Shadowing Practice: English at the Restaurant | Easy Conversation Practice for Beginners (A1–A2) | English Podcast - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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Hello, Emily, and hello to all our amazing listeners.
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It's Paul here.
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How are you today, Emily?
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I'm great, Paul.
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Feeling a little hungry, actually.
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Oh really?
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That's perfect for our topic today!
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Yes, exactly.
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Today we are going to talk about something very useful – ordering food at a restaurant.
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Yum!
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That's a great topic.
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It's something everyone does.
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And it's a great way to practice English.
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It is.
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But before we start, please remember to subscribe to our channel, Mr. English Channel.
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Yes, and give this video a like and share it with your friends.
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It helps us a lot.
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It really does.
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Okay, so, a restaurant.
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Let's imagine we are at a nice new restaurant.
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What's the first thing we do, Paul?
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Hmm, good question.
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First, we need a table.
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We walk in and see a person.
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This person is the host or the waiter.
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That's right.
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And we can say something simple.
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Like, hello, a table for two, please?
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A table for two.
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Yes.
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Two because it's you and me.
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Yes, just us.
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What if we are four people?
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Ah, easy.
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We say, a table for four, please.
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Perfect.
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So the number changes.
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Simple.
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The host will say, this way please, and take us to our table.
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And we sit down.
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Now what?
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We need the menu.
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Yes, the menu.
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The menu has all the food and drinks.
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The waiter usually gives it to us.
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Right.
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But sometimes they are busy.
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So we can ask for it.
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How do we ask, Paul?
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We can say, Excuse me, can we have the menu, please?
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Oh, that's very polite.
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Excuse me is a great phrase.
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It is.
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Very useful.
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So, we have the menu.
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We open it.
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Wow!
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So many options.
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I know.
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It can be a little, whoa!
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So, let's look at the drinks first.
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What do you want to drink, Paul?
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Hmm, I think I want something simple.
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I'll have a water, please.
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Good choice.
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When the waiter comes to the table, he or she will ask, are you ready to order drinks?
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Or can I get you something to drink?
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I can say, Yes, I'd like a water, please.
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Or, A water for me, please.
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Simple and clear.
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What if I want a soda?
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You can say, I'll have a soda, please, or can I have a soda?
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Great!
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So, one water for Paul and one soda for me.
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The waiter will say, okay, one water and one soda.
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I'll be right back.
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Exactly!
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Now we wait for our drinks and look at the food on the menu.
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This is the best part.
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I see starters, main courses, and desserts.
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Let's start with the starters.
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Sometimes they are called appetizers.
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Ooh, yes.
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Like a soup or a small salad.
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I like soup.
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A warm tomato soup sounds good.
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Mmm, I love tomato soup.
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I think I want a salad, A small green salad.
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Good choice.
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So the waiter comes back with our drinks.
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He says, here are your drinks.
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Are you ready to order?
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And we can say, yes, we are.
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For my starter, I will say, for my starter, I'd like the green salad.
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And I will say, and I'll have the tomato soup, please.
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See, it's like a conversation.
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We're just talking to the waiter.
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It is.
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Don't be scared.
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Waiters are there to help.
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What if we don't understand something on the menu?
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Ah, good question.
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We can ask, what is this?
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Or, can you explain this dish?
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Yes.
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For example, I see a dish called Chef's Special.
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I don't know what it is.
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So, you can ask the waiter, excuse me, what is the Chef's Special?
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And the waiter will explain.
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Maybe it's chicken with vegetables or a special pasta.
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Yes, it's okay to ask questions.
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It's normal.
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Okay, so we ordered our starters.
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Now for the main course, the big dish.
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The best part.
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I see pasta, chicken, fish, and steak.
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So many choices.
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I think I want pasta today.
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I see spaghetti with tomato sauce.
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Simple and delicious.
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A classic.
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I think...
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I think I want the fish.
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The menu says grilled fish with vegetables.
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That sounds healthy.
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It does.
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So when the waiter asks about the main course, you say...
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I'll say, for my main course, course, I'll have the grilled fish, please.
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And I'll say, I would like the spaghetti, please.
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Perfect.
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The waiter writes it down.
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He might say, great choice.
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I hope so.
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Then he will take the menus and go to the kitchen.
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And we talk, we drink our water and soda, and we wait for our food.
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Waiting is the hard part when you're hungry.
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I know.
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Okay, the starters arrive.
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The waiter brings my salad and your soup.
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Wonderful.
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It looks delicious.
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We can say, thank you.
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Yes, always say please and thank you.
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It's very polite.
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Mmm.
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This soup is good.
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How is your salad, Emily?
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It's fresh and yummy.
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I like it.
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Great.
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So, we finish our starters.
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The waiter takes the empty plates.
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And now we wait for the main course, the fish and the spaghetti.
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I'm excited.
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I love spaghetti.
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Here comes the waiter.
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He has our food.
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Oh, but wait.
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What is it, Emily?
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He gave me chicken, not fish.
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Oh, no. A mistake.
