AV Academy
🇺🇸 American English · Normal / Slow
Practical English · Episode 3 · Lesson 8

Coffee trouble → new shirt

Follow Rob’s story, build useful clothing vocabulary, and start using the English you need inside a clothing store.

Story logic: Rob has an interview → coffee lands on his shirt → he needs a new shirt → he goes shopping.
🧩 LANGUAGE MAP · chunks that return todayNotice them in the story → hear them → use them in the store.
need a new shirtCan I help you?What size is this ___?What size do you need?Where can I try it on?How much is it?
1

Quick Start

Bring back English that helps today.

0–4 min
Try first. Reveal only after someone says the complete sentence.
The meeting is at nine thirty.
He has a meeting at nine thirty.
Can you repeat that, please?
2

Clothes That Travel

Don’t collect words. Build phrases you can reuse.

4–12 min
Lexical focus: learn the item inside a useful frame: I need + clothing. You will use the same frame again in the store.
Singular chunk shapea jacket · a shirt · a T-shirt · a skirt · a sweater
Plural chunk shapejeans · shoes · pants (no “a”)
🎧 Listen to the original clothes audioPoint to each item as you hear it. Then repeat the word inside the chunk: “I need …”
🧥

a jacket

I need a black jacket.

👖

jeans

I need blue jeans.

👔

a shirt

I need a new shirt.

👕

a T-shirt

I need a red T-shirt.

👗

a skirt

I need a black skirt.

👞

shoes

I need black shoes.

🧶

a sweater

I need a green sweater.

👖

pants

I need gray pants.

🎧 Listen in Context — What does the person need?

Listen for the whole message: item + detail + reason. Some sentences contain not.

3

Meeting on the Street

Understand the story → notice useful chunks → retell it.

12–24 min
☕👔😳
Episode 3 · Meeting on the Street
Jenny meets Rob before his interview.
▶ Open video 1
WATCH 1 · GIST

What problem does Rob have?

WATCH 2 · DETAILS

1. What coffee does Rob have?

2. Who is Jenny meeting?

3. Rob has an interview in…

4. Jenny’s meeting is at…

5. What does Rob need now?

6. Why does Jenny leave?

Before you reveal the story: tell a partner two facts in complete sentences. Try: “Rob has…” / “Jenny has…” / “Rob needs…”
1Rob has an interview.
2Coffee goes on his shirt.
3He can’t wear the shirt.
4He needs to buy a new one.
5They go to a clothing store.
4

Apologize + Respond

Learn the exchange as a pair of chunks.

24–29 min
From the story: an apology normally comes with a response. Learn the exchange, not six separate phrases.
🎧 Hear the original apology + response phrasesFirst listen. Then repeat each complete exchange with the same rhythm.

I’m sorry.

simple apology

I’m so sorry.

stronger apology

I’m really sorry.

stronger apology

That’s OK.
Don’t worry.
No problem.

⚡ Situation → choose → say both turns

Possible exchange:

“I’m sorry.” → “No problem.”

Possible exchange:

“I’m really sorry!” → “Don’t worry.”

Possible exchange:

“I’m so sorry.” → “That’s OK.”

Important: these are models, not the only possible answers. The goal is to choose an apology + a natural response and say the complete two-line exchange.
5

Buying Clothes

Watch the store scene → retrieve the chunks → build the conversation.

29–41 min
Story bridge: Rob has an interview + coffee is on his shirt → he needs a new shirt. Now watch what he does inside the clothing store.
🏬👔💷
Episode 3 · Buying Clothes
Rob asks about size, tries on a shirt, and asks the price.
▶ Open Buying Clothes video
WATCH 1 · GIST

What happens in the store?

WATCH 2 · CATCH THE DETAILS

1. What size does Rob want?

2. Does Rob try the shirt on?

3. How much is the shirt?

Report, don’t just answer: say two complete facts, e.g. “Rob wants a medium.” “The shirt is forty-four pounds ninety-nine.”
Now retrieve the language: the phrases below come from the store scene. Try to remember what comes next before you choose.

🔗 What comes next?

