phrasal verbs for shopping

Phrasal Verbs for Shopping: A Comprehensive Guide for English Learners

Phrasal verbs are essential for everyday English, especially when shopping. This guide covers common phrasal verbs used in shopping contexts, their meanings, examples, and exercises to test your understanding.

1. Pick Up

Meaning: To collect or buy something, often quickly or casually.

Can you pick up some milk on your way home?
I need to pick up a gift for my friend’s birthday.
She picked up a new dress at the mall yesterday.

2. Try On

Meaning: To put on clothing or accessories to see if they fit or look good.

You should try on those shoes before buying them.
He tried on three jackets but didn’t like any of them.
Can I try on this necklace to see how it looks?

3. Put Back

Meaning: To return an item to its original place after looking at it.

Please put back the books you don’t want to buy.
She changed her mind and put back the expensive perfume.
Don’t forget to put back the clothes after trying them on.

4. Pay For

Meaning: To give money in exchange for goods or services.

I’ll pay for the groceries with my credit card.
Who is going to pay for dinner tonight?
He paid for the tickets online to avoid the queue.

5. Run Out Of

Meaning: To have no more of something left.

We’ve run out of sugar, so I need to buy some more.
The store ran out of the new iPhone model in just one day.
Don’t run out of toilet paper—buy extra!

6. Look For

Meaning: To search for something.

I’m looking for a black leather jacket in size medium.
She spent an hour looking for the perfect birthday card.
Are you looking for anything specific in this store?

7. Take Back

Meaning: To return an item to the store, usually because it’s faulty or unwanted.

I need to take back this blender—it doesn’t work.
They refused to take back the dress because I lost the receipt.
You can take back unused items within 30 days for a refund.

8. Sell Out

Meaning: To have no more items left for sale.

The concert tickets sold out in less than an hour.
Sorry, we’ve sold out of the red sneakers in your size.
The new video game sold out everywhere on release day.

9. Go For

Meaning: To choose something.

I think I’ll go for the blue shirt instead of the white one.
She couldn’t decide, so she went for both dresses.
Which design are you going to go for on your new phone?

10. Bargain For

Meaning: To negotiate a lower price.

You can often bargain for a better deal at flea markets.
He managed to bargain for a 20% discount on the sofa.
Don’t be afraid to bargain for a lower price in some shops.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct phrasal verb from the list below:

(pick up, try on, put back, pay for, run out of, look for, take back, sell out, go for, bargain for)

I need to __________ some bread and eggs at the supermarket.
Can I __________ this dress in a smaller size?
If the shoes don’t fit, you can __________ them __________ within 14 days.
We’ve __________ coffee, so please buy some when you go shopping.
The new game console __________ in just 10 minutes!
I’m __________ a present for my mother’s birthday.
After trying three pairs, I decided to __________ the black jeans.
Don’t forget to __________ your groceries at the checkout.
Please __________ the items you don’t want on the correct shelves.
At the market, you can often __________ a better price.

Exercise 2: Matching

Match the phrasal verbs (1-5) with their meanings (a-e):

Phrasal Verb	Meaning
1. Try on	a. To have no more of something left
2. Run out of	b. To return an item to the store
3. Take back	c. To put on clothing to see if it fits
4. Go for	d. To choose something
5. Bargain for	e. To negotiate a lower price

Answer Key

Exercise 1 Answers:

pick up
try on
take…back
run out of
sold out
looking for
go for
pay for
put back
bargain for

Exercise 2 Answers:

Phrasal Verb	Correct Letter
1. Try on	c
2. Run out of	a
3. Take back	b
4. Go for	d
5. Bargain for	e