Information

• Nowadays most British people have a 'continental-type' breakfast:

cereal and/or fruit juice

tea or coffee with toast, bread, or a roll

butter and marmalade (orange jam) If you are in a guest house, hotel, or living with a host family, you will be offered the choice of a continental breakfast or a 'full English' breakfast. This includes the continental breakfast PLUS:

fried bacon

fried, boiled, or scrambled egg

fried mushrooms

fried tomatoes

fried sausages

• Sometimes the full English breakfast is called a 'cooked breakfast'. If you are in a hotel, you may also be offered kippers. (Scottish smoked herring)

• If you are living with a host family/they may ask you on your first night what kind of breakfast you would like.

When you arrive for breakfast

Good morning, did you sleep well?

Yes thank you, very well.

You do ot need to say more. The question means, 'Was everything alright: in your room.' You do NOT ask your host if he/she slept well!

What would you like?

Decide what you would like for breakfast from this list: cornflakes — muesli — grapefruit — orange juice — tea — white coffee — black coffee — milk — white bread —

brown bread — toast — rolls —

butter — marmalade — a boiled egg —

a fried egg — bacon — scrambled egg — fried mushrooms — sausages — fried tomatoes — a kipper —

If you expect cheese at breakfast, you may have

Questions

How do you like your coffee?

Black/white, please.

Do you cake milk in your tea?

Yes please/No thank you.

Do not use Yes or No alone in your answer. They can sound aggressive. You will hear people say Please on its own to mean Yes please.

to ask for it specially.

Would you like an egg? Yes please/No thank you.

Are you sure you wouldn't like one? .

Yes, quite sure. I'm afraid I'm not very keen on eggs.

Invitation to dinner:

Information

• If you are invited to "dinner\ expect a three- course meal.

• If you are invited for 'a little supper', expect something lighter.

• 7 for 7.30", means drinks at 7 and meal ac 7.30.

Arriving

Hello. Nice to see you. Come on in.

Hello. How are you?

I*ve brought you a small

present/a few flowers/

some chocolates.

That's very kind of you.

You shouldn't have

bothered.

It is not normal co reply

to this last remark.

Starting the meal

Would you like to come through/to the table now. I think everything's ready. Thank you. Oh, this looks lovely.

There is no phrase in English to translate Bon appetit!: Guten appetitl: Que aproveche! and so on. In fact, your British host may use your language — if (s)he knows it!

During the meal

It is polite to make a comment while you are eating. This is lovely /very nice/

absolutely delicious.

Thank you. I'm glad

you like it. Would you

like some more?

Oh thank you. Just a little then, please

No, it really is lovely, but I don*t think I could manage any more,

thank you.

Coffee? —

Coffee?

Black, please. —

White for me, please. After the meal

Thank you.:

That was very nice.

That was really lovely.

That was lovely. I really

enjoyed it.

Thanking

At the door:

Well, thank you again.