Kid: “Mom, what’s this food? It tastes really yummy!”
Mom: “Oh, I’m glad you like it! It’s called a ‘stir-fry with tofu and vegetables.’ What do you think about the taste?”
Kid: “It’s so yummy! I really like it!”
Mom: “That’s great to hear! You know, when you eat food, you can say different things to describe how it tastes. If it’s not very good, you can say it’s ‘not great’ or just ‘okay.’”
Kid: “So, if the food tastes bad, can I say it’s ‘yucky’?”
Mom: “Well, instead of saying it’s ‘yucky’ or ‘disgusting,’ you can use more polite words like ‘not my favorite’ or ‘it’s not what I expected.’ We don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
Kid: “But what if it tastes really bad, Mom? Like, what if I don’t like it at all?”
Mom: “That’s a good question. You can say something like ‘I’m not really fond of this,’ or ‘It’s not to my taste.’ But it’s important to be kind and not say it’s ‘disgusting’ or ‘horrible.’”
Kid: “Oh, so if someone gives me food, and I don’t like it, I shouldn’t say it’s bad?”
Mom: “Exactly. If someone gives you something to eat and you don’t like it, you don’t have to say it’s terrible. Instead, you can politely say, ‘Thank you for the food, but I’m not hungry right now.’ If you really don’t want to eat it, just be gentle with your words.”
Kid: “So, is that like lying?”
Mom: “No, sweetheart, it’s not lying. You can still say that you don’t like it, but it’s about how you say it. You can refuse politely without hurting someone’s feelings.”
Kid: “Okay, so I can say ‘I’m not really hungry,’ and that’s better than saying ‘I don’t like this’?”
Mom: “Yes, exactly! You can always express yourself politely. It’s about showing respect and being thoughtful to others’ feelings.”
Vocabulary List
Yummy [ˈjʌmi] (adjective) – Tasting delicious or good.
Example: “This cake is so yummy!”
Taste [teɪst] (noun) – The flavor of something when you eat or drink it.
Example: “I love the taste of chocolate.”
Okay [əʊˈkeɪ] (adjective) – Fine, acceptable, or not bad.
Example: “The soup is okay, but not great.”
Not my favorite [nɒt maɪ ˈfeɪvərɪt] (phrase) – A polite way to say that you don’t like something much.
Example: “This dish is not my favorite.”
Fond of [fɒnd əv] (phrase) – Liking something or someone.
Example: “I’m not really fond of spicy food.”
Polite [pəˈlaɪt] (adjective) – Showing good manners or respect for others.
Example: “It’s polite to say ‘thank you’ when someone gives you food.”
Gentle [ˈdʒɛntəl] (adjective) – Kind, soft, and not harsh.
Example: “Please be gentle when handling that vase.”
Grammar Tips:
- Use “not my favorite” to politely express that you don’t like something very much.
Example: “This food is not my favorite.” - Use “I’m not really fond of…” to politely say that you don’t like something.
Example: “I’m not really fond of seafood.” - Use “It’s not to my taste” to explain that you don’t like something.
Example: “This dish is not to my taste.” - Use “Thank you, but I’m not hungry right now” as a polite way to decline food.
Example: “Thank you, but I’m not hungry right now.”
FILL IN THE BLANK
Kid: "Mom, what’s this food? It tastes really !"
Mom: "Oh, I’m glad you like it! It’s called a ‘stir-fry with tofu and vegetables.’ What do you about the taste?"
Kid: "It’s so yummy! I really it!"
Mom: "That’s great to hear! You know, when you eat food, you can say different things to how it tastes."
Kid: "So, if the food tastes bad, can I say it’s ‘’?”
Mom: "Well, instead of saying it’s ‘yucky’ or ‘disgusting,’ you can use more words like ‘not my favorite’ or ‘it’s not what I expected.’"
Kid: "But what if it tastes really bad, Mom? Like, what if I don’t it at all?”
Mom: "That’s a good question. You can say something like ‘I’m not really of this,’ or ‘It’s not to my taste.’"
Kid: "Oh, so if someone gives me food, and I don’t like it, I shouldn’t say it’s ?"
Mom: "Exactly. If someone gives you something to eat and you don’t like it, you don’t have to say it’s terrible. Instead, you can politely say, ‘Thank you for the food, but I’m not right now.’"