Everyday Dialogues

Going to a Gas Station

In this lesson, you will learn useful vocabulary
and expressions for talking to a gas station
attendant in an English-speaking country.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. W
 hat is the difference between a full-serve
and self-serve pump at a gas station?

2. What services are offered at a gas station?

3. W
 hich types of vehicles use
unleaded gas and which use diesel?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. regular a) the wide glass window at the front of a vehicle

2. premium b) to leave or go somewhere, to begin a journey
3. passenger’s side c) normal, unleaded fuel/gas
4. gas tank d) a card used for paying for something later, a credit card
5. windshield e) high-quality or cleaner gas, costs more than regular
6. oil f) physical money that you can hand to someone
7. road trip g) the money leftover after you pay a bill with cash
8. head off h) a main road that you can drive fast on
9. cash i) the liquid that keeps an engine running smoothly
10. credit j) a journey in a motor vehicle
11. change k) the compartment that holds the gas in a vehicle
12. highway l) the side of the vehicle where the non-driver (in the front seat) sits

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns
being each character. Practise your intonation and pronunciation.
Circle any new words or phrases that you need to practise.

Customer: Hello. Fill it up, please.

Gas Attendant: Sure. Would you like regular or premium?

Customer: Regular, please.

Gas Attendant: I’m afraid you’ll have to turn your car around. Your gas tank is on the passenger’s side.

Customer: Oh, sorry! It’s a rental. I’m used to it being on the driver’s side.

(A few seconds later...)

Gas Attendant:
That’s more like it. Can I interest you in a car wash today?

Customer: Maybe just a quick windshield wash. The mirrors could use a little cleaning, too.

Gas Attendant: Sure. Can I check your oil?

Customer: That would be great. I’m heading off on a road trip.

My pleasure.
Gas Attendant: (Later...)
You’re all set here. Will that be cash or credit?

Customer: Cash, please.

Gas Attendant: Okay. The total today is $55.43.

Customer: Here’s $60. Keep the change.

Gas Attendant: Thank you very much.

Customer: Thank you. Oh. Can you tell me how to get back to the highway?

Yep. Take a left out of the gas station. The entrance is about two minutes
Gas Attendant:
down the road. If you’re heading east, it will be on your right. Have a safe trip.

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on page 2,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. Fill it up, please. 6. Keep the change.

• Can you fill the tank, please? • The rest is yours.

• Can you put 20 dollars in, please? • I don’t need any change, thank you.
• Just half a tank, please.
• Fill ‘er up, please. 7. C
 an you tell me how to
get back to the highway?
2. Would you like regular or premium?
• Where’s the highway from here?
• Do you want regular or premium? • How do I get back on the freeway?
• Will that be regular or premium today? • What’s the best way to get
back to the expressway?
3. Can I interest you in a car wash today?
8. T
 he entrance is about
• Does your car need a wash today?
two minutes down the road.
• Can we wash your vehicle for you?
• Can we give your vehicle a wash? • The highway is a few kilometres down the road.
• The ramp is about five minutes from here.
4. Can I check your oil?
9. If you’re heading east, it will be on your right.
• Do you want me to check your oil?
• Do you need your oil checked? • If you’re heading west, it will be on your left.
• If you’re heading north, go right.
5. You’re all set here. • If you’re going south, take a left.

• You’re all ready to go.

• Everything is ready.

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice
Listen to the recording of the dialogue from page 2. Fill in the missing
words as you listen. Listen again. Now look back at page 2 and check your
work. Did you fill in the correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Customer: Hello.             , please.

Gas Attendant: Sure. Would you like regular or             ?

Customer: Regular, please.

I’m afraid you’ll have to turn your car around.

Gas Attendant:
Your gas tank is on the             side.

Customer: Oh, sorry! It’s a rental. I’m used to it being on the driver’s side.

(A few seconds later...)

Gas Attendant:
That’s more like it. Can I             in a car wash today?

Maybe just a quick             wash.

Customer:
The             could use a little cleaning, too.

Gas Attendant: Sure. Can I check your oil?

Customer: That would be great. I’m             on a road trip.

My pleasure.
Gas Attendant: (Later...)
You’re             here. Will that be cash or credit?

Customer: Cash, please.

Gas Attendant: Okay. The total today is $55.43.

Customer: Here’s $60. Keep the             .

Gas Attendant: Thank you very much.

Customer: Thank you. Oh. Can you tell me how to get back to the             ?

Yep. Take a left out of the gas station.

Gas Attendant: The             is about two minutes down the road.
If you’re             east, it will be on your right. Have a safe trip.

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

At the Pump
A. Complete the Questions

Complete the unfinished questions with the words on the right.

1. Did you tighten the a) gas cap?

2. Do you want a b) nozzle all the way?
3. Did you insert the c) pump?
4. Do the tires need d) receipt?
5. Did you turn off the e) gas door cover?
6. Do we pay at the f) air?
7. Do we pay g) engine?
8. Did you tip the h) inside after dark?
9. Do you have a i) attendant?
10. Did you close the j) points card?
11. Do we need unleaded k) or diesel?
l 12. Did you choose l) regular or premium?

B. Practise with a Passenger

Work with a partner. Imagine that you are heading on a road trip
and you are at a self-serve gas pump. One of you is the driver and the
other is a passenger. Practise asking each other the questions above.

