Buying Cleaning Supplies at a Store
A person is at a supermarket or hardware store, asking an employee for recommendations or finding specific cleaning products.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
all-purpose
This means something that can be used for many different tasks, like a cleaner that works on various surfaces in the home.
recommendations
Suggestions or advice on what to choose, often used when asking for help in stores to find the best products.
surfaces
The outer parts of objects like tables, floors, or walls that you clean; useful for describing where cleaning products are applied.
mold and mildew
Types of fungus that grow in damp areas like bathrooms; common in home cleaning discussions for products that remove them.
tidying
The act of cleaning up or organizing a space to make it neat; a casual word for general household maintenance.
reusable
Something that can be used many times without throwing it away, like cloths for cleaning to save money and reduce waste.
microfiber cloths
Special soft cloths made from tiny fibers that pick up dust and dirt well without leaving marks; popular for streak-free cleaning.
aisle
A walkway between shelves in a store where products are displayed; used to give directions like 'aisle 7' for easy navigation.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Excuse me, I'm trying to find some good all-purpose cleaning supplies. Do you have any recommendations?
This is a polite way to start a conversation in a store by asking for help. Use it when you need suggestions; 'Excuse me' shows respect, and the question invites advice.
It works well on most surfaces.
A useful phrase to describe a product's effectiveness. 'Works well on' is a common pattern for explaining how something functions in everyday situations like shopping.
Our current cleaner just isn't cutting it.
This idiom means the current item isn't good enough or doesn't work as needed. It's casual and practical for expressing dissatisfaction with products at home.
I'd highly recommend the 'GleamGuard' bathroom cleaner.
Use this to strongly suggest a product; 'I'd highly recommend' is a polite, professional way to give advice, common in service interactions.
And do you carry those reusable microfiber cloths?
A question to check if a store has a specific item; 'do you carry' is a standard phrase for inquiring about availability in retail settings.
They're usually in the same aisle, just a few shelves down from the cleaning sprays.
This gives clear directions in a store; prepositions like 'in the aisle' and 'down from' help describe locations, useful for navigation.
Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it.
A polite way to end a helpful conversation; 'I really appreciate it' emphasizes gratitude, which is important in English for building good interactions.