Lesson Four English for Retail and Customer Service A1+

 

• What’s the date today?   It’s Monday “the” 7^th September
• What was the date yesterday?    It was Sunday “the” 6^th “of” September
• What’s the date tomorrow?   It will be Tuesday “the” 8^th “of” September

 

What we did in class

• Talking about the weekend
• Review from last week
• Pronunciation “ow”
• personal or personnel?

 

• How did you spend your last four days? 
• Did you meet anyone?  If so, who did you meet?
• Did you go anywhere? Where did you go?
• What did you do outdoors?
• What chores did you do at home?      Chores = vacuuming, the laundry   I did the laundry yesterday, I did the vacuuming on Saturday morning
• What did you do to relax?
• What did you do in English?

 

 

I just did the usual things

I met up with my friends and went for a coffee. We chatted about our travel plans.

We agreed to meet up in Sicily on “the” 9^th of October     meet =  first time only

I spent most of my time at work.

When I had some free time I did some yoga at home and worked out at the gym

I visited Tyresö castle and walked in the forest.  It was the last day of the season.

I was at the library.    Why?    I went to the library to borrow a book  /  some books.     

I went to ICA to buy some food…. to buy some bread and milk.  …. to buy some fruit

to buy some flowers.    I went to buy  a bottle of Sprite.

My daughter usually chooses a nice walking route  /   a cycle route  / a driving route

It’s spring, summer, autumn/fall, winter,

marsh (= träsk)     martch      I love you very mutch.  Let’s marry in March.   djune

ågust

“the furst”

the seventh

the ninth

the eleventh

the twelfth

the fifteenth

the twen-tee-yeth

21  the twenty-first

23 the twenty-third

the thur-tee-yuth

31 the thurty-first

 

When’s your birthday?

• My birthday’s on “the” 21^st of January
• “the”  4th of April    “fooorth”
• 4^th April  (BrE)
• April 4^th (US)
• I have a winter birthday
• It’s on the 7^th February
• It’s on the 29^th of August
• This year my birthday falls on a Saturday.
• A year has 365 days
• a leap year has 366 days  (leap = jump)
• in 3 years  (= future)

 

 Review

I don’t understand all the details, but I get the gist  (= main meaning, enough to understand)

I didn’t quite catch what you said, it’s too noisy here.  =  hear

I didn’t quite get what you said  (understand)

My brother’s/sister’s son is my nephew

My sister’s daughter is my niece

My mother’s sister’s children are my cousins

My sister’s husband is my brother-in-law

 

Which one would you like?  blue or red?     I’ll take one of each.

 

 

 

a receipt      a recipe       She’s a pharmacist.  She’s making up prescriptions.

a disposable razor  –  diaper  (US)  nappy  (BrE)     straws

a one-time use nappy

disposable opposite resuable

 

 

He’s a shoplifter.  He’s stealing something.

It’s an aisle.  Breakfast cereal aisle.

The products are on the shelves.

 

 suit or fit?

appearance  – suit

size – fit

1. This jacket doesn’t fit me very well because the sleeves are too long.
2. I think that colour really suits
3. Although the shoes are the right size, they still don’t fit “ål-tho”
4. That hairstyle really suits her face.
5. This shirt fits perfectly, but I’m not sure the colour suits
6. The dress is beautiful, but I don’t think the style suits
7. These trousers are too tight around the waist, so they don’t fit
8. Do you think this colour would suit him?
9. The jacket fits me perfectly, and I think the style really suits me too.
10. Brown doesn’t suit me. I prefer blue and green.
11. Brown and yellow don’t suit me.

 

it doesn’t suit me

they don’t suit me

 

 

Try the wine first to see if you like it.  Try the meat to see if it’s ready.

Try on the clothes first to see if they fit and suit you.

 

 

• What colours do you think suit you best? Why?    Blue or grey/gray suits me best
• Do you ever buy clothes online? What do you do when they don’t fit or suit you?

