ESL Shopping Reading

To help you learn shopping vocabulary this page has an ESL shopping reading exercise. You will need to understand shopping vocabulary to answer the questions in the exercise that goes with the passage.

When using shopping vocabulary you will most likely have to speak, doing an ESL shopping reading activity will help you learn the vocabulary. This will help you when you have to speak about shopping in the future.

This page has a shopping reading passage followed by 5 questions. Read and understand the passage before trying to answer the questions. Click the get score button once you have answered all the questions.

If you need any help understanding the passage you can look at the ESL shopping vocabulary page.

ESL shopping Reading Conversation Passage

Shopping is a necessary part of life which very few people can avoid. It is a daily routine for some people. Some people shop for pleasure while other people go shopping just to buy the necessary items in order to survive. The weekend is usually a good time to go shopping because people have free time from work. At this time the shops are usually very busy because people try to get the best items for the lowest price before the item runs out of stock. 

Some people go shopping more regularly than other people to browse products in shops even when they do not have much money. This is known as window shopping and allows people to plan ahead and save for the things they want to buy in the future or wait for the items to drop in price. Some people spend a lot of time looking for bargains while others do not think of the price and are happy to spend a lot. Some people believe that the more expensive the item, the better the quality, but this is not always true. It is sensible to buy items which are affordable, but some people use a credit card or borrow money from the bank so that they can buy the items they really want rather than wait for it.

Sometimes shopping can be stressful when choosing a gift to buy other people for a special occasion. It is common to buy a gift voucher so that a friend or loved one can go shopping themselves at their own convenience. Shopping online is often popular with people who have a busy lifestyle. People are able to order their necessary and luxury items from the comfort of their own home, or even on the move. Delivery is usually free and items are often cheaper than in shops on the high street. The only real problem is that the item description and quality may be different than what they hoped for. This could mean the customer may become disappointed with the item they receive and will need to return it at their own cost. People who go to shops to do their shopping often use self-service payment machines. This usually saves time as the shopper does not need to join a long queue. However, it can be frustrating when the machine has a problem and the sales assistant is not always available to help.

ESL Shopping Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension questions that go with the above reading passage.

1) Why is the weekend a good time to go shopping?

    A) It is very busy on the weekend.
    B) People are free from work.
    C) Things are usually cheaper.
    D) The shops are closed.

2) What are people doing when they go shopping just to have a look and not to buy?

    A) Bargain hunting
    B) Window shopping
    C) They do not have much money
    D) Looking for the best quality

3) What do some people usually think about items of better quality?

    A) They are cheaper
    B) They are harder to find
    C) They are more expensive
    D) They are on sale

4) When can shopping be stressful?

    A) When shops are about to close
    B) When it is very busy
    C) When buying a gift for someone
    D) On the weekend

5) Is there sometimes a problem with online shopping?

    A) No the shops are open 24 hours a day
    B) Yes with the quality and description of the item
    C) Yes there are too many queues
    D) No there are no problems

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Correct answers:

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