How Much Is It?
Shopping, prices & polite requests. Maya goes to the Saturday market for fruit, a notebook, and a quick lesson in 'How much is it?'
📖 Reading: Maya Goes Shopping
On Saturday morning, Maya goes to the local market. She needs fruit, a new notebook, and some coffee.
First, she goes to the fruit stall. "How much are the apples?" she asks.
"They are two dollars fifty for a bag," says the seller.
"Can I have two bags, please?" says Maya.
"Of course! That is five dollars," says the seller.
Next, Maya goes to the stationery shop. She finds a beautiful notebook. The price tag says $8.99.
"Excuse me, how much is this notebook?" she asks the assistant.
"It is eight ninety-nine," he says.
"I'd like to buy it, please," says Maya. "Can I pay by card?"
"Yes, of course!" says the assistant. "That's nine dollars with tax."
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson. Each word includes its meaning and an example sentence.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| market | A place where people buy and sell goods | n. — Maya goes to the local market. |
| stall | A small shop or stand at a market | n. — She goes to the fruit stall. |
| price tag | A small label showing the price of something | n. — The price tag says $8.99. |
| assistant | A person who helps customers in a shop | n. — She asks the assistant. |
| tax | Extra money added to a price by the government | n. — That is nine dollars with tax. |
| currency | The money used in a country | n. — The currency in Canada is the dollar. |
| change | Money returned when you pay more than the cost | n. — Here is your change. |
| receipt | A piece of paper showing what you bought and paid | n. — Can I have a receipt, please? |
📚 Key Verbs in This Lesson | |
to buy / to sell | I buy apples. / She sells notebooks. |
to cost | How much does it cost? / It costs five dollars. |
to pay | Can I pay by card? / I pay in cash. |
to need | Maya needs fruit and a notebook. |
📚 Grammar Focus
Asking About Prices
📚 Asking About Prices | |
How much is it? | Used for one item: How much is this notebook? |
How much are they? | Used for plural: How much are the apples? |
How much does it cost? | More formal: How much does this cost? |
Making Shopping Requests
📚 Making Shopping Requests | |
Can I have...? | Can I have two bags of apples, please? |
I'd like... | I'd like to buy this notebook. |
Could I have...? | Could I have a bag, please? (more polite) |
Do you have...? | Do you have this in a smaller size? |
Saying Prices
📚 Saying Prices | |
$5.00 | five dollars |
$2.50 | two dollars fifty / two fifty |
$8.99 | eight dollars ninety-nine / eight ninety-nine |
£3.75 | three pounds seventy-five |
€12.00 | twelve euros |
🎭 Dialogue: At the Market
Maya is at the Saturday market. She buys oranges and bananas from a stall and learns that the market is cash only.
Excuse me, how much are the oranges?
They are three dollars for a bag of six.
And the bananas? How much are they?
Two dollars fifty for a bunch.
I'd like one bag of oranges and two bunches of bananas, please.
Of course! That is eight dollars fifty altogether.
Can I pay by card?
Sorry, cash only at the market! Is that okay?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Where does Maya go on Saturday?
How much are two bags of apples?
What is the price on the notebook's price tag?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
$3.00 = ___
$7.50 = ___
$12.99 = ___
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model.
- Student A: You are a shopkeeper. Create a simple price list for 5 items.
- Student B: You are a customer. Ask for prices, choose items, and pay.
- Use: How much is/are…? / Can I have…? / I'd like… / Here is… / Your change is…