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Lesson 199 of 240

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Asking for a recommendation in English

Tasha is coming over this weekend. Ana wants good ideas for food and places, so she asks Dee at the Blue Plate.

Dee will not send her to the jukebox. She talks about pie. Danny talks about the truck.

By the end, you'll ask for a recommendation and give one. You'll also say when a place is not a good pick.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for and give recommendations for food and places.

  • Any places you'd recommend?Can you suggest a good place to go?
  • I'd recommend this place.I think you should try this one.
  • I wouldn't recommend that.I don't think that's a good choice.
  • It depends what you're in the mood for.The best pick changes with what you want.
  • If you go, try the pie.If you visit, order the pie.
  • A friend of mine liked it.Someone I know said it was good.

Scene — tasha is visiting

Ana sits at the counter with her phone out. Tasha is coming over this weekend, and Ana needs ideas.

Dee holds the coffee pot. Murray has two eggs and an unfinished coffee. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Danny steps in from the boulevard with a dish towel on his shoulder.

Ana checks her phone at the counter while Dee holds a coffee pot and Murray sits with eggs and a full coffee.

Learn — ask for a place

Six lines help you ask for a place and give a yes or a no.

You'll also hear a line about pie, and one about a friend's opinion.

  1. Ana leans forward at the counter and asks for a recommendation with her phone in hand.

    Any places you'd recommend?

    Can you suggest a good place to go?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want ideas for where to go.

    You'd is you would, so learn that contraction as one piece.

    Say it: The stress is on recommend.

  2. Dee gestures toward Ana's phone while explaining that the best choice depends on what Ana wants.

    I'd recommend this place.

    I think you should try this one.

    When to use it: Say this when you have a place you like.

    I'd is I would, so learn that contraction as one piece.

    Say it: I'd can sound short, with stress on recommend.

  3. Murray looks toward the pie case and lifts his fork in a recommending gesture beside his eggs and full coffee.

    I wouldn't recommend that.

    I don't think that's a good choice.

    When to use it: Say this when that choice is not a good one.

    Wouldn't is would not in one piece, and it warns them off.

    Say it: Keep the n in wouldn't so it is not would.

  4. Danny steps into the diner from the boulevard with a dish towel over his shoulder and his hands open as he weighs the options.

    It depends what you're in the mood for.

    The best pick changes with what you want.

    When to use it: Say this when the best choice changes with what they want.

    In the mood for means what you feel like having now.

    Say it: You're can sound short, like yer.

  5. Dee points toward a pie in the case as a friendly tip for Ana's visit.

    If you go, try the pie.

    If you visit, order the pie.

    When to use it: Use this to name one dish they should order there.

    If you go names the visit, then you name the food.

  6. Ana gestures toward the quiet jukebox by the door, and Dee gently waves off the idea.

    A friend of mine liked it.

    Someone I know said it was good.

    When to use it: Use this when someone you know already tried it.

    Liked is past tense, so the visit already happened.

    Say it: Liked ends with a t sound, not a d.

Story — dee names the pie

Watch Ana ask Dee for places to take Tasha. Dee talks about pie, not the jukebox.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Saturday morning at the Blue Plate. Ana has a list on her phone.
  2. DeeHi, hon. Planning Tasha's visit?She says hi and asks if Ana is planning Tasha's trip.
  3. AnaYes. Any places you'd recommend?She says yes, then asks for a good place to go.
  4. DeeIt depends what you're in the mood for.The best pick changes with what you want.
  5. Murray looks at the pie case. His coffee is still full.
  6. MurrayWell, I'd recommend this place.I think you should try this one.
  7. DeeIf you go, try the pie.If you visit, order the pie.
  8. AnaWhich places are worth seeing?Which places are good to visit.
  9. The door opens. Danny comes in from the boulevard.
  10. DannyA friend of mine liked it. Stop by the truck.Someone I know said it was good.
  11. AnaWhat about the jukebox by the door?She asks if the jukebox is a good stop.
  12. DeeI wouldn't recommend that, hon.I don't think that's a good choice.
  13. DannyThis is my favorite. Come by the boulevard.He likes his truck most of all.
  14. AnaOkay. Pie first, then the truck.She will start with pie, then go to the truck.
  15. DeeThere you go, sweetie.Dee agrees with that plan.

Practice — yes, no, or it depends

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

They stay small, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    Any places you'd recommend?Drop the Simple English here
    I'd recommend this place.Drop the Simple English here
    I wouldn't recommend that.Drop the Simple English here
    It depends what you're in the mood for.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

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

  3. What do you say?

    A guest asks where to eat. You like this diner.

  4. What does it mean?

    I wouldn't recommend that.

  5. Fill the gap

    The best pick changes with what you want.

    It depends what you're in the ____ for.

  6. Build the line

    If you visit, order the pie.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Danny says:

    Did anyone try the new sandwich?

    He wants to know if people liked his sandwich.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    Someone names a bad plan. Tell them it is not a good choice.

    I wouldn't ____ that.

  9. Fill the gap

    Which places are good to visit?

    Which places are ____ seeing?

  10. True or false?

    You say this about the one you like most of all.

Say it — ask dee yourself

Now you're Ana at the counter. Tasha is visiting, and you need ideas.

When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DeeTasha needs weekend ideas, hon.She wants help with plans for Tasha.
  2. Ana (you)Ask her for a good place to go.

    Any places you'd recommend?

    Can you suggest a good place to go?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
Any places you'd recommend?Can you suggest a good place to go?
I'd recommend this place.I think you should try this one.
I wouldn't recommend that.I don't think that's a good choice.
It depends what you're in the mood for.The best pick changes with what you want.
If you go, try the pie.If you visit, order the pie.
A friend of mine liked it.Someone I know said it was good.
Next: lesson 200Making the deadline

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