English Learning Content: Cooking & Kitchen
Dialogue
Alice: Hey Bob! What’s that smell? It’s… interesting. And a little smoky!
Bob: Oh, hi Alice! Don’t worry, it’s just me trying to bake cookies. My grandmother’s secret recipe!
Alice: Cookies? It smells more like a dragon sneezed in the oven. Are you sure you’re baking, not burning?
Bob: They’re a *special* kind of cookie. Very… crispy. I just took them out!
Alice: (Peers into the kitchen) Bob, are those supposed to be charcoal briquettes? They are very, very dark.
Bob: Well, the recipe said “bake until golden brown.” I thought, “More brown, more golden, right?”
Alice: “Golden brown” means light brown, not “black like my coffee without milk”! What did you use?
Bob: Flour, eggs, sugar… and then I needed “a pinch of salt.” I think I used a *handful*.
Alice: A handful of salt? For cookies? Bob, that’s a bold move. No wonder they look like rocks!
Bob: But it said “white powder”! Sugar is white, salt is white… same difference, right?
Alice: Bob, no! Sugar is sweet, salt is salty! You need a cooking lesson, my friend!
Bob: But I bought a new mixing bowl! And this cool whisk! They’re for cooking!
Alice: Equipment is good, but ingredients and instructions are key. Do you have any *real* sugar left?
Bob: Yes! And some chocolate chips. I didn’t get to use them. The cookies were too… robust.
Alice: Okay, let’s start over. I’ll help. And this time, no “handfuls” of mystery white powder!
Current Situation
Cooking and kitchens are central to our daily lives, whether we’re making a quick snack or preparing a fancy meal. Many people enjoy cooking as a hobby, using various kitchen tools like mixing bowls, whisks, and ovens to create delicious dishes. Recipes guide us, telling us what ingredients (like flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and chocolate chips) to use and how to combine them. However, it’s easy to make mistakes, especially for beginners – sometimes things get burnt, or the wrong ingredients are used, leading to funny (and sometimes inedible!) results. Learning to cook is a journey that often involves a lot of trial and error, but it’s a rewarding skill that brings people together.
Key Phrases
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What’s that smell?
Example: When I entered the bakery, I asked, “What’s that smell? It’s wonderful!”
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trying to bake (or cook)
Example: My son is trying to cook spaghetti for the first time.
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take out (from the oven/fridge)
Example: Please take out the pizza from the oven, it’s ready!
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a bold move
Example: Wearing mismatched socks to a fancy party was a bold move by Mark.
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same difference
Example: You say potato, I say potato; it’s the same difference, we both mean the vegetable.
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start over
Example: My drawing didn’t look right, so I decided to start over on a new page.
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ingredients
Example: The recipe lists all the ingredients we need for the cake: flour, sugar, eggs, and milk.
Grammar Points
1. The verb “to be” (Present Simple)
The verb “to be” is one of the most common verbs in English. We use it to talk about facts, descriptions, and states of being.
Forms:
- I am (I’m)
- You are (You’re)
- He/She/It is (He’s/She’s/It’s)
- We are (We’re)
- They are (They’re)
Examples from dialogue:
- “It’s… interesting.” (It is)
- “My grandmother’s secret recipe!” (It is my grandmother’s secret recipe.)
- “They are very, very dark.” (They’re)
- “Sugar is sweet, salt is salty!”
More examples:
- I am a student.
- She is happy.
- They are friends.
2. Present Continuous Tense (for actions happening now)
We use the Present Continuous tense to talk about actions that are happening at the moment of speaking or around now. The structure is “to be” (am/is/are) + verb-ing.
Examples from dialogue:
- “it’s just me trying to bake cookies.” (It is trying)
- “Are you sure you’re baking, not burning?” (Are you baking, are you burning)
More examples:
- I am reading a book. (happening now)
- She is watching TV. (happening now)
- They are playing soccer. (happening now)
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with “am”, “is”, or “are”
- My name ___ Alice.
- Bob ___ cooking in the kitchen.
- The cookies ___ very dark.
- I ___ hungry!
- You ___ a good friend.
Exercise 2: Match the Phrase to its Meaning
- 1. What’s that smell?
- 2. a bold move
- 3. start over
- 4. ingredients
A. all the food items needed for a recipe
B. to begin something again from the beginning
C. a courageous or risky action
D. asking about an odor
Exercise 3: Make sentences using the Present Continuous tense (verb + -ing)
Example: I / eat -> I am eating.
- She / bake a cake -> _______________________.
- They / clean the kitchen -> _______________________.
- I / look for sugar -> _______________________.
- He / mix the batter -> _______________________.
Answers
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with “am”, “is”, or “are”
- My name is Alice.
- Bob is cooking in the kitchen.
- The cookies are very dark.
- I am hungry!
- You are a good friend.
Exercise 2: Match the Phrase to its Meaning
- 1. What’s that smell? – D. asking about an odor
- 2. a bold move – C. a courageous or risky action
- 3. start over – B. to begin something again from the beginning
- 4. ingredients – A. all the food items needed for a recipe
Exercise 3: Make sentences using the Present Continuous tense (verb + -ing)
- She / bake a cake -> She is baking a cake.
- They / clean the kitchen -> They are cleaning the kitchen.
- I / look for sugar -> I am looking for sugar.
- He / mix the batter -> He is mixing the batter.
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