English: Supermarket & Groceries

Level: A2. A supermarket trip in English needs three things: the names of the food, the right word for how much of it you want, and a few phrases to find things and to pay. The tricky part for most learners is counting food — you don’t buy “a milk”, you buy “a carton of milk”. This lesson builds all three.

By the end of this page you can…

…name common groceries and the aisle they are in, say the quantity with the right container or unit, write a shopping list, ask staff where something is, and get through the checkout.

Groceries and aisles

Supermarkets group food into aisles (the long rows between shelves). You push a trolley (British) or cart (American), or carry a basket for a few items.

• Fruit and vegetables: apples, bananas, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, salad.
• Dairy: milk, butter, cheese, yoghurt, eggs.
• Bakery: bread, rolls, cakes.
• Meat and fish: chicken, beef, mince, salmon.
• Tins and jars: beans, tomatoes, soup, jam.
• Frozen / freezer: frozen peas, ice cream, pizza.
• Drinks: water, juice, tea, coffee.
• Household: soap, washing-up liquid, bin bags.

Countable and uncountable food

This is the heart of the lesson. Some food you can count one by one (countable): an egg, two apples, three bananas. Other food you cannot count directly (uncountable): milk, rice, bread, sugar, cheese. You never say a milk or two rices.

To count uncountable food, add a container or unit word, then of:

So you buy a carton of milk, two tins of tomatoes, a kilo of potatoes and a loaf of bread.

How much or how many?

Use how much with uncountable food and how many with countable items:

• How much rice do we need? (rice is uncountable)
• How many eggs are left? (eggs are countable)

The same split works for some, any, a lot of and a little / a few:

• some bread, some apples (some works for both)
• a little sugar (uncountable) · a few eggs (countable)
• Is there any milk? · Are there any tomatoes?

Making a shopping list

A list keeps your trip short. Write the quantity first, then the item:

• 1 loaf of bread
• 2 cartons of milk
• a dozen eggs (a dozen = twelve)
• 1 kg of apples
• a bag of rice
• a jar of coffee

Asking for help and paying

If you can’t find something, ask a member of staff politely:

• Excuse me, where can I find the rice?
• Which aisle is the bread in?
• Have you got any fresh basil?
• Is this on offer / on sale? (reduced price)

At the end you pay at the checkout (also the till in Britain, the register in America). The person there is the cashier.

• Just these, thanks. (you only have what’s on the belt)
• Do you need a bag? — Yes, please, two bags.
• Can I pay by card?
• Would you like a receipt? — Yes, please.

Example sentences

Press play and copy the rhythm. Say each line out loud as if you were really shopping.

1. I need a loaf of bread.
   Bread is uncountable, so use 'a loaf of'.
2. Can you get two cartons of milk?
   Count milk with cartons, not 'two milks'.
3. We're out of eggs — buy a dozen.
   A dozen means twelve.
4. I'll take a kilo of apples, please.
   Food sold by weight uses 'a kilo of'.
5. Where are the trolleys?
   Trolley is the British word for a cart.
6. This basket is heavy.
   A basket is for a small shop.
7. How much rice do we need?
   How much with uncountable food.
8. How many bananas are left?
   How many with countable items.
9. Is there any butter in the fridge?
   Any in a question with uncountable food.
10. Are there any tomatoes left?
    Any with countable items in a question.
11. Let's get a bag of rice and a jar of coffee.
    Two containers in one sentence.
12. Excuse me, where can I find the pasta?
    The polite way to ask staff for an item.
13. Which aisle is the bread in?
    Asking for the right row.
14. Is this on offer?
    Checking for a reduced price.
15. The milk is in the dairy aisle.
    Dairy is the milk-and-cheese section.
16. Just these, thanks.
    You have only what's on the belt.
17. Do you need a bag?
    A common question at the till.
18. Can I pay by card?
    Checking how you can pay.
19. Could I have a receipt, please?
    Asking for proof of payment.
20. We've got everything on the list.
    Finishing the shop.

Quick recap before you practise.

A short conversation

Sara: Excuse me, where can I find the rice? Staff: It’s in aisle four, next to the pasta. Sara: Thanks. And is the orange juice on offer today? Staff: Yes, two cartons for the price of one. Sara: Great, I’ll take two, then.

