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A Day in the Kitchen:Learn the English Imperatives Through Stories

Learn Grammar Through Interesting Stories - Imperatives


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Once upon a time, in a cosy kitchen, lived two friends, Emily and Tom.


A man and a woman looking at cookies.
Emily & Tom baking cookies.



Emily was a great cook, and Tom loved to learn new recipes.




One sunny afternoon, they decided to bake chocolate chip cookies together.






(Emily)

"Tom, let's start by preheating the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.


Can you do that?"


An oven preheating in kitchen
Preheat the oven


(Tom) "Sure!”


(Emily) “OK. While the oven is preheating, let's gather our ingredients. Can you pass me the flour, please?"



(Tom) "Here you go."


(Emily) "Thanks. Now, we need one cup of sugar. Can you measure it out?”


(Tom) "Of course! I'll use this measuring cup."


(Emily)

Now, let's add one teaspoon of baking soda. Can you find it in the cupboard?"



Adding salt to flour.
Add baking soda

(Tom) Here's the baking soda."


(Emily) "Excellent! Next, we need a pinch of salt.





Can you sprinkle some into the bowl?"


(Tom) "Sure! Just a pinch."






(Emily) "Perfect! Now, let's crack two eggs into the mixture. Can you do that without getting any shells in there?"


(Tom)"I'll try my best!"


(Emily) "Great job, Tom! Now, it's time for the most important part – the chocolate chips. Can you pour one cup of chocolate chips into the bowl?"



A hand pouring chocolate chips into a bowl
Adding chocolate chips

(Tom) "Absolutely! I love chocolate chips!"




(Emily) "Me too!

Now, let's mix everything together until it forms a dough.


Can you use this spatula?"


(Tom) "Sure! I'll mix it until it's nice and smooth."



After mixing the dough, Emily and Tom scooped it onto a baking sheet and placed it into the oven.

Cookie dough on a baking tray.
Baking tray with cookie dough



(Emily) "Now, we wait for about 10-12 minutes until the cookies turn golden brown. Can you set a timer?"


(Tom) "Got it! Timer set for 10 minutes."


As they waited for the cookies to bake, Emily and Tom chatted and laughed together, enjoying the sweet aroma filling the kitchen.


Finally, the timer beeped, and Emily took out the tray of delicious chocolate chip cookies from the oven.


A tray of baked chocolate chip cookies.
A tray of Emily & Tom's cookies


(Emily) "They look perfect! Let them cool for a few minutes before we dig in."


(Tom) "I can't wait to taste them! Thanks for teaching me how to bake cookies."


(Emily) "Anytime! Baking together is always fun."


And so, Emily and Tom enjoyed their freshly baked cookies, savouring each bite and cherishing their time spent together in the kitchen.



Grammar Point!

The English Imperative Form


(i) Giving Instructions / Making Request


How to form the Imperative Sentence:

(base verb ​ + object )


Example Sentence:

(a) Add a spoon of sugar.

(b) Eat the cookies.

(c) Can you pass me the salt?



(ii) Giving Instructions with 'let's:


How to form: (Let's + verb )​


Example Sentence:


(a) Let's eat now.

(b) Let’s go.


*By using 'Let's' the speaker is including herself. This makes the command sound more like a suggestion (more polite).



Vocabulary List:


(a) preheat =To heat an oven to a specific temperature before cooking.

(b) flour = Fine powder made by grinding grains, used in baking.

(c) cupboard = A cabinet or storage space for kitchen items.

(d) baking soda = A leavening agent used in baking to help dough rise.

(e) pinch= A very small amount, typically held between the thumb and forefinger.

(f) spatula = A kitchen tool with a flat, flexible blade used for mixing, spreading, or turning food.

(g) scoop = To lift or gather something with a utensil or hands.

(h) timer = A device used to measure and indicate the passage of a certain amount of time.

(i) aroma = A pleasant smell, especially from food cooking or baking.

(j) dig in =To start eating eagerly and enthusiastically.

(k) cherish =To hold something dear and treasure it.



Vocabulary Exercise:

Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary words from the list.


(a) Before baking cookies, it's important to __________ the oven to the right temperature.

(b) I __________ the time we spend together in the kitchen.

(c) Can you get the bag of __________ from the cupboard, please?

(d) Use a __________ to mix the ingredients in the bowl.

(e) Set a __________ for 15 minutes so we don't forget about the cookies in the oven.

(f) The __________ of freshly baked cookies filled the kitchen.

(g) It's time to __________ and enjoy these delicious treats!

(h) We need a __________ of salt for the recipe.



Writing Prompt:

Imagine you are Tom or Emily.

Write a short journal entry about your experience baking cookies together. Describe the process of preheating the oven, gathering ingredients, mixing the dough, and waiting for the cookies to bake.

Reflect on what you enjoyed most about the experience and how it felt to share it with your friend.



We hope you've enjoyed learning new vocabulary and the Imperatives through stories. Don't forget to use and practise using the common expressions in your daily life.



Thank you for reading & Happy Learning!


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