5

Shopping around

Curso de Ingls
Avanzado

1. Listening: Shopping in-store or shopping at

home?
1.

Warm-up. Answer the following questions:

a) Do you like shopping? Why?
b) What kind of things do you like shopping?
c) Where do you go shopping? Why?
d) How often do you go shopping?
e) Do you go with friends or on your own? Why?

1.1. Listening transcript: Shopping in-store or

shopping at home?
Interviewer: Day-by-day, society has changed the way of shopping. It
seems that everything should be convenient and simple. There are many people,
who prefer online shopping because they can easily compare the cost of product to
find the best deal. On the other hand, many people love in- store shopping,
because they can physically check what they are buying. So, which one you like?
Ben: Oh, for me theres no doubt, online shopping is a lot easier. First, you
can do it from your home; there are no opening hours, no queuing, and no need to
find a parking place. Nothing to do with sopping centres which are usually crowded
and noisy. Also products are cheaper or at least you can compare prices just with a
click. Moreover, nowadays is relatively safe to pay online with a credit card or an
account and you can always read the reviews from other buyers to check the
quality of the product!
Linda: I strongly disagree with Ben. Theres nothing like traditional
shopping where you can actually see and touch what you want to buy. If you buy
online, lets sayclothes, you cant try them on, you know, so most of the times

you have to send it back and change the size for example. Or the colour is not the
same as in the screenand then, returning a product is not always easy with online
shops. Its true that most times shopping in- store is a little more expensive, but it
is worth it. Also, going to a shopping centre can be a lovely activity for the whole
family, they usually have a parking place as well as cafes, bars and so on so you
can relax and spend a good day there.

2.

Exercise 1: Comprehension questions. According to the text, who

1. takes shopping as a leisure activity?
a) Ben
b) Linda

2. trusts payment methods online?

a) Ben
b) Linda

3. avoids crowded places?

a) Ben
b) Linda

4. likes to see how clothes fit?

a) Ben
b) Linda

5. trusts other people opinions when shopping?

a) Ben
b) Linda

KEY: 1.b 2.a 3.a 4.b 5.a

3.

Exercise 2: Vocabulary. Fill the gaps with one of the words given.
window-shop - on sale - cash desk try fits debit card for sale - on

1. When you ___, you just look at all the things for sale in a store without
intending to buy anything.
2. Its a good idea to ___ clothes ___ before you buy them to make sure
that they ___.
3. When you have decided to buy something, take all your items to the ___
to pay for them.
4. You can pay by ___ (your bank card), use your credit card or pay cash.
5. If something is ___, you can buy it for money. If something is ___, the
price has been reduced from the original price.

KEY: 1. window-shop 2.try/ on/ fits 3.cash desk 4.debit card 5.for sale/ on
sale

1.2 Relative pronouns

We can use relative clauses to join two English sentences, or to give more
information about something.
I bought a new car. The car is very fast.
I bought a new car that is very fast.

Relative clauses start with these relative pronouns: who, which, that, whose,
where, when and why
A defining relative clause gives information about the noun we are talking
about:
I like the woman who lives next door. (If we don't say 'who lives next door',
we don't know which woman we mean). Defining relative clauses:
-

Dont have commas

Use the pronouns: who, which, whose, where, when, why

That can be used instead of who or which

Who, which or that can be omitted when they are the object of the clause
Ex: Thats the woman (that) I told you

non-defining

relative

clause

gives

us

extra

information

about

something. We don't need this information to understand the sentence.

I live in London, where it rains all the time. (Everybody knows where London
is, so where it rains all the time' is extra information). Non-defining relative
clauses:
-

Use commas (or pauses in spoken English)

Use the pronouns: who, which, whose, where, when, why

Dont use that

The relative pronoun cannot be omitted.

Both, defining and not defining relative clauses:

-

Can begin with whom for people as the object of a clause (mainly in written
English)
Ex: His son, whom she loved, disappeared last year.

Usually have a preposition at the end of the clause

Ex: The woman he fell in love with was beautiful.

In formal English, sometimes theres a preposition at the beginning followed

by which or whom. In this case, we cannot use that.
Ex: The woman with whom he fell in love was beautiful.

Exercise 1. Choose the right option.

