Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about clothes, fashion, and shopping.
Example: She bought a new _____ to wear to the party. (dress / shelf / basket)
Answer: She bought a new dress to wear to the party.
Clothes, Fashion and Shopping
Do you enjoy shopping for clothes? Whether you love following the latest fashion or just need something comfortable to wear every day, knowing the right vocabulary for clothes and shopping is very useful. In this lesson, you will learn the most important English words and phrases for talking about what people wear, describing styles, and shopping in a store.
Imagine this situation: Sarah and her friend Tom are going shopping in town. They want to buy some new clothes for the summer. They visit a big department store and look at different items. Sarah tries on a dress, and Tom looks for a pair of jeans. They ask a shop assistant for help and pay at the checkout.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to talk about clothes, describe what people are wearing, and use common shopping expressions in English.
Key Vocabulary and Meaning Breakdown
1. Types of Clothes and Accessories
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| jacket | noun — a short coat that you wear over other clothes | He wore a blue jacket to the party. | wear a jacket, leather jacket, denim jacket |
| coat | noun — a long, warm piece of clothing you wear outside in cold weather | She put on her coat before going outside. | put on a coat, winter coat, thick coat |
| shirt | noun — a light piece of clothing with a collar and buttons, worn on the top half of the body | He wore a white shirt and a tie to the interview. | button-up shirt, wear a shirt, checked shirt |
| blouse | noun — a light shirt, usually worn by women | She bought a pretty pink blouse at the market. | silk blouse, wear a blouse |
| T-shirt | noun — a simple, casual top with short sleeves and no collar | I love wearing a comfortable T-shirt on weekends. | plain T-shirt, printed T-shirt |
| trousers | noun (plural) — a piece of clothing that covers both legs (British English; American English: pants) | He bought a pair of black trousers for work. | a pair of trousers, smart trousers, wear trousers |
| jeans | noun (plural) — trousers made from denim, very popular and casual | She always wears jeans and trainers at the weekend. | a pair of jeans, skinny jeans, wear jeans |
| skirt | noun — a piece of clothing for women and girls that hangs from the waist | She wore a long skirt to the dinner. | short skirt, long skirt, floral skirt |
| dress | noun — a one-piece garment for women that covers the top and bottom of the body | Sarah tried on a beautiful red dress at the shop. | wear a dress, summer dress, try on a dress |
| suit | noun — a matching jacket and trousers (or skirt) worn on formal occasions | He wore a dark suit to the business meeting. | wear a suit, business suit, formal suit |
| jumper | noun — a warm piece of knitted clothing that you pull over your head (also called a sweater) | It was cold outside, so she put on a thick jumper. | woolly jumper, wear a jumper; also: sweater in American English |
| hoodie | noun — a casual, warm top with a hood at the back | He wore a grey hoodie to the gym. | wear a hoodie, zip-up hoodie |
| shorts | noun (plural) — short trousers that end above the knee, worn in warm weather or for sport | He put on shorts because the weather was very hot. | a pair of shorts, wear shorts, sports shorts |
| scarf | noun — a long piece of fabric worn around the neck to keep warm | She wrapped a warm scarf around her neck in winter. | wear a scarf, woolly scarf, wrap a scarf |
| hat | noun — something you wear on your head | He wore a hat to protect his head from the sun. | wear a hat, sun hat, baseball cap |
| gloves | noun (plural) — coverings for your hands, usually worn in cold weather | She wore gloves because it was freezing outside. | a pair of gloves, leather gloves, wear gloves |
| belt | noun — a strip of leather or fabric worn around the waist to hold up trousers or as decoration | He wore a brown leather belt with his jeans. | wear a belt, leather belt, fasten a belt |
| socks | noun (plural) — soft coverings for your feet, worn inside shoes | I always wear warm socks in winter. | a pair of socks, cotton socks, wear socks |
| shoes | noun (plural) — coverings for your feet, usually made of leather or rubber | She bought a new pair of black shoes for work. | a pair of shoes, wear shoes, high-heeled shoes |
| trainers | noun (plural) — comfortable sports shoes (also called sneakers in American English) | He wore his trainers to go running in the park. | a pair of trainers, wear trainers; also: sneakers |
| boots | noun (plural) — strong shoes that cover the ankle and sometimes part of the leg | She wore warm boots when it snowed. | a pair of boots, ankle boots, walking boots |
| bag | noun — a container made of cloth, leather, or plastic used to carry things | She put her purse and keys in her bag. | carry a bag, handbag, shopping bag |
2. Describing Clothes: Style, Fit and Appearance
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| casual | adjective — relaxed and informal, not for work or special occasions | She likes wearing casual clothes at home. | casual clothes, casual style, dress casually |
| smart | adjective — clean, tidy, and well-dressed; suitable for formal occasions | You need to wear something smart for the interview. | smart clothes, look smart, smart casual |