Usage notes

• trolley / cart, till / register: the first in each pair is British, the second American; both are widely understood.
• a dozen: means twelve, most often used for eggs: a dozen eggs. Half a dozen is six.
• some in offers: in a polite request, use some even in a question: Can I have some bread? Keep any for ordinary yes/no questions and negatives: Is there any bread? — There isn’t any.
• on offer / on sale: both mean a reduced price. Buy one get one free (often shortened to BOGOF) is a common supermarket deal.
• fresh / frozen / tinned: describe how food is kept: fresh peas (just picked), frozen peas (from the freezer), tinned/canned peas (in a tin).

Practice

Practice

Supermarket practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Which sentence is correct?

I need a bread. I need a loaf of bread. I need two breads. I need some breads.

Check

Show answer

I need a loaf of bread. — Bread is uncountable, so count it with a container word: a loaf of bread.

2 Choose the question word: ____ eggs are in the fridge?

Check

Hint: used with countable items

Show answer

How many — Eggs are countable, so use 'how many'.

3 Choose the question word: ____ milk do we need?

Check

Hint: used with uncountable food

Show answer

How much — Milk is uncountable, so use 'how much'.

4 Put the words in order to ask for help.

the ricewhere canExcuse me,I find

CheckReset

Show answer

Excuse me, where can I find the rice — The polite pattern is: Excuse me, where can I find the rice?

5 Match each food to its quantity word.

• milk Match for milk — choose — a carton ofa kilo ofa loaf ofa tin of
• beans Match for beans — choose — a carton ofa kilo ofa loaf ofa tin of
• bread Match for bread — choose — a carton ofa kilo ofa loaf ofa tin of
• apples Match for apples — choose — a carton ofa kilo ofa loaf ofa tin of

Check

Show answer

• milk → a carton of
• beans → a tin of
• bread → a loaf of
• apples → a kilo of

Each uncountable food takes the container or unit that suits how it's sold.

6 You only have the items on the belt. What do you say at the till?

Keep the change. Just these, thanks. Which aisle? A table for two.

Check

Show answer

Just these, thanks. — 'Just these, thanks' tells the cashier you have nothing else to add.

How to say it

A few grocery words catch out English learners. Copy the audio rather than spelling them out.

• vegetables is three quick beats in speech, roughly “VEJ-tuh-bulz”, not four clear ones.
• aisle sounds exactly like “I’ll” — “eye-ul”; the s is silent.
• receipt is “ri-SEET”; the p is silent.
• dozen rhymes with “cousin”: “DUZ-un”, not “doe-zen”.

Quiz

Check yourself

Supermarket & groceries quiz

8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/8 0 answered

1. 1Which is correct?

   A Two milks, please. B Two cartons of milk, please. C Two milk, please. D A two milk, please.
   Show answer

   Two cartons of milk, please. — Milk is uncountable; count it with cartons: two cartons of milk.

2. 2Complete: ___ sugar is left?

   A How many B How much C How often D How long
   Show answer

   How much — Sugar is uncountable, so use 'how much'.

3. 3Complete: ___ apples do you want?

   A How much B How many C How long D How far
   Show answer

   How many — Apples are countable, so use 'how many'.

4. 4What is the British word for the metal basket on wheels?

   A cart B trolley C wagon D buggy
   Show answer

   trolley — British English says 'trolley'; American English says 'cart'.

5. 5How many is 'a dozen'?

   A six B ten C twelve D twenty
   Show answer

   twelve — A dozen is twelve; half a dozen is six.

6. 6Best way to ask staff for an item:

   A Rice! B Where rice? C Excuse me, where can I find the rice? D You have rice?
   Show answer

   Excuse me, where can I find the rice? — Use the full polite question: Excuse me, where can I find …?

7. 7What does 'on offer' mean?

   A sold out B a reduced price C very fresh D imported
   Show answer

   a reduced price — 'On offer' (or 'on sale') means the item has a reduced price.

8. 8Who works at the checkout?

   A the waiter B the cashier C the chef D the host
   Show answer

   the cashier — The person at the till/checkout is the cashier.

Recap cheat-sheet

Next

• Previous lesson: English: Restaurant & Dining Out
• Next lesson: English: Travel & the Airport
• Related: English: Shopping & Prices
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