1) I talked to the girl ___ car had broken down in front of the shop.
a) who
b) which
c) whose

2) Mr Richards, ___ is a taxi driver, lives on the corner.

a) who
b) which
c) whose

3) We often visit our aunt in Norwich ___ is in East Anglia.

a) who
b) which
c) whose

4) This is the girl ___ comes from Spain.

a) who
b) which
c) whose

5) That's Peter, the boy ___ has just arrived at the airport.
a) who
b) which
c) whose

6) Thank you very much for your e-mail ___ was very interesting.
a) who
b) which
c) whose

7) The man, ___ father is a professor, forgot his umbrella.

a) who
b) which
c) whose

8) The children, ___ shouted in the street, are not from our school.
a) who
b) which
c) whose

9) The car, ___ driver is a young man, is from Ireland.

a) who
b) which
c) whose

10) What did you do with the money ___ your mother lent you?
a) who
b) which
c) whose

KEY: 1.c 2.a 3.b 4.a 5.a 6.b 7.c 8.a 9.c 10b

Exercise 2. Fill the gaps with the words given.

which - who - in which whom - that - whose
1. Jake and Jessica Carter, ___ got married about a year ago, recently
bought a new house.
2. The neighbourhood ___ they have been living is a somewhat dangerous
one.

3. The neighbourhood ___ they are moving into is much safer.

4. Their new house, ___ they bought quite cheaply, does need some fixing
up.
5. However, they will be receiving some help from their neighbours, most of
___ they like.
6. The Flintstones, ___ daughter is the same age as Mackenzie, are helping
him make new friends.

KEY: 1. who 2.in which 3.that 4.which 5.whom 6.whose

Exercise 3. Fill the gaps with the right relative pronoun

1. I think ___ you did was very clever.
2. The man ___ car you scratched is at the front door!
3. Mr. Smith ___ taught you last year is going to be your teacher again this
year.
4. Thats the shop ___ I bought the cakes.
5. Theres no reason ___ you shouldnt buy a new car.

KEY: 1.what 2.whose 3.who 4.where 5.why

2. Reading: Harrods
Warm up. Join the different types of shops with the descriptions

1. corner shop

a) a large shop where people can buy large amounts of

goods at a cheap price, often so that they can then sell them
in their own shops

2. dime store

b) a shop belonging to a charity that sells things that people

have given to it

3. off-license

c) a small shop that sells food and other products, often

found on the corner of a street

4.stationer

d) a small shop that sells different types of cheap things

5. flea market

e) a shop that sells alcoholic drinks

6. cash and carry

f) a shop that sells paper goods

7.ironmongers

g) a group of stalls selling old furniture or clothes

8. charity shop

h) a shop that sells, nails, screws, tools and other heavy

metal things

KEY: 1.c 2.d 3.c 4.f 5.g 6.a 7.h 8.b

2.1 Reading: Harrods

Read the following text.
If you take a walk through Knightsbridge, in the west of Central London, you
will soon realise that this is an expensive residential area as well as home to many
upmarket retail outlets, most notably Harrods. Anyone visiting London is likely to

have a trip to Harrods somewhere near the top of their list of things to do and see.
If I were you, I wouldnt go home without one of their famous green shopping bags.
Charles Henry Harrod set up a grocery shop in the East End of London way
back in 1834. However, in 1849 he thought that it would be better to get away
from the centre of the city and open a new shop nearer to the forthcoming Great
Exhibition that would take place in the west of the city in 1851. Therefore he moved
his store to Knightsbridge, where it has remained ever since.
By 1880 Harrods son was running the business and he had started to sell a
wider range of goods. About one hundred people worked there. Their regular
customers included some high-profile names, such as Oscar Wilde, Sigmund Freud,
Noel Coward and various members of the Royal Family. Now the shop is
internationally famous and attracts VIPs from all over the world. Indeed, every year
until 2010 a famous person used to be invited by former owner Mohammed Al
Fayed to officially open the annual Harrods sale. This has become an event in itself
with people queuing round the block to be some of the first to get inside and snap
up a bargain.
In 2010, Mohammed Al Fayed sold Harrods store to the Qatari Royal Family.
Now, if you like trivial facts and figures, you can take a look at these
surprising ones:
The baroque dome at the highest point conceals the water tank for the
store. Harrods has its own water supply from 3 wells, one of which is nearly 500
feet deep. These wells draw around 27 million gallons of water a year.
Harrods engine room generates three quarters of all the electricity
necessary.
There are 40 lifts that travel around 40,000 miles (64,500 km) per year.
At night the Edwardian terracotta facade of Harrods is lit up with around
12,000 light bulbs (just in case you cant find it). The electricians have to replace
300 every day.
The Harrods motto is Omnia Omnibus Ubique (all things for all people,
everywhere). It is written high up on the pediment.

