Can cooking really help you practice your English?

Yes, it certainly can!

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Learning English is similar to learning to cook. You start with an easy recipe; perfect that, before progressing to more complex recipes, just like learning a language “step by step”. In the beginning, the recipe may seem difficult and take a long time to understand. However, with practice, everything eventually falls into place!

Here are some ideas to help:

1) Using recipes

This helps your reading, especially as you follow the recipes and read the instructions many times, whilst making the food. This will also help you expand your knowledge & vocabulary, not only about ingredients, but also verbs like chop, mix, add etc.

2) Having dinner parties

Invite your classmates round for dinner! Make dishes from your country and share them with others.

3) Learn more about British culture

There are many dishes that are typically British, such as Roast dinners, Eton Mess, Toad in the hole, to name a few. There is a story behind every dish which forms part of the cultural heritage of this country.

4) Watching cookery programmes on T.V.

These are good for listening skills, like listening to conversations and learning new vocabulary, with or without subtitles.

Examples of these are:

• The Great British Bake Off (a competition for amateur bakers)
• Masterchef (a competition for professional chefs)
• Saturday Kitchen (interviews with chefs and celebrities with recipes and cooking on a Saturday morning)
• Eat Well For Less (a programme about how to eat healthily while spending less).

5) Shopping for ingredients

Learn about new products by visiting a market where you can practice your conversation skills. Or, visit the supermarket where you can go to various areas and speak to staff about particular products (e.g. fish).

Remember, “Practice makes perfect”