Lesson 7

FOOD

Food at restaurants

Here are some food vocabulary words that you might find useful:

Types of food

• Appetizer: a small dish served before the main course
• Main course: the main dish of a meal
• Dessert: a sweet dish served after the main course
• Snack: a small amount of food eaten between meals
• Breakfast: the first meal of the day
• Lunch: the main meal of the day, eaten in the middle of the day
• Dinner: the main meal of the day, eaten in the evening
• Soup: a liquid food made by boiling meat, vegetables, or other ingredients
• Salad: a dish of mixed raw or cooked vegetables, typically served with a dressing
• Sandwich: two slices of bread with a filling of meat, cheese, vegetables, etc.
• Pizza: a flat, round, leavened bread topped with tomato sauce and cheese, and often other ingredients, baked at a high temperature
• Pasta: a type of food made from a dough of durum wheat flour, water, and sometimes eggs, shaped into various forms and cooked
• Rice: a cereal grain that is the staple food for many people around the world
• Beans: a type of legume that is a good source of protein
• Vegetables: a plant or part of a plant that is eaten as food, typically as part of a meal
• Fruits: the sweet, pulpy products of a tree or other plant, typically with seeds

Adjectives for describing food

• Adjectives that describe the taste of food:
  • Acidic
  • Bland
  • Creamy
  • Fatty
  • Fruity
  • Healthy
  • Nutty
  • Oily
  • Raw
  • Salty
  • Sharp
  • Sour
  • Spicy
  • Sweet
  • Tender
  • Tough
• Adjectives that describe the appearance of food:
  • Delicious
  • Attractive
  • Fresh
  • Juicy
  • Lush
  • Mouth-watering
  • Overflowing
  • Scrumptious
  • Succulent
  • Tasty
  • Tantalizing
  • Yummy
• Adjectives that describe the texture of food:
  • Chewy
  • Crisp
  • Flaky
  • Firm
  • Juicy
  • Moist
  • Mushy
  • Soft
  • Springy
  • Tender

Verbs for cooking

• Bake: to cook food in an oven
• Boil: to cook food in boiling water
• Broil: to cook food under a hot grill
• Fry: to cook food in hot oil or fat
• Grill: to cook food under a hot grill
• Roast: to cook food in an oven, typically over a high heat
• Steam: to cook food in steam
• Stir-fry: to cook food quickly in a wok over a high heat, stirring constantly

Vocabulary for the supermarket

• Produce: fresh fruits and vegetables
• Meat: fresh or frozen meat, poultry, or fish
• Dairy: milk, cheese, and yogurt
• Bakery: bread, cakes, and pastries
• Deli: prepared foods, such as sandwiches, salads, and hot dishes
• Frozen food: frozen fruits, vegetables, meats, and prepared foods
• Canned food: canned fruits, vegetables, meats, and soups
• Snacks: chips, cookies, candy, and other small, packaged foods
• Drinks: soda, juice, milk, and other beverages

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Here are some simple present phrases with food:

• I eat breakfast at 7am every day.
• She drinks coffee in the morning.
• We like to eat pizza on Friday nights.
• They don’t like vegetables.
• I usually have a sandwich for lunch.
• He loves chocolate cake.
• She hates seafood.
• We eat out once a week.
• They cook at home most of the time.

These are just a few examples, but there are many other simple present phrases that you can use to talk about food. The simple present tense is used to describe habitual actions or things that happen regularly. So, if you want to talk about what you usually eat or what you like to eat, the simple present tense is the perfect tense to use.

Here are some other examples of simple present phrases with food:

• I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.
• She drinks a glass of milk every day.
• We cook dinner together on the weekends.
• They go out to eat for special occasions.
• I love to bake cookies.
• He hates cooking.
• She loves to try new foods.
• We eat a lot of different cuisines.
• They are always looking for new recipes to try.

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Restaurant Phrases

• Making a reservation:
  • Can I make a reservation for two, please?
  • I’d like to make a reservation for 7:00 PM on Friday, please.
  • Do you have any availability for next Saturday night?
• Arriving at the restaurant:
  • Hi, we have a reservation for two under the name Smith.
  • Can we have a table for two, please?
  • We’re here for our reservation.
• Ordering:
  • Can I see the menu, please?
  • What are your recommendations?
  • I’ll have the steak, please.
  • Can I get a glass of red wine?
• During the meal:
  • Excuse me, could I get more water, please?
  • This is delicious!
  • Could I have the check, please?
• Leaving the restaurant:
  • Thank you for your service.
  • We had a great meal!
  • We’ll be back soon.

Here are some additional phrases that you may hear or want to use at a restaurant:

• Can I get you anything else?
• Would you like to try the wine list?
• Is everything alright?
• Enjoy your meal!
• Bon appétit!
• Please come again!

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Uses for “Would”

The word “would” has many uses in English. Here are some of the most common ones:

• To talk about repeated actions in the past:We use “would” to talk about actions that happened repeatedly in the past, but not anymore. For example, we might say “When I was a kid, I would go swimming every day.”
• To talk about the future in the past:We use “would” to talk about the future from the perspective of the past. For example, we might say “I thought I would be a doctor when I grew up.”
• To express politeness:We can use “would” to make requests more polite. For example, instead of saying “Can you pass me the salt?”, we might say “Would you mind passing me the salt?”
• To make offers:We can use “would” to make offers more polite. For example, instead of saying “I’ll give you a ride home”, we might say “Would you like a ride home?”
• To report what someone else said:When we report what someone else said, we often change the verb tense to “would”. For example, if someone said “I’m going to the store”, we might report it as “He said he would go to the store”.
• To express hypothetical situations:We can use “would” to express hypothetical situations. For example, we might say “If I had a million dollars, I would buy a yacht.”
• To express wishes:We can use “would” to express wishes. For example, we might say “I wish I could fly.”
• To express regret:We can use “would” to express regret. For example, we might say “I would have studied harder if I knew I was going to fail the test.”

