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by Liz Walter
My last post looked at words and phrases for things that cost a lot of money. Today’s post looks at ways of describing things that don’t cost much.
Frankenshoe noun [C]
UK /ˈfræŋ.kən.ʃuː/ US /ˈfræŋ.kən.ʃuː/
a shoe that is a combination of two or more very different styles
Nowadays, though, Frankenshoes have gotten even weirder. There are sneakers turned into dress shoes and dress shoes turned into sneakers. We are living in a veritable golden age for the Frankenshoe, surrounded by new releases of mix-and-match footwear. Whether you like them or not, they’re still being released, still being discussed and, crucially, bought.
[ssense.com, 8 July 2024]
snoafer noun [C]
UK /ˈsnəʊ.fəʳ/ US /ˈsnoʊ.fɚ/
a shoe that is a combination of a sneaker and a loafer
Is it a sneaker? Is it a loafer? This hybrid shoe that laughs in the face of God doesn’t have to decide. The snoafer, which won’t be available until August, recently joined the club of odd-looking shoes going viral on social media.
[morningbrew.com, 28 April 2024]
sneakerina noun [C]
UK /ˌsniː.kəˈriː.nə/ US /ˌsniː.kəˈriː.nə/
a shoe that is a combination of a sneaker and a ballerina shoe
Hold onto your shoelaces because the fashion world just got flipped on its head with the outrageous emergence of the sneakerina! Yes, folks, the wacky lovechild of a ballerina flat and a sneaker has stomped its way into the spotlight as the must-have footwear for spring.
[wearandchill.com, 9 February 2025]
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This is the second of my two-part post on useful idioms and phrases that feature the word ‘eye’. Part 1 focused mainly on expressions that said something about the act of looking and seeing. Today’s post features ‘eye’ phrases on a range of themes.
Continue reading “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach (Idioms with ‘eye’, Part 2)”
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by Liz Walter
Today’s post and my next one look at words and phrases for talking about how much things cost – a common topic of conversation! This first one looks at words for things with high prices.
Continue reading “It costs a fortune: talking about high prices”
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My last post (on fruit idioms) featured the rather sweet expression the apple of someone’s eye. This made me think of other useful idioms and phrases that include the noun ‘eye’. It turns out there are a great many, so this post will be in two parts.
Continue reading “For your eyes only! (Idioms with ‘eye’, Part 1)”
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by Liz Walter
My last post looked at three very common non-standard uses of grammar in English. It is important to be aware of them but also to be clear that they are not suitable in situations where formal English is required, and certainly not in English exams. Today I look at some more common non-standard grammar forms.
Continue reading “I would of done it: understanding non-standard grammar forms (2)”
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You may have heard the cheery saying When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! It means, when something bad happens to you, take a positive attitude and use it to your advantage. (After all, lemons on their own are sour and unpleasant, but add sugar and water and you have a delicious drink!) This idiom (heard on a podcast this morning) reminded me of all the nice fruit idioms we have in the English language. I thought I’d share the best of them with you.
Continue reading “When life gives you lemons… (Fruit idioms)”
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by Liz Walter
One of the best ways to learn a language is to go to a country where it is spoken, or to interact with speakers of the language in other ways. However, you are likely to come across some non-standard grammar. Some of these forms are very common, so it is useful to be aware of them. However, they are not considered correct, especially in formal contexts, and you will lose marks if you use them in exams. This post and my next one will look at a few such grammar points.
Continue reading “We was hungry: understanding non-standard grammar forms (1)”
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It’s the second week of February and here in Cambridge, the weather feels arctic! As I type this, my fingers are as cold as ice. Time to get that electric heater from the spare room! In a way though, it’s appropriate, as today’s post is about how we describe the effect that the weather has on us.
Continue reading “Chilled to the bone or roasting? (The effect that the weather has on us)”
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by Liz Walter
Most of us know someone who often gets into trouble because they don’t stop to consider the consequences of their behaviour. This post is about ways of describing these people and their actions.
Continue reading “Reckless and impulsive: words for acting without enough thought”