| comfortable | adjective — not tight or painful to wear; makes you feel good | These shoes are very comfortable — I can walk all day. | comfortable shoes, feel comfortable, comfortable clothes |
| tight | adjective — fits very closely to the body; the opposite of loose | These jeans are too tight — I need a bigger size. | too tight, tight fit, tight jeans |
| loose | adjective — not tight; fits with extra space around the body | He prefers loose T-shirts because they are more comfortable. | loose-fitting, too loose, a loose shirt |
| striped | adjective — having lines of colour on the fabric | She wore a striped blue and white top. | striped shirt, black and white striped |
| checked | adjective — having a pattern of squares in different colours | He wore a checked shirt to the barbecue. | checked shirt, checked pattern |
| plain | adjective — one single colour with no pattern or design | She chose a plain white blouse for the meeting. | plain colour, plain T-shirt, plain style |
| fashionable | adjective — popular and stylish at the present time | Those sunglasses are very fashionable this summer. | fashionable clothes, look fashionable, very fashionable |
| old-fashioned | adjective — not modern; popular in the past but not now | My grandmother's coat looks a bit old-fashioned now. | look old-fashioned, old-fashioned style |
| size | noun — how big or small something is (S, M, L, XL, or a number) | What size do you take in trousers? | what size?, size small/medium/large, take a size |
| fit | verb — to be the right size for someone | These shoes fit perfectly — they are not too tight or too loose. | fit well, fit perfectly, fit someone |
| material / fabric | noun — the type of cloth that clothes are made from | Is this shirt made of cotton or a synthetic material? | made of cotton/wool/silk/leather, soft material |
| cotton | noun / adjective — a common, soft, natural fabric | I prefer cotton T-shirts because they are soft and cool. | 100% cotton, cotton shirt, pure cotton |
| leather | noun / adjective — a strong material made from animal skin, used for shoes, bags, and jackets | She bought a beautiful leather handbag. | leather jacket, leather shoes, real leather |
3. Shopping for Clothes: Actions and Places
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| shop / store | noun — a place where you can buy things (shop = British English; store = common in both) | There is a great clothes shop in the town centre. | clothes shop, department store, go to the shop |
| department store | noun — a large shop with different sections for clothes, food, electronics, etc. | They went to the department store to buy new winter clothes. | visit a department store, shop at a department store |
| changing room | noun — a small room in a shop where you can try on clothes | She took the dress into the changing room to try it on. | go to the changing room, use the changing room |
| try on | phrasal verb — to put on a piece of clothing to see if it fits and looks good | Can I try on these trousers, please? | try on a dress/shirt/shoes, try something on |
| shop assistant | noun — a person who works in a shop and helps customers | The shop assistant helped her find the right size. | talk to a shop assistant, helpful shop assistant |
| customer | noun — a person who buys something in a shop | The shop was very busy and there were many customers. | regular customer, serve a customer |
| price | noun — the amount of money you pay for something | What is the price of this jacket? | the price of, full price, price tag, at a good price |
| receipt | noun — a piece of paper that shows what you bought and how much you paid | Keep your receipt in case you want to return the item. | get a receipt, keep a receipt, ask for a receipt |
| sale | noun — a time when a shop sells things at lower prices than usual | She bought two dresses in the sale for half price. | in the sale, on sale, summer sale, end-of-season sale |
| discount | noun — a reduction in the price of something | Students get a 10% discount in this shop. | get a discount, offer a discount, student discount |
| refund | noun — money that is given back to you when you return something to a shop | He got a full refund because the shoes were the wrong size. | get a refund, ask for a refund, give a refund |
| exchange | verb / noun — to give something back to a shop and get a different item instead | She exchanged the blue dress for the same one in red. | exchange something for something, exchange a product |
| checkout | noun — the place in a shop where you pay for your items | There was a long queue at the checkout. | go to the checkout, queue at the checkout, pay at the checkout |
| queue | noun / verb — a line of people waiting their turn (British English; American English: line) | They had to queue for ten minutes at the checkout. | stand in a queue, join a queue, long queue |
| pay by card / cash | phrase — to use a credit or debit card / paper money to pay for something | Do you pay by card or cash? | pay by card, pay in cash, contactless payment |
| window shopping | noun — looking at things in shop windows without buying anything | We had no money, so we just went window shopping. | go window shopping, do some window shopping |
Collocations and Useful Expressions
Collocations are words that naturally go together in English. Learning these word pairs will help you sound more natural when you talk about clothes and shopping.
wear + clothes
She wears casual clothes at the weekend.
