You will read the scene it happens in, take apart the pattern behind them ("should" for advice + tipping language), hear them in a conversation, rehearse them, and finish by saying one thing out loud to be graded.
Understanding American tipping — who to tip, how much, and why. Navigating the check, calculating the tip, and the language around paying. Setting: finishing dinner at a NYC restaurant.
Maria and James finish dinner at a small Italian restaurant in the West Village. The pasta was handmade. The server recommended the cacio e pepe, and it was perfect. The bill arrives: $78 before tax.
James looks at the check. "How much should we tip?"
Maria: "The service was really good — I usually tip 20 percent. So on $78, that's about $15.60. Let's just round up to $16."
James: "Should we leave cash or add it to the card?"
"Servers actually prefer cash tips — they get it right away. But adding it to the card is fine too."
James puts down a twenty. "The food was incredible and the server was amazing. Let's leave $20. That's more than 25 percent."
Maria smiles. "Now you're tipping like a New Yorker."