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Classroom slides
Show these on a projector or TV. Use the arrow keys, or tap the right side of a slide to go forward and the left side to go back. Press ▶ to play the recording, F for full screen and P to play the slide's audio.
Everyday English · Lesson 6 · Starter · A1
Ordering food and coffee
Order at a café, ask about the menu and pay.
Welcome, !
Warm-up · talk with a partner
What's your favourite drink or snack? Where do you buy it?
Key phrase 1 of 8
Can I get a flat white, please?
A popular Australian coffee with milk.
Key phrase 2 of 8
To have here or takeaway?
Eat in the café or take it with you.
Key phrase 3 of 8
What would you recommend?
Ask for a suggestion.
Key phrase 4 of 8
Does this have nuts in it?
Ask about allergies.
Key phrase 5 of 8
Could I have it without onion?
Ask to change your order.
Key phrase 6 of 8
Can we have the bill, please?
Ask to pay at the table.
Key phrase 7 of 8
Is it table service?
Ask if staff come to your table or you order at the counter.
Key phrase 8 of 8
That was delicious, thanks!
A nice thing to say when you leave.
Conversation
Barista and Nadia
Listen to the whole conversation first. Then we go line by line.
Conversation · line 1 of 8
Barista
Morning! What can I get you?
Conversation · line 2 of 8
Barista: Morning! What can I get you?
Nadia
Can I get a flat white and a banana bread, please?
Conversation · line 3 of 8
Nadia: Can I get a flat white and a banana bread, please?
Barista
Sure. To have here or takeaway?
Conversation · line 4 of 8
Barista: Sure. To have here or takeaway?
Nadia
To have here. Does the banana bread have nuts in it?
Conversation · line 5 of 8
Nadia: To have here. Does the banana bread have nuts in it?
Barista
It has walnuts. The muffin is nut-free.
Conversation · line 6 of 8
Barista: It has walnuts. The muffin is nut-free.
Nadia
Then I'll have the muffin instead.
Conversation · line 7 of 8
Nadia: Then I'll have the muffin instead.
Barista
No worries. That's nine fifty. I'll bring it over.
Conversation · line 8 of 8
Barista: No worries. That's nine fifty. I'll bring it over.
Nadia
Thanks!
Your turn · role-play
Work with a partner
Student A is Barista. Student B is Nadia. Read the conversation together, then swap. Then try it again with your own details.
Your turn · say it 1 of 3
Can I get a flat white, please?
Say it to your partner, then listen to theirs.
Your turn · say it 2 of 3
To have here, please.
Say it to your partner, then listen to theirs.
Your turn · say it 3 of 3
Does this have nuts in it?
Say it to your partner, then listen to theirs.
Quiz · question 1 of 5
'Takeaway' means…
- A you eat in the café
- B you take the food with you
- C the food is free
✓ B: Americans say 'to go'; Australians say 'takeaway'.
Quiz · question 2 of 5
How do you ask for a suggestion?
- A What would you recommend?
- B Can we have the bill?
- C Is it takeaway?
✓ A: Staff are happy to recommend dishes.
Quiz · question 3 of 5
Which is the most natural way to order?
- A I want coffee.
- B Can I get a flat white, please?
- C Give me coffee.
✓ B: 'Can I get…, please?' is natural and polite.
Quiz · question 4 of 5
What do you ask to pay at the table?
- A Can we have the bill, please?
- B How much is the bill?
- C Where is the money?
✓ A: In many cafés you pay at the counter instead.
Quiz · question 5 of 5
Is tipping expected in Australia?
- A Yes, 20% always
- B No, it's optional
- C Only at cafés
✓ B: Staff are paid a minimum wage, so tipping is optional.
Good to know in Australia 🇦🇺
Tipping isn't expected in Australia, but you can leave a little for great service. In many cafés you order and pay at the counter, then staff bring your food.
Well done, !
Practise at home
The same lesson, free, no sign-up:
englishcoaching.au/
Free lessons at englishcoaching.au
· englishcoaching.au
Teacher notes
Level: Starter · A1 · Time: about 60 minutes · You need: this page on a screen with sound, and one printed worksheet per learner.
Warm-up (5 minutes)
Show the warm-up slide and ask: "What's your favourite drink or snack? Where do you buy it?" Learners talk in pairs for two minutes, then a few share with the class.
Three steps
- Key phrases (15 minutes). Show each phrase, press ▶ and let learners listen once, then repeat together, then one by one. Check meaning with the note on the slide: "When would you say this?"
- The conversation (15 minutes). Play the whole conversation once with worksheets face down. Then go line by line while learners fill the gaps in part B of the worksheet. Check answers, then learners read it in pairs.
