When shopping, the attendant often asks Can I help you?
You can now ask for what you want.
ATTENDANT 2 Can I help you?
ANNE Some of these leeks.
The attendant also might say Who’s next, please?
If it’s your turn to be served, you can now ask for what you want.
It’s polite to say Could I have......
or Can I have......
ATTENDANT Who’s next please?
ANNE Could I have some prawns please?
If you are buying a number of things, the attendant will ask: Is that all?
or Will that be all?
or Something else?
This means you can ask for more things:
ATTENDANT 2 Will that be all?
ANNE Yes thanks.
ATTENDANT 2 Something else?
ANNE Some ginger.
We say no if we want more when asked Will that be all?: Will that be all? No, I’ll have some apples as well.
You reply yes or just say what you want for more when asked Something else? Something else? Yes, some apples.
You reply like this when you don’t want more: Will that be all? Yes thanks.
or Something else? No, that’s enough.
To pay, you say: How much is that, please?
The attendant will reply or just tell you That’ll be five dollars thankyou.
or just That’ll be five dollars thanks. That’ll be means “the price is..”, or “could you please give me…”
ATTENDANT That’ll be ten dollars thankyou.
ATTENDANT 2 That’ll be four dollars thanks.
2. SOME & ANY
We use some for amounts that are not definite or exact. I want some sleep.
I want some ham please.
ANNE Could I have some prawns please?
ATTENDANT 2 Can I help you?
ANNE Some of these leeks.
ATTENDANT 2 Something else?
ANNE Some ginger.
You can use some and any in questions about amounts: Do you have some milk?
Do you have any milk?
ANNE Do you have any bean sprouts?
For positive replies use some: Do you have any milk?
Yes we have some.
Positive statements also use some. I want some dinner.
We use any for negative replies Do you have some milk?
No, we don’t have any.
or for negative statements You’re not getting any dinner.
3. HOW MUCH & HOW MANY
We ask how much? for things we measure and weigh.
How much sugar do you want?
One kilogram.
How much of this cloth do we need?
Two metres.
How much time does it take?
An hour.
ATTENDANT 2 How much would you like?
ANNE About a hundred grams.
ATTENDANT How much do you need?
ANNE About five hundred grams please.
You ask how many? when you want the number of things. How many presenters are there on Living English?
Two
How many bananas do you want?
Six.
ANNE Some of these leeks.
ATTENDANT 2 How many love?
ANNE Three.
4. A FEW, MANY & A DOZEN
We say a few for a small number of things. I need a few minutes to get dressed.
I only want a few apples.
We use few for things that can be counted. There’s only a few clouds in the sky.
We use many to mean a lot. There are many matches in a box.
There are many fish in the sea.
We say a dozen to mean twelve (12).
Eggs are sold as a dozen (12) or a half a dozen (6).
Can I have a dozen eggs please?
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