Let's Learn English: Topic: Attachments, Addons, Doodads, and More! 📥🎮🚗 | Learn English with Bob the Canadian

Well, hello and welcome to this English lesson about attachments, doodads, and add-ons.

Doodads is kind of a funny word but I'll explain its meaning later.

This is kind of a miscellaneous lesson about all of the little things that you can get when you buy something or have something.

Sometimes there's attachments or accessories or doodads or add-ons or extensions or expansions, upgrades, bonuses, features, a whole bunch of different words.

Actually, not too many.

I'm saying a whole bunch, but I think there's only about 22 words in this lesson.

So welcome to this English lesson about attachments, doodads and add-ons.

I think you will enjoy it.

I think it will be a fun lesson and I guarantee

You'll learn at least one new word, if not many, many more.

Attachment, something that is connected to another object to give it a new use or function.

The best example I could come up with for attachment was a vacuum cleaner.

So a vacuum cleaner has a number of attachments that you can put on the end.

I think there's a smaller attachment for vacuuming your couch or sofa.

Or I think you can even use that in the car if you want to vacuum out your car.

There's like a long narrow attachment for getting into crevices and narrow spaces.

Crevice might be a new word for you.

A crevice is like a little slot between like between the couch cushion and the edge.

There's a crevice.

But an attachment is something that is connected to another object to give it a new use or function.

So sometimes a

With our vacuum cleaner, people don't put the attachments back on the vacuum cleaner.

They all have a spot.

So, you might say, has anyone seen the small attachment for the vacuum cleaner?

Has anyone seen the large attachment?

Uh so again, attachments, they make something better.

An extra item or feature that can be added to something.

So one of the probably most common add-ons would be an ad blocker.

If you are using Chrome as your browser,

Can get another piece of software called an add-on that allows Chrome to block advertisements.

So an add-on can be a piece of software.

Um I think in life too I'm trying to think of an example of something else that has an add-on.

I think you might have like a kitchen appliance and it might have let's say you have a

A machine that is a blender, but you can buy an add-on that makes it also a juicer.

So it just extracts the juice.

We would call that an add-on.

But I think the browser, the Chrome browser or the Edge browser or Firefox,

Is designed to allow you to browse the internet.

But you can add a piece of software called an add on that also allows it to block advertisements.

So an add on an extra item or feature that can be added to something.

Doodad.

You're probably anxiously waiting for me to explain this one.

A doodad is a small object or gadget whose name you do not know or cannot remember.

So, let's say I didn't have my Fitbit on.

At work could say, hey, where's that doodad that you normally wear on your wrist?

Or my daughter has a little thing that she uses to make tea.

So I could say to her, you know, she puts the loose tea leaves in.

I could say, where's that doodad that you use to make tea?

And

So it's kind of a funny term and a general term for something you don't need know the name of.

I put a picture of a junk drawer because there's lots of doodads in here.

There's probably a lot of things in here where I would just say, what's this doodad?

And then hold it up.

Of course I can, I can name some of them, but there are some like, what's the red thing at the bottom?

I would just call that a doodad because I don't know the actual name.

So doodad, a small object or gadget whose name you do not know or cannot remember.

Trying to see if there's any doodads on my desk.

Oh, this is the little doodad that I put on the microphone when I'm outside.

It's called a wind muff or I think it has another name, wind protector, but I might just call it a doodad.

Accessory.

An item that is used with something else to make it more useful or attractive.

Probably the most common accessory would be a phone case.

You might also put one of those little knobs on the back of your phone that allows you to hold it better.

Why can't I remember the name of it?

PopSocket.

So it's a little thing.

It's an accessory for your phone.

When you buy a computer, you can buy some accessories for your computer, like a case

Your computer.

Some people buy a little piece of plastic that covers the the webcam so that people can't hack their computer and see through their camera.

We would call all of those things accessories.

So an accessory is an an extra item that is used with something else to make it more useful or attractive.

Extension.

Something that makes another object longer or increases the reach.

For our one vacuum cleaner we actually have an extension to make the hose longer.

For my socket set I have extensions in order to make like if I'm using the ratchet like

Can use an extension to put the socket further away.

You might be familiar with the term extension cord.

So that is a specific type of cord that you use when you need electricity far away.

So you would plug the extension cord in.

But an extension the word extension is simply a general term for something that

That makes another object longer or increases its reach.

Expansion.

I'm not sure if you play board games but sometimes when you play a board game you start to get bored of the original game and maybe you can buy an expansion.

You have this with video games as well where you might be playing the game and there might be an expansion that comes out.

So it's something that adds more size, space or features to an existing thing.

And honestly, this is in my opinion, the best example.

If you play Settlers of Catan,

Catan.

Is that how you say it?

Catan?

The Seafarers expansion is a very, very cool thing to buy.

It makes the game a little more complex, but it also makes it, in my opinion, more fun.

