NEIGHBORHOOD,

CITIES, TOWNS –
SHOPPING AND
E-COMMERCE
Module 1 – Unit 1

1
1.1. LISTENING TO CONVERSATIONS ................................................................................................. 3

1.2. LISTENING FOR MAIN IDEAS ........................................................................................................ 4

1.3. LISTENING FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION.................................................................................. 7

1.4. COMPARING LONG AND SHORT FORMS OF CONTRACTIONS .............................................. 9

1.5. LISTENING FOR CONTRACTIONS................................................................................................. 9

1.6. ASKING FOR AND GIVING PERSONAL INFORMATION ..........................................................10

1.7. LISTENING FOR PERSONAL INFORMATION .............................................................................10

1.8. WRITING PERSONAL INFORMATION .........................................................................................11

1.9. CONFIRMING INFORMATION .......................................................................................................11

1.10. LISTENING FOR TIME AND DISTANCE ......................................................................................13

1.11. DISCUSSING TIME AND DISTANCE ............................................................................................14

1.12. TALKING ABOUT DAYS AND DATES .........................................................................................14

1.13. TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION ........................................................................................16

1.14. USING LANGUAGE TO GIVE REASONS ......................................................................................17

1.15. LISTENING TO REASONS ...............................................................................................................17

1.16. DISCUSSING REASONS ..................................................................................................................18

1.17. LISTENING TO GET MEANING FROM CONTEXT......................................................................18

1.18. LISTENING FOR PRICES .................................................................................................................19

1.19. LISTENING TO (ONLINE) SHOPPING INFORMATION ..............................................................19

1.20. TALKING ABOUT CLOTHES..........................................................................................................21

1.21. COMPARING PRICES ......................................................................................................................22

2
1.1. Listening to conversations

Arriving in a new neighborhood, either as a visitor or to stay as a permanent resident

represents a big challenge and poses lots of questions in our heads. Being the new person
on the block or at work usually brings about a series of situations in which we will have to
start building relationships with other people from scratch, that is, introductions are in
order for the first couple of weeks after moving in. As speakers of English, we need to take
into account the different scenarios where conversations may arise and how to tackle
them effectively and – most importantly – naturally. Besides, all our shopping habits need
to be re-arranged as we find ourselves in places which are not only unfamiliar to us, but
could also be totally dissimilar to the ones we were used to visit in our home town.

3
1.2. Listening for main ideas

One of the key factors for successful conversations is following the old idiom that not only
applies to the way we speak but also to any other behavior on our part. It goes like this:
“When in Rome, do as Romans do.” In our case, we might as well say “speak as Romans
speak” and that means paying attention to the way people speak, their tone, their choice
of words and the phrases they say more often, the way their body language accompanies
what they say and the degree of formality that each context requires.

Let’s deal with three different scenarios:

a. A new student from abroad meets a classmate at college

A: "Hi. What's your name?"

B: "My name is Jung Min. What's your name?"
A: "My name is Jessica. It's nice to meet you."
B: "Yes. It's nice to meet you too. Are you a new student too?"
A: "No. I'm a sophomore. I take it you are a new student?"
B: "Yeah. It's pretty exciting to be here."
A: "Have fun while it lasts. The excitement wears off real quick. Especially after you see
how much homework you get. Where are you from?"
B: "I'm from Korea. My parents wanted me to go to an American university, so I came
here."
A: "I have never been to Korea. I've been to Japan before, but never Korea."
B: "Why were you in Japan?"
A: "My father thought it would be a good experience to take a vacation to a different
country. He's so into learning about different cultures."

4
B: "That's pretty cool."
A: "I thought it would have been more fun if I went without my parents."
B: "Well, if you ever want to visit Korea, I would be happy to show you around."
A: "Thanks for the offer. I'll keep that in mind. Oh, the professor is coming. We'll talk more
after class."
B: "Ok."
(Go to: Talkinenglish (2005). [Audio archive]. Retrived from
https://www.talkenglish.com/listening/lessonlisten.aspx?ALID=203 to listen to a recording of
this conversation)

b. A neighbor comes by to say hi

A: Hello, it's nice to meet you.

B: It's great meeting you too.
A: Did you just move in?
B: I moved in this past weekend.
A: I had no idea that house was sold.
B: I had to buy. The first time I saw it, I fell in love.
A: It is a beautiful house.
B: Have you been living here long?
A: About 20 years now.
B: Wow! That's a long time.
A: Hopefully we will be neighbors for a lot longer.
B: I love this house too much to ever move.
(Go to https://www.eslfast.com/robot/topics/apartment/2apartment21.htm to listen to a
recording of this conversation)
c. As a new employee, someone is introduced to a co-worker

5
Mike: Good morning, John.

John: Good morning, Mike.