Choose the reply that completes the conversation pair. Then say both lines aloud.

Can I help you?
What size is this shirt?
A medium, please.
Where can I try it on?
How is it?
How much is it?

🎭 Full model — hear the chunks as one conversation

SALES ASSISTANTCan I help you?
CUSTOMERYes. I need a new shirt. What size is this shirt?
SALES ASSISTANTIt’s a small. What size do you need?
CUSTOMERA medium, please.
SALES ASSISTANTThis is a medium.
CUSTOMERThanks. Where can I try it on?
SALES ASSISTANTThe changing rooms are over there.
SALES ASSISTANTHow is it?
CUSTOMERIt’s fine. How much is it?
SALES ASSISTANTIt’s £44.99.
🎧 Original rhythm practiceListen to the “You say” phrases from the course audio. Copy the rhythm, then rebuild them without reading.
Shadowing: hear → repeat as one chunk → cover → rebuild.
6

Sizes + Prices Lab

Hear the information inside the store chunks.

41–50 min
Price bridge: in Rob’s store scene you hear a UK price: £44.99 = forty-four pounds ninety-nine. In the listening games below, practise US prices too: $44.99 = forty-four dollars and ninety-nine cents.

📏 Sizes inside a sentence

Ssmall
Mmedium
Llarge
XLextra large
What size do you need? — A medium, please.
🎧 Which size does the customer need?

🎧 Round 1 · Catch the Price

Listen to the store reply. Which price do you hear?

👂 Round 2 · Teen or Tens?

Pronunciation focus: is it -teen or -ty? Then put the number back into a price.

After you choose: say both numbers aloud — e.g. thirteen, thirty — then say: It’s thirteen dollars.

🛍️ Round 3 · Real Checkout

Listen to a complete store sentence. Identify item + price.

Recycling with a job: sizes and numbers return inside the same chunks students will need in the role-play: What size do you need? / A large, please. / How much is it? / It’s $___.
7

Main Speaking Mission — In the Store

Use the same chunks with new information.

50–58 min

Your mission

Buy the item on your card. Move through need → size → fitting room → fit → price.

👔

a white shirt

Item word: shirtYou need: M · mediumThis item: S · small$44.99

Reason: an interview

PAIR · A = Sales assistant · B = Customer. Switch roles in Round 2.
1 · NEED
Sales assistantCan I help you?
CustomerYes. I need ___.
2 · SIZE
CustomerWhat size is this ___?
Sales assistantIt’s a ___. What size do you need?
3 · CHANGE
CustomerA ___, please.
Sales assistantThis is a ___.
4 · TRY ON
CustomerThanks. Where can I try it on?
Sales assistantThe changing rooms are over there.
5 · FIT
Sales assistantHow is it?
CustomerIt’s fine.
6 · PRICE
CustomerHow much is it?
Sales assistantIt’s $___.
+1 detail if you can: “I need it for ___.” Use the reason on your card.
3:00
Round 1: use the map. Then pause for Quick Upgrade. Round 2: new item + switch roles + less reading.

⏸️ Between rounds — Quick Upgrade

Choose only one or two upgrades you actually heard. Then students use them immediately in Round 2.

I need a black jacket.
How much is it?
Where can I try it on?
A medium, please.
8

Exit — Retrieve the Chunks

One student, one complete answer. No isolated words.

58–60 min
1 · STORYWhy does Rob need a new shirt?
2 · NEEDTell the sales assistant what you need.
3 · SIZEAsk the size of this shirt.
4 · TRY ONAsk where you can try it on.
5 · PRICEAsk the price in a complete question.

Rob needs a new shirt because coffee goes on his shirt.

I need a new shirt.

What size is this shirt?

Where can I try it on?

How much is it?

Today’s lexical chain: need a new shirt → ask the size → ask for your size → try it on → ask the price.

Choose one singular item: jacket, shirt, T-shirt, skirt or sweater. Do a store conversation without reading.

Can I help you? — Yes. I need a ___.
Need help?Can you repeat that, please?·Can you speak more slowly, please?·How do you say ___ in English?