Understanding 19
Eating at a Restaurant
Listen to the following audio
Answer the following questions
Where did the friends go on Friday night?
What idiom described the pasta dish?
What did the narrator offer to do?
Sum up what happened as if you were explaining it to a friend.
Read the transcript if needed
“Last Friday night, my friends and I went to a new Italian restaurant downtown. The place was small but cozy, and the smell of garlic and fresh bread filled the air. The menu looked expensive, but the waiter recommended a pasta dish that was truly a steal, considering the portion size and flavor. While waiting for our food, I offered to pay for the drinks as a treat. When the meals arrived, everyone was impressed, and we ended up sharing bites from each other’s plates. The evening was full of laughter, stories, and satisfied smiles as we enjoyed delicious food at a price that felt like a bargain.”
How would you use the following expressions?
Idiom: A steal – We use this idiom when something is surprisingly cheap compared to its value.
Examples:
“The shoes were only $20 — they were a steal.”
“That pasta dish was a steal for the price.”
“Tickets for the concert were a steal.”
Phrasal Verb: Pay for – We use this phrasal verb when giving money for goods, services, or sometimes as a consequence.
Examples to use:
Present: “I usually pay for lunch on Fridays.”
Past: “She paid for the tickets yesterday.”
Continuous: “He is paying for the meal right now.”
Future: “They will pay for the repairs tomorrow.”

