English speaking lesson · Food & Drink
Booking a table
You're phoning a restaurant to book a table. A friendly host has picked up. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A phone call to a restaurant · you talk to the restaurant host
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Book a table for the day, time and number of people you want, and confirm it under your name. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Good afternoon, Bella Vista — how can I help you?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the restaurant host.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Say why you're calling
Say hello, and say you'd like to book a table.
“Hello! I'd like to book a table, please.”
- 02
Give the day and time
Say what day and time you'd like.
“Friday evening at seven, please.”
- 03
Say how many people
Say how many people are coming.
“Four people, please.”
- 04
Check the booking
Check the booking is right, and give the name for it.
“Yes, that's right. The name is Smith.”
- 05
Finish the call
Ask anything you still need to, and finish the call politely.
“That's everything — thanks very much!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the restaurant host.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- table
- where you sit to eat in a restaurant
- “I'd like to book a table.”
- book
- to reserve something in advance
- “Can I book a table?”
- evening
- the later part of the day
- “Friday evening, please.”
- seven
- the number 7 — used for times
- “At seven, please.”
- people
- more than one person
- “Four people, please.”
- four
- the number 4
- “There are four of us.”
- name
- what you are called
- “The name is Smith.”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “A table, please.”
- yes
- used to agree or confirm
- “Yes, that's right.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks very much!”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- reservation
- a table booked in advance
- “I'd like to make a reservation.”
- available
- free to be booked
- “Is Friday available?”
- party
- the group of people eating together
- “A party of four.”
- around
- at about that time
- “Around seven, if possible.”
- outside
- not indoors
- “Could we sit outside?”
- under
- in the name of — 'booked under'
- “It's under Smith.”
- confirm
- to make sure something is settled
- “Could you confirm that?”
- everything
- all of it — 'is that everything?'
- “That's everything, thanks.”
- possible
- able to happen — 'if possible'
- “Seven, if possible.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers for that!”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- availability
- whether something is free to book
- “Do you have any availability Friday?”
- slot
- a specific time set aside
- “Is there a later slot?”
- seating
- where and how guests are sat
- “Is there outdoor seating?”
- accommodate
- to make room for
- “Could you accommodate six?”
- preference
- something you'd rather have
- “No strong preference, really.”
- flexible
- able to change easily
- “We're fairly flexible on time.”
- occasion
- a special event being celebrated
- “It's for a birthday occasion.”
- altogether
- in total, counting everyone
- “Six of us altogether.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “Great, that's sorted.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- squeeze
- to fit someone in when it's tight
- “Could you squeeze us in?”
- sitting
- one scheduled group of diners
- “Is there a later sitting?”
- tucked
- placed somewhere quiet or out of the way
- “Somewhere tucked away, ideally.”
- leeway
- a bit of flexibility
- “We've got some leeway on time.”
- headcount
- the final number of people
- “The headcount might shift slightly.”
- pencil
- to note something down loosely
- “Could you pencil us in?”
- milestone
- an important occasion worth marking
- “It's a bit of a milestone birthday.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged, thank you.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, much appreciated.”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “Perfect, we're sorted.”
More Food & Drink lessons
- Coffee shop order
- At the bakery
- Food market stall
- Order at a restaurant
- Dietary requirements
- Splitting the bill
- At the bar
- Ordering a takeaway
- Room service