Mastering Advanced English: Ordering at McDonald's

Introduction

Welcome back, lovely students, to English with Lucy! A few weeks ago, I created a video about ordering coffee using advanced C1 and C2 English. If you thought that was the pinnacle of complexity, wait until you see today's lesson. I wondered if I could take this concept to the next level by focusing on ordering at McDonald's using super advanced English. The result is a fun and educational experience packed with sophisticated vocabulary and grammar structures. As always, there's a free PDF accompanying this lesson, which provides additional details on C1 English, including grammar and vocabulary. You can download it by clicking the link in the description box. Now, let's dive in!

Background or Problem Statement

Context

In our previous lesson, we explored ordering coffee in advanced English, and today, we're taking this concept to McDonald's. While no one typically orders this way at a fast-food restaurant, using this context allows us to practice advanced language structures in a fun and engaging manner.

Problem

Many students struggle with using advanced English in everyday situations. This lesson aims to address that by providing practical examples and exercises to help you incorporate sophisticated vocabulary and grammar into your daily interactions.

Main Content

Level 1: Basic Order

Can I have a cheeseburger, medium fries, and a large coke, please?

This is a straightforward order using simple modal verbs like "can," "could," or "may." In the UK, we say "fries" instead of "chips" when ordering at McDonald's, and we often abbreviate "Coca-Cola" to "coke."

Level 2: Intermediate Order

What I'd love is a well-done cheeseburger with a finely sliced, perfectly melted piece of cheese, and a dab of ketchup. Freshly made, lightly salted fries, and a large coke with two cubes of almost defrosted ice, please.

This order introduces cleft sentences (e.g., "What I'd love is") to emphasize certain parts of the sentence. It also uses compound adjectives like "well-done" and "finely sliced." Notice the use of semi-colons to separate items in the list, especially when one item already contains a comma.

Level 3: Advanced Order

If I may, I would like to ask for a well-done burger topped with a piece of cheese that is on the point of melting, a hint of gherkin, and just a dollop of ketchup. I've also got a craving for some gently salted fries with a golden hue. Though under no circumstances should they be burnt, and nothing would quench my thirst more than a coke with crushed ice.

This order uses polite structures like "If I may" and advanced grammatical constructs such as "on the point of" and inversion (e.g., "under no circumstances should they be burnt"). Vocabulary highlights include "hint," "gherkin," "craving," "hue," and "quench."

Level 4: Highly Advanced Order

Might I request a burger constructed of a char-grilled patty, a sliver of cheese that is more sharp than pungent, a gherkin with a bit of a bite, and a dab of ketchup. That should be served in a lightly toasted bun with a smattering of sesame seeds. I've also got a hankering for a generous serving of fries, which should be nicely crispy. In fact, so crispy should they be that I would like to hear a delicate crunch as I bite into each one. I'll top all of that off with an ice-cold glass of coke.

This order includes the polite request "Might I request" and an advanced comparative structure "more sharp than pungent." It also uses inversion for emphasis (e.g., "so crispy should they be"). Key vocabulary includes "char-grilled," "patty," "smattering," "hankering," and "crunch."

Level 5: Expert Order

Were it not for my intense craving, I wouldn't be so specific. However, I would adore a cheeseburger made from meat that has been tenderized by hand before being fried. On top of that, I would like some tart cheese, a smidgen of mustard, a trace of ketchup, and a perfectly round slice of gherkin. All of that should be in a bun encrusted with sesame seeds. On the side, I'd like some fries, which are to have been cooked to a perfect crisp and dusted with salt. Finally, I'm going to abstain from drinking anything as I don't want to ruin my taste buds.

This order starts with a conditional sentence using inversion (e.g., "Were it not for"). It also features a perfect passive infinitive structure (e.g., "which are to have been cooked"). Vocabulary highlights include "tart," "smidgen," "encrusted," "dust," and "abstain."

Actionable Advice

• Step 1: Practice using cleft sentences to emphasize different parts of your sentences.
• Step 2: Experiment with compound adjectives and advanced comparative structures in your writing and speaking.
• Step 3: Try using inversion for emphasis in both written and spoken English.
• Step 4: Expand your vocabulary by incorporating new words and phrases into your daily interactions.

Summary

• Using advanced English structures can make your communication more nuanced and sophisticated.
• Cleft sentences, compound adjectives, and inversion are powerful tools for emphasizing different parts of your sentences.
• Expanding your vocabulary with words like "smidgen," "encrusted," and "abstain" can add depth to your language use.
• "Were it not for my intense craving, I wouldn't be so specific." - A practical example of using inversion in a conditional sentence.

Don't forget your homework! Write your go-to McDonald's order in the comments section using the most advanced English you can. Have fun with it, and don't worry about making mistakes. This is all about learning and practicing. Download the PDF for additional help, and check out my English programs for more in-depth learning. See you in the next lesson!