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

Write a dialogue with a partner using phrases from page 3.
One of you will be a customer and one of you will be a gas station
attendant. Practise and present the dialogue to your class.

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Review

Task 1 Task 2

LISTEN & ANSWER VOCABULARY CHECK

Listen to the conversation again and answer the questions. List five nouns and five verbs
Your teacher will tell you if you have to write or say the answers. that you may need to use when
talking to a gas attendant.
1. What does the customer need for her car?
Nouns

1.

2.
2. What mistake did the customer make, and what was her excuse?
3.

4.

5.

3. What other two car services did the customer receive?

Verbs

1.

2.

4. W
 hat does the customer do to show 3.
her appreciation for the attendant’s service?
4.

5.

5. What helpful information does the gas attendant provide?

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Low Int / CLB 3–4

In this lesson, a customer goes to a full-serve gas station. TIME: 1.5 hours
The customer and the gas station attendant have a
TAGS:  dialogues, gas, gas station, fuel,
conversation at the pump. Students learn vocabulary
gas station attendant, PBLA
and expressions to use when gassing up.

Pre-Reading Listening Practice

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS Have students complete the dialogue by listening

to the recording or by having two students read
Discuss as a class or in small groups. Answers will vary.
the completed dialogue from page 2.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW

1. c 3. l 5. a 7. j 9. f 11. g CLB Skill Competencies

2. e 4. k 6. i 8. b 10. d 12. h Listening: I. Interacting with Others,

II. Comprehending Instructions
Dialogue Reading

Give your students time to read the dialogue in pairs.

At the Pump

A. COMPLETE THE QUESTIONS

CLB Skill Competencies
1. a 3. b 5. g 7. h 9. j 11. k
Reading: IV. Comprehending Information
2. d 4. f 6. c 8. i 10. e 12. l
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

CLB Skill Competencies

Practice
Reading: IV. Comprehending Information
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done
Have your students read the dialogue again and
Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions
practise subbing in some of the different expressions.

CLB Skill Competencies (continued on the next page...)

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Write Your Own Dialogue TASK 2

Ask your students to provide a list to you orally or in writing,

Encourage your students to use vocabulary from the model. depending on which skill you want to assess. Possible answers:

Nouns: gas, windshield, gas pump, vehicle,

CLB Skill Competencies tires, change, debit, credit, total

Writing: II. Reproducing Information Verbs: fill up, wash, clean, top up, pay

Review (Assessment Tasks) CLB Skill Competencies

Speaking/Writing: IV. Sharing Information

The following tasks can be used for assessment purposes
and/or review practice. You can save all of the tasks until
the end or assess your students throughout the lesson.
(continued on the next page...)
Personalize your own Listening and Speaking Task Assessment
forms for your students’ portfolios by using Assessment Tools
in the Resources section: https://esllibrary.com/resources

TASK 1

Play the audio from this lesson. Then assign the questions. You
can decide if you want your students to say or write the answers.

1. T he customer needs regular gas for his car.

2. T he customer parked on the wrong side
of the gas pump. She said it was a rental car.
3. T he attendant gave the car a quick wash and checked the oil.
4. T he customer gave the attendant a tip.
5. T he attendant provided directions to get back on the highway.

Mark the assessment form as “achieved success” if the student

answers 70% correctly and fulfills these expectations:

• Gets the gist.

• Identifies factual details, key words,
and expressions as required.

CLB Skill Competencies

Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions,

IV. Comprehending Information

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary

OVERVIEW

Stage: 1 CLB Range: 3–4* Primary Skill Competency: Speaking – III. Getting Things Done

PAGE TASK SKILL COMPETENCIES

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

2 Dialogue Reading
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

3 Practice
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

4 Listening Practice Listening: I. Interacting with Others, II. Comprehending Instructions

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

At the Pump
5 Speaking: III. Getting Things Done
(Could be used for PBLA.)**
Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions

6 Write Your Own Dialogue Writing: II. Reproducing Information

7 Review Task 1 (PBLA) Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions, IV. Comprehending Information

7 Review Task 2 (PBLA) Speaking/Writing: IV. Sharing Information

*Note: **Note:

This CLB range is suggested by ESL Library based on
the descriptors in the Canadian Language Benchmarks
guide: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/language-
benchmarks.pdf
PBLA refers to portfolio-based learning assessment in
the LINC program (though any teacher can use these tasks
for review or assessment). Visit our Resources section for
Assessment Tools that you can print and personalize for
PBLA: https://esllibrary.com/resources

(continued on the next page...)

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary cont.

PROFILES OF ABILIT Y

The following descriptors from the Canadian Language Benchmarks

apply to this lesson and are used with permission. For more
detailed information see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/
language-benchmarks.pdf and visit: https://www.language.ca/

BENCHMARK THE LEARNER CAN:

Speaking • Communicate basic information using simple sentences about immediate needs and personal experiences. (3)
(3–4) • Communicate information about common everyday activities, experiences, wants, and needs. (4)

• Understand key words, formulaic phrases, and most

Listening short sentences on topics of immediate personal relevance. (3)
(3–4) • Understand, with considerable effort, simple formal and
informal communication on topics of personal relevance. (4)

Writing • Write short, simple texts about personal experience and

(4) familiar topics or situations related to daily life and experience.

Reading • Understand the purpose, main idea, key information, and some details in simple,
(3) short texts related to everyday familiar and personally relevant situations and topics.

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 Going to a Gas Station
Everyday Dialogues

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