Hello, lovely.
I'm Mariam.
And my name is Rory.
And we are the hosts of the IELTS Speaking for Success podcast, the podcast that aims to help you improve your speaking skills, as well as your listening skills along the way.
We've started this podcast to give you joy and IELTS speaking topics with gorgeous grammar and fabulous vocabulary for your high score.
Your band nine score.
Oh, let me try that again.
Your band nine score.
Rory, why are you so disorganized?
Why are you late for our recording again?
What's going on with you?
Well, I have a lot to do.
I have classes to teach and to actually sit and study in.
You should put yourself in my shoes.
Try and see it from where I'm coming from.
Shoes.
Shall we talk about shoes?
Shoes.
It's another coincidence.
On this podcast, again, yes, dear listener, finally, it's a shoe o'clock.
Now, on this podcast, we're gonna be talking about shoes.
Shoes are my favorite thing in this world after food.
I thought I was your favorite thing in this world.
Thing?
Rory, you're not a thing.
You're a person.
You're my favorite person.
You're my favorite Scottish person in this universe.
I'm the only Scottish person in your universe.
Yes, true.
Rory, if shoes are not your thing, what is your thing?
Shoes are not my thing, but our premium podcast is definitely my thing.
You should join us there.
Maria, what are we talking about this time?
We talk about a famous athlete, you know, athlete like a sportswoman or a sportsman.
I know this is a new topic.
So Rory is going to describe a famous athlete he knows.
And in speaking part three, we're going to be talking about athletes in general, exercise and sports, so check out the link in the description to this episode and join us in our premium episodes.
Rory, how often do you buy shoes?
Well, evidently not enough, since the ones I'm wearing are falling to pieces.
I think it's probably once a year, maybe slightly more if I see a pair that I like.
Have you ever bought shoes online?
Think I've only ever done it once actually, and it ended rather badly for me.
I thought they would be red, but they came in a different color and I wasn't very pleased.
I wasn't best pleased, so from now on I head to the shoe shop when I want them, even if it is a bit inconvenient.
What's your favorite type of shoes?
I usually buy casual footwear from Skechers.
It's a popular brand of shoes.
They have quite a range, but only a small subset appeals to me, really.
I can't remember the last time I bought anything even remotely formal.
It's not necessary for my work.
Do you like to wear shoes that are comfortable or good-looking?
Well, I don't see why it has to be a dichotomy.
Why can't you have both?
Everyone's got different tastes, but I think those are the main ones that inform their taste.
The only exception seems to be high heels, which seem designed exclusively to torture women and look good at the expense of comfort.
But that's not a concern for me.
Do you know anyone who likes to buy a lot of shoes?
You and my mother, Maria.
I think you have competing shoe collections with hundreds of pairs of boots and heels and all manner of other shoe types.
As for the why, I have no idea why you like to buy them, but I only own four pairs of shoes, or something like that.
Thank you, Rory, for your answers.
So, first of all, shoes.
Can I say footwear?
You can say footwear.
It's very formal, though, isn't it?
Yeah.
But as a synonym to shoes, I can say footwear.
For example, you said I prefer casual footwear.
Yeah.
Yes.
So casual footwear is just what you wear in your, well, everyday life, really.
And not for work, for example.
You can also wear comfortable footwear or shoes sensible shoes like no high heels, like flat.
Sensible shoes, comfy shoes.
You can also have some heavy shoes, for example, light light shoes or light footwear, formal footwear, any other synonyms to shoes?
Right, i feel like this is your specialist subject.
Oh yeah, shoes ladies?
Yeah yeah, but also for men.
Right, we have like heels and high heels.
That's not for men but um, you can talk about those kinds of shoes.
Yeah, so footwear is one synonym, but then you go in depth as to what kinds of shoes do you like?
For example, Rory said that I prefer sketches, so casual footwear, sketches.
Right.
But sketches are not like types of shoes.
Sketches is a brand.
Yeah.
But you can mention types of shoes that you prefer.
For example, I enjoy sneakers like trainers.
Yeah also, i wear boots.
What kind of boots would you wear rory, if you had boots?
I'm sure you don't have boots, i don't know.
Um, i used to have boots but i don't know.
Are there different kinds of boots?
Yes, there are all different kinds of boots.
Oh, God.
So, Russian boots, for example, Rory, Valenki.
We have traditional winter footwear, Russian boots.
Also, Ugg.
How do you pronounce them?
