Plate and Bread

I find it difficult to pronounce "plate".

Every Thursday, I go to a cafe to meet my friend for our conversation session. We study by reading excerpts from books and by talking to each other. While having our session, we order lunch and split a meal. That's why I need to ask cafe employee for an extra plate every time. But they almost always don't understand what I'm asking for. Finally, they try to give me "bread". :( When I emphasize "PLATE", it gets worse. :(( I didn't know how difficult to pronounce plate, and I hadn't noticed that I pronounced plate incorrectly until then.
I told my tutor about this episode and asked how to pronounce plate. She advised me to ask, "My friend and I want to split a meal. Could we please get an extra plate?" She told me many people in California are from different country, so sometimes people don't understand English. I should ask for a plate in context so that I can deliver my request. Then, they might understand.
Last Thursday, I asked a cafe employee in this way. But they still didn't understand. :(( I told my friend, and she laughed at me. I was really serious though. She told me, "it's too long. Just say, "An extra plate please."
I told my tutor that they still didn't understand. My tutor advised me to elongate the pronunciation of plate to, emphasize the letter "t." Pronounce it like "pleeyt". As well as bread is pronounced like "breed".
I'll try it next time.


plate (Pronunciation is ple'it )

bread (Pronunciation is bre'd )





 Today's Vocabulary
・ find it to difficult : ～するのは難しいと思う、～が困難である、～するのに困難を感じる
・ in context : 文脈内において、本文中に
・ deliver : verb / （伝言などを）伝える
・ elongate : verb / 長くする、延長する　(Pronunciation is ilɔ'ːŋgeit)