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Requesting Assistance for a Larger Item

A customer needs to find a bulky item like a large bag of pet food, a case of water, or a household cleaning supply, and might need help locating or moving it.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
John (Male)
Excuse me, I'm looking for dog food, the really big bags. Do you know where I can find them?
2
Sarah (Female)
Certainly! Our pet food aisle is usually in Aisle 12, towards the back of the store. The larger bags are typically on the bottom shelves.
3
John (Male)
Aisle 12, got it. Is that past the dairy section?
4
Sarah (Female)
Yes, exactly. Go straight past dairy and you'll see the signs for pet supplies. Aisle 12 is just beyond that.
5
John (Male)
Great, thanks! And if I can't lift it myself, do you have carts or can someone help me get it to the checkout?
6
Sarah (Female)
We do have carts available right at the entrance. If you prefer, once you've found the bag, you can ask any of our floor staff for assistance, or come to the customer service desk, and we'd be happy to help you load it.
7
John (Male)
Perfect. That's a big help. Thanks a lot!
8
Sarah (Female)
You're welcome! Let me know if you need anything else.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

aisle

A long pathway between shelves in a store where products are displayed. Use it to ask about locations, like 'Which aisle is the cereal in?'

shelf

A flat surface in a store or on furniture for holding items. In stores, items are placed on top, middle, or bottom shelves.

dairy

The section in a supermarket for milk products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. It's a common store area to reference for directions.

cart

A wheeled basket used for carrying shopping items around a store. Also called a shopping cart or trolley in some places.

assistance

Help or support from someone. In stores, you can ask for assistance with finding or carrying items.

checkout

The place in a store where you pay for your items. It's where the cashier is located.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

Excuse me, I'm looking for dog food, the really big bags. Do you know where I can find them?

This is a polite way to start a conversation and ask for directions to specific items. Use 'Excuse me' to get attention, and 'I'm looking for' followed by the item. It's useful in stores to specify details like size.

Our pet food aisle is usually in Aisle 12, towards the back of the store.

This gives clear directions using store terms like 'aisle' and location words like 'towards the back.' It's a common response pattern for store staff; learners can use similar structures to describe locations.

Go straight past dairy and you'll see the signs for pet supplies.

This uses directional language like 'go straight past' and references landmarks like 'dairy.' The future 'you'll see' makes it helpful and reassuring. Practice this for giving or following directions in stores.

If I can't lift it myself, do you have carts or can someone help me get it to the checkout?

This asks for practical help with heavy items using conditional 'if' and alternatives with 'or.' It's useful for bulky purchases; shows how to request assistance politely.

We do have carts available right at the entrance.

This confirms availability with 'we do have' for emphasis and specifies location with 'right at the entrance.' It's a helpful response; learners can use 'do' for strong yes answers.

You're welcome! Let me know if you need anything else.

A standard polite closing after helping. 'You're welcome' responds to thanks, and 'let me know if' offers more help. Use this to end conversations positively in service situations.