ESL Supermarket Vocabulary List

Aisle: A passage between the rows of shelves in a supermarket. (noun)

Alcoholic drink: Intoxicating liquids that people consume. (noun)
Apple: Fruit of the apple tree. (noun)
Assistant: A person who helps other people (the shoppers). (noun)
Automatic doors: The entrance to a shop or building that opens without a person having to push. (noun)
Banana: A yellow fruit that grows in bunches. (noun)
Basket: A container for holding goods. (noun)
Batteries: Electric cells for storing electricity. (noun)
Bedding: The covers used for warmth on bed. (noun)
Beef: The meat from cows. (noun)
Beer: An alcoholic drink made from hops and barley. (noun)
Biscuits: Small savoury or sweet thin dry cakes. (noun)
Bottled water: A clear natural drink in a bottle. (noun)
Bread: Food baked and made from flour and yeast. (noun)
Bunch: A group of things fastened together. (noun)
Butter: An oily substance to spread on bread. (noun)
Cafe: A seating area where food and drinks are served. (noun)
Cake: A sweet soft food made from eggs, sugar, flour and fat. (noun)
Car Park: An area for leaving cars and other vehicles. (noun)
Carrier bag: A plastic container used to carry shopping home. (noun)
Carrot: A long orange root vegetable. (noun)
Cart: A large basket on wheels for carrying shopping (US English, same as trolley). (noun)
Cashier: The person who works at a check-out and takes the money (same as check-out operator). (noun)
Cat food: The products made especially for cats to eat. (noun)
Celery: A long crisp green vegetable. (noun)
Cereal: A breakfast food made from grain. (noun)
Check-out operator: The person who works at a check-out and takes the money (same as cashier). (noun)
Check-out: An exit where payment is made for the products bought. (noun)
Chicken: A bird from which eggs are obtained, and which can be eaten. (noun)
Chocolate: A sweet made from the cocoa bean. (noun)
Cigarettes: A stick made from tobacco that is smoked and cause people to become ill. (noun)
Cigars: A thick stick made from dried tobacco leaves that is smoked. (noun)
Citrus fruit: A group of fruits that contains lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits. (noun)
Cling-film: A transparent wrapping sheet for covering food. (noun)
Clothing: Items to cover the body. (noun)
Coffee: A drink made from the coffee bean. (noun)
Coupon: A piece of paper that can be used to get a discount on the price of a product. (noun)
Cushions: Small soft pillows. (noun)
Cutlery: Knives, forks and spoons to use when eating. (noun)
Dairy section: The area where milk based products are sold. (noun)
Deli: The area where pre-cooked and pre-prepared foods are sold. (noun)
Diesel: A type of fuel for cars and lorries. (noun)
Display: An arrangement of products so customer can see them. (noun)
Dried spices: Plants that enhance the flavour of food. (noun)
Duvet: A warm bed covering. (noun)
Eggs: The reproductive means of chickens that have a hard shell and are eaten as food. (noun)
Exit: A way out. (noun)
Express check-out: A check-out for people who are only buying a small amount of shopping. (noun)
Fish: An animal that lives in water, and some of which can be eaten. (noun)
Flour: A soft food made from grain, usually wheat. (noun)
Flowers: The reproductive organs of plants that have a scent and coloured petals. (noun)
Freezers: Large display areas that keep food below 0oC. (noun)
Fruit juice: A drink made from squeezing fruit. (noun)
Fruit: A type of sweet food that often comes from trees and can be eaten without cooking. (noun)
Frying pan: A kitchen tool used in cooking. (noun)
Herbs: Dried plants to give flavour to food. (noun)
Prawn: A small shrimp-like creature of the sea. (noun)
Queue: A line of people who are waiting for something. (noun)
 ESL Supermarket Conversations
Conversation 1
Situation: Jane is shopping in the supermarket and bumps into her friend Lucy.

Jane: Hi Lucy.
Lucy: I didn't know you were coming to Carrefour this afternoon.
Jane: I always shop in Carrefour on a Tuesday.
Lucy: Why on Tuesdays?
Jane: There are not so many shoppers on Tuesdays.
Lucy: I usually shop on a Monday but I didn't feel well yesterday.
Jane: Oh, I'm sorry. I hope you are feeling better today.
Lucy: Yes, thankyou.
Jane: I am going to buy some apples.
Lucy: I will come with you. I want to get some apples.
Jane: I like sweet red apples.
Lucy: I prefer the crisp green apples.
Jane: Bananas are my favourite fruit.
Lucy: Do you like pears?
Jane: Yes. I eat lots of fruit.
Lucy: The mushrooms look very good. I will buy a punnet.
Jane: Yes. I will also buy some mushrooms.
Lucy: When I get home I will make some mushroom soup.
Jane: I enjoy eating mushroom omelettes.
Lucy: I need onions.
Jane: To make my omelette I will need eggs.
Lucy: Would you like to try some of my soup when it's made?
Jane: That would be lovely.
Lucy: I'll bring some round at 6 p.m.
Jane: Will you be able to stay and have an omelette?
Lucy: Yes I will, thank you. See you at 6 tonight.
Jane: Goodbye.

Conversation 2
Situation: Jane continues to shop in the supermarket and she meets her friend Tui.

Jane: Hello Tui. How are you?

Tui: I am fine thank you. I need to buy rice and also some fish.
Jane: What sort of rice do you need? There are so many different varieties, I find it very confusing.
Tui: I want long grain rice. The Tesco own brand rice is the best and it is cheaper than other brands. Can you
show me, Jane, where to find fish in the store?
Jane: Do you want to buy fresh fish, frozen or tinned fish?
Tui: I am wanting tins of Tuna.
Jane: They are stacked in aisle 19, the middle of the shelf. I used to work here on Saturdays a little while ago so
I remember where most products are displayed.
Tui: I notice that they keep changing the position of goods and I find that confusing and very time consuming.
Jane: Yes, I agree. Here are the tins of tuna, next to the pilchards.
Tui: That's handy. I'll buy some pilchards as well. My cats love pilchards in tomato sauce.
Jane: You spoil your cats.
Tui: Yes I do but they only get pilchards occasionally.
Jane: My dog will eat anything including my slippers if I don't hide them!
Tui: Do you need to buy slippers?
Jane: No not today. I have finished shopping so will go and pay at the checkout.
Tui: Thank you for your help.
Jane: Goodbye. Hope you find all the other things that you need.
 Describe the Picture

Exercise 1 – Writing Topics

In this ESL writing exercise you need to write a passage.

Do you think it’s better to do supermarket online shopping or go to the actual store?