Mike: Let me take you to your cubicle and then I will give you a tour of our facility.

Mike: Here is your cubicle, your “home away from home” from 8:00 to 5:00 every day,
John.

John: Oh, very nice!

Mike: Drop your belongings here, and let’s go!

John: OK, I am ready Mike.

Mike: That is Mary over there. She is our senior financial analyst. You will be working with
her in the future. Let’s go say hi to her.

Mike: Mary, this is John, our department’s new addition.

Mary: Welcome aboard, John. I am very glad to see you. Boy! I was swamped with work
the last couple of weeks. But, I can see myself going home at a more decent time from
now on.

John: Thank you. I am very happy to be here. Just let me know whenever you need me. I
am glad to be of any assistance.

Mike: I am giving John a tour of our facility so that he knows his way around here.

Mary: See you later, John.

6
John: OK, Mary

(Go to https://www.easypacelearning.com/all-lessons/english-lessons-level-3/1209-first-
day-at-work-conversation-learning-basic-english to listen to a recording of this conversation)

1.3. Listening for specific information

Paying attention to what people say and being able to make out the meaning of their
words and expressions is one of ESL (English as a Second Language) speakers’ main
challenges. The context is a great tool that will help us understand a conversation because
all the possible lexicon that might be used in the Exchange is already activated in our
minds before actually engaging in it. Our mind predicts some of the things that are quite
likely to be said or referred to.
Here is an example of a rather pushy and nosy neighbor trying to make acquaintances
with the newly arrived.

Nancy: Hello there! Hello!

Eric: Hello.
Nancy: I’m Nancy, your neighbor across the street. You’re new to the neighborhood.
Eric: Yes, I just moved in last weekend.
Nancy: That’s nice. How are you settling in?
Eric: Fine, thanks.
Nancy: Would you like to come over and have a cup of coffee? I can give you the scoop on
the neighborhood and give you some tips on places to go and things to do in this area.
Eric: Thanks, but I’m kind of busy right now. I’ll take a rain check.

7
Nancy: No problem. Stop by anytime. We have quite a few social events in the area that
you might be interested in.
Eric: I’m not much of a joiner. I tend to keep to myself.
Nancy: Oh, but we couldn’t let you do that. I’m appointing myself your new social
secretary. As a new resident in a small town, you should know that everyone will want to
meet you. You’ll be inundated with invitations. I can help you sort them out.
Eric: I appreciate your offer, but if I have to fend off neighbors, I’ll do it myself.
Nancy: Well, suit yourself. I don’t recommend turning down too many invitations or you’ll
get a reputation for being a recluse.
Eric: That’s okay with me. I’d rather not be the subject of talk among the busybodies.
Nancy: Busybodies! Well, some people!

(Go to Secure 3 (2016). Meeting a new neighbor. [Audio archive. Podcast]. Retrived from
https://secure3.eslpod.com/podcast/esl-podcast-998-meeting-a-new-neighbor/ to listen to
a recording of this conversation)

It does not take much to realize that the newly arrived feels a little invaded by the
friendly, but intrusive, neighbor. Now, after listening to the dialog we can infer the main
ideas in it – an invitation and the specific details – the way the newly arrived feels about
gatherings and his refusal to the invitation.

8
1.4. Comparing long and short forms of contractions

Even though contractions may not come naturally to us as Spanish speakers at first, just as
the ellipsis of ‘that’ in subjunctive clauses, because we feel the need to say everything as
clearly as possible, this feature of spoken English is expected in almost any context. Only
exclusively formal situations would require speakers to use the full form of the verb to be,
have and the modal will, would, and the full form of the negative case of all the modal
verbs.
You can read detailed examples of the more common contractions in this Cambridge
Dictionary entry.

1.5. Listening for contractions

Actually, using contractions is one of the elements of naturalness and language control
that native speakers of English usually prefer foreigners to show when engaging in
conversations. They make speech less artificial and more agreeable to them, since it
would let them know that is alright to use them because their interlocutor can handle
them. Contractions serve the purpose of brevity and conciseness, since they help
discourse become more economical and, therefore, more dynamic.

9
1.6. Asking for and giving personal information

Introductions are all about exchanging information about ourselves with strangers who
may or may not eventually become our acquaintances. Sometimes we meet people with
who will never cross our paths with again in the future, and at other times we meet
people who will become regular part-takers in our daily life. When exchanging our
personal information, we may want to follow certain rules of etiquette that will keep us
safe from being cut-off from people or being branded as awkward or even undesired
conversation partners.

