A passion for second-hand shopping

"Une passion pour les achats d'occasion"
French B2 writing exercise

Charles and his friend Lise share their passion for second-hand shopping.

Pay attention to the hints!

Some vocabulary you may want to look up before or during this exercise: "to roam around [a place]", "a flea market", "to snag [a good deal]", "a vintage leather jacket", "for a fraction of the price", "a find (to buy)", "second-hand shopping", "not only...but also...", "to save money", "a hidden gem", "couldn't agree more (exp.)", "an open-air market", "a car boot [US: garage] sale", "an owner", "haggling", "to make [something] much easier", "to see one's point", "to be oneself more partial to [something]", "a vintage boutique", "curated (selection)", "an outdoor stall", "to save [someone] the hassle of [something]", "nothing beats [something]", "a successful negotiation", "as long as you...", "to give [something] a second life", "so much better".

I’ll give you some sentences to translate into French

  • I’ll show you where you make mistakes
  • I’ll keep track of what you need to practise
  • Change my choices if you want
Start the exercise
How the test works

Here's a preview of the text for the writing challenge, when you're ready click the start button above:

- I spent my entire Saturday roaming around the local flea market, and I snagged this vintage leather jacket for a fraction of its original price. - What an incredible find! That's what I love with second-hand shopping. Not only you save money, but there's also the pleasure of the hunt, as you never know what hidden gems you're going to find. - I couldn't agree more. Personally, I prefer open-air flea markets and car boot [US: garage] sales because dealing directly with the owners makes haggling much easier. - I see your point, although I'm myself more partial to vintage boutiques, where the selection of items is generally curated. Even if you pay a bit more than at an outdoor stall, the quality is often higher, which saves you the hassle of repairs. - For me, nothing beats the satisfaction of a successful negotiation, as long as you know when to compromise. - Absolutely! Plus, giving objects a second life is so much better for the environment.

Clever stuff happening!