Lily asks
What is a dish from your area that everyone should try?
How to build your answer
Opinion: four moves, about a minute.
- 1Your viewAnswer straight away. “Honestly, I think…”
- 2One reasonYour main reason, not five.
- 3An exampleFrom your own life.
- 4The other sideShow you see it. “That said…”
Lily's answer, three ways
The same story, from easy to advanced. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Easy
Lily's voice note
Fish and chips! I know it's a bit obvious, but you have to try it properly, by the sea. My parents' town isn't far from the coast, and there's a little shop there that's been open forever. The fish is so fresh, and the chips are big and soft. You eat them out of the paper with lots of salt and vinegar, sitting on the wall by the beach. Watch out for the seagulls, though! They'll steal your chips. It's simple, but it's the best.
Phrases to borrow
have to try something
/hæv tə ˈtraɪ ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
must try something because it's very good
You have to try the cake in this café.
watch out for something
/wɒtʃ ˈaʊt fə ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
be careful of something
Watch out for the ice on the path.
Natural
Lily's voice note
I'd say fish and chips, but properly, by the sea. My parents live near the coast, and there's a little shop there that's been open forever. When I go home for the weekend, it's the first thing I'm dying for. The fish is really fresh and the chips are big and soft. You get them in paper, with loads of salt and vinegar, and eat them on the wall by the beach. If you visit England, don't bother with the touristy places in London. Go to the coast and make a day of it. Just keep an eye on the seagulls.
Phrases to borrow
be dying for something
/ˈbiː ˈdaɪɪŋ fə ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
want something very much
I'm dying for a cup of tea, can we stop somewhere?
don't bother with something
/dəʊnt ˈbɒðə wɪð ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
don't spend time or effort on something
Don't bother with the museum, it's closed on Mondays.
make a day of it
/meɪk ə ˈdeɪ əv ɪt/
spend the whole day doing something and enjoy it
The beach is two hours away, so we might as well make a day of it.
Advanced
Lily's voice note
Fish and chips, but it has to be by the sea. Trust me on this one. Near my parents' town there's a little chip shop on the seafront that's been open forever. Tiled walls, faded photos, the same family behind the counter for fifty years. Eating there feels like a piece of history. The fish is so fresh it falls apart, the chips are big and soft, and you drown the lot in salt and vinegar. Then you sit on the wall by the beach, eating out of the paper and fighting off the seagulls. It's cheap if you're on a budget, and it's worth the trip from anywhere.
Phrases to borrow
trust me
/trʌst miː/
believe what I'm saying, I know from experience
Trust me, you'll want a jacket later.
a piece of history
/ə ˈpiːs əv ˈhɪstəri/
something old that shows the past
This little train is a real piece of history.
on a budget
/ɒn ə ˈbʌdʒɪt/
with only a small amount of money to spend
We travelled round Europe on a budget.
worth the trip
/wɜːθ ðə ˈtrɪp/
good enough that it's worth travelling to get there
The café's a bit far out, but the cakes are worth the trip.
Your turn: answer Lily
What is a dish from your area that everyone should try?
Answer out loud, in your own words. Try one phrase you just borrowed.
Food & eating
be dying for something
want something very much
“I'm dying for a cup of tea, can we stop somewhere?”
heytardy