At the Café

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A1Grammar in Context

At the Café

I can check what a café has and make a simple polite request.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Your situation

Customer: “Have you got any sandwiches?” Server: “Yes, we have some cheese sandwiches.” Customer: “Can I have a sandwich and some water, please?” Server: “Of course. Would you like some cake?” Customer: “No, thank you.”

Read the situation transcript

“Have you got any sandwiches?” “Yes, we have some cheese sandwiches.” “Can I have a sandwich and some water, please?” “Of course. Would you like some cake?” “No, thank you.”

Which question checks availability, and which one is a request?

Compare your idea

Have you got any sandwiches? checks availability. Can I have…? makes a request.

How it works

A server and customer exchanging a sandwich plate and a glass of water.
Can I have a sandwich?Picture context: the customer is requesting the single sandwich being served. Sandwich is countable.

Use any to ask a neutral question about available food: Have you got any sandwiches? A positive reply often uses some.

When ordering, use a/an for one countable item and some for an amount of water or other uncountable food. Offers and requests often contain some even though they are questions.

Have you got any…? Can I have a/an… and some…? Would you like some…?

Notice this

Have you got any sandwiches?

This checks availability.

Compare this

We have some cheese sandwiches.

This confirms an available quantity.

Hear the examples

Have you got any sandwiches?

This checks availability.

We have some cheese sandwiches.

This confirms an available quantity.

Can I have some water, please?

This requests a drink.

Would you like some cake?

This offers food.

One mistake worth avoiding

Instead of: Can I have an sandwich?

Say: Can I have a sandwich?

Use a before the consonant sound at the start of sandwich.

You say

Hear the prompt, answer aloud, then deliberately reveal or hear one possible model. Check it and retry with a changed detail.

Your turn 1

Check whether a café has sandwiches.

Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text

Have you got any sandwiches?

Check yourself: Use a neutral availability question.

Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.

Your turn 2

Order one item and a drink.

Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text

Can I have a sandwich and some water, please?

Check yourself: Use a for sandwich and some for water.

Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.

Your turn 3

Offer a customer cake.

Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text

Would you like some cake?

Check yourself: Some is natural in this offer.

Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.

A server and customer exchanging a sandwich plate and a glass of water.
Would you like some water?Picture context: the server offers the visible glass of water. Offers commonly use some.

Two guided self-checks

Say or write your answer before opening a model.

Self-check 1

Complete a negative reply: We haven’t got ___ soup.

Compare a model and explanation

We haven’t got any soup.

Any fits the ordinary negative.

Self-check 2

Ask politely for one apple.

Compare a model and explanation

Can I have an apple, please?

Use an before the vowel sound in apple.

Check your understanding

Choose one answer to each question, then check your answers. One of the ten questions is listening.

1. Neutral availability check: Have you got ___ sandwiches?

2. We have ___ soup today.

3. Can I have ___ sandwich, please?

4. Which sentence politely requests water?

5. Choose a natural offer.

6. Correct “We haven’t got a sandwiches.”

7. The server says “We don’t have any tea.” What does that mean?

8. What can the customer buy?

Read the listening transcript

We’ve got some cheese sandwiches, but we haven’t got any chicken sandwiches.

Opening this transcript makes this a reading-supported attempt.

9. Choose a correct request for one apple.

10. Why can a request contain some?

Automatic scoring needs JavaScript. Use the answer key after attempting all ten questions.

Answer key with explanations

  1. Neutral availability check: Have you got ___ sandwiches?

    any: Any works with the plural sandwiches.

  2. We have ___ soup today.

    some: Some fits soup as an uncountable food here.

  3. Can I have ___ sandwich, please?

    a: A fits one sandwich and its initial consonant sound.

  4. Which sentence politely requests water?

    Can I have some water, please?: Can I have…? is the request pattern.

  5. Choose a natural offer.

    Would you like some cake?: Some is natural in this offer.

  6. Correct “We haven’t got a sandwiches.”

    We haven’t got any sandwiches.: Use any with plural sandwiches in the ordinary negative.

  7. The server says “We don’t have any tea.” What does that mean?

    No tea is available.: Don’t have any expresses absence here.

  8. What can the customer buy?

    A cheese sandwich: The available food stated is cheese sandwiches; chicken sandwiches are unavailable.

  9. Choose a correct request for one apple.

    Can I have an apple?: Use an before the vowel sound in apple.

  10. Why can a request contain some?

    The speaker is asking for an amount, not applying a fixed any-in-all-questions rule.: Purpose matters: some is common in requests and offers.

Take it with you

I can check what a café has and make a simple polite request.

Try the companion lesson

Grammar Focus: Some and AnyExplore the Grammar catalogue