When a store/ sells goods or services/ at a cost/ lower than usual, it is called a sale. Sales/ last for a limited time. Then/ the cost/ is returned/ to its usual amount.

There are many kinds/ of sales. For example, a "back-to-school sale"/ is held/ near the beginning/ of the school year. Parents/ can save money/ on clothes and school supplies/ for their children.

A "midnight madness" event/ starts very late/ at night. An "early bird special" sale/ starts very early/ in the morning, usually before the sun/ rises. This kind of sale/ is popular/ the day/ after Thanksgiving/ in November.

A favorite sale/ among many people/ is the "buy one, get one free" sale. You buy one thing/ and get a second one/ without cost. When people/ see the word “free”/ in an advertisement/ they know/ they are getting a good deal.

Another kind of sale/ is a "going out of business" sale. This is/ when a storeowner/ tries to sell all the goods/ in the store/ before closing the business/ permanently.

Let us say/ the store/ sells floor coverings. The owner/ lowers the prices/ and puts up a sign/ that says: "Going out of business sale. All items/ MUST be sold/ by tomorrow."

People/ who buy the floor coverings think/ they are getting a special deal/ because everything/ must be sold/ in a short period of time. Then, days later/ they see/ the store/ did not close/ permanently. And they see/ the same sign/ that claims/ the store/ is going out of business. Some business owners/ really do not end the business. They just want to earn more money.

People/ also hold their own sales. They hold garage sales/ and yard sales/ outside their home. They sell things/ they no longer want. Groups/ such as religious centers or schools/ hold bake sales. They sell, cakes, cookies and other baked goods/ to raise money.

In America, you can always find a good sale, no matter the day or time of year. There is the Independence Day sale, Veteran's Day sale, clearance sale, sidewalk sale, red tag sale ...