pasta

Everyday

1. Pasta is a food made from flour, water and sometimes egg, made into shapes like spaghetti, macaroni or penne and boiled before eating. tree →
2. A pasta can also mean a dish made with pasta, like a pasta bake. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday life: pasta is a popular family meal in English-speaking countries; it came from Italy. In science and health lessons it is a carbohydrate, giving energy. Safety in the kitchen: an adult should drain pasta, because boiling water and steam burn. In maths and crafts, dried pasta is used for counting and making pictures. Phrases: «a bowl of pasta», «pasta sauce», «pasta bake», «cook pasta», «dried pasta».

Examples

• We had pasta with tomato sauce for dinner. tree →
• Spaghetti and macaroni are kinds of pasta. tree →
• Pasta grows soft when you boil it. tree →
• Mum drained the pasta in the sink. tree →
• We counted dried pasta shapes in maths. tree →
• My favourite is cheesy pasta bake. tree →
• Pasta is a good source of energy. tree →
• The pasta stuck together because there was too little water. tree →

Note

Usually uncountable: «some pasta», «a bowl of pasta», not «a pasta» for one piece. Pronunciation: UK «PAS-ta», US often «PAH-sta». Pasta is not «spaghetti» in general; spaghetti is just one shape.