Uggie?
Why on earth would I know what they are?
Describe them.
No, how do you pronounce them first?
I don't know.
Tell me what they look like, because I don't know what you're talking about.
Oh, my God.
Google it.
It's like U-double-G.
Oh, Ugg boots.
Ag.
Oh, interesting.
In Russian we say ugi, but in English it's ag boots.
I don't know, what do you call it in, how do you pronounce it in your own language?
So, ag boots, right?
Mm-hmm.
Also, dear listener, please Google these words as you're listening to us, because it's important for you to see a picture of these kinds of shoes, to use the special words, for a high score.
Have you ever asked about that?
Also, guys, you can wear clogs, which are quite popular, or crocs.
Or crocs, I think, even more popular.
Crocs.
Flip-flops, if you're on a beach.
Have you ever worn flip-flops to classes, Rory?
Oh yeah, we were flip-flops, well flip-flops, sandals in the dojo for martial arts.
So flip-flops sandals are a bit different, because flip-flops they have this one string and sandals can have like two stripes or strings.
Moccasins.
Okay.
For men and for women.
Moccasins.
This is how you pronounce it?
Moccasins?
Moccasins, yeah.
But I've never, like, I don't know anything about them.
Can you wear them in winter?
Well, there are autumn moccasins with fluff.
They have some fur.
In winter, perhaps, yeah.
But again not as warm as boots.
Oxfords, oxfords are pretty popular now.
They're in back in the trend with a platform, you guys.
So oxfords oxfords, they are like um, oh.
By the way, oxfords were originally made in scotland rory, You could literally be making up this information and I would have no idea what you were saying.
Oxford shoes.
You guys like Cambridge and Oxford?
Oxford shoes.
Google them.
They're all different shapes and types.
So, yeah.
Oh, for ladies, Mary Janes.
Mary Janes.
They're kind of a type of shoes.
Unfortunately, you have to Google all the names.
Roy, do you want to know the trends for autumn 2021?
In terms of shoes?
No, I have no idea.
Like, I don't follow this.
Okay, yeah, I'm gonna tell you now.
So, knee boots.
You can be crazy about knee boots.
Knee is like when the part of your body, knee.
Also ankle boots, for example.
Then platform boots are quite fashionable now.
So Oxford shoes and all kinds of platforms. are quite popular.
And also, slippers.
Fancy slippers.
Rory, can you imagine that?
Would you wear some fancy slippers outside?
No.
With fluff and these pinky thingies?
It's crazy.
Just Google fancy slippers.
We talked about different kinds of shoes.
Are there any other things that we should talk about?
Well, for example, you said that you don't often buy shoes.
The ones that I'm wearing are falling to pieces.
Yes.
But that just means that they're not in a great condition.
Is it common for men to wear some piece of clothes or shoes which are falling to pieces?
Like you wear them until they are completely... Until they are no more.
They disappear on your feet.
Is it common?
Pretty much, yeah.
For men.
So it's like your favorite shoes and you just keep wearing them.
Until they fall apart.
Yes.
Yeah, while you're walking.
You're walking and there's a whoop.
Oops.
These shoes are like 20 years old.
These were my favorite ones.
When you need to buy shoes, you go to a shoe shop.
A shoe shop.
Shoe shop?
Yes.
I can't think of another word for a shoe shop, though.
Well, you just head to a mall or a store.
Shoe store.
Okay, you mentioned a good one.
Only a small subset appeals to me.
Oh, a subset is just a specific category within a category.
So I can say like a small group of shoes appeals to me, yeah?
No, because a group of shoes, it sounds like it's a real thing, whereas a subset is an idea.
It's a way of classifying things.
So I enjoy sketches, but only a small subset appeals to me.
Yeah.
Yes.
So kind of specific shoes appeal to me.
Yeah.
At sketches.
Yeah, or a specific category.
Okay.
Categories.
Yeah, sure, categories.
Then, Rory, you mentioned that high heels are exclusively designed to torture women.
Now we know.
So if something is exclusively designed to do something, then that means that it's just the only purpose behind it is to do that.
In this case, it's torture.
Like really, women always complain that their heels are painful, but I don't really understand why they wear these shoes if that's the case.
To be beautiful.
To attract men.
That's why.
Yeah.
So, dear listener, if you are a lady and you enjoy wearing high heels, so we have different names for high heel shoes.
Stilettos like ankle straps, mary jane shoes, then a kitten heel.