1.7. Listening for personal information

How much personal information should we share with our newly met interlocutors? What
register should we use to convey it? There is no universal truth or guideline about meeting
new people since cultures differ so much from one another that a single way of conduct
may be appropriate in certain circles and totally unacceptable in others. Once again,
observation of what goes around or some previous research into the habits and the
customs of locals can save you a great deal of embarrassment or inappropriateness.
Typical pieces of information we usually share with people we have just met
include:
 Our name and occupation;
 Our place or origin and of residence;
 Our likes and dislikes on food, music, sports and the arts; and
 Our hobbies and pastimes.

10
1.8. Writing personal information

Certain information is regarded as too personal and inquiring about it might be

understood as a sign of impoliteness. For example: age, phone number or contact
information, views on politics, economics or religion and monthly earnings and wages.
These would be applicable in a more formal context, for example, at a public service office
where you are asked to share your details in order to fill out an official form, at a job or
academic interview, and so on. Be aware of social conventions in the place you are so you
prevent yourself from overstepping into somebody else’s privacy.

1.9. Confirming information

Here is a dialog between a would-be student at an academy and the registrar who is
taking down notes of his details. Notice the tone and the rhythm of the conversation and
how appropriate it is.
Woman: So, you would like to register for our summer classes, is that right?
Boy: Yes please. What do I need to do?
Woman: Well. I'd like to ask you some questions so that I can fill in this form.
Boy: OK.
Woman: First of all, what's your surname?
Boy: It's Davies. That's D-A-V-I-E-S.
Woman: Thank you. And what's your first name?
Boy: Dylan. D-Y-L-A-N.
Woman: OK. And when is your birthday?

11
 Boy: The 20th of the second, 1998.
Woman: OK. Good. And what’s your address?
Boy: It's 34, Dawson Avenue, Westminster.
Woman: Do you remember your postcode?
Boy: Yes, it's WE45 8AU
Woman: Good. And can you tell me your home phone number, please?
Boy: Yes, um, 487789.
Woman: Thank you. I need an email address too.
Boy: That's davies232 at hotmail dot com.
Woman: OK. Just a few questions about your interests now. Are you interested in drama?
Boy: Um, yes. Well, I enjoy acting in school plays.
Woman: Excellent. Do you belong to any clubs?
Boy: Yes. I'm in the computer club at school.
Woman: Great! Well, I think that's all, thank you.
Boy: Thanks. Bye!
Woman: Goodbye!
(Go to Ezone (2014). [Audio archive]. Retrived from https://www.helbling-
ezone.com/?cid=130&eid=21&uid=3&unn=visitor&scd=0&rslt=0#/exercise/dialogue1.xml
/ to listen to a recording of this conversation)

Since these interactions are usually about facts that remain the same over time, the
present simple tense is mostly used and the complexity of these kind of dialogs is seldom
high. Besides, there is one central goal to the event and it’s shared by both participants,
that is, the accurate registration of the information. Yet, a certain level of naturalness is
expected, and it mostly resides in the flow of the conversation and the use of contractions
even when the expressions used are formal. The Present Perfect and other tenses
referring to past experiences and to expected results in the futures, like the potential and

12
the Future Simple may apply at job interviews or when conversations move deeper into
each participant’s life story.

1.10. Listening for time and distance

Another great topic that is a conversation starter among people who have just met is
commuting. That is to say, the way by which one gets to a place from home every day and
how they get back home after finishing all their duties and chores. Commuting is a shared
conversation topic for almost everybody who needs to arrive to a destination every
working day either to work, study or attend to given events. “What is your commute like?”
may require us to deal with several concepts at the same time: places, time, distance,
means of transport and feelings! There are several phrases that can help you move on in
the conversation and contribute interesting information that can, in turn, open new topics
to continue talking. For example, when describing your commute to work or to college
every day you can use classical phrases that will feel natural and appropriate. Depending
on the kind of daily commute you face day by day, you can say:

One-way: Just what it says that this is how long it takes you to get through one half of your
journey. You might say “It takes me 20 minutes one way.” Round trip: This is similar to
door-to-door because it talks about a total travel time. You might say “It takes me 40
minutes round trip.” During the morning/evening rush hour: Travel times may vary
between the morning and the evening. It may take you 20 minutes in the morning and
much longer in the evening, or vice versa. With traffic: This factors in traffic as that plays a
significant role in your commute time. You might say “It takes me about a half hour with
traffic.”

