Paying a café bill and checking the receipt
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
The café was busier than usual at lunch, and I was in a hurry. After a quick soup and a panini, I asked for the bill because my meeting started at one-thirty. The receipt broke everything down: soup 6.50, panini 7.80, water 2.00, service ten percent, and tax included. I checked the total twice—sixteen euros and ninety cents—then compared it with the card reader. The server politely explained the optional tip line and how the terminal rounds to the nearest cent. I added one euro, pressed confirm, and saved the receipt for expenses. A colleague called, asking whether I could join a call at two-fifteen. I said yes if the tram arrived by one-fifty. On the way out, I noticed a sign: “Lunch menu, twelve ninety, after twelve.” I laughed at the numbers, thanked the team, and walked faster toward the platform, counting the minutes left.⚡ Learning goals
- Ask for and settle a café bill clearly and politely.
- Verify line items, percentages, and rounding on a receipt.
- Confirm times and make quick schedule decisions.
✨ Key language
- Could I get the bill, please? “Could I get the bill, please?”
- It comes to sixteen ninety. “It comes to sixteen ninety.”
- Can you confirm the tip is optional? “Can you confirm the tip is optional?”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Percentages with amounts
Rule: Use numbers + percent to describe parts of a total.Examples: Service is ten percent.; We added five percent.; It shows twenty percent off.
Common pitfall + fix: Confusing percent and euros — Say ‘ten percent’, not ‘ten euros percent’.
Choose the best example of percentages with amounts.
Tip: Focus on meaning and the closest match.
Fill with the best answer: _____ added five percent.
Tip: Read the whole sentence.
2️⃣ Rounding and approximations
Rule: Round to the nearest cent or say about/roughly with totals.Examples: It rounds to sixteen ninety.; That’s about seventeen euros.; Roughly sixteen and a half.
Common pitfall + fix: Forgetting nearest unit — Say ‘nearest cent’ or ‘nearest euro’ to be clear.
Choose the best example of rounding and approximations.
Tip: Focus on meaning and the closest match.
Fill with the best answer: _____ about seventeen euros.
Tip: Read the whole sentence.
3️⃣ Present simple for routines
Rule: Use present simple to describe normal payment routines.Examples: We include tax.; They print the receipt.; He pays by card.
Common pitfall + fix: Mixing tenses — Keep present simple for routines, not past.
Choose the best example of present simple for routines.
Tip: Focus on meaning and the closest match.
Fill with the best answer: _____ print the receipt.
Tip: Read the whole sentence.
4️⃣ Time expressions with at/by
Rule: Use at for exact time; by for a latest time/deadline.Examples: My meeting starts at one-thirty.; I need to leave by one-fifty.; Be there by two.
Common pitfall + fix: Using at instead of by — Use ‘by’ for deadlines, not ‘at’.
Choose the best example of time expressions with at/by.
Tip: Focus on meaning and the closest match.
Fill with the best answer: _____ need to leave by one-fifty.
Tip: Read the whole sentence.
✍️ Vocabulary
receipt
Meaning: document showing what you paidSynonyms: bill, invoice, slip
Chunk/Idiom: keep the receipt
Example: keep the receipt.
Morphology: noun; plural receipts
Self-practice: Read the date and total.
tip
Meaning: extra money for serviceSynonyms: gratuity, service charge
Chunk/Idiom: leave a tip
Example: leave a tip.
Morphology: noun/verb
Self-practice: Decide the amount.
service charge
Meaning: fee added by a venueSynonyms: fee, surcharge
Chunk/Idiom: service charge included
Example: service charge included.
Morphology: noun
Self-practice: Check if it’s included.
total
Meaning: final amount to paySynonyms: sum, amount
Chunk/Idiom: the total due
Example: the total due.
Morphology: noun/adj.
Self-practice: Compare with the reader.
card reader
Meaning: device to take paymentSynonyms: terminal, POS
Chunk/Idiom: insert your card
Example: insert your card.
Morphology: noun
Self-practice: Follow the prompts.
round
Meaning: adjust to nearest unitSynonyms: approximate, adjust
Chunk/Idiom: round to the nearest cent
Example: round to the nearest cent.
Morphology: verb/adj.
Self-practice: Say ‘about’ for estimates.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
Please split the bill evenly.
It comes to sixteen ninety.
Add a one‑euro tip.
I have a meeting at two.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Which amount shows rounding?
Tip: Use ‘about/roughly’ for approximations.
Which phrase uses ‘by’ correctly?
Tip: Use ‘by’ for deadlines, not ‘at’.
Fill with the best answer:
Service is ___ percent.Tip: Use a number + percent.
Fill with the best answer:
Please ___ to the nearest cent.Tip: Use ’round’ as a verb.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
What is a ‘receipt’?
Tip: A receipt records items and totals.
Which device accepts cards?
Tip: Use a reader/terminal for cards.
Fill with the best answer:
The ___ shows all items and prices.Tip: It records purchases.
Fill with the best answer:
The ___ is the final amount.Tip: Total = final amount due.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Could I get the bill, please?B: Of course. It’s sixteen ninety, service included.
A: Great. I’ll add one euro as a tip.
Why this matters:
Checking numbers prevents overpaying or awkward mistakes. Clear time phrases help you leave on schedule. Knowing options lets you decide quickly at the counter.Verb & Adjective Pack:
confirm — “Can you confirm the tip is optional?”round — “Round it to the nearest euro.”
include — “Tax is included in the price.”
split — “Let’s split the bill.”
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: It ___ to sixteen ninety.
Tip: Use ‘comes to’ for totals.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: I arrive at one-fifty latest.
Tip: Use ‘by’ for a latest acceptable time.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Please round to the nearest cent.
Tip: Say the unit when you round.