So make sure that you just google some shoes, choose the shoes that you usually wear, and also flats flats when There is no hill right.
So, for example, like, again, clogs, loafers, or just flats, slip-ons.
Again, you guys, please go to Google and Google some pictures like shoe types.
Go to images and you'll see different lovely pictures with the names of different shoes.
Make sure that you do know three or four types of shoes that you like and also that you would never wear.
Because in the IELTS exam, you can also say that I usually wear flats.
I would never put on any stilettos.
Okay.
What kinds of shoes would you never wear?
I would never wear something like lobster claws.
I don't know what that is.
Gladiators.
Lobster claw.
You just Google lobster claw.
Oh, you know, I would never wear these shoes with these toes.
You have like different toes.
In the shoe, you know what I mean?
I have absolutely no idea what you mean.
Oh gosh, Rory, you're not a shoe person, huh?
No.
You put them on and they can see your toes because your toes are separated.
I don't know the name for it.
They're ugly.
Or, you know, like, your big toe is separate and then the other toes are, like, to one side.
Gosh, they're so ugly.
I don't know what... Yes, but... Okay, it's...
I don't know.
I cannot talk about shoes.
There is a name.
There is a certain name.
Wait.
Oh, yeah.
Barefoot shoes, for example.
They are a new phenomenon.
That's a brand of shoe.
Yeah, but you see the toes separated.
And also, wait, wait, I found it.
Oh, it's so ugly.
Oh to me.
I don't know, maybe you enjoy them, but I'm going to tell you the name and you should Google them, okay.
And Rory, please Google them now.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, there you go.
Jikatabi shoes.
Like J-I-K-A.
Oh, I find them.
They're the top search result.
Are those for men?
Jikatabi or otabi shoes.
No, they're unisex.
Both men and women can wear them.
Oh, and if you see like a man wearing a tabby shoes oh, traditional japanese footwear, oh wow Oh, split design.
There we go.
Tebby shoes have a split between the big toe and the rest of the toes.
Oh, my God.
Well, this is great in terms of vocabulary.
I would never wear that.
Yeah, you go like, you know what?
My favorite types of shoes are Tabi shoes.
I enjoy the split design.
Oh, wow.
Band 9, okay?
And the examiner has no idea what you're talking about.
Tabi shoes?
How do you pronounce it?
Chikatabi?
Chikatabi?
Okay.
Right, let's bring this shoe episode to a close.
I can't think of a pun with shoes.
This is how bad with shoes I am.
No, Rory, we need to talk about Carrie Bradshaw.
We need to talk about Carrie Bradshaw and her shoe obsession.
Oh, gosh.
Dear listener, you can also Google Carrie Bradshaw and shoes and admire different pictures with Carrie Bradshaw's shoes.
And she said that I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes.
So if you enjoy sex and the city, you know what I mean.
So I lived in my shoes.
Thank you for listening.
I'm done.
I cannot do this shoe stuff anymore.
It's okay, Rory.
It's not just your thing.
Remember that it's not about the shoes, but what you do in them.
Okay?
Bye.
Bye.
Bye.
Rory, how often do you buy shoes?
Well, evidently not enough since the ones I'm wearing are falling to pieces.
I think it's probably once a year, maybe slightly more if I see a pair that I like.
Have you ever bought shoes online?
I think I've only ever done it once actually, and it ended rather badly for me.
I thought they would be red, but they came in a different color and I wasn't very pleased.
I wasn't best pleased.
So from now on, I head to the shoe shop when I want them, even if it is a bit inconvenient.
What's your favorite type of shoes?
I usually buy casual footwear from Skechers.
It's a popular brand of shoes.
They have quite a range, but only a small subset appeals to me, really.
I can't remember the last time I bought anything even remotely formal.
It's not necessary for my work.
Do you like to wear shoes that are comfortable or good-looking?
Well, I don't see why it has to be a dichotomy.
Why can't you have both?
Everyone's got different tastes, but I think those are the main ones that inform their taste.
The only exception seems to be high heels, which seem designed exclusively to torture women and look good at the expense of comfort.
But that's not a concern for me.
Do you know anyone who likes to buy a lot of shoes?
You and my mother, Maria.
I think you have competing shoe collections with hundreds of pairs of boots and heels and all manner of other shoe types.
As for the why, I have no idea why you like to buy them, but I only own four pairs of shoes, or something like that.
Thank you.
