Unit 2 Use of English: Food vocabulary and grammar
Combine precise food descriptions, preposition patterns, and time-aware grammar.
Use of English requires meaning and grammar to work together. Food adjectives must fit the thing described: raw means uncooked, crispy describes a firm crunchy texture, juicy describes abundant juice, spicy describes hot spices, and popular describes something liked by many people. Prepositions form complete patterns: spread something on a surface, prepare something for yourself, once in a while, meals in a cuisine, and ingredients on top. For time grammar, use ever for a neutral experience question, never for no experience up to now, and yet for an expected event that has not happened. A duration needs the surrounding context: use the Present Perfect when it continues now and Past Simple when it ended.
Key terms
| Target | Question | Pattern or clue |
|---|---|---|
| Food adjective | What property is described? | raw fish; crispy bread; juicy fruit |
| Surface | Where is something placed? | spread butter on bread |
| Beneficiary | Who is it prepared for? | prepare it for myself |
| Frequency phrase | How often? | once in a while |
| Experience | Has it happened up to now? | Have you ever...? / have never... |
| Duration | Does it continue now? | has worked for years / worked for years, then left |
- 1Find the duration: For five years gives a length of time.
- 2Check the endpoint: Still works there means the situation continues now.
- 3Choose the form: Use the Present Perfect: has worked there for five years.
On marks the surface in spread butter on bread; for marks the person in prepare food for myself.
After filling a gap, verify meaning, word class, agreement, and time context together.
Rules
- 1Choose a food adjective from its exact meaning and the noun it describes.
- 2Learn the complete preparation pattern: spread + object + on + surface.
- 3Use for + person to show who benefits: prepare a meal for myself.
- 4Use in within the fixed phrase once in a while and for something found within cuisines.
- 5Use on top of for a surface position.
- 6Use ever in a neutral Present Perfect experience question, never for no experience up to now, and yet in a negative about an expected event.
- 7Do not choose a tense from for alone; decide whether the period continues now or ended.
- 8Use the Past Continuous for an action visibly in progress at a particular past moment.
Practice
5 easy · 5 medium · 5 hard
Up to 10 random questions per test