Clothes and Fashion
Senior 1 · English
Clothes and Fashion
Lesson 3 of 5
25 min
Let's begin
Clothes do a job. A raincoat keeps you dry on a muddy path, running shoes protect your feet in a race, and a clean, ironed uniform tells the audience at prize-giving that you respect the occasion. Wear the wrong thing and you may be cold, hurt or embarrassed. Every Thursday the school radio club at a secondary school in Huye runs a phone-in called What Shall I Wear?, where students ask a tailor for advice. Here is this week's programme.
Before you listen: Have you ever worn the wrong clothes for the weather or for an event? What happened?
Teta (presenter): Good afternoon and welcome to What Shall I Wear? My guest today is Mrs Kayitesi, a tailor who teaches fashion design at a technical school in Huye. Our first caller is Iradukunda, in Nyamagabe. Go ahead, Iradukunda.
Iradukunda: Hello! Next week our class is visiting a tea plantation near Kitabi. What should I wear?
Mrs Kayitesi: It's the rainy season, so think about water. When you walk between tea bushes after rain, your legs get wet up to the knees. Wear long trousers and rubber boots, not a skirt and sandals. When it rains, put on a raincoat, and when the sun comes out, take it off and roll it up in your bag.
Teta: Our next caller is Cyusa, from Kigali.
Cyusa: Hi. I'm running the 800 metres at the inter-school athletics on Friday. Can I wear my new trainers?
Mrs Kayitesi: Please don't! When shoes are new, they rub your feet and give you blisters. Run in shoes that you have worn many times. When you run, your body gets hot, so choose light, loose clothes made of cotton or sports fabric. And when the race is over, change into a dry T-shirt. Damp clothes make you cold very quickly.
Teta: Our last caller is Mugeni, from Nyanza.
Mugeni: Good afternoon. On prize-giving day I'm giving a speech in front of the whole school and the parents. My uniform is old. Can I wear my new kitenge dress instead?
Mrs Kayitesi: Congratulations on the speech! But when you speak for your school, you wear your school's uniform. An old uniform can still look smart. When you wash it, iron it carefully. Sew on any missing buttons, and polish your shoes the night before. When you walk onto the stage, the audience will see a student who is proud of her school.
Teta: Thank you, Mrs Kayitesi. So, listeners, when you choose your clothes, ask three questions: What will the weather be? What will I do? Who will see me? Until next Thursday, goodbye!
| Caller | Where from | Event | Two pieces of advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iradukunda | … | … | … |
| Cyusa | … | … | … |
| Mugeni | … | … | … |
| Caller | Where from | Event | Two pieces of advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iradukunda | Nyamagabe | a class visit to a tea plantation | long trousers and rubber boots; a raincoat when it rains |
| Cyusa | Kigali | the 800 metres at the inter-school athletics | old, comfortable shoes; light, loose clothes; a dry T-shirt afterwards |
| Mugeni | Nyanza | a speech on prize-giving day | wear the uniform; wash and iron it, sew on buttons, polish shoes |
| Word or phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| wear | have clothes on your body | Mugeni wears a uniform every day. |
| put on | move clothes onto your body | When it rains, put on a raincoat. |
| take off | remove clothes from your body | Take off your boots at the door. |
| get changed | take off some clothes and put on others | Get changed after the race. |
| suit | look good on someone | Green really suits you. |
| match | have colours or patterns that look good together | His tie matches his shirt. |
| raincoat | a coat that keeps out the rain | Roll up your raincoat when the sun comes out. |
| rubber boots | tall waterproof shoes | Rubber boots keep your feet dry in mud. |
| blister | a painful bubble on the skin, caused by rubbing | New shoes gave me a blister. |
| damp | a little wet | Don't wear a damp T-shirt. |
| iron | make clothes flat and smooth with a hot iron | She irons her uniform on Sunday evening. |
| polish | rub shoes with polish to make them shine | Polish your shoes the night before. |
Definition
Clause: a group of words with its own subject and verb. A main clause can stand alone as a sentence: Put on a raincoat.
When-clause: a clause that starts with when and tells us the time or the situation of the main clause. It cannot stand alone: when it rains is not a complete sentence.
Example: When the race is over, change into a dry T-shirt.
| Use | Verb in the when-clause | Verb in the main clause | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Something that is always true | present simple | present simple | When shoes are new, they rub your feet. |
| Advice or an instruction | present simple | imperative | When you run, choose light clothes. |
| The future | present simple (never will) | will + verb | When you walk onto the stage, the audience will see a proud student. |
| The past | past simple | past simple | When I was in P6, I wore a blue uniform. |
Use when for something you are sure will happen: When the race is over, get changed. (It will end.) Use if for something that may or may not happen: If it rains, put on a raincoat. (Maybe it won't.)
Worked example
Analyse the sentence: When the sun comes out, take it off and roll it up in your bag.
Warning
No will after when. Wrong: When I will get home, I will wash my uniform. Right: When I get home, I will wash my uniform. The future is already clear from the main clause.
Tip
When first, comma follows. If the sentence starts with When, look for the comma where the when-clause ends. If when is in the middle, you don't need one.
'Wear', 'put on' and 'dress', from BBC Learning English's Learners' Questions (3 minutes). Note the difference between putting clothes on, wearing them and getting dressed, then check the vocabulary table above.
Work in pairs. Student A calls the radio programme with a problem; Student B is Mrs Kayitesi and gives advice with at least three when-clauses. Then swap. Problems: a visit to Volcanoes National Park in July; a church or mosque wedding; the first day of Umuganda at the school farm.
A: Our class is working on the school farm for Umuganda. What should I wear?
B: When you dig, you get dirty, so wear old clothes, not your uniform. When the sun is strong, wear a hat. And when you finish, wash your hands and change your clothes before lunch.
Your cousin sends this message: "We're climbing Mount Kigali on Saturday morning. The forecast says rain in the afternoon. What should I wear?" Write a reply of 60 to 80 words with at least four when-clauses.
Hi Ishema! Wear trainers that you have used before, because when shoes are new, they hurt on a long walk. Put on long trousers and a light T-shirt. When you start early, it can be cool, so take a thin sweater too. When you reach the top, you will be hot, so drink plenty of water. When the clouds come in the afternoon, put on your raincoat. Have a great climb!
In groups, prepare a stall called Dress for Health for a school Healthy Lifestyles fair. Make a poster with six pieces of advice, each written as a when-clause sentence (When the sun is strong, wear a hat.), and add a drawing or photo for each one. At the fair, each member explains one poster to visitors in English.
Practice
Sources and credits