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It happens sometimes.
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What do you do?
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I have to say something, but I must be polite.
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I can get the waiter's attention and say, Excuse me.
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Good start.
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Then I can say, I'm sorry, but I ordered the fish, not the chicken.
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Yes, exactly.
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You are not angry, just explaining the mistake.
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The waiter will probably say, Oh, I am so sorry.
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I will fix that for you right away.
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And he will take the chicken back and bring the fish.
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It's okay to say something if the order is wrong.
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Yes, it is.
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Okay, now I have my fish.
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It looks amazing.
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And my spaghetti is here.
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It smells so good.
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Let's eat.
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Bon appetit.
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Oh, sorry.
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Let's just say, enjoy your meal.
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Yes, enjoy your meal.
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Mmm, this is delicious.
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My fish is perfect.
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The vegetables are great, too.
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This is a good restaurant.
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I agree.
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So we eat our main course.
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We are happy and full.
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But there is always room for dessert. Of course.
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The waiter comes back.
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He asks, how was everything?
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We can say, it was delicious.
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Thank you.
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And he will ask, would you like to see the dessert menu?
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And we say, yes, please.
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The dessert menu arrives.
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I see chocolate cake, ice cream, and fruit salad.
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Oh, chocolate cake.
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For me, please.
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I think I want ice cream.
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Vanilla ice cream.
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A great choice.
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So we tell the waiter, I'll have the chocolate cake, please.
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And I would like the vanilla ice cream, please.
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The waiter smiles and goes to get our desserts.
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This is a fantastic meal.
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After dessert, maybe a coffee?
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A coffee sounds perfect.
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A nice way to finish the meal.
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We can order it with the dessert.
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I can say, I'll have a coffee with my cake, please.
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And the waiter might ask, with milk and sugar?
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And I can say, just milk, no sugar, please.
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See?
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You can give more details.
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It's easy.
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What about you, Paul?
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Do you want a coffee?
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I think I'll have a tea.
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An English breakfast tea.
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Ooh, very English.
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It is.
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So, we enjoy our desserts and our hot drinks.
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We talk more.
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It was a lovely meal.
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But now it's time to go.
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We need to pay.
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Right.
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The bill.
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We need to ask for the bill.
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Or, in America, they say the check.
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Both are correct.
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How do we ask for it?
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We can catch the waiter's eye and say, Excuse me, can we have the bill, please?
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Or, the check, please.
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Yes.
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The waiter brings a small piece of paper with the total price.
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And we look at it.
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We can pay with cash or with a credit card.
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If we use a card, we can say, Can I pay by card?
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Or if we have money, we say, Here you go, and give the cash.
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And that's it.
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We paid.
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We can say, thank you, goodbye, and leave the restaurant.
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Wow!
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We did it!
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We ordered a full meal from start to finish.
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Yes, we did.
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It's not so hard, right?
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Let's do a quick review.
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Good idea.
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First, we ask for a table.
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A table for two, please.
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Then, we ask for the menu.
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Can we have the menu, please?
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We order drinks.
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I'd like a water, please.
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We order our food, like a starter and a main course.
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I'll have the soup and the pasta.
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If something is wrong, we politely say, Excuse me, I ordered the fish.
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Then we order dessert and coffee.
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We'd like to see the dessert menu.
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And finally, we ask for the bill.
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Can we have the bill, please?
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See?
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Just a few key phrases and you can have a great meal.
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That's so true, Paul.
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And remember, it's okay to be slow.
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It's okay to ask questions.
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Yes.
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The most important thing is to try.
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Practice makes perfect.
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It really does.
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Wow, all this talk about food made me even hungrier.
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Me too.
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Okay, but before we go, we want to say thank you to our wonderful listeners.
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Yes, thank you so much for listening.
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We hope this episode helps you feel more confident when you go to a restaurant.
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We do.
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And now we have a question for you.
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What is your favorite food to order at a restaurant?
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Ooh, good one!
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Let us know in the comments below.
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We love reading your comments.
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And don't forget to subscribe to Mr. English Channel for more easy and fun English lessons.
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Please share this episode with your friends and family and give it a thumbs up if you liked it.
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Every like, share and subscription helps us so much.
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Thank you for your support.
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Until next time, keep practicing and have fun.
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Bye for now.
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Goodbye, everyone.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice essential English phrases used when ordering food at a restaurant. This is a fundamental skill for beginners, as dining out is a common experience in many cultures. You will learn how to greet the host, request a table, and ask for the menu. By the end of the lesson, you'll feel more confident navigating conversations in a restaurant setting, allowing you to enjoy your dining experiences while engaging with English speakers.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Table for two, please - A polite way to request a table that accommodates two people.
  • Table for four, please - Used to indicate you need a table for four guests.
  • The menu - A list of food and drink options available at the restaurant.
  • Hello - A common greeting to get someone’s attention.
  • This way, please - A phrase typically used by the host or waiter to guide you to your table.
  • Can I see the menu? - A polite request to view the restaurant's offerings.
  • What do you recommend? - A way to ask the waiter for suggestions on the menu.

Practice Tips

To enhance your speaking skills, consider using the shadowing technique while watching the video. This method involves listening to the dialogue and repeating it aloud, imitating the pronunciation and intonation of the speakers. The conversational pace of the transcript is suitable for beginners, so don't worry about catching every word initially. Start by focusing on key phrases like "a table for two, please" or "can I see the menu?" Repeat these shadow speeches multiple times until you feel comfortable.

Utilize shadowspeak as you go through the video. Pause after each sentence to mimic the speaker. This will not only improve your pronunciation but will also help you internalize everyday restaurant vocabulary. By engaging fully with the dialogue, you'll gain confidence in your ability to communicate, making your future dining experiences in English-speaking environments much more enjoyable. Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t hesitate to repeat and refine your skills!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.