Shop
run a shop
My neighbor is the manager of a shoe shop in London. He's been running it for 5 years.
the shop sells (newspapers)
WH Smiths is a really good shop. It sells a wide range of magazines.
go (down) to the shops
We'll need to go (down) to the shops today - we've got no food in the house.
the shop opens/closes (at 9)
The shop opens at Sam, but it's closed for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30.
leave the shop
I always check my change before I leave the shop.
work in a shop
My girlfriend works in a shoe shop in the Gyle shopping center.
break into a shop
Thieves broke into the shop last night and stole a number of DVD recorders.
a pet shop
We went to three pet shops before we found a cat that we both liked.
a small shop
Today it's difficult for small shops to compete against the big supermarkets.
a local shop
I got him a computer game from the local toy shop.
a souvenir shop
Like many souvenir shops, it was full of cheap gifts.
a charity shop
I get most of my clothes from charity shops. They're cheaper there.
a coffee shop
Coffee shops are opening up everywhere. There's a Starbucks on nearly every corner!
steal (a tie) from a shop
The security guard caught him trying to steal two pairs of trousers from the shop.
buy (it) in a shop
My wife bought the most expensive dress in the shop!
take (it) back to the shop
If there's something wrong with the clock, take it back to the shop.
wander around the shops
I love wandering around the shops at the weekend.
be available in the shops
There are many different types of MP3 players available in the shops.
Notes
Note these expressions:
-
The shop was out of milk. (It had none left.)
-
My flat is handy for the shops. (It's near the shops.)
-
The shop is open 24 hours a day.
-
The shops are always busier at the weekend.
Note these expressions with 'shopping':
-
Shopping is one of my favorite pastimes.
-
We're going shopping after work. Do you want to come along?
-
You can do your shopping from home using the internet
-
Late-night shopping is becoming very popular.
-
I've got to do some last-minute shopping for Christmas presents.
-
Have you tried internet shopping?
Supermarket
need something from the supermarket
Do you need anything from the supermarket? I'm just going down there.
shop at the supermarket
I usually shop at the local supermarket.
open a new supermarket
There are plans to open another new supermarket in our area!
stop at the supermarket
Can we stop at the supermarket on the way home?
stack shelves at the supermarket
I've got a job stacking shelves at a supermarket.
Notes
In a supermarket, you put things into a trolley or a basket.
You pay at the checkout.
Customer
deal with a difficult customer
I'd call the manager. He's used to dealing with difficult customers.
attract new customers
Supermarkets are cutting prices to attract new customers.
a regular customer
Mrs. Wilson is one of our regular customers. She's been coming here for years.
a satisfied/dissatisfied customer
There are always hundreds of satisfied customers for every dissatisfied one.
serve customers
You must always be polite when you are serving the customers.
treat customers (well / badly)
You'll never keep your customers if you treat them badly.
Meat
cook meat
We cooked the meat in the oven for 2 hours. That's what the recipe said. But it's ruined!
eat meat
I don't eat meat now. I've been a vegetarian for two years.
fry meat
Fry the meat in a little oil, before adding the vegetables and spices.
meat goes off
This meat smells as if it has gone off. I think I'll need to throw it out.
slice meat
Could you slice the meat thinly, and put it on the plates?
chop meat into (pieces)
Chop the meat into small cubes with a sharp knife, then fry gently for about 5 minutes.
tough meat
This meat's quite tough. I can't cut it!
frozen meat
You should always allow frozen me at to defrost overnight.
raw meat
The meat was hardly cooked at all. It was almost raw.
undercooked meat
Eating undercooked meat is a common cause of food poisoning.
tender meat
Cook the meat slowly until it is tender.
red meat
For health reasons, I'm eating less and less red meat these days.
Note
Note these expressions:
-
The meat was cooked to perfection. It was delicious.
-
I always trim the fat off meat before cooking it
-
I had a large slice of roast beef in a sandwich for lunch today.
Chicken
chicken soup
My mother always gives us chicken soup when we're ill.
cut a chicken (into pieces)
Cut the chicken into pieces and mix them with the sauce.
chicken wings, legs, thighs, breasts
We usually buy chicken thighs. They're cheaper than chicken breasts.
rub a chicken with (oil/garlic)
Rub the chicken with garlic before putting it in the oven.
kill a chicken
I could never kill a chicken, then eat it. What about you?
roast a chicken
It only takes about 2 hours to roast a large chicken.
Fish
catch fish
My son caught two fish this morning. We're having them for dinner tonight.
grill fish
Grill the fish for 3 minutes on each side, or fry it for a few minutes in a little oil.
raw fish
I've only ever eaten raw fish once. It was in a sushi bar in Tokyo.
fish and chips
I'll have to stop eating fish and chips. I'm putting on too much weight!
oily fish
I eat oily fish such as mackerel once a week because it's good for my health.
