed a different size than the actual size
Objective – to return the sandals and get ones which are the right size
Situation A: shoe shop
Speaker B: shop assistant
Check – the sandals are brand new
Problem – the size on the box does not match the size of the sandals
Solution – ask for the receipt to check there are no problems and offer
sandals which are the right size

7. 7
Situation B: clothes shop
Speaker A: customer
Problem
– you have found the perfect coat for the new season, but it costs 60
euros and you only have 30 euros in cash
– when you try paying by card it does not work
Objective – to pay for the coat half in cash and half with credit card
Situation B: clothes shop
Speaker B: shop assistant
Problem – the card does not work
Solution – ask for a different one or offer to put the coat to one side so the
customer can come later to buy it
Situation C: restaurant
Speaker A: customer
Problem – a waiter spilled a glass of wine on your dress
Solution – ask the restaurant to pay for (you don’t have the receipt of the
dress because you bought it a few years ago)
Situation C: restaurant
Speaker B: waiter
Problem – the client does not have the receipt for the damaged dress so
you cannot offer to pay it back since the insurance company will ask for
this
Solution – offer a free meal

8. 8
Listening (20’) – individually
Listen to your classmates’ conversations. Take notes of the main points of each conversation.
Follow up (15’) – whole class
Use your notes and discuss:
• If the customer was happy with the outcome
• If you think customer service was adequate
• If there is another solution that could work better (B1 Preliminary)
Situation D: mobile phone shop
Speaker A: customer
Problem – you bought a new mobile phone, but the battery does not work
properly, it only lasts two hours
Solution – ask for a new mobile phone
Situation D: mobile phone shop
Speaker B: shop assistant
Problem – you don’t have another phone of the same characteristics
Solution – you offer a similar one or you offer to order one from the
manufacturer, but it will take at least three weeks to arrive
Situation E: doctor’s surgery
Speaker A: patient
Problem – you made an appointment two months ago to see your doctor
for a check-up, but the appointment was changed at the last minute and a
different doctor will have to see you
Solution – ask to see your doctor
Situation E: doctor’s surgery
Speaker B: receptionist
Problem – the doctor changed his holidays and cannot see the patient
Solution – offer an appointment on the same date but with a different
doctor or offer to make a new appointment in three weeks’ time

9. 9
3. Let’s go shopping
Level: Pre-A1 Starters / A1 Movers / A2 Flyers
Skills: writing, speaking and listening
Interaction: whole class, in pairs and individual activity
Time: 35 minutes
Warm up! (10’) – whole class
• Do you like shopping? Why (not)?
• What is your favourite kind of shop? Why?
• How often do you go shopping?
• Who do you go shopping with?
• Which of these shops do you have in your town or city?
Source: Cambridge Assessment English (2021).

10. 10
Writing (10’) – individually / in pairs (Pre-A1 Starters)
What can you buy in these shops? You have 45 seconds to write as many words as you can
think of.
Writing (15’) – individually (Pre-A1 Starters)
Write about your favourite shop and tell your class. Create a poster with information about
your favourite shop, you can draw it or stick photos of it.
My favourite shop
My favourite shop is a __________________________.
Its name is _________________________.
It’s (next to, behind, in front of…) ________________.
I like it because it is __________________.
I like it because there are ____________________.
The shop assistant is _______________________.
I go to the shop on ____________________.

11. 11
Writing (15’) – individually (A1 Movers / A2 Flyers)
Write about your favourite shop and then tell your class. Create a poster with information about
your favourite shop – you can draw it or use photos.
• What type of shop is it?
• What is it called?
• Where is it?
• Why do you like it? What makes it special?
• What is the shop assistant like?
• When do you go to this shop?

12. 12
4. References
Cambridge Assessment English. Which of these shops do you have in your town or city?
Facebook. 11th August 2021 6.01 a.m.,
https://www.facebook.com/pg/CambridgeEnglish/posts/?ref=page_internal [Accessed
11th August 2021].
Charm, T., Coggins, B., Robinson, K. & Wilkie, J. (2020). The great consumer shift: Ten charts
that show how US shopping behavior is changing. [online] McKinsey & Company
Marketing and Sales. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-
functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-great-consumer-shift-ten-charts-that-
show-how-us-shopping-behavior-is-changing [Accessed 20th
August 2021].
Filkins, A. (2020). Florería Feliz Drando Ramo de Flores a Dama. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/es-es/foto/floreria-feliz-dando-ramo-de-flores-a-dama-
5413724/ [Accessed 25th
August 2021].
Mossholder, A. (2019). Decoración de Pared con Marco de Madera Marrón. [image/jpeg]
Available at: https://www.pexels.com/es-es/foto/decoracion-de-pared-con-marco-de-
madera-marron-3091202/ [Accessed 25th
August 2021].
Nilov, M. (2021). No title. [image/jpeg] Available at: https://www.pexels.com/es-
es/foto/hombre-persona-gente-mujer-9304427/ [Accessed 25th
August 2021].
Nilov, M. (2021). No title. [image/jpeg] Available at: https://www.pexels.com/es-
es/foto/hombre-persona-gente-mujer-9304427/ [Accessed 25th
August 2021].
Shevtsova, D. (2018). Girasoles En El Estante Con Etiqueta De Precio Cerca De La Carpa
Con Dosel Naranja. [image/jpeg] Available at: https://www.pexels.com/es-
es/foto/girasoles-en-el-estante-con-etiqueta-de-precio-cerca-de-la-carpa-con-dosel-
naranja-1508746/ [Accessed 25th
August 2021].
Torkington, S. (2021). The pandemic has changed consumer behaviour forever – and online
shopping looks set to stay. [online] World Economic Forum. Available at:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/07/global-consumer-behaviour-trends-online-
shopping/ [Accessed 20th
August 2021].
Wordwall (n.d.). Spinning Wheel. Available at:
https://wordwall.net/es/resource/20672852/shops [Accessed 25th
August 2021].