- Your turn and the quiz (20 minutes). Learners say the "Your turn" sentences with their own details, do the role-play below, then answer the quiz slides in pairs before you press "Show answer". Finish with part D of the worksheet (their own sentences).
Pair work
Student A is Barista and student B is Nadia. Pairs read the conversation, swap roles, then turn the worksheet over and do it again from memory, changing the details (names, times, places, prices). Stronger pairs add two lines of their own; newer learners can keep the worksheet in front of them.
Using the audio
- Every phrase and conversation line is recorded with natural AI voices: Barista is read by Josh and Nadia by Mel. Press ▶ on a slide or press P.
- Play each phrase twice: once to listen, once for the class to repeat. On the conversation slides, pause after each line so learners can repeat it.
- Test the sound before class. If the internet is slow, open the slides a few minutes early and play the first phrase once.
Good to know in Australia
Tipping isn't expected in Australia, but you can leave a little for great service. In many cafés you order and pay at the counter, then staff bring your food.
After class
- Learners can do the full lesson at home, free and with no sign-up: Ordering food and coffee. The last slide has a QR code to it.
- Running a course? Print certificates of participation when your group finishes a level.
Printable worksheet
One A4 worksheet per learner: the key phrases and the conversation with gaps, the quiz, and space for their own sentences. The answer key prints on a separate page.
Name: Date:
Everyday English · Lesson 6: Ordering food and coffee
Order at a café, ask about the menu and pay.
A. Key phrases: fill the gaps
Word bank: delicious · nuts · please · recommend · service · takeaway · without
- Can I get a flat white, ? (A popular Australian coffee with milk)
- To have here or ? (Eat in the café or take it with you)
- What would you ? (Ask for a suggestion)
- Does this have in it? (Ask about allergies)
- Could I have it onion? (Ask to change your order)
- Can we have the bill, ? (Ask to pay at the table)
- Is it table ? (Ask if staff come to your table or you order at the counter)
- That was , thanks! (A nice thing to say when you leave)
B. Listen to the conversation and fill the gaps
- Barista: Morning! What I get you?
- Nadia: Can I get a flat white and a bread, please?
- Barista: Sure. To have or takeaway?
- Nadia: To have here. Does the bread have nuts in it?
- Barista: It has . The muffin is nut-free.
- Nadia: Then I'll have the muffin .
- Barista: No . That's nine fifty. I'll bring it over.
- Nadia: Thanks!
C. Quick quiz: circle the best answer
'Takeaway' means…
a) you eat in the caféb) you take the food with youc) the food is free
How do you ask for a suggestion?
a) What would you recommend?b) Can we have the bill?c) Is it takeaway?
Which is the most natural way to order?
a) I want coffee.b) Can I get a flat white, please?c) Give me coffee.
What do you ask to pay at the table?
a) Can we have the bill, please?b) How much is the bill?c) Where is the money?
Is tipping expected in Australia?
a) Yes, 20% alwaysb) No, it's optionalc) Only at cafés
D. My sentences
Finish these with your own details. Then write two more sentences you can use this week.
- Can I get a flat white, please?
- To have here, please.
- Does this have nuts in it?
Free lesson with audio: englishcoaching.au/learn-english/everyday-english/ordering-food-and-coffee/ · Free to use with your learners. Please keep the englishcoaching link on printed copies.
Answer key · Lesson 6: Ordering food and coffee
A. Key phrases
- Can I get a flat white, please?
- To have here or takeaway?
- What would you recommend?
- Does this have nuts in it?
- Could I have it without onion?
- Can we have the bill, please?
- Is it table service?
- That was delicious, thanks!
B. Conversation gaps
- can
- banana
- here
- banana
- walnuts
- instead
- worries
- –
C. Quiz
- b) you take the food with you
- a) What would you recommend?
- b) Can I get a flat white, please?
- a) Can we have the bill, please?
- b) No, it's optional
englishcoaching.au/learn-english/everyday-english/ordering-food-and-coffee/
Free to use with your learners. Please keep the englishcoaching link on printed copies.
Frequently asked questions
How do I teach ordering food and coffee to adult English learners?
Start with a warm-up question, present the 8 key phrases with the recorded audio, play the conversation line by line, let learners role-play it with their own details, and finish with the quiz. The teacher notes on this page give timings for a 60-minute class.
What level is this lesson?
Starter level, about CEFR A1. It is lesson 6 of 42 in our free Everyday English course, so you can follow the course week by week or pick the topics your learners need.
Do learners need an account?
No. Learners can do the same lesson at home for free, with no sign-up, at /learn-english/everyday-english/ordering-food-and-coffee/. Their progress is saved only on their own device.
Can I print the worksheet?
Yes. Press 'Print the worksheet' to print it or save it as a PDF on A4 paper. It has the key phrases and the conversation with gaps, the quiz, space for learners' own sentences and an answer key on a separate page.
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