The phrase “would like” is used to politely express a desire or request. Here are some examples of phrases with “would like”:

• Would you like some coffee?
• I would like to order a pizza.
• I would like to go to the movies.
• Where would you like to go for dinner?
• I would like to thank you for your help.
• I would like to apologize for my mistake.
• I would like to learn more about this topic.
• I would like to make a suggestion.
• I would like to offer my help.
• I would like to join your team.

As you can see, “would like” can be used in a variety of contexts, from making offers and requests to expressing gratitude and apologies. It is a versatile phrase that can be used to make your language more polite and formal.

Here are some more examples of phrases with “would like” that you might hear in everyday conversation:

• Would you like to try my new recipe?
• I would like to introduce you to my friend, Sarah.
• I would like to book a table for two at 7:00 pm.
• Would you like me to call you a taxi?
• I would like to make a reservation for the weekend.
• I would like to know more about your product.
• I would like to apply for the job.
• I would like to join your club.
• I would like to help you with that.
• I would like to offer you my condolences.

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Pronunciation of G and J

The letters J and G are pronounced differently in English. The letter J is pronounced as a voiced palatal approximant, which means that the tongue is raised to the roof of the mouth, but does not make contact. The sound is similar to the French “j” in “je”. The letter G is pronounced as a voiced velar stop, which means that the back of the tongue is raised to the soft palate. The sound is similar to the German “ch” in “ich”.

Here is a table of the different pronunciations of J and G in English:

Letter	Pronunciation	Examples
J	/ʤ/	jump, jelly, gym
G	/g/	go, get, gum

There are a few exceptions to this rule. When the letter G is followed by the vowels E or I, it is pronounced as a voiced palatal approximant, like the letter J. For example, the words “geese” and “ginger” are pronounced with a J sound. The letter G is also pronounced as a J sound when it is followed by the letter Y. For example, the word “gypsy” is pronounced with a J sound.

The letter G can be pronounced in two different ways in English:

• Hard G (/g/): This is the most common pronunciation of the letter G. It is made by raising the back of the tongue to the soft palate and then releasing the air. This sound is similar to the German “ch” in “ich”. Examples of words with a hard G sound include: go, get, gum, game, gong.
• Soft G (/ʤ/): This pronunciation of the letter G is made by raising the tongue to the roof of the mouth, but not making contact. The sound is similar to the French “j” in “je”. Examples of words with a soft G sound include: gem, gin, gym, judge, cage.

The pronunciation of the letter G depends on the following factors:

• The letter that follows the G. The letter G is pronounced as a hard G when it is followed by the vowels A, O, or U. For example, the words “game”, “gone”, and “gun” have a hard G sound. The letter G is pronounced as a soft G when it is followed by the vowels E, I, or Y. For example, the words “gem”, “gin”, and “gym” have a soft G sound.
• The origin of the word. The letter G is often pronounced as a soft G in words that are derived from Greek or Latin. For example, the word “gymnasium” is pronounced with a soft G sound, even though it is followed by the vowel A.

here are some words with initial G:

• game
• girl
• glove
• goal
• gold
• gap
• glance
• glue
• goat
• goose
• gate
• glasses
• go
• god
• grapes

Here are some more words with initial G, with their meanings:

• gadget: a small, often mechanical device
• gallery: a long room with a row of windows along one side, used for displaying art
• garage: a building for housing cars
• garden: an area of land where flowers, vegetables, or fruit are grown
• garlic: a strong-smelling plant with white cloves that are used as a flavoring
• gazelle: a small, graceful antelope with long, slender legs
• getting: the action of obtaining something
• ghost town: a town that has been abandoned
• gifted: having a natural talent for something
• giving: the action of providing something to someone else
• goal post: one of two upright posts with a crossbar between them that marks the end of a football field
• going: the action of moving from one place to another
• golden: having a bright yellow color
• goldfish: a small, orange fish that is often kept as a pet
• good bye: a phrase used to say farewell
• gopher: a small burrowing rodent with a short tail
• gorgeous: very beautiful
• guarded: protected from danger or attack
• guidance: help or advice that is given to someone
• guilty: responsible for a crime or wrongdoing

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The letter J in English is pronounced as a voiced palatal approximant, which means that the tongue is raised to the roof of the mouth, but does not make contact. The sound is similar to the French “j” in “je”.

Here are some examples of words that are pronounced with a J sound:

• jump
• jelly
• gym
• jacket
• judge

The pronunciation of the letter J can also vary depending on the dialect of English being spoken. For example, in some dialects of English, the J sound is pronounced with a slight fricative, similar to the Spanish “j” in “jaguar”.

Here are some words with initial J:

• jack
• jar
• jazz
• jelly
• jet
• joke
• joy
• jump
• just
• juice

Here are some more words with initial J, with their meanings:

• jab: to hit someone or something with a short, quick blow
• jade: a hard, green stone
• jam: a thick, sweet spread made from crushed fruit
• jaw: the bones that form the lower part of the face
• jazz: a type of music with a strong beat and syncopated rhythms
• jelly: a soft, wobbly food made from fruit juice or jelly powder
• jet: a fast-moving aircraft
• joke: a funny story or remark
• joy: a feeling of great happiness
• jump: to move suddenly and quickly into the air
• just: fair and reasonable
• juice: the liquid part of fruit or vegetables