Conversation Lesson 8
 
 
 
 
Lesson 8 - Ordering a Meal

Dialogs for everyday use. Short situational dialogs for students of English as a Foreign (EFL) or Second (ESL) Language.
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Ordering A Meal

Waiter: Are you ready to order now, sir?

Ralph: Yes. I’ll have tomato soup, roast beef, mashed potatoes, and peas.

Waiter: That’s tomato soup…roast beef…mashed potatoes…and peas. How do you want the beef—rare, medium, or well done?

Ralph: Well done, please.

Waiter: Anything to drink?

Ralph: Hmmm… just water. I’ll have coffee with my dessert.
Conversation Notes
  • I’ll have tomato soup, roast beef, mashed potatoes, and peas
  • Note the intonation rises on the last syllable of each item in the series. Note, too, that the verb in this idiom is have, not take or eat.
  • rare, medium, or well done
  • The waiter pauses briefly as he writes each item in his order book. Rare, medium, or well­done? Note there is a slightly rising intonation on the first two items of the series.
  • rare
  • slightly cooked.
  • Well done, please
  • Note that the subject and verb are omitted in the reply; only the necessary information is given.
  • Anything to drink
  • Note that the subject and verb are omitted. The question is “understood” to mean something like Do you want anything to drink? Would you like anything to drink? Will you have anything to drink?
  • Hmmm…
  • A pause sound, used while the speaker is thinking of what he wants to say.
  • just water
  • Again, the reply omits the subject and verb—in fact, all the words except those needed to supply the necessary (new) information. The rest are supplied by the context. A full­sentence equivalent would be something like I’ll just have water to drink. (American restaurants customarily serve water with the meal, without request.)
  • I’ll have coffee
  • Note that the verb in this idiom is have (not take or drink): I’ll have coffee (tea, milk, a coke, etc.).
Source: U.S. State Department
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