#110 Trying on shoes (Med)

Learn English useful for talking about trying on, buying, and finding shoes that fit well. Practise everyday phrases for describing how shoes feel, asking for a different size, and explaining what you are looking for in a comfortable pair.

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This lesson is suitable for intermediate-level learners. After listening, test your knowledge with our quiz.

Learning notes:

Examples of phrases you can use when trying on shoes:

• I don’t think these are the right fit.  
• They feel a bit snug. 
• Those shoes feel a bit snug around my toes. 
• These shoes are too loose; my heel keeps slipping out. 
• Maybe you need to go up a size?  
• These are too big for me; I should go down a size.  
• Do you have these in a half size up?  
• Are these available in a half size down? 
• These shoes fit small. They’re rubbing at the back. 
• These sandals fit big; I need to go down a size. 
• My heel keeps slipping out when I walk. 
• Are they too tight, or do you just need to break them in?  
• These boots are a bit stiff now, but I just need to break them in.   
• I’m after something more comfortable.  
• These leather sneakers are stiff now but after a few walks, they’ll break in perfectly.   

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Colloquial expressions:

If something is the right fit it the right size for you. You can also use it for other things that suit or work well for you such as jobs, hobbies, or relationships.

When a shoe or piece of clothing fits small / fits big it is smaller or larger than expected.

To break something in means to use or wear it until it becomes softer or more comfortable.

I’m after something… is a casual informal way of introducing what kind of thing you are looking for.

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Vocabulary:

Snug means to fit closely. You can also use it for various items of clothing. something is snug it is tight or fits closely.

To slip out means to move out of place unexpectedly.

Stiff means hard or inflexible.

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Learning Focus:

English has a lot of different tenses that we use to be quite precise about when we do things. Notice how Allan uses the present perfect continuous (I + have + been + Verb+ing) when he says:

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Transcript: 

(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)

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Everyone needs shoes - comfortable shoes, shoes for running, shoes for work. Maybe you have to buy school shoes for your kids? ….You might be surprised how this language can also be used in so many other situations of your life too. I guess getting something to ‘fit you’ is not always that simple.

Hi, I’m Kate and in this episode, we’ll practise some useful phrases we can use when talking about trying on and buying some new shoes.

So, let’s join Allan and Claire. They are in a shoe shop, standing in front of a long wall of sneakers. A few boxes are open, and some shoes are on the floor. Allan has just tried on a new pair. He stands up and walks back and forth, thinking, but not quite convinced...

Allan:

I don’t think these are the right fit. They feel a bit snug.

Claire:

Maybe you need to go up a size?

Allan:

Yeah, these fit small. They’re rubbing at the back.

Claire:

Are they too tight, or do you just need to break them in?

Allan:

Not sure... they feel a bit stiff. I’m after something more comfortable. I might keep looking.

For Allan, just like me, finding the right shoes can be tricky. You have to check the size, how they feel, and how comfortable they are when you walk. And then you also need to be able to describe that. So, let’s practise. Allan first said,

I don’t think these are the right fit.

To say something is the right fit means it works well for you. It’s suitable or comfortable. You can use this phrase not just for shoes, but also for jobs, hobbies, or even relationships.

Let’s say you went for a job interview, you could say: “I love the company, and the role is the right fit for me.

For Allan, the sneakers he tried aren’t the right fit. They don’t suit him well because....

They feel a bit snug.

If something feels a little snug, it means it’s a little tight, but not too uncomfortable. Sometimes shoes feel snug at first and become more comfortable after you wear them. Let’s say your shoes feel a bit tight around your toes, you could say,

• Those shoes feel a bit snug around my toes.

But the opposite can also happen. Shoes can feel too loose. Your foot can move around inside, and the shoe might move when you walk. For example,

• These shoes are too loose; my heel keeps slipping out.

You can also use ‘too loose’ in other situations when something isn’t tight enough or secure. For example, with clothes:

• This sweater is too loose; I should try a smaller size.

Or with accessories:

• My watch is too loose; it keeps sliding down.

Or even with things around the house:

• The lid on this jar is too loose; it doesn’t close properly.

So, whenever something is the opposite of snug, tight or secure, you can describe it as loose. But let’s go back talking about shoes. Claire said,

Maybe you need to go up a size?

To go up a size means to try a bigger size. You might also need to go down a size if something feels too big. For example,

• These are too big for me; I should go down a size.

But what if you need to go up or down a size but not my much... just a little bit bigger or smaller? Then you could ask,

• Do you have these in a half size up?
• Are these available in a half size down?

Then Allan said,

These shoes fit small. They’re rubbing at the back.

If shoes fit small, it means they feel smaller than your usual size. If they fit big, they feel larger than expected. For example,

• These sandals fit big; I need to go down a size.

Allan also said,

They’re rubbing at the back.

This means that they are hurting his heel. On the other hand, if shoes are too loose, you might say,

• My heel keeps slipping out when I walk.

If your heels are slipping out, they are moving out of the back of your shoe. Your shoe doesn’t stay in the right place on your foot, so it feels loose and uncomfortable.

You can use ‘slip out’ in other situations when something moves out of the place. For example, I just dropped a paper, so I could say that the paper slipped out of my notebook. It can also mean to leave for a little while, so you could say that you are just slipping out of the office for a coffee. That means that you won’t be out for long.

Towards the end of our dialogue, Claire asked,

Are they too tight, or do you just need to break them in?

To break something in means to wear it until it becomes softer and more comfortable. Let's say you’ve bought new boots, you could say,

• These boots are a bit hard now, but I just need to break them in.

You can also ‘break in’ other things like clothes, equipment or tools. We also 'break in' horses, that is we train them to carry riders before we allow them to carry people.

So, whenever something feels new and tight you can break it in by using it until it becomes more comfortable.

Finally, Allan said,

They feel a bit stiff. I’m after something more comfortable.

If something feels stiff, it means it’s hard and not flexible yet. When Claire bought a pair of walking boots she told me,

• These boots are stiff now but after a few walks, they’ll break in perfectly.

Allan also said,

I’m after something more comfortable.

The phrase I’m after something… is an informal way to introduce what you are looking for or what you want. It’s very common in everyday English, especially when shopping, planning something with someone. Here are few examples,

• I’m after something quick for lunch; maybe a sandwich or salad
• I’m after a job that gives me flexibility and good pay.

So, you can say I’m after something… when you are telling someone what you want or need. It’s an informal way to share your preferences.

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Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire, and Professor Lynda Yates was our educational consultant.