English vocabulary - Martin Hunt 2016

7 Clothes (2)

In this unit you will learn

✵ how to choose and buy clothes (at the shops)

✵ words for pattern/material/ style

✵ how to ask questions about/describe clothes

Basics

Note: It is a good idea to do Unit 6: Clothes (1) before you do this unit.

Do you know these words? Check in a dictionary and write the word in your language.

1 A [clothes shop/clothing store] sells clothes.

2 A [shoe shop/shoe store] sells shoes, boots, [trainers/ sneakers].

3 A department store sells all kinds of clothes and furniture; you can buy just about anything here (for example, Harrod’s in London).

4 A dry cleaner’s is a place where you get smart clothes (for example, a suit) cleaned.

5 A changing room is somewhere in the [shop/store] where you can try on clothes you want to buy.

6 Lingerie is clothes that women wear under their clothes - [knickers/panties], bra, etc.

7 Accessories are extras like belts, [handbags/purses], hats, etc.

8 [Jewellery/jewelry] includes earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings.

9 Cosmetics means make-up (for example, lipstick, eye shadow, mascara).

Test your basics

Cover the words above so you can’t see them. Then write the English word in the space provided.

1 You can try clothes on here. chafing room

2 This place sells shoes.

3 A place where you can buy [trousers/pants], skirts, dresses, etc.

4 This is a large shop where you can find just about anything.

5 This is where you can get smart clothes cleaned.

6 Earrings, necklace, bracelet, etc.

are all...

7 Extras like belts or [handbags/purses]

are...

8 Another word for make-up (lipstick, eye shadow, etc.)

9 [Knickers/panties], bra, etc. are all...

Extension

Describing clothes - adjectives

✵ Length: clothes (often for your legs) can be long or short (for example, skirts, dresses, and sometimes [trousers/pants].

✵ Size: clothes can also be big or small (for example, sweaters, shoes).

✵ Tightness: clothes can be tight, that is close to your skin or loose (for example, skirts, sweaters, trousers).

Pattern

✵ Clothes that have lines are striped, for example a blue and white striped shirt.

✵ Something that is flowery has flowers on it.

✵ Clothes can have [spots/polka dots] (noun), for example a blue tie with white [spots/polka dots].

✵ Don’t forget that clothes can come in many [colours/colors] - for example red, blue, green, black, white, brown; we use the word and if something has more than one [colour/color], for example a black and white dress.

Material

✵ Denim is used to make jeans.

✵ Wool comes from sheep and is often used for sweaters.

✵ Cotton is a very useful material. It is often used for shirts and many other clothes.

✵ Linen is a slightly rough material made from flax.

✵ Leather comes from the skin of animals, and is often used for shoes, jackets or bags.

✵ Silk is a very soft, fine, expensive material.

General

✵ If clothes are fashionable, they are modern and up to date; the opposite is unfashionable.

Smart clothes are in good condition. You often wear smart clothes for work, for example, a smart suit. Scruffy clothes are clothes that are dirty or in bad condition. Casual clothes are clothes you wear to relax, for example, jeans and a T- shirt. Casual is the opposite of smart.

Comfortable clothes are easy to wear, for example, jeans; the opposite is uncomfortable.

We can use the adjective beautiful to describe clothes, for example, a beautiful dress.

Clothes you have had for a short time are new; old clothes are clothes you’ve had for a long time.

Word order

Look at the table to see what order we normally put adjectives in:

Examples:

A horrible, blue, flowery shirt.

A fashionable, short, tight denim skirt.

A pair of striped trousers.

General adjectives and ’pair of...’

Be careful with the word order for pair of.

We normally put new/old before pair of: a new pair of brown leather shoes.

If we use a general adjective alone, we put it before; if we use more than one adjective, we often put it after. For example:

A nice pair of shoes.

A pair of nice, black leather shoes.

Questions and phrases

✵ Asking for a description

Note: If something suits you, you look good in it.

Questions    Response

How do I look?   You look great!

What do you think of...? It really suits you./

      They really suit you.

      It doesn’t suit you./

      They don’t suit you.

What’s/are your... like?  It’s/They’re long... made of...

✵ In a [shop/store]

Examples:

What’s your new dress like?   It’s long, blue and made from wool.

What do you think of these shoes?  They don’t suit you.

Have you got any black jeans?   Certainly.

I’m looking for a blue silk shirt.   Sorry, I’m afraid we [haven’t got/don’t have] any.

Can I try on this skirt?    Yes, of course.

How much are these shoes?   Fifty dollars.

Practice

Exercise 1 See if you can find twelve words in the word square.

(Clue: There are three types of material, eight adjectives and one verb that is also a type of clothing)

Exercise 2 Fill the gaps in each sentence with the words from the box below. Be careful, one of the words isn’t used.

1 These [trousers/pants] are too short; look, you can see my socks!

2 Where I live it’s very hot, so I wear a lot of clothes made from ... .

3 ’You look very ... .’ ’I have an important meeting at work today.’

4 That’s a really ... skirt. It suits you.

5 These shoes are quite ..., but they’re really comfortable.

6 My [favourite/favorite] dress is black with red ... .

7 These [trousers/pants] are so ..., I can’t walk.

8 His clothes are so ..., I think he still thinks it’s the 1950s.

9 When I was younger, I had this great ... jacket.

Exercise 3 Match a sentence or question in A with its reply in B.

