3rd intermediate · Unit 4

What Do I Need to Buy?

Talk about groceries, quantities, prices, and the steps for making a dish.

Food vocabulary Quantities and prices Shopping conversations Recipe writing

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1. At the Supermarket

Recognize common food groups and ingredients you might add to a shopping list.

Fresh tomatoes at a vegetable market — SharonDawn · CC BY-SA 4.0

Vegetables

Carrots, onions, peppers, potatoes, and beans.

We need a few onions.

Fresh chicken for sale at a food market — ProjectManhattan · CC BY-SA 3.0

Meat

Beef, lamb, chicken, and sausage.

I’m buying a whole chicken.

A variety of grain and cereal products — Scott Bauer · Public domain

Bread and grains

Bread, rice, and cereal.

How much rice do we need?

Flour-based biscuits, a food made with flour — Nubuke Foundation · CC BY-SA 4.0

Other groceries

Flour and sugar are pantry ingredients.

There isn’t enough flour.

A bottle of olive oil used for cooking — margenauer · CC0

Oils and condiments

Corn oil, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

We have a little olive oil.

A cup of coffee with coffee beans — Zacharias Korsalka · Public domain

Drinks

Tea and coffee.

How much coffee is left?

Seafood

Salmon, shrimp, crab, and squid.

We bought a little seafood.

Fruit

Mangoes, pineapples, and grapes.

We have enough fruit for dessert.

2. Ask About Quantities and Prices

How many?

Use with count nouns you can count individually.

How many eggs do we need? A dozen.

How much?

Use with noncount nouns and when asking about a price.

How much rice do we need? How much is it?

Shopping amounts

Use a measure or container with the item.

a kilo of grapes · a carton of milk · a package of flour

Price and offers

Ask for the cost or understand a special offer.

How much are the oranges? They’re 8 riyals a kilo.

3. Choose the Right Quantity Word

A few

For a small number of count nouns.

a few carrots

A little

For a small amount of a noncount noun.

a little milk

Many / much

Many goes with count nouns; much goes with noncount nouns.

many eggs · much bread

A lot of / enough

Both can be used with count and noncount nouns.

a lot of apples · enough rice

4. Talk About What You Have

Something

Use in an affirmative sentence for an unspecified thing.

I need something for dessert.

Anything

Often use in questions and negative sentences.

We don’t have anything for breakfast.

Nothing

Means “not anything”; use it with an affirmative verb.

There is nothing in the fridge.

5. Put Recipe Steps in Order

Use sequence words to make instructions clear.

First

Start with the first action.

First, wash the vegetables.

Then

Say what happens next.

Then, cut them into small pieces.

After that

Add another step in the process.

After that, add a little olive oil.

Finally

Introduce the last step.

Finally, serve the salad.

6. Shopping Conversation

Ask for help

Try: “Do you need any help?” or “Could you tell me how much this costs?”

Give cooking advice

Ask: “How should I cook the chicken?” Suggest a method, then say which method you prefer.

7. Write a Recipe Note

Write to someone who is going shopping. Include ingredients and clear sequence words.

8. Check Your Understanding

Choose True or False, or select the best answer.

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