Go to the Stationery Next Door?

[parrot]

The test question is:
Christ is going back to school next week. He needs to buy pens and pencils for the next semester. He decides to go to the _____________________ next door.

a. grocery
b. stationery
c. chemist's
d. supermarket

If I were in the US, I would say "supermarket". I might say "stationery store" but since that's not an answer, I'd chose d.
If I were in the UK??????? what would be the right answer?
(For the purposes of this post, let's forget that they use Christ as a person's name)

[Whistler]

Still d. It is more likely to be open for longer hours

[tamada]

"shops"

That's the generic British term when shopping for something more esoteric or varied than milk or fags. As in, "I'm going to the shops."

Years and years ago, it would have been "Woolies" as in, "I'm going to Woolies."

Once upon a time, you could get EVERYTHING at Woolies.

[parrot]

Ok, so let's say that the people writing the test consider a supermarket a place where you buy just meats/veggies/etc (even though we know it's more than that).
Would it be proper English (I assume maybe in the UK) to say "He decides to go to the stationery next door."
In the US, we wouldn't say that......but I'm not sure about UK-speak.

[parrot]

More hunting:
Would a person from UK say: I'm going to the stationers to buys some pens and pencils.?

[deankham]

^ no they would not, or at lest in the North East of England they would not. For the purpose of the question we would say going to the Stationary shop next door.

I'm assuming this is from an 'english' exercise book from a Thai school?

[Chriss]

More hunting:
Would a person from UK say: I'm going to the stationers to buys some pens and pencils.?

No.. as it said above in the UK we'd say "I'm going to tte shops" or shop if you meant the local housing estate newsagent, maybe name a shop, "I'm going to Smiths to buy....."

Remembering not many would know what a semester was to start with. School years are split into terms.

[stattointhailand]

I'd tend to say I'm going to WH Smiths or to the Newsagents or possibly a locally known name, "I'm just nipping down the frog to Terrys"

[parrot]

Thanks for the answers. Problem solved........No one goes to the stationery to buy pens and pencils.

[stattointhailand]

Probably ranks up there with have you eaten rice today? or perhaps Good day to you fine Sir

[jackspratt]

These days in Oz, people would probably say "Officeworks".

[Khun Paul]

Thanks for the answers. Problem solved........No one goes to the stationery to buy pens and pencils.

You are correct no-one says that you would always add, the word shop or store after stationery.
In fact I can never remember ever using the word stationery involving shopping at all, only in identifying what a Stationery Shop sold in English lessons !

[noosard]

Thanks for the answers. Problem solved........No one goes to the stationery to buy pens and pencils.

I would think some do
Just because it has fred's name on the front does not mean it is not Stationery
Just easier to say Fred's or officeworks

[marcusb]

I used the term stationery shop a lot my first two years here in a small town. I did not and still do not know the name of it, so stationery shop it was. Back home, usually the proper name of the shop, "going to Staples to get some.."

[parrot]

Thank you for the replies. A M.3 student we sponsor is as advanced an English student as I've seen in Udon. She participated in an English competition recently. The question I listed was one on the test. She marked 'supermarket' but the ?correct? answer was 'stationery'.
I thought perhaps it was one of those UK things.....color/colour, elevator/lift......but obviously, not so.

[Khun Paul]

Thank you for the replies. A M.3 student we sponsor is as advanced an English student as I've seen in Udon. She participated in an English competition recently. The question I listed was one on the test. She marked 'supermarket' but the ?correct? answer was 'stationery'.
I thought perhaps it was one of those UK things.....color/colour, elevator/lift......but obviously, not so.

As p[er usual a badly phrased question written by a Thai with ZERO understanding of the English language, while I was teachin g found many many questions which were not only ambiguous but also NONE of the answers were correct , too often had to correct or give ALL students a point no matter what.
In this instance the answer was incorrect should have been Stationery Shop !!.....just saying !!

[Khun Paul]

Thank you for the replies. A M.3 student we sponsor is as advanced an English student as I've seen in Udon. She participated in an English competition recently. The question I listed was one on the test. She marked 'supermarket' but the ?correct? answer was 'stationery'.
I thought perhaps it was one of those UK things.....color/colour, elevator/lift......but obviously, not so.

As per usual a badly phrased question written by a Thai with ZERO understanding of the English language, while I was teaching found many many questions which were not only ambiguous but also NONE of the answers were correct , too often had to correct or give ALL students a point no matter what.
In this instance the answer was incorrect should have been Stationery Shop !!.....just saying !!

[stattointhailand]

Just as an aside, I can remember using the phrase Stationery cupboard in the office, but never once in my life have I ever used the phrase Stationery shop in conversation. What is a Stationery shop?, I have never even seen one. If you want to purchase Stationery you go to the Supermarket or Newsagents or possibly the Art & Crafts shop, actual Stationery shops as far as I'm aware ceased to exist about 100 years ago