Socialising Unit 5 (for beginners)

TOPIC: Eating Out

TARGET EXPRESSIONS:

AT A RESTAURANT
Helping with the menu: Deciding what to order
Let me know if you need any help with the menu. Do you know what you’re having ?
Oh, that. its a kind of fish. Have you decided yet ?
It’s (a bit like an omelette. That’s what I’m going to have for my starter.
Do you know the ravioli? Well it’s similar to that I think I’ll have that for the main course .
It’s made with eggs, milk and sugar I’m going to have the dish of the day (BrE) /
special (AME )
Try to avoid these common mistakes
Waiter Excuse me .
Give us the menu Can we have /see the menu ,please?
I don’t eat pig I don’t eat pork
I take the pasta I’ll have the pasta
I’d like water with /without gas I’d have sparkling /still water

EXPLAINING A MENU
This is a local specialty.
It’s typical of/a specialty of our region.
It’s a spicy/savoury/sweet dish.
It’s a kind of pasta/meat/dumpling.
It’s made with meat/fish/vegetables.
It’s a bit like spaghetti/pudding/rice/pizza.
It’s a light/dark/wheat beer.
It’s a juice mixed with mineral water.

AT THE END OF A MEAL

Asking for the bill Responding to thanks
Can we have the bill, please? You’re (very) welcome.
Could you bring us the bill, please (when you It was a pleasure.
have a moment)?

Offering to pay Try to avoid these common mistakes:

Let me/I’ll get this. I invite you: I’ll get this./ This is on me./ It’s my
This is on me. treat.

Please: You’re welcome. (when

responding to thanks.

The food tasted very well: The food was very

good/great/fantastic.
Thanking someone for a meal.
That was lovely, thank you.
That was very nice of you to pay.
TARGET GRAMMAR: Adjectives for Food
ACTIVITY:

Setting:
A. Person A and Person B are business partners for over 5 years. A emailed B that he/she is
town for a 1-week business trip with another client. B will call and invite A for dinner. A is not
available at the time B proposes. A suggests another time and ask for direction to get to the
restaurant. B accepts A‘s request and gives directions.
B. Person B will assist Person A to order for a meal since the menu is in Japanese. B should be
able to help A order the different parts of a meal. A must ask different questions about the
food such as the ingredients and size of serving because she has an allergy and is on a strict no-
carb diet.
C. After the dinner. B ask A’s meal and restaurant experience. A responds positively by giving
comments about the food and the restaurant’s service and ambience. When B is about to pay
the bill, A offers to split the bill but B declines. A then promises to pay for the bill in their next
meeting.
Sample Conversation:

A. Inviting Someone for Dinner (Through Phone)

Person B Hello, good morning, Lyn! This is Ram.
Person A Oh, Ram! How are you?
Person B I’m good! You?
Person A Busy as ever but I’m enjoying every minute of it!
Person B That’s good to hear! So you’re in town for a week next month
Person A Yeah, a week of meeting and detailed planning with YCIAR Corporation.
Wow, that’s a lot of work! By the way, can you squeeze a catch up dinner in your
Person B
schedule?
Person A Let me see. When do you plan to have it?
Person B What about October 7th, say around 6pm.
Let me check my schedule. Oh, I have a meeting on that day until 5pm but I need to
Person A
call my manager to do some reporting. Can we make it 6:30?
Oh, sure that’s not a problem. Let’s check out a newly opened French restaurant
Person B
downtown.
I’m afraid I’m not very familiar with the area. Can you tell me how to get there from
Person A
my hotel?
Person B Oh, sorry. Where are you staying?
Person A The company booked at Hilton Hotel.
Oh, that’s easy, it’s about 5-6 minutes on foot. From your hotel, go straight Main
Person B Avenue and take the first right. You will see C’est la Vie Spa on your left. Walk past one
more block, it’s on your right in front of Rendezvous Music Bar.
Ok. Thanks, Let me just repeat to make sure from my hotel, I’ll go straight Main Avenue
Person A and take the first right. Then I’ll see C’est la Vie Spa is on my left. I’ll walk past one more
block, and it’s in front of Rendezvous Music Bar on my right.
Person B Oh, that’s perfect. But just in case you couldn’t fine it, just give me a call.
Person A Yes, thank you.
Person B So, I’ll see you next week. Bye.
Person A See you, bye.
 B. At the Restaurant
Ram arrived at the restaurant first, waves at Lyn and gesture where the reserved table is.
Person B Hi. Did you have trouble finding it?
Person A No, not at all. Have you been waiting long?
Person B No, I just arrived. From the meeting you had, you must be starving.
Person A I could it a bear right now! hahaha
Person B So what do you want?
Person A Hmmm, the menu is in French. I’m afraid I don’t know a thing written here.
Let me help you. This part is their specialty. While this on the upper right corner is their
Person B
starters. By the way do you have any allergies?
Person A Uhm, I’m allergic to pesto.
Person B Oh, is that so?
Person A And I’m also in low-carb diet now.
Person B Oh, then you can have Chicken in red wine sauce, then.
Person A Oh, that’s great.
Person B It comes with potatoes or mushroom. So you’ll have mushroom, right?
Person A Yes, please. How about you what are you having?
Hmm… Let me see. I think I’ll have blood sausage (Boudin noir ) with baked apples and
Person B
potatoes. It’s their specialty here.
Person A How about appetizer? What are we having?
Cod Accras, is great here. Don’t worry it’s fish dish with some tangy sauce. It’s usually
Person B
served with salad.
Person A Oh, that’s great. You decide on the drinks. I’m ok with anything.
Lemme, check their La carte de vins (The wine list). Let’s try their white wine with
Person B
cassis or blackberry syrup!
Person A Ok, your call.
Person B I think we are ready to order. Let me see if we can get the waiter’s attention.