 From a small fruit and vegetable shop employing two staff, Harrods has
evolved into a four and a half acre, seven-storey giant with more than 5000
employees and 200 departments.
The distribution centre is a wonder 7 underground floors feeding 40
delivery vehicles, including their first ever van from 1915, still running today.
Back inside the shop there is the famous food hall with 18 departments.
You can find 250 different cheeses or 130 types of bread and scones.

Exercise 1: Comprehension questions. According to the text, are this

statements true or false?
1. Its not very common to see tourists in Harrods.
a) True
b) False

2. Charles Henry Harrods set up a grocery shop in the west of London after
the
Great Exhibition.
a) True
b) False

3. By 1880, around one hundred people worked at Harrods.

a) True
b) False

4. From 2010 on, a famous person will be invited to open the annual
Harrods sale.
a) True
b) False

5. It has the biggest lift in the UK

a) True
b) False

KEY: 1.b 2.b 3.a 4.b 5.b

Exercise 2: Vocabulary.
1. upmarket

a) attracting much attention or publicity

2. forthcoming

b) such as well might happen or be true; probable

3. high-profile

c) towards or relating to the more expensive or affluent sector of

the market

4. former

d) about to happen or appear

5. likely

e) having previously been a particular thing

KEY: 1.c 2.d 3.a 4.e 5.b

2.2 Causative have

Have + objet + past participle
Ex: I have my watch fixed

It is used to express the actions we ask someone else to do for us.

Ex: She always has her food delivered (someone else brings the food)
I had my photograph taken for my passport (someone else took the picture)

Compare these two sentences:

Im going to have this chair restored (someone else will restore the chair)
Im

going

to

restore

this

chair

(Ill

restore

the

chair)

Usually its not necessary to say who did it for us, but it is possible. In that
case we should add by + the agent:
Ive just had my hair cut by my sister.
Susan had her car repaired by a mechanic by her friend Tom.

This structure can be used in any tense or form:

Were having our house painted this week
Jack will be getting his messages sent by e-mail from now on

Exercise 1: Choose the right option.

1. Yesterday I had my car ___.I found a good mechanic on the Internet.

a) repaired
b) repair
c) repairing

2. Are you having your room ___ now? Let's go for a walk then!
a) cleaned
b) cleaning
c) clean

3. She has always wanted to have red curly hair. She is having her hair ___.
a) done
b) do
c) doing

4. I am going to have the mechanic ___ my car.

a) repair
b) repairing
c) repaired

5. My right leg really hurts, so I went to the doctor's to have it ___.

a) examined
b) examining
c) examine

6. I am going to have the gardener ___ my plants.

a) watering
b) water
c) watered

7. I had my sister ___ this maths exercise. She loves trigonometric

functions.
a) checking
b) checked
c) check

8. I am going to have Peter ___ my old computer. Perhaps he will be able to

mend it.
a) looking at
b) look at
c) looked at

9. I am going to have the hairdresser ___ my hair.

a) dye
b) dyeing
c) dyed

10. I am going to have my hair ___.What about making it darker?

a) dye
b) dyeing
c) dyed

KEY: 1.a 2.a 3.a 4.a 5.a 6.b 7.c 8.b 9.a 10.c

Exercise 2: Transform the sentences as in the example.

A local firm redecorated our kitchen.
We had our kitchen redecorated by a local firm.

1. A doctor took out her tonsils when se was six.

She ___ when she was six.
2. Be careful! These walls have just been painted.
Be careful! I ___ painted.
3. There was a leak in the roof so they are fixing it now.
There was a leak in the roof so I ___ now.

