They’re having a sale!

Macy’s was having a sale last weekend, so I went there to check it out. Almost everything was on sale. I found a nice jacket that I liked and it was on sale too. It is usually $115, but it was 50% off! I’m so lucky! When I went to pay, the clerk said that the jacket was final sale, so I cannot return it. Final sale means the store won’t give refunds, and you can’t exchange or return what you buy, so you need to be careful!

• Stores have a sale. The structure is [store] has a sale (or) there is a sale at [store] A sale is a special event where items in the store have a cheaper price than usual.
  • Macy’s is having a sale today.
  • Anthropology had a sale last week.
  • There is a sale at the Gap today.
• Items are on sale. The structure is [item] is on sale (or) buy [item] on sale This means the item has a cheaper price than usual.
  • All sweaters are on sale today.
  • I bought this dress on sale.
  • Everything is on sale on Black Friday.
• To talk about a discounted price, we often use a percentage off, like 50% off. The structure is [item] is 00% off
  • This sweater was 50% off today.
  • I bought these shoes for 30% off!
• The person who works in a department store or clothing store is a sales clerk, or clerk. A clerk can help you shop and also works at the register. Other stores, like supermarkets, grocery stores, etc. have cashiers. A cashier works at the register only, and doesn’t help you shop.
  • The clerk in Macy’s was very helpful.
  • The cashiers in the drug store are not so nice.
• When you are not happy with what you bought you may want to return it. Return means bring back to the store.
  • I want to return this sweater. It is too big.
  • Can I return this if my husband doesn’t like it?
• When you buy something, and realize it is the wrong color or size, you may want to exchange it. Exchange means change something for something else. The structure is exchange [A] for [B].
  • I exchanged my sweater for a larger size.
  • Can I exchange this for a blue one?
• When you return something, the store will refund your money. We can use refund as a verb and a noun.
  • I would like to return this sweater. Is it possible to get a refund?
  • This is a final sale, so we cannot refund your money.

If you know anyone who has trouble with this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them.

Thanks for studying today!

The Yankees won against the Red Sox

In the US, baseball season has just started, so today I am going to show you some vocabulary you can use to talk about sports.

We use play to talk about the teams in the game

• Last night, the Red Sox played the Yankees
• New York will play San Francisco tomorrow.
• Who is playing the Lakers today?

When we talk about the winner and loser, you can use the following phrases. For this example let’s imagine the score was Yankees 6, Red Sox 1. In this case you can say:

• The Yankees won (or) The Yankees won the game.
• The Yankees won against the Red Sox.
• The Yankees beat the Red Sox.
• The Red Sox lost (or) The Red Sox lost the game
• The Red Sox lost to the Yankees
• Do you know who won the game?

How is your favorite team doing? How about trying to write an original sentence using some of the above patterns. Use the comment box below!

If you know anyone who has trouble with this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them.

Thanks for studying today!

You can learn a lot of everyday English from TV programs, especially those that are well written. Today let’s have a look at some of the English conversation  phrases from the opening scene in the first Gossip Girl episode. If you have the DVD, please follow along. Sorry, I can’t post the video here.

The scene opens with this voice-over. Gossip Girl is narrating over the scene of people in Grand Central Station in NYC.

“Hey Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here… and I have the biggest news ever. One of my many sources, Melanie91, sends us this: Spotted at Grand Central, bags in hand: Serena van der Woodsen. Was it only a year ago our “it-girl” mysteriously disappeared for quote “boarding school?” And just as suddenly she’s back. Don’t believe me? See for yourselves: Lucky for us, Melanie91 sent proof. Thanks for the photo, Mel!”

Now, let’s do a vocabulary check.

Gossip Girl here.  Using here after your name is generally done by news reporters or TV commentators. It is the same as saying, This is Gossip Girl.

I have the biggest news ever. In everyday casual English conversation, we sometimes leave out some parts of a sentence. This phrase is a great example. I have the biggest news ever is a shortened form of I think it is the biggest news in the world. The structure of this phrase is superlative + noun + ever, and it follows the verb:

• That restaurant has the best pizza ever. I think that restaurant has the best pizza in the world.
• Titanic is the best movie ever. I think Titanic is the best move ever made.

bags in hand. The phrase bags in hand means holding her bags (suitcases).

it-girl. The phrase it-girl means the most popular girl.

quote. In spoken English, using the word quote before a word or phrase gives special emphasis to that word or phrase. Using the word quote this way often has the nuance that the speaker has some doubt about the word or phrase being emphasized:

• I’ve heard that Jane is the most quote ‘beautiful’ woman in the office.
• Jack doesn’t want to come to the party because he said it is quote ‘too late.’

she’s back. We sometimes use back as an adverb to mean returned to the original place or state. She’s back means She has returned.  

• I need to put milk back.
• How long has Joe been back?

That’s all for today. I hope you found it useful!

If you know anyone who has trouble with this English language point, why not help them out! Just share this lesson with them.

Thanks for studying today!