Eat vs Drink vs Take vs Chew in English

In many languages, one verb is used for everything we put in our mouth. In English, however, the verb changes depending on the food or the action. In this short video, you will learn how to fix four common mistakes. First, soup. Native speakers often say drink soup when they drink it from a cup, and eat soup when they use a spoon, so drink soup is a very natural choice for a cup or bowl you sip from. Second, medicine. We never say eat medicine in English. The correct verb is take, as in take medicine, take a pill or take your vitamins. Third, gum. You do not eat gum because you do not swallow it. Instead, you chew gum. Fourth, ice cream. You can eat ice cream with a spoon, but when you enjoy an ice cream cone, the natural verb is lick. These small differences make your English sound more precise and natural, and they help you avoid sentences that sound strange to native speakers. They are useful at restaurants, at the doctor and in daily conversations. Watch the video, notice the reactions and repeat the correct phrases. With practice, you will always choose the right verb for every situation.