Phase 1
S/V Sprint
⏱ 5 minutesPut the verb in the correct form. The infinitive is given as a cue — type your answer in the blank, then click Check All.
1
My sister in Bangkok. She really shopping.
2
Everyone in my family to the market on Sunday.
3
The price of coffee gone up a lot this year.
4
She always 20% of her salary every month.
5
Nobody how much that handbag cost.
6
The cost of living very high in Tokyo.
7
The price of vegetables every season.
8
Buying things on impulse it hard to save money.
9
Being financially secure careful planning.
10
I been comparing prices online all week.
11
This coffee machine saved me a lot of money.
12
My friends and I never bought luxury brands.
Phase 2
Fluency Task + Self-Correction Log
⏱ 3 minutes speakingSpeaking Prompt
Talk about your daily routine and spending habits.
Answer these questions in 2–3 minutes without stopping:
- What does a typical day look like for you?
- How much money do you usually spend each week?
- What does your family think about saving money?
- Which shop or app do you use most? Why does it appeal to you?
saves / save
has / have
costs / cost
goes / go
thinks / think
Self-Correction Log
Listen to your recording. Find your S/V errors and write them below.
| # | What I said (wrong) | The correct sentence | Rule reminder |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 |
Phase 3
Lesson 3 — Shopping, Consumerism & Money
Band 5.5–6.5Q1 — Do you enjoy shopping for clothes?
"To be honest, I do not enjoy shopping for clothes very much. Most big brand shops sell the same things, so I find them boring. I am also quite careful with my money, so I usually only buy something when it is on sale or when I really need it."
to be honest
careful with my money
on sale
when I really need it
Q2 — Is it important to save money?
"Yes, I think saving money is very important. Every month, I try to put aside a small amount of my income. The cost of living is increasing, so it is good to have some money saved for an emergency. Without savings, it is very difficult to feel financially secure."
put aside
cost of living
financially secure
for an emergency
Part 2 — Describe a special thing you bought recently
"The thing I want to talk about is a coffee machine I bought a few months ago. At first, I was not sure about buying it because it was quite expensive. But I decided to buy it because I was spending a lot of money on coffee every day. I spent some time comparing different models online before I chose one that was good value for money. Now I use it every day. Looking back, it was a very good purchase. It has saved me a lot of money, and I really enjoy using it."
good value for money
comparing different models
a very good purchase
it has saved me money
💬 Class discussion: What level do you think these responses are? What vocabulary did you notice? Can you find any conditionals?
Frame 1 — The Honesty Opener
Structure: "To be honest, I [VERB PHRASE], because [REASON]."
Shopping: "To be honest, I do not enjoy shopping very much, because I find it tiring."
Money: "To be honest, I am quite careful with money, because the cost of living is very high."
Frame 2 — The Habit Anchor
Structure: "I usually [VERB PHRASE]. However, if [CONDITION], I will [VERB PHRASE]."
"I usually look online before I buy anything. However, if something is on sale, I will buy it straight away."
Frame 3 — The Purchase Story (Part 2)
Structure: "The thing I want to talk about is [ITEM] I bought [WHEN]. I decided to buy it because [REASON]. Now I use it [HOW OFTEN]. It was [good/not good] value for money because [REASON]."
Frame 4 — The Conditional Opinion
1st conditional: "If [present simple], I will [verb]."
"If I find a good sale this weekend, I will buy a new jacket."
2nd conditional: "If I were [adjective/noun], I would [verb]."
"If I were very rich, I would not buy fast fashion."
★ = stretch goal for Band 6.0+. Try to use 5 words today.