So expansion, something that adds more size, space, or features to an existing item.

An upgrade, a newer or better version that improves something.

So the best upgrade you can make is if your computer still has a hard disk drive, it's a good idea to put in an SSD or what is called a solid state drive.

The hard disk drive has a platter in it that spins and then a little arm reads the data.

The data.

I use both pronunciations by the way.

But the SSD is solid state.

There are only computer chips in it and so it is much faster.

So when you upgrade something you make it newer.

You make it better.

It improves that thing.

If you have an old computer with a hard drive in it.

Uh like an old I call them spinny drives.

If you upgrade to an SSD, that computer will be much faster.

Bonus.

A bonus is something extra that is given in addition to what was expected.

So if I bought a new computer apparently if I bought this computer they're going to give me a monitor.

I don't have to pay for the monitor.

So that's a bonus.

Sometimes at market at the end of market Jen will have lots of flowers left.

And so when people buy some as a bonus she'll give them a free bouquet.

That doesn't happen very often but it does happen sometimes.

You can also use this to describe extra points on a test.

Sometimes at school I'll give a test with 10 questions but there will be a bonus question at the end and if the students answer that they get extra points on their test.

So bonus, something extra that is given in addition to what was expected.

I should also mention that if you have a job, sometimes your boss will give you a bonus.

Your boss will give you extra money just because you're doing a good job.

Usually this happens at Christmas.

There's something called a Christmas bonus which is simply a gift or extra money because you did a good job.

But bonus.

Something extra that is given in addition to what was expected.

Option, one of the choices that is available.

So you can see this car has a sunroof option available for only $1,200.

When you are talking about options, it means the other things that that thing can have.

When you buy a computer, a long time ago, many things were options.

It was an option to have a CD-ROM player.

There was an option to have two monitors instead of one.

There was an option to have a sound card in the computer.

We don't usually say that anymore about computers too much because they come with everything.

But when you buy a car, you might choose some options.

One of the options might be a sunroof.

One of the options might be larger rims like tires that where there's less rubber and a bigger rim or chrome rims or aluminum rims

That might be an option when you buy a car.

I think there are other things where there are options as well.

Um, I'm just trying to think

When Jen makes a bouquet for someone, one of the options is that they can ask to have more flowers put in so that it is a bigger bouquet, but option one of the choices that is available.

Feature.

A specific function or characteristic of something.

This Swiss army knife has many features.

It has a corkscrew for opening wine bottles.

It has a bottle opener for opening bottles.

It has a knife.

It has a saw.

If you're stuck in the woods, you can saw through a branch and maybe make a fire.

It has a pair of scissors.

Screwdriver.

That bottle opener is also a screwdriver.

A smaller knife.

Close to me here there is I think that's an all like for poking a hole through stuff and then I don't know what the little hook thing is.

Maybe it's just a hook.

That's one of the features.

But a feature is then a specific function or characteristic of something.

So when I talked about options, when you talk about things that have extra things, you can also say feature.

They're almost interchangeable.

Like the camera I'm using has the option of different lenses.

It has the feature of different lenses.

I'm trying to think of another example here of something that has options or features.

Um, but it's basically describing something and what you can do with it beyond what you can normally do with it.

So feature a specific function or characteristic of something.

Module, a separate part that can be added to a larger system.

I thought I should probably have

I was gonna say landing module, lunar module.

I think it goes with, you could use both names but the part of the rocket that can land on the moon is called a module.

Is the lunar module and so two astronauts can go in here and they can land on the moon.

It separates from the rocket.

So it's a separate part of a larger system and then it can go and land on the moon.

Um you also sometimes have modules when you're taking an online course.

So you might take an online English course and they might say, oh, it has seven modules.

Module one, improving your reading.

Module two, improving your speaking.

And so a module is a separate part of the larger course.

So you can have different modules in a course.

Plugin.

A piece of software that adds new features to another program.

So someone asked earlier what software I use.

I use DaVinci Resolve but I do not have any plugins for DaVinci Resolve.

There are some plugins that would probably be handy but I do not have any of them.

For instance, you might have a piece of software and it doesn't have AI built into it.

And so maybe you're editing a photo and maybe you can buy an AI plugin that helps fill in blank spaces in the photo.

So that would be, it's not the main piece of software, but it's a part that gets added to it.

You could call it an add-on.

But generally, I think in this case, I would call it a plugin, a piece of software that adds new features to another program.

That guy looks very happy, doesn't he?

I hope he doesn't mind that he's in my English lesson.

Adapter.

A device that allows two different things to work or connect together.

I don't have my headphones anymore.

My earbuds.

But in order to use my earbuds with my phone, I needed to use this adapter.

It went from USB-C to aux or to headphone.

Or I think it's also a one-eighth jack.

But this is an adapter.

It allows you like if you have something that won't plug into your computer because the connector there's no spot for it.

You need to go and buy an adapter so that you can do that.