► Exercise 4 (Recordings 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5) Pronunciation practice. Listen and repeat the words on the recording. Use the transcript at the back of the book to help you if necessary.

In use

Reading

Note: If something is in, it’s fashionable; if it’s out it’s unfashionable.

Below is a passage from a fashion magazine.

Reading 1 Look at the picture on the next page and put a ✓ next to the clothes the magazine believes are fashionable this year.

Ins and Outs - Fashion with Sally Neemac

Reading 2 Answer the questions about the passage in Reading 1.

1 What [colour/color] should you not wear this season?

You shouldn't wear white.

2 What are [trousers/pants] like this season?

3 What clothes should men wear?

4 What materials are fashionable?

5 Which kinds of skirts are fashionable this season?

6 Should I wear striped [trousers/pants] or flowery [trousers/ pants]?

7 What material was fashionable last year?

8 What should I wear on my feet? What should I not wear on my feet?

► Listening

You will hear three short conversations with Sally: one in a [clothes shop/clothing store], one in a shoe [shop/store], and one at home.

Listening 1 (Recording 7.6) Decide where each conversation is happening, and put the number of the conversation (1, 2, or 3) next to the clothes talked about. One item of clothing appears in two conversations; one item of clothing isn’t used.

Listening 2 Listen to the recording again and put the words in the box next to the correct clothes. Be careful. Some clothes have more than one word and one item of clothing is not used.

boots ...

dress wool, tight ...

jacket ...

jeans ...

suit ...

sweater ...

trainers ...

Now check your answers.

Recap

Here are the words we learned in this unit. Do you know them all? Write down the translations if you need to.

Shops and departments

[clothes shop/clothing store]

department store

changing room

[shoe shop/shoe store]

dry cleaner’s

Types of clothes and extras

lingerie

accessories

cosmetics

[jewellery/jewelry]

Length, size and tightness

long  short  big

small  tight  loose

Material

denim  wool  cotton

linen  leather  silk

Pattern

striped  flowery  [spots/polka dots]

General

fashionable unfashionable smart

scruffy  casual  comfortable

uncomfortable great  beautiful

new   old

Questions, phrases, and verbs

suit (someone)   How do I look?

What do you think of...? What is/are your... like?

I’m looking for a/some... I’d like a/some...

Can I try it/them on?  How much is/are?

What to do next

✵ Try to describe the clothes in your wardrobe - record yourself doing so.

✵ Look at magazine pictures and try to describe what people are wearing.

✵ Read a story in English and look carefully at descriptions of clothes; try to imagine those clothes in your head.

✵ Ask someone to describe their [favourite/favorite] clothes.

✵ Try describing clothes to a friend who must draw what you say - see how good the drawing is.

Why not try these units next?

✵ Body (1) and (2) • People and jobs • Shopping

Answer key for this unit

Test your basics

1 You can try clothes on here.

2 This place sells shoes.

3 A place where you can buy [trousers/pants], skirts, dresses, etc.

4 This is a large shop where you can find just about anything.

5 This is where you can get smart clothes cleaned.

6 Earrings, necklace, bracelet, etc. are all...

7 Extras like belts or [handbags/purses] are...

8 Another word for make-up (lipstick, eye shadow, etc.)

9 [Knickers/panties], bra, etc.

are all...

changing room

shoe [shop/store]

[clothes shop/ clothing store]

department store

dry cleaner’s

[jewellery/jewelry]

accessories

cosmetics

lingerie

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

1 These [trousers/pants] are too short-, look, you can see my socks!

2 Where I live it’s very hot, so I wear a lot of clothes made from cotton.

3 ’You look very smart.' ’I have an important meeting at work today.’

4 That’s a really nice skirt. It suits you.

5 These shoes are quite old, but they’re really comfortable.

6 My [favourite/favorite] dress is black with red [spots/polka dots].

7 These [trousers/pants] are so tight, I can’t walk.

8 His clothes are so unfashionable, I think he still thinks it’s the 1950s.

9 When I was younger, I had this great denim jacket.

(The adjective big is not used.)

Exercise 3

A

1 How do I look in these jeans?

2 What do you think of my new coat?

3 What’s your new dress like?

4 I’m looking for some smart [trousers/pants].

5 I’d like a new suit.

6 Can I try these [trousers/pants] on?

7 How much is this jacket?

B

b Oh, they really suit you.

f I really like it. How much was it?

а It’s blue and white striped and made of cotton.

d Certainly. I have a nice pair here.

g Of course. And do you need a tie to go with it?

d Certainly. The changing room is just over here.

e £60. Would you like to try it on?

Reading

Reading 1

Reading 2

1 You shouldn’t wear white.

2 Long and loose (like skirts).

3 Men should wear smart clothes, suits and ties.

4 Cotton and denim (for skirts); silk for dresses.

5 Long, loose skirts.

6 Striped [trousers/pants].

7 Leather was fashionable last year.

8 You should wear [trainers/sneakers]; you should not wear socks.

Listening

Listening 1

Listening 2

boots beautiful, brown, leather, £250

dress wool, tight

jacket X

jeans black

suit linen

sweater green, £15

trainers £60

(denim is not used.)