1. Watch the video Ordering Coffee at Starbucks and answer the questions.
a) What kind of coffee can you order?
b) Which questions may the barista ask you?
c) Which are the phrases you can use when ordering food?
2. Work in pairs. Imagine you are at Starbucks and you want to order some coffee. Perform the
conversation with your classmate; one of you plays the part of the barista, the other one plays the
part of the customer. Then exchange roles.
The barista may say: The customer may say:
What would you like? I´d like…
What can I get you? Can I get…?
What can I get for you today? I´d love…
Sure! Anything else for you? I´ll have…
Will that complete your order? Can I also get…?
Will that be it?
Is that to have here or to go? Here you are.
Is that for here or to take away? Here you go.
That´s (e.g. £ 12.50)
That´ll be (price) Thanks.
Your total is going to be (price)
Your total comes to… Can I pay by card?
Here´s your change. There you go.
Here´s your … change.
There you go. You too
Have a good day
3. Imagine that you are at a clothes shop and you want to buy an item of clothing. Exchange roles.
You can use some of the following phrases:
The shop assistant may say: The customer may say:
How can I help you? What size is this (item of clothing)?
(Size: small, medium, large, extra-
Can I help you? large)
What size do you need? I need a (size)
Will this one be OK for you? Do you have this (item of clothing) in
This is a small/medium/large/extra (size)?
large. Where can I try it on?
Will that be suitable for you? It´s alright.
The changing rooms are over there. It fits me / It suits me.
How is it? Thank you / Thanks for your help.
Anything else?
That´ll be (price)
Thank you.
Have a good day.
4. Imagine that you go to a restaurant. Perform a conversation with your classmate. One of you is
the customer, the other one is the waitress/waiter.
The barista may say: The customer may say:
Do you have a reservation? Yes, a table for (one, two, etc.)
Are you ready to order? I´d like…
What would you like? Can I have…?
What can I get you? I´d love sparkling water.
What can I get for you today? I´d like a bottle (glass) of wine.
Sure! Anything else for you? Can I have the bill, please?
What would you like to drink?
Still or sparkling? (water)
What would you like for dessert?
Here you are.
Thank you.
PAIR WORK: Here you have three different contexts of situation. Choose two of them and perform a
conversation with your classmate.
Situation 1: You meet a very good friend of yours after a long time. Arrange to meet later that week.
Situation 2: You invite your friend to the cinema to watch The Joker, but he or she declines the invitation.
Arrange to meet and do something anyway (either watch a film or something else)
In the
Situation 3: boxes below
You meet you
your haveafter
friend somea party
usefulthat
conversational
s/he couldn´troutines
go. S/hethat
asksyou
youcan use.the
about Remember
party and that
the
conversations have three different parts, so follow the sequence of acts to open, develop and close the
people who went to the party.
encounter.
☛‼ Remember to pay attention to the different parts of a conversation (opening-body-
closing) and the appropriate CRs for each of them. In order to decide which is the best CR to
use in each case pay close attention to the context of situation (type of interaction?,
participants?, etc.)
Opening Pre-closing
Hello …………………….. I´m heading off, I´ll see you soon…………………….
Good morning / afternoon / I´m off, see you…………………………………
evening………………. I´m going to make a move…………………………..
Good day (very Right, I´m off……………………….
formal)………………….. I´ve got to get going.……………………….
Informal greetings I must be going.……………………….
Hey………………………. What´s the time? Oh. I must be going………………….
Hi…………………………
Hiya…………………….. Closing
What´s up?.............................. Bye…………………………….
How is it going?........................... Bye-bye………………………..
How are you (doing)?....................... See you later…………………………
See you soon………………………..
I´m great and you?........................... Seeya…………………………….
I´m (pretty) good…………………….
(I) can´t complain……………………… Have a lovely day…………………….
I´m hanging in there, (AmE)…………. Take care / You take care.……………………….
Have a good/safe journey.……………………….
It was nice seeing you/ It was nice to meet you.………….
It was lovely meeting you / to meet you.………………….
Have a good one / Have a great day.……………………….
Talk to you later.……………………….
Catch you later (AmE)………………
PAIR WORK: Here you have three different contexts of situation. Choose two of them and
perform a conversation with your classmate.
Situation 1: You want to book a room in a hotel in London for two nights.
Situation 2: You don´t feel well. You call the doctor to make an appointment.
Situation 3: You call Vodafone customer service because you want to change you cell phone.
In the boxes below you have some useful conversational routines that you can use. Remember that
conversations have three different parts, so follow the sequence of acts to open, develop and close the
encounter.
How to answer the phone in an institutional
How to reply
conversation
Hello! …………………………..
Hello, this is (name) from (company)......................
Good morning / afternoon / evening…………….…..
(Your name) speaking. How can/may I help you?.....
May I speak to (name) please?................................
I´d like to speak to (name)
Eg: Hello! Cut price hair salon. Lucy speaking. How
please?..........................
may I help you?
Is (name) available?................................................
Could I ask who´s calling please?..............................
I´m calling to ask / discuss / book...
Could you tell me ...? ......................................
I´m sorry. (Name) is not here at the moment. Can I
take a message?..........................................
Could you please take a message? Please tell
him/her that ... ...........................................
I´m afraid he is not available at the moment. Can I
I’d like to leave him/her a message .......................
take your message?...........................................
Thank you very much for your help........................
I’ll give her/him you message as soon as
he/she gets
back. …………………………….
How do you spell that please? …………………….
Could you spell that for me please?........................
Let me see if I got it right…………………………
Would you mind speaking up a bit? I can´t hear you
very well…………………………..
I´m sorry I didn´t catch your surname…………………..
Thanks for calling / for your time…………………….
