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Lesson 140 of 240

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The usual in English

Ana is back at the Blue Plate after work. She knows her order now, and Dee knows it too.

Dee keeps a punch card for people who come a lot. Each visit gets a hole. The card is always one punch short.

Today you learn to ask for the usual, ask for a punch, and talk about the card.

You'll also say when you want something else instead.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for the usual, change the order, and talk about a punch card.

  • I'll have the usual.I'll have what I always order.
  • Same as yesterday, please.I want the same order as yesterday.
  • The punch card is one short.I still need one more punch on the card.
  • I'll have something else today.I want a different order today.
  • You get the same thing every day.You always order the same food.
  • Can you punch my card?Please make a hole in my card for this visit.

Scene — the card is short

Same corner diner on Larch Street. Ana sits at the counter after work. Dee already has a punch card in her apron.

Murray sits on two stools with eggs over easy and a black coffee he has not finished. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Ana settles at the counter after work as Dee tends the diner and Murray sits with eggs and unfinished coffee.

Learn — the usual and the punch card

Six lines cover the usual, a new order, and the punch card.

You'll ask Dee to punch the card, and you'll hear when it is one short.

  1. Ana raises a hand to place her regular order with Dee at the counter.

    I'll have the usual.

    I'll have what I always order.

    When to use it: Say this at a diner when you want the food you always get.

    I'll is a contraction, so learn it as one piece.

    Say it: The stress in usual is on the first part.

  2. Ana pauses and signals that she wants something different today.

    Same as yesterday, please.

    I want the same order as yesterday.

    When to use it: Say this when you want the same food as the day before.

    Please at the end makes this request polite.

  3. Dee offers Ana the fried eggs she usually orders, and Ana gestures toward them.

    The punch card is one short.

    I still need one more punch on the card.

    When to use it: Say this after you punch the card and a hole is still missing.

    One short means you still need one more punch.

  4. Ana settles on the familiar fried eggs as her order for today.

    I'll have something else today.

    I want a different order today.

    When to use it: Say this when you do not want your usual order today.

    Else here means a different order, not your usual.

  5. Dee gives Murray a playful look as he sits with his usual eggs and coffee.

    You get the same thing every day.

    You always order the same food.

    When to use it: Say this when someone always orders the same food.

    Every day means this happens on all days.

  6. Ana holds out her punch card as Dee presses a hole punch to it.

    Can you punch my card?

    Please make a hole in my card for this visit.

    When to use it: Ask this so the diner marks this visit on the card.

    Punch here means make a small hole in the card.

Story — one more punch

Watch Ana order at the counter. Dee punches the card, then frowns. Ana hears one short in the wrong way.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Late afternoon. Ana sits at the counter after her job. Murray has eggs and an unfinished coffee.
  2. AnaAfter work I go to the diner.When my job ends I walk to the Blue Plate.
  3. DeeThe usual, hon? Eggs over easy?She offers Ana the same fried eggs as always.
  4. AnaI'll have something else today.I want a different order today.
  5. DeeYou get the same thing every day.You always order the same food.
  6. AnaI'll have the usual. Same as yesterday, please.She wants her regular food, the same as yesterday.
  7. Ana holds out her punch card.
  8. AnaCan you punch my card?Please make a hole in my card for this visit.
  9. Dee punches the card. She frowns.
  10. DeeThe punch card is one short.I still need one more punch on the card.
  11. AnaIs the card too small? It looks short.She thinks short means the card is not big enough.
  12. DeeNo, hon. You still need one more punch.She says the card needs one more hole.
  13. MurrayWell, I often come here. Always one short.He comes here a lot and treats the short card as normal.

Practice — usual or something else

Eleven short exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay on the diner order and the punch card.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    The punch card is one short.

  3. What do you say?

    You already ordered. Dee is holding your diner card.

  4. Fill the gap

    I want the same order as yesterday.

    Same as ____, please.

  5. Build the line

    You always order the same food.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Pick the reply

    Dee says:

    We're out of your usual today.

    They do not have the food you always order.

    And you reply with:

  7. Swap the word

    Dee waits for your order. You want the food you always get.

    I'll have the ____.

  8. Match the pairs

    English

    Same as yesterday, please.Drop the Simple English here
    The punch card is one short.Drop the Simple English here
    I'll have something else today.Drop the Simple English here
    Can you punch my card?Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  9. Fill the gap

    I come to this place a lot.

    I ____ come here.

  10. True or false?

    This line names a juice drink.

  11. What do you say?

    A friend asks what you do when your job ends.

Say it — order at the counter

Now you're Ana at the Blue Plate after work. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DeeWhat can I get you, hon?She asks what food you want.
  2. Ana (you)You do not want your regular food.

    I'll have something else today.

    I want a different order today.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
I'll have the usual.I'll have what I always order.
Same as yesterday, please.I want the same order as yesterday.
The punch card is one short.I still need one more punch on the card.
I'll have something else today.I want a different order today.
You get the same thing every day.You always order the same food.
Can you punch my card?Please make a hole in my card for this visit.
Next: lesson 141Treating friends to dinner

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep the usual and the punch card handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the usual ready at the counter.

Open Yak Cards