We use wear to talk about having clothes on your body. We do NOT say "use clothes".
put on + clothes
He put on his coat before going outside.
We use put on to talk about the action of getting dressed.
take off + clothes
She took off her boots when she came inside.
We use take off as the opposite of put on.
try on + clothes
Can I try on this dress, please?
We use try on in a shop when we want to see if something fits.
get dressed
She got dressed quickly and left the house.
This means to put all your clothes on in the morning.
go shopping
We went shopping for new winter clothes last Saturday.
A very common phrase for visiting shops to buy things.
do some shopping
I need to do some shopping — I have nothing to wear!
Similar to go shopping, used naturally in conversation.
in fashion / out of fashion
Wide-leg trousers are in fashion again this year.
Those old trainers are completely out of fashion now.
Use these phrases to talk about what is stylish or no longer popular.
a pair of + trousers / jeans / shoes / socks / gloves / shorts
She bought a new pair of jeans and a pair of boots.
Items with two parts always use a pair of in English.
What size do you take?
"What size do you take in shoes?" "I take a size 38."
A very useful question when shopping for clothes or shoes.
suit + someone
That colour really suits you!
We say a colour or style suits someone when it looks good on them.
match + something
Her shoes match her bag perfectly.
We say two items match when they look good together because they have the same colour or style.
Important Differences and Confusing Words
Wear, Put On, or Get Dressed?
These three expressions are about clothes, but they are used in different situations.
| Word / Phrase | When to Use It | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wear | To describe having clothes on your body (a state, not an action) | She always wears blue on Mondays. |
| put on | To describe the action of putting a piece of clothing onto your body | He put on his jacket and went outside. |
| get dressed | To describe the whole process of putting all your clothes on | I get dressed at 7 o'clock every morning. |
Suit vs. Match vs. Fit
These three words are often confused by learners.
Suit — means a style or colour looks attractive on a particular person.
That red dress really suits you. You look great!
Match — means two or more items go well together because they have the same or similar colours or styles.
His tie matches his shirt — they are both light blue.
Fit — means a piece of clothing is the correct size for your body.
These trousers don't fit me — they are too small.
Sale vs. On Sale
In the sale — means items are being sold at a reduced price for a limited time.
I bought this coat in the sale — it was 50% cheaper!
On sale — in British English, this usually means something is available to buy or being sold at a reduced price. Be careful: in American English, on sale always means at a reduced price.
These trainers are on sale this week — only £30!
Shop vs. Store vs. Market
Shop — a general word in British English for a place where you buy things. Usually smaller.
There is a small clothes shop near my house.
Store — often used for larger shops. Department store is a very common collocation.
She works at a big department store in the city centre.
Market — an outdoor area where people sell things from stalls, often at lower prices.
He bought a cheap scarf from the market.
Common Mistakes
❌ She uses jeans every day.
✅ She wears jeans every day. — Use wear, not use, when talking about clothes on your body.
❌ I want to try the dress.
✅ I want to try on the dress. — You must use the phrasal verb try on when talking about testing clothes in a shop.
❌ These shoes don't suit me — they are too small.
✅ These shoes don't fit me — they are too small. — Use fit to talk about size, and suit to talk about appearance.
❌ I bought a jeans yesterday.
✅ I bought a pair of jeans yesterday. — Jeans is always plural. We use a pair of jeans, never a jeans.
❌ He wore a same jacket as me.
✅ He wore the same jacket as me. — Always use the before same, not a.
❌ She putted on her coat and left.
✅ She put on her coat and left. — The past tense of put is put (irregular verb), not putted.
❌ That colour matches you very well.
✅ That colour suits you very well. — We say a colour or style suits a person, not matches a person. Match is used to compare two objects with each other.
❌ Can I exchange this dress to a bigger size?
✅ Can I exchange this dress for a bigger size? — We use exchange something for something, not exchange something to something.
Clothes, Fashion and Shopping: Quick Summary and Review
Well done! Here is a quick summary of the most important things you learned in this lesson about clothes, fashion and shopping.
- There are many different types of clothes, from everyday items like jeans, T-shirts, and jumpers to smarter items like suits, dresses, and blouses.
- Use wear to describe clothes on your body, put on for the action of dressing, and get dressed for the whole process.
- Items with two parts — trousers, jeans, shoes, socks, gloves — always need a pair of.
- Use fit to talk about size, suit to say something looks good on a person, and match to say two items go well together.
- Key shopping vocabulary includes: changing room, try on, shop assistant, checkout, receipt, sale, discount, and refund.
- Common collocations include: go shopping, in the sale, pay by card, a pair of jeans, and window shopping.
- Remember the difference between a shop, a department store, and a market.
Now practise your clothes, fashion and shopping vocabulary in the exercises below.
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