• Do you usually try clothes on before you buy them? Why?

 

Öppet köp =  a return policy.    What is the store’s return policy?

Jag har öppet köp i 30 dagar. =  I have 30 days to return/exchange the item.

Vi erbjuder 30 dagars öppet köp. =  We offer a 30-day return policy.

a 14-day return/exchange policy on sales items.

 

 

Personal = connected to a person    adjective

eg:  personal information, personal opinion, personal life

“PUH-sun-null”

Personnel = people who work for an organisation, staff/employees   noun

eg:  company personnel, hotel personnel, military personnel

“per-sun-NELL”

 

1. This is my personal opinion.
2. Please don’t ask me any personal
3. All company personnel must wear an ID badge.
4. The hotel has a lot of personnel working at the front desk.
5. Only authorised personnel can enter this area. åthurized
6. You can keep your personal things/belongings in your locker.
7. I have some personal reasons for leaving my job.
8. The company needs more personnel to help customers.
9. Please keep your personal information safe.
10. All new personnel receive training on their first day. NELL   NELL
11. The manager spoke to the persoNELL about the new rules.
12. The manager said that all personELL need to complete the training.
13. She keeps her work life and personal/private life completely separate.
14. He had a personal conversation with his manager about his health issues. issues = problems

 

Talk about a time you needed help from company personNEL in a shop, hotel, airport, or restaurant.

•  What did you need? What kind of help did you receive?  How would you describe the general customer experience?

 

What PERsonal qualities are important in a good colleague?  a good manager?  someone dealing with the public?  Give reasons.

 

 

The optician/assistant replaced one of the silicone pads on my glasses.

The personnel in the shop did it free of charge.

the optician, the doctor, the dentist, the vet

 

the medical institution

I went to the dentist because I had toothache. She was able to help me.

I went to the vet because the cat was throwing up everywhere.

I phoned the doctor/the hospital because my son was throwing up everywhere.

I went to the pharmacy to buy painkillers.

throw a ball

to throw up = to vomit

 

I went to a clothes shop to buy a shirt.

 

I needed to borrow an iron and ironing board to iron my dress.

eye-yun  (BrE)   irrrrrron  (US)

 

 

I had to leave a 5 euro deposit on the iron.

 

A good manager should be a good listener and a good communicator.

a good colleague should work well in a team.

 

colleague   = a coworker KOLL-eeg

a koll-lidge     (further education)

 

You get knowledge at college

 

Sound “ow” /aʊ/

Wow no cow!    Oatley oat milk – a marketing slogan

        

      

flower  flour  – same pronunciation

cow, towels, owl, flowers, crowds, crowded, clown, power, shower, tower, brown, town

mouse, house, mouth, flour, sour, loud, loudly, account, out, outside, about, round, around

There’s been a power outage    (owtidge)    a power cut  (BrE)

snout

 

1. The brown cow stood outside the house.
2. I saw an owl flying over the town at night. “så”
3. The clown dropped his towels in the crowd.
4. The crowded town was full of bright flowers.
5. The brown mouse ran into the townhouse.
6. The flour made our bread soft, not sour. rhymes with tower power
7. The soup tasted a little sour, but I still ate it.
8. The crowds gathered around the tall tower.
9. There is no power in the house during the storm.
10. I heard an owl while taking a shower. an owl with a towel
11. The brown cow walked through the crowded town near the old tower.
12. The funny clown made the crowds laugh loudly again and again.
13. After a long shower, I used soft towels in my warm house.
14. The small mouse ran past the flowers outside the houses. moose mouse
15. The strong wind had enough power to shake the tall tower. (a windy road, I have to wind up my old clock)
16. The owl flew quietly, not loudly, over the dark town and empty streets.
17. The bread made with fresh flour did not taste sour at all.
18. The guest lounge is just around the corner, and you can sit there now.
19. The housekeeper knocked loudly and asked if I was going
20. The clown checked out and left wet towels around the room near the shower.