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| put aside | to save part of your money regularly | I put aside 10% of my salary every month. |
| cost of living | how expensive basic things are | The cost of living in Shanghai is very high. |
| financially secure | having enough money so you don't worry | I want to be financially secure before I get married. |
| on sale | sold at a lower price than usual | I only bought it because it was on sale. |
| value for money | worth the price you paid | This phone is great value for money. |
| impulse buy | something you buy without planning | The chocolate at the checkout was an impulse buy. |
| purchase | formal word for buy / something you bought | It was a great purchase. I use it every day. |
| shop around | compare prices in different places before buying | I always shop around online before I decide. |
| compare | to look at two or more things and notice the differences | I always compare prices before I buy anything expensive. |
| fast fashion | cheap, low-quality trend clothes | Fast fashion is bad for the environment. |
| status symbol | something that shows wealth | A luxury car is a status symbol. |
| incentive ★ | a reason that motivates you | The sale was a good incentive to buy. |
| fluctuate ★ | prices go up and down irregularly | The price of vegetables fluctuates every season. |
| frugal ★ | very careful about spending | She is very frugal and never wastes money. |
| consumerism ★ | the idea that buying more things leads to happiness | Advertising is the engine of consumerism. |
Word Upgrade Chart
| Simple Word | Better Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| buy | purchase | I want to purchase a new laptop. |
| look at prices | compare | I always compare prices before buying. |
| cheap | inexpensive | This restaurant is inexpensive but very good. |
| expensive | costly | Flying business class is too costly for me. |
| spending | expenditure ★ | My expenditure is too high this month. |
| save money | put aside | I put aside 500 yuan every week. |
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Conditional Real / Possible |
If + present simple, will/can + verb | If I find a good sale, I will buy a new jacket. |
| 2nd Conditional Imaginary / Unlikely |
If + past simple, would/could + verb | If I were very rich, I would not buy fast fashion. |
⚠️ In the 2nd conditional, always use "were" for ALL subjects.
❌ "If I was rich, I would buy a bigger house."
✅ "If I were rich, I would buy a bigger house."
Using "were" sounds more academic and will help your band score.
❌ "If I was rich, I would buy a bigger house."
✅ "If I were rich, I would buy a bigger house."
Using "were" sounds more academic and will help your band score.
Fill in the Blank
1
If I find a jacket on sale this weekend, I it straight away.
→ will buy
2
If I more careful with money, I would have more savings.
→ were
3
If inflation continues to rise, more people the pinch.
→ will feel
4
If I were very wealthy, I fast fashion.
→ would not buy
5
If you prices before buying, you can save a lot of money.
→ compare
Part 1 — Short Answers (2–3 sentences each)
Do you enjoy shopping? Why or why not?
Are you a person who saves money regularly? How do you do it?
Do you prefer shopping online or in a physical store? Why?
Have you ever made an impulse buy? What happened?
Is the cost of living increasing in your city? How does it affect you?
Part 2 — Long Turn (2 minutes)
Intro
"The thing I want to talk about is a [ITEM] I bought [WHEN]."
Why you bought it
"I decided to buy it because [REASON]. At first, I was not sure because it was [expensive / a big decision]."
How you chose it
"Before I bought it, I spent some time [comparing / looking online / shopping around] to find the best option."
How you use it now
"Now I use it [every day / often]. It has [saved me money / made my life easier]."
Conclusion
"Looking back, it was [a great / a good / not a good] purchase because [REASON]."
Part 3 — Discussion
Do you think people buy too many things they do not need? Why?
If the cost of living continues to rise, how will people change their spending habits?
Is fast fashion good or bad for society? Why?
If you were very wealthy, how would you spend or invest your money?
Do you think luxury brands are worth the high price? Why or why not?
Essay Topic
Some people prefer to spend money on experiences (like travel). Others prefer to spend money on products (like clothes or technology). Which do you prefer, and why?
Write 4 paragraphs. Each paragraph = 4–5 sentences. Use the frames and vocabulary from today.
Paragraph 1 — Introduction + Your Opinion (Frame 1)
"To be honest, I prefer to spend money on [experiences / products], because ____. I feel this way because ____. In my opinion, ____."
Paragraph 2 — First Reason
"I think [experiences / products] are more valuable because ____. For example, ____. Without ____, ____. This is why I always try to ____ before I spend money."
Paragraph 3 — Contrast (use Frame 2 or Frame 4)
"Some people prefer to buy ____. I understand this, because ____. However, I think ____. If I were to spend all my money on ____, I would ____. In the long run, ____."
Paragraph 4 — Conclusion
"In conclusion, I believe that [spending on experiences / products] is a better use of money, because ____. If more people thought this way, ____. Personally, I will continue to ____, because ____ is more important to me than ____."
Vocabulary: use at least 4 words from today
Grammar: 1 x 1st conditional + 1 x 2nd conditional
Length: 260+ words