Gerunds and Infinitives

Start here. Learn when to use verb + -ing (gerunds) and when to use to + verb (infinitives) after common verbs. This grammar is essential for talking about food preferences and habits: “I enjoy cooking,” “I want to try sushi,” “She suggested ordering pizza.”

Breakfast Recipes

Listen to a father and daughter talk about breakfast choices and what appeals to each of them. You will hear gerunds and infinitives used naturally throughout, and pick up vocabulary for describing food preferences and morning routines.

Modals of Advice (should, ought to, might, could, had better)

Learn how to give and understand recommendations and suggestions using modals of advice. The grammar audio is built around food and dining situations, including suggesting a restaurant and advising someone on what to order.

Dinner Recipes

Listen to a father and daughter deal with a dinner gone wrong when dad attempts to follow a family pizza recipe without the full instructions. You will hear modals of advice woven into the natural family dialogue as the daughter tells her father what he should have done and what he ought to do next.

Baking Cookies

Listen to Randall and his daughter present a chocolate chip cookie recipe on a cooking show. You will hear modals of advice used naturally throughout as Randall walks through each step: what you should do, what you had better not forget, and what might go wrong if you do.

Snack Foods

Listen to two friends deal with a vending machine that swallowed their money and left their candy bar stuck inside. This entertaining conversation is full of informal expressions and natural back-and-forth dialogue, and gives you good practice following casual spoken English about an everyday frustration.

Cooking Tips

Listen to Randall, Aubrey, and Emily share practical cooking tips for preparing a range of foods. This interview-style conversation is packed with modals of advice and recommendation used naturally in fast, authentic speech.

Picnic Preparations

Listen to two friends plan a picnic, including deciding how much food to buy at the supermarket. You will hear quantities, food items, and casual advice-giving language used naturally throughout a fun and unpredictable conversation.

Barbecue Party

Listen to people talk about planning and attending a backyard barbecue. This conversation covers food preparation, outdoor entertaining vocabulary, and opinions about food and gatherings in informal, natural English.

Pizza Delivery

Listen to someone order pizza by phone. This practical conversation covers toppings, customizing an order, and the language of phone ordering, all essential skills for real-world dining situations.

Sushi Bar

Watch Randall visit a kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi restaurant and explain how it works, what types of sushi are available, and what his favorites are. Good preparation for the restaurant and food preference interviews that follow.

Hamburger Restaurant

A step up in difficulty. Listen to a conversation set at a fast-food restaurant and practice following faster, more complex speech. The activity also challenges you to think critically about food choices, nutrition, and value, key skills for the interviews ahead.

Dinner Meals

Watch Randall in his kitchen as he talks about what a typical family dinner looks like in the United States, including the variety of foods his family eats and why eating together matters. A great introduction to the culture discussions in the interviews ahead.

Would Like / Would Rather / Would Prefer

Learn how to express polite desires, preferences, and choices: “I’d like the salmon,” “I’d rather eat at home,” “I’d prefer something lighter.” These expressions come up constantly when talking about food and dining, and you will hear all three in the interviews ahead.

Eating Preferences

Listen to Aubrey and Randall discuss personal food preferences, eating habits, and how those change over time. You will hear would like, would rather, and gerunds used naturally in a wide-ranging conversation about what people like and want to eat.

Restaurant Recommendations

Wrap up the path by listening to Emily and Randall discuss what makes a restaurant worth recommending, including atmosphere, food quality, and price. A rich conversation for practicing the vocabulary and grammar of expressing opinions and giving suggestions about dining out.