Clothes in Common

Categorising clothes and accessories vocabulary

Without looking at the lists below, listen to your teacher slowly read out words that are all connected to each other in some way. As soon as you are sure what the connection is, put up your hand or shout out. You only get one chance and must get exactly the category that is written on the handout, even if other categories are possible, so don’t guess too soon.

Try to work out or remember the categories of the things below.

• hat, glasses, hair band, hair clip, cap, sunglasses, specs, spectacles, shades
• sunglasses, shorts, wide brimmed hat, T-shirt, sandals, flip flops, (straw) boater, handkerchief on your head, bikini, (swimming) trunks, swimming costume, Speedos
• socks, tights, stockings, shorts, trousers, jeans, sandals, flip flops, high heels, stilettos, slip on shoes, boots, trainers, sneakers, slippers
• belt, jacket, shoes, handbag, wallet, purse, watch strap
• handbag, skirt, purse, knickers, tights, stockings, high heels
• wallet, kilt
• bowler hat, kilt, pin striped suit
• jeans, cowboy boots, cowboy boots
• briefcase, suit, jacket, waistcoat, tie, three-piece suit, pin stripe, trouser suit
• scarf, woolly hat, gloves, mittens, vest, balaclava
• mac, wellies, wellington boots, umbrella, Macintosh, cape
• blazer, satchel, uniform, PE kit, cap, straw hat
• flat cap, scarf, waistcoat
• trainers, sports shoes, tennis shoes, tracksuit, sweatband
• nappy, diaper, romper suit, mittens, babygrow
• flares, tie die, flower power, beads

Compare with the suggested answers.

Are there any that you disagree with the classification of?

Can you find any pairs of words that mean the same? Are there any differences in their uses?

Are there any which you could add to these categories?

Can you think of any other ways of subcategorising clothes and accessories?

Test each other on the vocabulary:

• play the same shouting out categories game
• choose a category and help your partner name examples

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Suggested answers

• On your head and face – hat, glasses, hair band, hair clip, cap, sunglasses, specs, spectacles, shades
• Summer/ Hot weather – sunglasses, shorts, wide brimmed hat, T-shirt, sandals, flip flops, (straw) boater, handkerchief on your head, bikini, (swimming) trunks, swimming costume, Speedos
• On your legs and feet – socks, tights, stockings, shorts, trousers, jeans, sandals, flip flops, high heels, stilettos, slip on shoes, boots, trainers, sneakers, slippers
• Made from leather – belt, jacket, shoes, handbag, wallet, purse, watch strap
• Mainly women – handbag, skirt, purse, knickers, tights, stockings, high heels
• Mainly men – wallet, kilt
• Traditionally British – bowler hat, kilt, pin striped suit
• Traditionally American – jeans, cowboy boots, cowboy boots
• Business wear – briefcase, suit, jacket, waistcoat, tie, three-piece suit, pin stripe, trouser suit
• Winter/ Cold weather – scarf, woolly hat, gloves, mittens, vest, balaclava
• Rain – mac, wellies, wellington boots, umbrella, Macintosh, cape
• School – blazer, satchel, uniform, PE kit, cap, straw hat
• Old people – flat cap, scarf, waistcoat
• Sport/ Exercise – trainers, sports shoes, tennis shoes, tracksuit, sweatband
• Children – nappy, diaper, romper suit, mittens, babygrow
• The sixties – flares, tie die, flower power, beads

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Brainstorming stage

Without looking above, write as many related clothes, accessories etc as you can in each category below. Many things not above are also possible.

On your head and face

 

 

 

 

 

Summer/ Hot weather

 

 

 

 

 

On your legs and feet

 

 

 

 

 

Made from leather

 

 

 

 

 

Mainly women

 

 

 

 

 

Mainly men

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally British

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally American

 

 

 

 

Business wear

 

 

 

 

Winter/ Cold weather

 

 

 

 

Rain

 

 

 

 

School

 

 

 

 

Old people

 

 

 

 

Sport/ Exercise

 

 

 

 

Children

 

 

 

 

The sixties

 

 

 

 

Compare with the lists above. Many other words are possible, so please check if you wrote something different.