13
(Go to: All Ears English (2019, jnuary 21). What’s Your Commute Like? How to Talk About Your
Daily Route to Work in English [Audio archive] Retrived from:
https://www.allearsenglish.com/aee-1090-whats-your-commute-like-how-to-talk-about-your-
daily-route-to-work-in-english/ to listen to a podcast about commuting)

1.11. Discussing time and distance

Regarding distance, you should try and adapt your measurement system to the one that is
applied in the place you are staying. The U.S. and the U.K. and most of the countries in the
Commonwealth use the Imperial system of miles, feet and inches which is seldom referred
to or used in Latin America. Learning how to use the Imperial system or how to easily
convert from the metric to the Imperial system is really useful to make ourselves
understood. For example, a mile is 1.6 km. So we should be able to make a quick,
approximate conversion when dealing with distances.

1.12. Talking about days and dates

It is also normal to talk about daily or weekly routines and plans with people whose
acquaintance we are making. Expressions about frequency and specific moments of the
day or days of the week or the month will come handy to say when or how often we do
things, for example: every Tuesday, on weekends, every other week, twice a month, every
1st day of the month, etc. Also, telling dates in English is a tricky business. We must
remember that the UK follows the same conventions for dates as we do in Spanish
speaking countries, that is: dd/mm/aaaa or 3rd May, 2020. In the US, on the other hand,
the convention is to invert the order of the month and the date, so the formula is:
mm/dd/aaaa, as in May 3rd, 2020. The convention for telling years in English is usually in

14
twos: then 1988 is read aloud as nineteen eighty-eight. There are exceptions, though, and
after the year 2000 (two thousand), it is possible to hear people say the full number (e.g.:
2008, two thousand and eight) or the conventional pairing form (e.g.: 2008, twenty-oh-
eight). There are other exceptions to the convention. When the year ends in ‘00’, the
second part is substituted by the word “hundred”, as in 1900 or nineteen hundred. Of
course, 2000 or ‘two thousand’, is an exception. There are other forms within this
convention, so you should get familiar with them to sound more natural and not to come
up with awkward expressions such as “I was born in one thousand and ninety-four.” It is
also important to have a clear understanding of the way in which the prepositions ‘in, on
and at’ are used when talking about time, days and dates. ‘In the morning’, ‘in the
afternoon’ but ‘at night’ is a clear example of the usage of the prepositions which need to
be learnt so as not to make mistakes as ‘on April’ (it should be ‘in April´) or ‘in the
weekend’ (where ‘on’ or ‘at’ should be used). Look at this table to clarify the use of these
tricky prepositions also connected with place (location):

Imagen 1 Cuadro ilustrativo

15
Source: Regenbig Group (2012). Cómo se usan las preposiciones IN – ON – AT (Tiempo y
Lugar) de Retrived from: https://www.regenbig.es/como-se-usan-las-preposiciones-in-on-at-
tiempo-y-lugar/

1.13. Talking about transportation

When discussing means of transport, we should get acquainted with the local services
available, the way people of the area refer to them and the expressions associated with
them. Either on foot, by bus or by taxi, the way we get to places and back home every day
make for a quite prolific topic and a friendly chat. Small talk make acquaintances grow
closer. Read this dialog and think about all the possible variations you could add to it.

Ethan: So, Juan, do you live far from here? How do you get here every morning?

Juan: Well, I have to get up around 6 am if I want to have an easy commute. Traffic can get
really hectic in the early hours downtown. I live only 6 km away from here, in the suburbs,
that’d be around 3 miles and a half and it takes me almost an hour to get here.

Ethan: Wow, that’s a little to much for just 3 miles. Do you take the subway?

Juan: That’s the problem! I’m not familiar yet with the subway and I kind of have a strange
feeling about going underground! So I take the bus, but the frequency is awful!

Ethan: Since you´re not too far and I assume you don’t have a car…

Juan: …and I wouldn’t use it to come to work if I had one! It’s madness here to find a
decent place to park!

Ethan: Yeah, you’re right! But, haven’t you thought about getting a bike and riding to
work? It would be much cheaper and do a lot of good to your health.

16
Juan: Well, that is a good idea. Besides, parking wouldn’t be much of a problem. Now, the
problem is the cold. I might think about it in May, when the weather is warmer.

Ethan: Absolutely! You don’t want to freeze to death just to get to work on time.

Juan: Exactly! Not worth it!

1.14. Using language to give reasons

Another subject that can spark a conversation is the reason for moving to a new
neighborhood or for changing jobs or for signing up for a course of studies. This can give
you an opportunity to open up and let others know about your preferences, your dreams
and your plans for the future. In the end, every time we make a change in our lives, it’s
usually in pursuit of an ulterior goal: the betterment of our quality of life or the
achievement of life goals.

