English course

Lesson 195 of 240

New here? This is lesson 195 of a free 240-lesson English course.

Start hereHow this works

Cooking at home in English

Tasha sends a voice memo from downtown. Ana is home on Larch Street with a pot, some pasta, and an empty kitchen.

Tasha walks her through a simple pasta, one step at a time.

By the end, you'll give a recipe in order: first boil water, then add pasta, stir it, cook it until it's tender, and add a pinch of salt.

You'll also offer a taste when the food is ready.

By the end of this lesson

Follow a simple pasta recipe in steps, and offer someone a taste.

  • First, boil a pot of water.Start by heating water until it bubbles.
  • Then add the pasta.Next, put the pasta into the water.
  • Stir it every now and then.Stir it from time to time, not constantly.
  • Cook it until it's tender.Let it cook until it is soft enough.
  • Add a pinch of salt.Put in a very small amount of salt.
  • Want a taste?Would you like to try a little of this?

Scene — the kitchen is empty

Evening on Larch Street. Ana is in her second-floor kitchen with a pot, a box of pasta, and her phone on the counter.

Tasha's voice memo plays. The kitchen is empty. The Blue Plate is a few blocks away, but tonight Ana cooks at home.

Ana stands in her second-floor Larch Street kitchen with a pot, a blank pasta box, and her phone on the counter.

Learn — a simple pasta

Six short lines cover a simple pasta, from the first pot of water to a pinch of salt.

You'll also learn how to offer a taste when it is ready.

  1. Ana watches as water in the pot on the stove begins to bubble.

    First, boil a pot of water.

    Start by heating water until it bubbles.

    When to use it: Say this as the first step when you start a recipe.

    First marks the opening step, before Then and the rest.

  2. Ana tips dry pasta from the blank box into the bubbling pot.

    Then add the pasta.

    Next, put the pasta into the water.

    When to use it: Say this for the next step, right after the water boils.

    Then shows this step comes after the one before.

  3. Ana gives the pasta one casual stir while looking toward the window.

    Stir it every now and then.

    Stir it from time to time, not constantly.

    When to use it: Say this when they should stir sometimes, not all the time.

    Every now and then means sometimes, not a clock time.

    Say it: Now and then can link.

  4. Ana checks a strand of pasta for tenderness beside the simmering pot.

    Cook it until it's tender.

    Let it cook until it is soft enough.

    When to use it: Say this so they know when the pasta is ready to eat.

    It's is it is, said as one piece.

    Say it: Say it's as one short piece.

  5. Ana pinches a very small amount of salt into the pot.

    Add a pinch of salt.

    Put in a very small amount of salt.

    When to use it: Say this when you want only a very small amount of salt.

    A pinch is a tiny amount you hold between two fingers.

  6. Ana holds out a forkful of cooked pasta as if offering someone a taste.

    Want a taste?

    Would you like to try a little of this?

    When to use it: Offer this when the food is ready and you want someone to try it.

    You will hear wanna, but say Want a as two words.

    Say it: Want and a can link.

Story — she cooks alone

Watch Ana cook pasta in her empty kitchen. Tasha's voice memo gives each step.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Evening. Ana's phone is on speaker in her second-floor kitchen.
  2. AnaWalk me through that again.Explain that to me again, one step at a time.
  3. TashaI'll send a voice memo.I will send a spoken message, not typed.
  4. The memo starts. Ana sets the phone on the counter.
  5. TashaSo. First, boil a pot of water.Start by heating water until it bubbles.
  6. AnaGot it.I understand.
  7. TashaThen add the pasta. All of it.Next, put the pasta into the water.
  8. AnaThen add the pasta. Okay.Next, put the pasta into the water.
  9. TashaStir it every now and then. You know, not the whole time.Stir it from time to time, not constantly.
  10. AnaStir it every now and then. I will.She will stir the pasta sometimes.
  11. TashaCook it until it's tender.Let it cook until it is soft enough.
  12. Steam rises from the pot. Ana leans in.
  13. AnaCook it until it's tender. I'm watching it.Let it cook until it is soft enough.
  14. TashaAdd a pinch of salt.Put in a very small amount of salt.
  15. AnaAdd a pinch of salt. Done.Put in a very small amount of salt.
  16. She tastes a noodle. The kitchen is still empty.
  17. AnaWant a taste? Nobody here. I just wanted to say it.She offers some food as practice, even though she is alone.

Practice — first, then, until

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, build a line, and put the steps in order.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Stir it every now and then.

  3. What do you say?

    The pasta is ready on your fork. The kitchen is empty, but you offer anyway.

  4. Swap the word

    You want only the tiny amount you can hold between two fingers.

    Add a ____ of salt.

  5. Build the line

    Next, put the pasta into the water.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    The pasta is in the boiling water. You want it soft enough to eat.

    ____ it until it's tender.

  7. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    First, boil a pot of water.

    Start by heating water until it bubbles.

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    Tasha's first memo was too fast. You still need the pasta steps.

  9. True or false?

    This line means you stir at a clock time, like six.

  10. Put the chat in order

    1. TashaWhat comes first?
    2. Ana…
    3. Tasha…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  11. Fill the gap

    I will send a spoken message, not typed

    I'll send a ____ memo.

Say it — say the steps

Now you're Ana in your kitchen, following Tasha's voice memo. 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. TashaOkay, start from the top.Begin the recipe from the first step.
  2. Ana (you)Start with the water. Heat it until it bubbles.

    First, boil a pot of water.

    Start by heating water until it bubbles.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
First, boil a pot of water.Start by heating water until it bubbles.
Then add the pasta.Next, put the pasta into the water.
Stir it every now and then.Stir it from time to time, not constantly.
Cook it until it's tender.Let it cook until it is soft enough.
Add a pinch of salt.Put in a very small amount of salt.
Want a taste?Would you like to try a little of this?
Next: lesson 196How I'm feeling

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these recipe steps handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the pasta steps ready for your own kitchen.

Open Yak Cards