(the kitchen) stinks of fish
The rubbish bin stinks of fish. Can you wash it out, please?
Oil
fry (the fish) in oil
Fry the strips of meat in a little sunflower oil until they turn brown.
heat the oil
Heat some oil in a large pan for a few minutes, then add the garlic and onion.
add oil to (the salad)
Add a little olive oil and fresh herbs to the pasta, then mix thoroughly before serving.
pour oil over (the meat)
Pour some oil over the chicken, then place it in the oven.
Egg
boil an egg
How long does it take to boil an egg?
fry an egg
I fried myself an egg and a couple of rashers of bacon.
a chicken lays eggs
I'd like to know how many eggs a chicken lays in a week.
scrambled eggs
We had scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast.
a dozen eggs
Can you get me half a dozen eggs, when you're at the supermarket?
a fried egg
Do you like the yolk in your fried eggs hard or runny?
a hard-boiled egg
Would you like your egg hard-boiled or soft-boiled!
Milk
pour milk (into a jug, cup)
I poured the milk from the carton into a jug and put it on the breakfast table.
take milk in (your tea)
Do you take milk in your tea?
milk comes from (cows)
Believe it or not, I was 8 before I learned that milk comes/came from cows!
heat milk
Can you heat the milk for the baby's bottle, please?
use up the milk
Someone's used up all the milk! What am I going to put on my cereal?
be allergic to milk
My son is allergic to cows' milk, so I have to buy goat's milk.
the milk smells off
This milk smells off. I'll open a new carton just to be safe.
a carton of milk
Milk came in bottles when I was a boy. It comes in cartons now.
low-fat milk
We've recently switched over to low-fat milk. It's much better for you.
warm milk
I usually have a cup of warm milk before bed. I find it helps me to sleep.
Cheese
low-fat cheese
Low-fat cheeses are becoming very popular with people who are trying to lose weight.
a chunk of cheese
I bought bread and a large chunk of cheese to have for lunch.
moldy cheese
We found a piece of moldy cheese at the bottom of the fridge.
soft cheese
I take soft cheeses to work because they are easy to spread on bread.
grated cheese
Grate the cheese, then sprinkle it over the mashed potatoes.
cut cheese
Could you cut me a piece of cheese, please?
Note
Note the expression:
-
She can't eat dairy products such as milk and cheese. She's allergic to them.
Vegetables
steam vegetables
I usually steam vegetables rather than boil them. They have more flavor that way.
grow vegetables
We grow all our own vegetables in our garden.
store vegetables
You need to store vegetables in a cool dry place.
overcook the vegetables
The meat was fine, but the vegetables were overcooked and tasteless.
fresh vegetables
All these vegetables are home-grown. They're fresh from the garden.
organically-grown vegetables
I prefer to buy organically-grown vegetables. I think they're safer to eat.
frozen vegetables
Fresh vegetables taste much better than frozen vegetables.
green vegetables
There are lots of vitamins in green vegetables.
Fruit
peel fruit
Some fruit, like oranges and bananas. has to be peeled before you can eat it.
wash fruit
Farmers spray fruit with a lot of chemicals these days, so it's a good idea to wash all fruit before you eat it.
fruit rots
We had to throw the oranges out. They had started to rot.
pick fruit
I had a temporary job picking fruit in Greece during the summer holidays.
citrus fruit
You get a lot of vitamin C from citrus fruits like oranges and limes.
fresh fruit
I try to eat at least three pieces of fresh fruit every day.
dried fruit
I carried a packet of dried fruit and nuts to give me energy on the walk.
ripe /unripe fruit
Leave the fruit until it's ripe. It'll taste better if you wait until it's ready.
I think this milk smells off.
Mrs. Orwell is one of our regular customers.
The meat was cooked to perfection. It was very tender.
Heat the oil gently, then add the vegetables and fry for a few minutes.
Do you take milk in your coffee?
We get lots of fresh vegetables from our garden.
I got a job stacking shelves at the local supermarket.
We've had frozen burgers every day this week! We haven't had fresh meat for ages.
One of my favorite meals is fish and chips.
Make sure you peel the fruit before you eat it.
Fry the meat in a little oil.
The supermarket has reduced all prices by 10% to attract new customers.
I'd like a liter of milk and a kilo of cheese.
Can you tell me how long it takes to boil an egg!
I grated some cheese over the vegetables.
I'd rather shop at my local corner shop than go to a supermarket.
The new games console will be available in the shops from Monday.
Could you chop the meat into pieces?
My son is allergic to cows' milk.
I love wandering around the shops at the weekend.