4. The hairdresser should cut your hair. It's too long and untidy!
You ___. It's too long and untidy!
5. When will you call someone to repair the air conditioning? It's too hot in
here!
When will you ___ ? It's too hot in here!
6. When I was coming here, someone stole my purse on the bus.
When I was coming here, I ___ on the bus.
7. If you don't get out right now, I'll ask the police to arrest you.
If you don't get out right now, I ___ by the police
8. The mechanic changed the oil in my car.
I ___ in my car by a mechanic
9. A friend of mine, who is an electrician, is going to repair my DVD player
next week.
I ___ next week by a friend of mine who is an electrician
10. The town hall has just been rebuilt for the council.
The council ____

KEY: 1. had her tonsils taken out 2. have just had these walls 3. am having
it fixed 4. should have your hair cut 5. have the air conditioning repaired 6. had my
purse stolen 7. will have you arrested 8. had the oil changed 9. am going to have
my DVD player repaired 10. has just had the town hall rebuilt

3. Grammar: Modal verbs

3.1 Modal verbs for present and future
1) To express ability
Can, like all modal verbs cannot be used in an infinitive or continuous form.
We use be able to in situations when we need this forms:
Id like to be able to speak Japanese.
Being able to speak English is a great advantage these days.

2) To express certainty and uncertainty

Must and cant are use to make deductions. We use them when we are sure
about something. They are often followed by the verb to be.
You must be exhausted after the race.
That cant be my jacket, I didnt bring it.
May, might and could express uncertainty or possibility. Could is not used
with not in this context. If we stress the modal verb in speech we reduce the
probability.
I might go to the party, I still dont know.
Should and ought to are used when we expect that something will happen.
Carol should have arrived by now

3) To express obligation
Must and have to are used to express obligation with a slight difference.
We prefer to use must when the speaker personally feels something is important
and have to is used when the situation makes something necessary.
You must study harder, son. (I order you to do it)
You have to click on that icon. (it works so)
Mustnt and dont have to are use in completely different contexts.
Mustnt expresses something which is forbidden.
You mustnt cross the street until the lights are green.
Dont have to expresses something which is not necessary
You dont have to drive me home, I can take a taxi.

Should and ought to are used to say what is the best thing to do. They are
used to give an opinion, advice or polite instructions.
We should buy some more apples. We usually eat a lot of them.
If youre feeling sick you should see a doctor.
You ought not to smoke when youre pregnant.

Had better is used to give a strong advise in order to stop something going
wrong. It refers to present or future.
Youd better go home now (before its too late)
Youd better not visit him, he doesnt want to see you

Is/are to is used in formal instructions

You are not to leave the room until everyone has finished the exam.

Exercise 1: Choose the right option

1. Theres someone at the door. It ___ the milkman.
a) can
b) must

2. Dont worry, you ___ pay now

a) dont have to
b) mustnt

3. I think you ___ take a jacket with you.

a) had better
b) would better

4. Jim ___ be general manager if Johnson has to resign.

a) could
b) must

5. Sorry, I cant stay any longer. I ___ go

a) have to
b) might

6. It was 5 oclock an hour ago. Your watch ___ be right.

a) cant
b) mustnt

7. Its a school rule, all the pupils ___ wear uniform.

a) have to
b) must

8. I suppose that our team ___ win, but Im not sure.

a) must
b) should

9. Lets tell Diane. She ___ not know

a) could
b) might

10. In my opinion, the government ___ do something about it.

a) might
b) should

KEY: 1.b 2.a 3.a 4.a 5.a 6.a 7.a 8.b 9.b 10.b

Exercise 2: Fill the gaps with might, might not, must, mustnt, can or
cant
1. Dont stand up in the boat! You ___ fall in the river.
2. Lisa says shes stuck in traffic and she ___ be late.
3. You really ___ start spending more time on your work.
4. Tell Thomas he ___ stay the night here if he wants to.
5. Thats a really silly idea! You ___ be serious!
6. You ___ realise it, but this is very important to me.
7. Dont be sully. You ___ expect me to believe you!
8. Were not sure but we ___ go to Paris on holiday this year.
9. Me learn to fly! You ___ be joking.
10. Susan cooked the lunch, so you ___ expecting anything special!

KEY: 1.might 2.might 3.must 4.can 5.cant 6.might not 7.cant 8.might
9.must 10.mustnt

3.2 Modal verbs for past

1) To express ability

Could and was able to express past ability.

