Here’s the first in our series of “classroom language” blogs. And from the start we’ve decided to test the limits of the phrase “classroom language”.
As you all know, lessons are not the only way to learn. One of the best ways to practise English outside the classroom is having lunch with friends. In the Atlas café, or one of the many local restaurants, all you need is food, friends and, of course, good conversation.
So, here is some language that you can use to make arrangements to eat with your friends:
To suggest having lunch:“Let’s have lunch?”
“Let’s get together?”
“Feel like going out for lunch?”
To suggest the place or day:
“How about the Atlas café?”
“What about Thursday?”
If you have other plans:
“I can’t make it, I have class at 2”
If you don’t have other plans:
“Yes, that sounds good. I’m free at lunchtime.”
Okay, let’s put a few of them together in a short dialogue:
Fred, Paola and Setsuko are in class, just before the lesson begins (Atlas students always arrive at least 10 minutes before class starts). They’re checking their homework.
Fred: Let’s get together for lunch this week.
Paola: Great idea!
Setsuko: How about Thursday?
Fred: I can’t make it. I’ve class at 2.
Paola: What about Friday instead?
Fred: Sounds good.
Setsuko: Let’s go to that burger place in the city centre. They’ve a lunch deal for students.
Fred: Great, let’s do it!
Paola: Aww! I’m hungry already and it’s not even 9 o’clock!!!
Setsuko: Why don’t we all go to the Atlas café at break?
Paola: Of course, nothing better than a good chat with your coffee.
Fred: Maybe a few biccies too!
(The teacher arrives)
Teacher: Okay, today we’re going to talk about food.
Enjoy your lunch guys!
PS: If you would like to listen to a man making plans to have lunch with himself, follow this link:
PPS: Or if you are interested in making more formal arrangements, check out this link to some handy phrasal verbs:
http://esl.about.com/od/vocabularyreference/a/Phrasal-Verb-Making-Arrangements.htm