Shopping and Asking Prices
Original English Drills activities. Listening uses a teacher-read script. Print the student lesson on two A4 landscape sides; choose short-edge duplex printing.
1. Warmer
Look at the illustration. What can you see? Where are the people?
Tell a partner two things you already know about this situation.
Goal: How much / How many — use English in an everyday situation.
2. Vocabulary
Match the words to their meanings.
1. price · 2. kilo · 3. loaf · 4. bottle · 5. change
A. money returned when you pay more than the price
B. a whole piece of bread
C. how much something costs
D. a container for a drink
E. one thousand grams
1 ___ 2 ___ 3 ___ 4 ___ 5 ___
3. Reading
Nina goes to a small food shop on Saturday. She needs apples, bread and milk. The apples are three dollars a kilo. She buys two kilos. A loaf of bread costs four dollars, and a bottle of milk costs three dollars. Nina asks, “How much is the bread?” The shop assistant tells her the price. Nina pays thirteen dollars for everything. She puts the food in her shopping bag and walks home. She has enough apples to share with her flatmate.
4. Comprehension
Answer using the reading.
- When does Nina go shopping?
- How many kilos of apples does she buy?
- How much does the bread cost?
- How much does she pay altogether?
5. Grammar focus
How much asks about a price: How much is the bread? How much are the apples?
How many asks about a number: How many apples do you need?
How much milk do you need? Milk is uncountable.
Use is with one item and are with plural items.
6. Guided practice
Complete or choose the correct word.
- How ___ is this loaf of bread?
- How ___ apples do you want?
- How much ___ these bananas?
- How much ___ this milk?
- How ___ milk do we need?
- How ___ bottles do you want?
Shopping and Asking Prices — continued
7. Listening
Your teacher will read a short script twice. Complete the notes.
- Number of oranges: ___
- Price of the oranges altogether: $___
- Number of loaves: ___
- Price of the bread: $___
- Change: $___
8. Speaking
Work in pairs. Student A is a customer; Student B is a shop assistant. Use this price list: apples $3 a kilo; bread $4 a loaf; milk $3 a bottle. Ask two prices and buy two items. Swap roles. Prices are for this activity only.
9. Fun practice
Grammar detective: Correct one mistake in each sentence.
- How many is the bread?
- How much apples do you need?
- How much are this bottle?
- The apples is three dollars a kilo.
10. Writing and reflection
Write a short shopping conversation of six lines. Include a greeting, two price questions, an order and thanks.
Exit check: How ___ is the milk? How ___ apples do you need?
□ I can use today’s language. □ I can take part in this situation.
Shopping and Asking Prices — Teacher Answers
A1 · How much / How many · 50–60 minutes
1. Warmer
Accept relevant descriptions. Elicit useful words before reading. The AI illustration is a discussion prompt; it need not show every detail in the text.
2. Vocabulary
1–C; 2–E; 3–B; 4–D; 5–A.
3–4. Reading and comprehension
Saturday; two kilos; four dollars; thirteen dollars.
5–6. Grammar and practice
much; many; are; is; much; many.
7. Teacher-read listening script
Read twice clearly, with a short pause between readings. Ask learners to compare answers before checking.
I would like three oranges, please. The oranges cost two dollars altogether. I also need one loaf of bread. The bread costs five dollars. I pay with a ten-dollar note. The shop assistant gives me three dollars change.
Answers: 3; $2; 1; $5; $3.
8. Speaking
Answers vary. Model one exchange, then let pairs practise and swap roles. Monitor clarity and the target language.
9. Grammar detective
How much is the bread? How many apples do you need? How much is this bottle? The apples are three dollars a kilo.
10. Writing and reflection
Check question forms, is/are, polite requests and a clear order. Exit check: much; many.
Suggested timing and support
Warmer and vocabulary: 8 minutes; reading and comprehension: 10; grammar and practice: 12; listening: 7; speaking and game: 10; writing: 8. For support, give a sentence starter. For extension, add a follow-up question or extra detail.