Camera I'm using I actually have an adapter called a cam link that allows me to hook this camera up to my computer.

I need to use an adapter for that.

Um

And generally, when we talk about adapters, we're talking about electronics almost always when you talk about an adapter.

So a device that allows two different things to work or connect together.

Spare.

An extra item that is kept in case the original is lost or broken.

It's not a bad idea to have spare batteries with you when you go camping.

When I go outside to make an English lesson I usually take a spare battery with me.

So that if the battery in my camera starts to go dead I can put the spare battery in.

The

Um we don't always use spare though to talk about batteries.

You have a spare tire in your car and we just call it a spare.

Um when we go on trips with students we take some

Yeah, we take spare water bottles.

We take spare, might bring a spare piece of clothing if you're going camping.

But anytime you take something extra, it's not the thing you actually need, but it's the thing you bring with just in case you need it.

So spare an extra item that is kept in case the original is lost or broken.

Refill, a replacement supply that is used to fill something again.

If you have an inkjet printer, you might be able to buy a refill.

Might have a bottle and you can refill the ink.

If you have soap in your house, if you have one of these little squirty soap bottles, you might have a refill.

You might buy a refill for it.

A larger bottle full of liquid soap that you can put in the smaller container.

So a refill, a replacement supply that is used to fill something again.

By the way, that's a great way to save money is to just buy the refill.

Don't buy the little soap every time.

Sleeve.

A protective covering that slides over an object.

If you have a phone, we generally buy a phone case but if you have a tablet, you might buy a sleeve.

So, a sleeve is like a a leather or plastic or cloth that

With an opening at one end and it's just big enough for something to slide into it.

So a sleeve, a protective covering that slides over an object.

Cover.

Something that goes over another object to protect it or keep it clean.

Now you might be wondering why is this a sleeve and this is a cover.

This is a sleeve because it slides in.

So it's like the sleeve of your shirt.

It's a sleeve for your laptop.

It's a sleeve for your iPad or tablet.

Cover is something that goes over something.

So if you have a really nice like antique or classic car you might have a cover that you put over it when you're not driving it.

If you have a barbecue you probably have a cover that you put over it to protect it from the wind and rain and hail.

So cover.

If

Something that goes over another object to protect it or keep it clean.

Carrying case.

A pouch, bag, box, or container that is designed to protect and transport an item.

Jen and I whenever we buy a camera, when we bought our drone, when we buy other things, we usually buy a carrying case to go with it.

It's nice to have a carrying case for two reasons.

One, it protects the item and two, it's a great place to

Uh to store it so you know where it is.

If you don't have a carrying case, you might leave the camera and the uh the little mounting things and the extra batteries and you might leave them all over the place.

So, it's nice to have a carrying case, a pouch, bag, box, or container that is designed to protect and transport an item.

So I have.

This is my carrying case sorry this is my carrying case this is just to keep stuff from rolling around

And then inside you'll see I have the batteries the microphone and then I've actually broken the law here

The camera's here usually and there's usually the mounting things right there so I'll have to look for those later

But carrying case a pouch

Bag, box, or container that is designed to protect and transport an item.

Comes with sold separately and not included.

So, we're going to finish with those three.

When it says comes with, it means something is included when you buy or receive an item.

Sometimes when you buy a printer, it comes with ink, but it's only enough ink to print 50 pages or a hundred pages, but it at least comes with ink.

It might actually say comes with a year's supply of ink.

Or comes with a full container for each color of ink.

But when it comes with, it means that you get that thing with it.

When you buy something, I might say it comes with batteries, which is nice because usually batteries are sold separately.

When something's sold separately it means that you must buy the item on its own because it is not included.

This has changed a little bit I think over the last few years.

Most things you buy actually have rechargeable batteries now.

And so the whole idea of buying batteries like you

Don't know

We don't have very many things anymore that need batteries maybe remote controls

So if you buy a remote control though it comes with batteries usually for some reason remote controls do but if you buy a toy it might say batteries sold separately which means that you must buy the item on its own because it is not included

Then not included.

So, I've used that phrase a couple times.

Means that an item does not come with the product and must be obtained separately.

So, if you went to buy this flashlight, first of all, you

Gonna buy a flashlight buy a rechargeable flashlight.

But if you bought this one down here it says LED flashlight batteries not included.

So in this situation if you didn't buy batteries you would get home and the flashlight wouldn't work until you found some batteries to put in

[Understanding Attachments, Doodads, and Add-ons: A Guide to English Vocabulary]-[Let's Learn English: Topic: Attachments, Addons, Doodads, and More! 📥🎮🚗]

📋 Summary

Introduction to Functional Additions

Functional Components: Attachments, Extensions, and Modules

Software and Digital Enhancements

General Utility and Mystery Objects

Upgrades, Options, and Extras

Protection and Purchase Terms

🎯Key Sentences

📝Key Phrases

📖 Transcript