When I was younger I was able to run a marathon
Luckily Helen could speak a little German.

2) To express certainty and uncertainty

Must have and cant have are used to make logical deductions about past
actions. He went back home. He must have forgotten something.
I dont believe you, he cant have done that, hes too responsible!

May have, might have and could have express uncertainty about past actions.
She hasnt arrived; she might have missed the bus.
What were you thinking? You could have hurt yourself!

Was/ were to have describes something which was supposed to happen but
didnt.
He was to arrive yesterday (but he didnt)

3) To express obligation

Had to is used instead of must when we need a past form.

Sorry I didnt come, I had to finish some work.

Should have and ought to have express the feeling that a mistake was made.
It involves criticism.
You should have told me before. Now its too late.

Neednt have and didnt need to are used to express that something wasnt
necessary but with a slight difference in meaning:
You neednt have brought so much food. (you brought it but it wasnt
necessary)
You didnt need to bring so much food. (we dont know if you finally brought it)

Exercise 1: Choose the most suitable option

1. What did I do wrong?
- You ___ these two wires.
a) shouldnt have connected
b) didnt have to connect

2. Why is the dog barking?

- It ___ something.
a) should have heard
b) must have heard

3. Why are you home so early?

- I ___this afternoon
a) neednt have worked
b) didnt have to work

4. Why did you worry about me?

- You ___ injured
a) must have been
b) could have been

5. You forgot my birthday again!

- Sorry, I ___ in my diary.
a) should have looked
b) had to look

6. We had a terrible crossing on the boat in a storm.

- That ___ very pleasant!
a) didnt have to be
b) cant have been

7. Where were you yesterday? You didnt turn up!

- I ___to London
a) had to go
b) must have gone

8. What do you think about the election?

- The Freedom Party ___
a) had to win
b) should have won

9. Theres a lot of food left over from the party, isnt there?
- Yes, you ___ so many sandwiches.
a) couldnt have made
b) neednt have made

10. What do you think has happened to Tony?

- I dont know, he ___
a) should have got lost
b) might have got lost

KEY: 1.a 2b. 3b. 4b. 5a. 6b. 7.a 8.b 9.b 10.b

Exercise 2: Fill the gaps with must have, might have, should have
and can't have.
1. John ___ gone on holiday. I saw him this morning downtown.
2. Nobody answered the phone at the clinic. It ___ closed early.
3. I ___ revised more for my exams. I think I'll fail!
4. Sarah looks really pleased with herself. She ___ passed her driving test
this morning.
5. I didn't know you were going to Phil's party yesterday. You ___ told me!
6. I can't believe Jim hasn't arrived yet. He ___ caught the wrong train.
7. I can't believe Jim hasn't arrived yet. He___ caught the correct train.

8. Don't lie to me that you were ill yesterday. You ___ been ill - Don said
you were at the ice hockey match last night.
9. I don't know where they went on holiday but they ___ bought Euros
before they left so they gone to France or Germany.
10. His number was busy all night - he ___ been on the phone continuously
for hours.

KEY: 1.cant have 2.must have 3.should have 4.must have 5.might have
6.must have 7.cant have 8.cant have 9.might have 10.must have

RECUERDA

We can use relative clauses to join two English sentences, or to give more
information about something. A defining relative clause gives information
about the noun we are talking about. A non-defining relative clause gives
us extra information about something.

Causative have is used to express the actions we ask someone else to do

for us.

Can is used to express ability and like all modal verbs cannot be used in
an infinitive or continuous form, instead we use be able to.

Must and cant are use to make deductions when we are sure about
something.

May, might and could express uncertainty or possibility.

Should and ought to are used when we expect that something will happen.

Must and have to are used to express obligation.

Mustnt expresses something which is forbidden while dont have to

expresses something which is not necessary.

Should and ought to are used to say what is the best thing to do. They
are used to give an opinion, advice or polite instructions

Had better is used to give a strong advise in order to stop something

going wrong. It refers to present or future.

We use Could and was able to express past ability.

Must have and cant have are used to make logical deductions about
past actions.

May have, might have and could have express uncertainty.

Was/ were to have describes something which was supposed to happen

but didnt.

Had to is used instead of must when we need a past form

Should have and ought to have express that a mistake was made.

Neednt have and didnt need to are used to express that something
wasnt necessary.