
New here? This is lesson 82 of a free 240-lesson English course.
Questions at the diner in English
Ana is at the Blue Plate with a menu in her hands. She wants eggs, but she has questions first.
What's in the dish? Does it come with toast? Is it spicy? These questions help you order with care.
Then the bill comes. Murray's pie is on it. You will say the total looks wrong, and you will ask Dee to look again.
"Could you check the total?" is a polite way to ask. Use it when the numbers look wrong.
By the end of this lesson
Ask what is in a dish, whether it comes with something, and fix the bill.
- What's in the ___?Please tell me the ingredients.
- Does it come with ___?Is this extra thing included?
- Is this dish spicy?Does this food have a hot taste?
- I think there's a mistake on the bill.The total looks wrong.
- We need a few more minutes.We are not ready to order yet.
- Could you check the total?Please look at the numbers again.
Scene — the menu waits
Same lunch hour on Larch Street. Ana sits at the counter with the menu. Dee holds the coffee pot and waits.
Murray sits on two stools with a slice of pie and a black coffee he has not finished. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Learn — questions before you order
Six short lines cover food questions and a bill that looks wrong.
You'll ask what is in a dish, if toast is included, and if the food is hot.

What's in the ___?
Please tell me the ingredients.
When to use it: Ask this to learn the things inside a dish.
What's is one piece. Put the dish name in the blank.
Say it: What's and in can link.

Does it come with ___?
Is this extra thing included?
When to use it: Ask this to see if an extra thing is already included.
Put the extra food in the blank, like toast.

Is this dish spicy?
Does this food have a hot taste?
When to use it: Ask this before you order if you do not want hot food.
Dish here means the food you might order.
Say it: The stress is on the first part of spicy.

I think there's a mistake on the bill.
The total looks wrong.
When to use it: Say this when the numbers on the bill look wrong.
There's is one piece. It means there is.
Say it: There's starts with a voiced th.

We need a few more minutes.
We are not ready to order yet.
When to use it: Say this when you are not ready to order yet.
Use this as one short line when you need time.

Could you check the total?
Please look at the numbers again.
When to use it: Ask this politely when you want someone to look at the numbers again.
Could you is the polite way to ask a person to do this.
Say it: Could you can link.
Story — toast and the bill
Watch Ana ask about the eggs and the bill. Dee keeps the answers short.
The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.
- Ana sits at the counter with the menu. Murray has a slice of pie and a black coffee he has not finished.
DeeReady to order, hon?She asks if they can say their food now.
AnaWe need a few more minutes.We are not ready to order yet.- Ana looks at the board.
AnaWhat's in the soup?Please tell me the ingredients.
DeeChicken, noodles, and a little pepper.She names the things inside the soup.
AnaIs this dish spicy?Does this food have a hot taste?
DeeJust a little, hon.The soup has a little hot taste.
AnaEggs over easy. Does it come with toast?She orders those eggs and asks if toast is included.
DeeOf course, hon. Some toast, please.She says yes, then asks the kitchen for toast.
AnaSo the toast walks in with the eggs?She takes come with as toast walking through the door.
DeeIt's on the plate, hon.She says the toast is just on the plate.- Later, Dee sets a paper slip on the counter.
AnaExcuse me. I think there's a mistake on the bill.She wants Dee's attention, then says the total looks wrong.
DeeWhat's wrong, hon?She asks what the problem is.
AnaCould you check the total?Please look at the numbers again.
MurrayWell, that pie is mine.He says the pie belongs to him.
DeeI'll take it off, sweetie.She will remove the pie from the bill.
Practice — ask, then check
Ten short tasks help you hear the questions and pick the right line.
You will also fill a gap, build a line, and match meanings.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
English
What's in the ___?Drop the Simple English hereDoes it come with ___?Drop the Simple English hereIs this dish spicy?Drop the Simple English hereI think there's a mistake on the bill.Drop the Simple English hereSimple English
What do you say?
What do you say?
You point at the soup. You want the list of things inside it.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
I think there's a mistake on the bill.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Is this extra thing included?
Does it ____ with ___?
Pick the reply
Dee says:
Pick the reply
Ready to order?
She asks if you can say your food now.
And you reply with:
Build the line
Build the line
Please look at the numbers again.
?
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You want fried eggs, cooked on both sides, still soft in the middle.
True or false?
True or false?
This line names a food on the menu.
Swap the word
Swap the word
You want cooked bread with your eggs.
Some ____, please.
Say it — your turn to ask
Now you're Ana at the diner counter. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on your device.
DeeReady to order, hon?She asks if you can say your food now.- Ana (you)Tell her you are not ready yet.

Tell her you are not ready yet.
We need a few more minutes.
We are not ready to order yet.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| English | Simple English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| What's in the ___? | Please tell me the ingredients. | |
| Does it come with ___? | Is this extra thing included? | |
| Is this dish spicy? | Does this food have a hot taste? | |
| I think there's a mistake on the bill. | The total looks wrong. | |
| We need a few more minutes. | We are not ready to order yet. | |
| Could you check the total? | Please look at the numbers again. |
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