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Perfect Stranger Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary

Native-like or not 21 - stains, spilled, sauce and some other common things :)

Dear All Good Folks!

I've got a question. Can you have a look at the following description of a small incident (if I may call it so) that took place in my... shoulder bag! Can you help me make the description sound more native like? OK, here's what happened:

I went to have lunch in a Chinese restaurant. After I finished eating I asked the waitress to pack the remaining food into a box. I checked whethere the box was closed tightly and then put it in my shoulder bag. When I came home I realized that the sauce was leaking out (leaked out) of the box and to my horror I found the bottom of the bag all greasy and covered in the sauce. The dish spilled out of the box and left some stains on some documents I had in the bag.

PS. I'm particularly curious whether the highlighted words and expressions are appropriate.

Thanks a lot. Hats off to all of you who spend their time here.
  

Top answer

Can you help me make the description sound more native like? OK, here's what happened: I went to have lunch in a Chinese restaurant. After I finished eating I asked the waitress to pack the remaining food into a box.

— Clive

  • Can you help me make the description sound more native like?
  • OK, here's what happened: I went to have lunch in a Chinese restaurant.
  • After I finished eating I asked the waitress to pack the remaining food into a box.
  • I checked whethere the box was closed tightly and then put it in my shoulder bag.
  • When I came home I realized that the sauce was leaking out (leaked out) of the box and to my horror I found the bottom of the bag all greasy and covered in the sauce .
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7 Answers
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Can you help me make the description sound more native like? OK, here's what happened:

I went to have lunch in a Chinese restaurant. After I finished eating I asked the waitress to pack the remaining food into a box. I checked whethere the box was closed tightly and then put it in my shoulder bag. When I came home I realized that
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Thanks Clive. It looks like the only major difference is noticable in the final sentence. Would you please be so kind and tell me why the dish spilled out of the box and left some stains doesn't sound good enough?

Thanks!
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We don't use the word 'dish' a lot, except when talking about recipes and cooking, and meals that are typical of a country or region. The common word is 'food'. We also speak of 'meals'.

Let's assume your meal was sauce, chicken and noodles. When you speak of 'the food', I think mainly of the chicken and the noodles, not so
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CliveLet's assume your meal was sauce, chicken and noodles. When you speak of 'the food', I think mainly of the chicken and the noodles, not so much the sauce.
Did you mean food or dish Clive? I think your intention was to say dish here.

Thanks!
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CliveLet's assume your meal was sauce, chicken and noodles. When you speak of 'the food', I think mainly of the chicken and the noodles, not so much the sauce.
Did you mean food or dish Clive? I think your intention was to say dish here.

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No, I didn't mea
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A native might say (but not necessarily):

After I finished eating I asked the waitress for a doggie bag.
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Yes. But I read an article the other day that suggested the rather silly term 'doggie bag' has become much less common now.

Clive
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