English course · Unit 31

At the Restaurant

Menus · Do you like …? · Would you like …? · Polite requests

How to use this unit

In this unit, you will use a restaurant menu to choose food, ask about preferences and practise ordering politely. Read the menu and conversations before answering the questions.

Do you like …? asks about a general preference: Do you like fish? — Yes, I do.

Would you like …? makes an offer or asks what someone wants on this occasion: Would you like the fish? — Yes, please. / I'd like the fish, please.

About the checker: short answers such as Yes, please and No, thank you are appropriate responses to offers. Model answers are complete sentences where appropriate, but the checker also accepts natural short answers when the task calls for them.

Step 1

Read the menu

A fictional menu created for English practice. Prices are in pounds.

THE GREEN TABLE

Freshly prepared food · Lunch and dinner

Starters

Main courses

Desserts

Drinks

Answer the questions using the menu. Short answers are acceptable where they provide the information requested.

1. How much does the tomato soup cost?

Enter the price or write a sentence.

2. Which main course costs £17.00?

Write a short answer.

3. How many vegetarian main courses are listed?

Enter the number or write a sentence.

4. How much do tomato soup and garlic bread cost altogether?

Enter the total price.

5. Which drinks cost £3.00?

Write a short answer.

Complete model answers

The tomato soup costs £5.50.
The grilled salmon with rice costs £17.00.
There are two vegetarian main courses: mushroom risotto and vegetable curry.
Tomato soup and garlic bread cost £9.50 altogether.
Tea and coffee cost £3.00 each.

Step 2

Do you like …?

Use Do you like …? to ask about someone's general preferences. Answer with Yes, I do or No, I don't.

Sam: Do you like spicy food?

Leila: Yes, I do. I often eat curry.

Sam: Do you like fish?

Leila: No, I don't. I prefer chicken or vegetables.

1. ______ you like fish? (Complete the question.)

2. ______ your brother like coffee? (Complete the question.)

3. Give a short affirmative answer to “Do you like spicy food?”

4. Give a short negative answer to “Do you like fish?”

5. Write a question asking someone about their general preference for vegetables. Start with “______ vegetables?”

Complete model answers

Do you like fish?
Does your brother like coffee?
Yes, I do.
No, I don't.
Do you like vegetables?

Step 3

Would you like …?

Use Would you like …? to offer something or ask what someone wants now. Common responses include Yes, please, No, thank you and I'd like …, please.

Waiter: Would you like a starter?

Customer: Yes, please. I'd like the tomato soup.

Waiter: Would you like something to drink?

Customer: Just some water, please.

1. ______ you like some water? (Complete the offer.)

2. The waiter asks, “Would you like a dessert?” You want one. Give a natural short answer.

3. The waiter asks, “Would you like some coffee?” You don't want any. Give a polite short answer.

4. You choose the grilled salmon. What do you say to the waiter?

5. A waiter offers you apple pie now. Complete: “______ some apple pie?”

Complete model answers

Would you like some water?
Yes, please.
No, thank you.
I'd like the grilled salmon, please.
Would you like some apple pie?

Step 4

Do you like it in general, or would you like it now?

Choose the form that fits the situation. Do you like …? asks about a general preference. Would you like …? offers something or asks what someone wants on this occasion.

1. You want to know whether your friend generally enjoys Indian food: “______ Indian food?”

2. You are offering a visitor tea: “______ some tea?”

3. You want to know whether someone enjoys chocolate in general: “______ chocolate?”

4. A waiter asks which main course you want: “______ the vegetable curry?”

5. Complete the explanation: “Do you like coffee?” asks about a general ______.

Enter the missing word or phrase.

Complete model answers

Do you like Indian food?
Would you like some tea?
Do you like chocolate?
Would you like the vegetable curry?
“Do you like coffee?” asks about a general preference. “Would you like some coffee?” offers coffee now.

Step 5

A conversation at the restaurant

Waiter: Good evening. Are you ready to order?

Customer: Yes, please. I'd like the tomato soup to start, followed by the mushroom risotto.

Waiter: Certainly. Would you like anything to drink?

Customer: I'd like some sparkling water, please.

Waiter: Of course. Would you like to see the dessert menu later?

Customer: Yes, please. I love apple pie.

Complete the sentences using the words in brackets. Use natural contractions where appropriate.

1. You are ordering soup: “______ the tomato soup, please.” (I / like)

2. The waiter asks: “______ anything to drink?” (you / like)

3. “I'd like ______ sparkling water, please.” (some / any)

4. “Would you like ______ starter?” (a / some)

5. The waiter offers coffee, but you don't want any. Give a polite answer.

Complete model answers

I'd like the tomato soup, please.
Would you like anything to drink?
I'd like some sparkling water, please.
Would you like a starter?
No, thank you.

Step 6

Countable and uncountable nouns

Menus help us practise food and drink nouns. We often say a starter, a dessert and a coffee (meaning one cup of coffee), but some water, some rice and some bread.

1. Would you like ______ rice? (a / some)

2. I'd like ______ salad, please. (a / some)

3. Could we have ______ bread, please? (a / some)

4. Would you like ______ dessert? (a / some)

5. I'd like ______ water, please. (a / some)

Complete model answers

Would you like some rice?
I'd like a salad, please.
Could we have some bread, please?
Would you like a dessert?
I'd like some water, please.

Step 7

Final review: choose and order

Use the menu and the language from this unit. These questions check both meaning and form.

1. Write a question to find out whether a friend generally enjoys fish.

2. Write a question offering someone orange juice.

3. Order the mushroom risotto politely.

4. The waiter asks, “Would you like to see the dessert menu?” You do. Give a natural response.

5. Ask politely for water.

Complete model answers

Do you like fish?
Would you like some orange juice?
I'd like the mushroom risotto, please.
Yes, please.
I'd like some water, please.

What you have practised

Do you like …? asks about general preferences.
Would you like …? makes an offer or asks what someone wants on this occasion.
I'd like … is a polite way to express what you want.
Yes, please and No, thank you are natural responses to offers.
Menus provide useful practice with prices, food vocabulary and countable and uncountable nouns.

Remember: the checker accepts the answers specified for each question. When the task is open-ended, compare your response with the model answer rather than assuming that it is the only possible sentence.