1.15. Listening to reasons

Answering to the question “Why did you move here?” can take on infinite alternatives,
just as many as there are people who move wherever ‘here’ is. Keeping this in mind, one
should always be ready to share in a simple and clear way their reasons to do so. John
Mason, a British businessman in the moving business, shared on his web site the 10
reasons why British people find it exciting or advisable to move to the US. The reasons he
lists range from culinary culture to career opportunities (Mason, J., 2016).

17
1.16. Discussing reasons

Each person has their own reasons to move to a new place and they make a potentially
fruitful conversation topic. Other reasons that could be introduced into a conversation are
the choices of public transport and personal preferences regarding shops and food.

1.17. Listening to get meaning from context

Another day-by-day experience which will lead us to come into contact with others is
shopping: for groceries, for supplies, for clothes or any other item or service we might
need, especially, when settling down. Spotting out the best places and the best deals for
us might take a while until we know our way around the neighborhood or the area we are
new to. Unlike what happened decades ago, people can opt to do their shopping from
home instead of going out into the real world and step up to a face-to-face situation with
a living person behind a counter. This could also be a topic for conversation when
discussing the pros and cons of online shopping. Going about online shopping is virtually a
matter of reading-comprehension. So, the real challenge in this matter will be to make a
shopping list and hit the places where to find what it on that list. Locating the main shops
in your area would be a great idea and any maps application could do in the first attempt.
Later on, when actually walking down the streets of your neighborhood, the shops which
are not listed online. Figures and prices will be of your main interest and also finding the
right item. Let´s focus, for example, on one type of items that one may find in need of
buying: clothes.

18
1.18. Listening for prices

Of course, money is at the core of each transaction we make in shops, so a great piece of
advice would be to get acquainted not only with numbers and figures just as people of the
area or ‘the locals” use them, but also the way they refer to the currency they use, the
names they give bills and coins, the methods of payment, the way in which they say prices
and how they deal with change. Listening to real-life situations in which money
transactions are involved would do much good to a foreign speaker of English to gain
confidence and stand up to the challenge of buying new clothes or vegetables at the
greengrocer’s!

1.19. Listening to (online) shopping information

Let´s see how a typical and trouble-free shopping situation would unfold:

Assistant: Hello, can I help you?

Woman: No, thanks. I´m just browsing

Assistant: Ok, let me know if you need any help

Woman: Actually, do you have any dresses in stock

Assistant: Yes, let me show you

Woman: I like this one- do you have in in another color

Assistant: Yes, this dress also comes in red, blue, black and Green.

19
Woman: I’d like to try the blue one, please.

Assistant: Sure, the change roms are over there

Woman: Can I try this in a smaller size

Assistant: Sorry we dont have any in stock left in that color. Would you like to try another
color?

Woman: I really like the blue one

Assistant: We have a special offer: buy one, get one free!

Woman: Really! That’s a bargain! And how much is it?

Assistant: 10 pounds, we have a lot of special deals on our clothing.

Woman: In that case, I’ll take the red one and the black one.

Assistant: Would you like anything else?

Woman: No thanks, I’ll just keep these. Can I pay by card?

Assistant: Of course! Please enter your PIN.

Woman: Mmm—what is my PIN number?... Oh, yeah (remembers)

Assistant: Please one moment… sign here.

Woman: Can I get a receipt?

Assistant: Of course, here you go

20
 Woman: Thank you, have a nice day!

Assistant: Thanks for shopping with us.

(Go to: Oxford Online English (2016 April 26). Clothes Shopping in English - Spoken
English Lesson [Video Archive] Youtube. Retrived from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8BR6hsvzoY to listen to a recording of this
conversation and more advise on shopping for clothes)

1.20. Talking about clothes

The different garments that make up each person’s regular attire for the various activities
they perform are usually to be found in different places. Formal, casual, sports or
accessory garments and items are varied and people’s taste about them differs from one
person to the other. Yet, not matter the style or colors of your preference, two things will
always be a matter of conversation with the shop assistant: size and price. ‘Could I try it
on?’ and ‘How much is it?’ are among the most common questions we usually make when
talking to a shop assistant.

21
1.21. Comparing prices

When comparing prices, one must be on the lookout for deals, bargains and special offers
and discounts. For this, the comparative use of the adjectives for expensive, cheap,
affordable and economical might come handy to work your way to a good deal.

This reading has been designed as an orientation material for you to search online and on
the suggested bibliography for language items (vocabulary, grammar and phrases) that
will help you improve your speaking and conversational skills that will be put into practice
in the forum and the activity that you will be required to complete.

22