C. After the Meal

Ram and Lyn have finished eating
Person B How did you like your food?
They were all tasty. The Cod Accras tastes great. The sauce is just the right blend of
Person A
tangy and sweet.
Person B How about the chicken in red wine?
Person A It’s equally great. The meat is so tender and the red wine gave it a full flavor.
Person B Their blood sausage is sumptuous. I can eat it forever.
Person A By the way, the wine is also superb. Is it a special house blend?
Person B Yes, as you can see it has a private bottling designed by the restaurants producers.
Person A Is that so?
Person B Would you care for some desserts? Their crepes here are heavenly.
Person A I am afraid, I don’t have room for desserts anymore.
Person B What else do you need?
Person A I think, I’m ok.
Person B Is that so? Then we are ready to have the bill.
The bill arrives…..
Person A So how much is on me? I suggest we split the bill.
Person B I got this. I invited you, so It’s my treat.
Person A That was very nice of you to pay.
Person B It was a pleasure.
Person A That means, the next meal is on me then.
Person B Ok, if you insist.
Activity Flow:

A= Receiver / Visitor B= Caller/Host

A. Inviting Someone for Dinner (Through Phone)
Introduce yourself. You are inviting A for dinner next
week.
DATE: _____________Time: 7 PM
Name of the Restaurant:___________________
Receive the call.
Thank B for the invitation.
- Check your schedule and try to change the
TIME (make it 7:30). Give a reason for the
change
- Accept the requested CHANGE
- Ask for directions. -
- Give the directions from the hotel to the
restaurant
- Confirm the directions given.
- - Then end the call
B. At the Restaurant
- Ask A’s travel from the hotel to the restaurant
- Respond (easy to find)
- Ask B if he/she has been waiting long
- - Respond
- Ask B if he/she frequently visits this restaurant
- - Respond
- Talk about the reason why you like it here
- Ask B to guide you to order since the menu is
in Japanese
- Respond
- Ask A if he/she has any allergies
- Respond
- Recommend a food
- (Starters and other parts of the meal)
- Ask about the food ingredients
(Ask as many questions as possible)
- Respond
- When you finish discussing your order get
the waiter’s attention
C. After the Meal
- Ask about a’s meal and restaurant
experience
- Respond. Talk about the food taste and the
ambience
- Ask A if he/she still needs/ wants anything
- Respond (you’re ok)
- Get the waiter’s attention for the bill
- Offer to split the bill
- Decline the offer
- Tell B that the next dinner is on you. -
Evaluation Checklist/ Comments
5= highest; 1=lowest
The student:
- communicates intent 1 2 3 4 5
- uses correct tenses of verbs 1 2 3 4 5
- has clear pronunciation/diction 1 2 3 4 5
- uses the vocabulary and expressions learned
1 2 3 4 5
appropriately
- speaks in relaxed, natural and confident manner 1 2 3 4 5
Additional comments:

Intermediate
Activity: Making Contact (Unit 1)

Target: Phrases for - Greetings, Asking about the journey, Asking for help, The next step, and Future
plans.

Grammar: Modals for request and offer; ‘will’ and ‘going to’ for plans

Role: Only show to student his/her role

Visitor (V): You are visiting Tokyo for the Annual conference (or depends on the student’s preference for
practice). A counterpart, H, will meet you at Haneda airport. You’ve only communicated with him
through email and you don’t know how he looks like. You are carrying two heavy duffel bags and a
laptop bag and you need help. Your flight was great, and in flight, it was your first time to eat Japanese
food in which you loved. You also don’t know the plans for today. You’d like to go to the rest room firt
before going. (You will be the last person to speak in the role-play)

Host (H): You are meeting V, a Manager from Canada office of your company (or depends on the
student’s preference for practice), at the airport in Haneda. This is the first time you will meet and the
only time you had communication was through email. Greet and introduce yourself, then ask about the
flight. Ask one small talk questions and talk about the plans for the day. Finally, ask him to follow you to
your car.

Activity: Making Contact (Unit 1)

Target: Phrases for - Greetings, Apologizing for a delay, Asking about the journey, Offering for help, The
next step, and Future plans.

Grammar: Modals for request and offer; ‘will’ and ‘going to’ for plans

Role: Only show to student his/her role

Visitor (V): You are visiting the subsidiary of your company in Osaka (or depends on the student’s
preference for practice). Your friend and colleague, H, is meeting you at the Shinkansen station. Your
train was delayed by eighteen minutes. Share to H that there were no advice why the train was delayed.
You’re carrying two very heavy bags and you’re waiting for H to help you carry one luggage. You want
to buy cold bottled water first before you go. (You will be the last person to speak in the role-play)

Host (H): You are meeting V, a friend and a colleague from the headquarters in Tokyo (or depends on
the student’s preference for practice), at the Shinkansen station in Osaka. Greet and ask about the trip.
Offer to help carry his/her bag. Talk about your plans for the day and ask him to follow you to your car.