I have eaten part of it

Originally Posted by Xinfu (Post 143547)

Situation:

1. Sitting at a table in a restaurant are my friend and I. We have ordered some food. My friend asks me to hand to him the bowl of rice nearer to me than to him. But 'I have eaten part of that bowl of rice', which fact is not known to my friend and it might not be hygienic to let him have it, though I don't mind sharing my food. So I have to tell my friend that he can't have the bowl of rice, but is it natural English to say 'I have eaten part of that bowl of rice'?
Yes, it is natural. You may say it this way: I have already put my fork (spoon, chop sticks) in the rice. Is that all right with you?

2. In the same situation, we have ordered a lot of food. After we have eaten our fill, there's still a lot of food left on the table. So if I want to persuade my friend to eat a dish of curry rice and tell him I have never eaten part of this dish of curry rice, is it natural English to say 'I have never eaten part of this dish of curry rice'?
Certainly. You may say: No one's touched the rice. Why don't you have some?