Podcast 229 - B1 adjectives with hyphens

Adjectives with a hyphen B1

Adjectives with a hyphen at B1 level

good-looking (only with hyphen) - attractive (for people, often men)

well-known - a lot of people have heard of it and know it/him/her

old-fashioned (only with hyphen) - (often criticising something) not new, not in fashion

well-dressed - dressed in attractive clothes, smart, elegant

up-to-date - (usually technology) the newest in software, hardware, computers etc.

middle-aged - around 50 years old

face-to-face (only with hyphen) (also adv. came face-to-face with the burglar) - talk to somebody while looking at them in the same room.

out-of-date - (fashion, technology) not new, there are more up-to-date versions, or a more recent fashion, or more modern.

hand-held  (only with hyphen) - held in the hand e.g. like a mobile phone.

next-door (adv. next door) - referring to your neighbours. They live next to you. A house with is next to another.

full-time - (work) a complete schedule. 40 hours a week, for example. Compare with 'part-time'.

self-service  (only with hyphen) - (usually a restaurant) where you get your own food from the counter, no waiters or waitresses.

first-floor - on the first floor of a building.

second-hand  (only with hyphen) - not new, has been used before.

We can also invent words by putting the adjective and noun together to make another adjective: dark-haired, short-haired, short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt.

Young people's slang in Great Britain

Ace - really good

Bog off - go away and leave me alone.

Bonkers - crazy

Chippy - fish-and-chip shop

Chuffed - really pleased

Fancy - want to do something

Snog - kiss

dead wealthy / dead boring

go for a spin

Jenny's new boyfriend

Rita - So what's he like, Jenny?

Jenny - Who?

Rita - Your new boyfriend. Dave, isn't it?

Jenny - Yes, Dave... He's all right.

R - I mean, you've met him face-to-face, haven't you?

J - Of course.

R - Well, you could have met him online, couldn't you?

J - Rita! He's my next-door neighbour, isn't he?

R - Well, I didn't know, did I? Anyway, you must be really chuffed. So, what's he like? You still haven't said.

J - Good-looking, of course. What do you expect?

R - Ace! Go on!

J - He's got dark hair, quite tall, really. Well-dressed. Taller than me. He's got really nice eyes. He looks a bit like Aidan Gallagher.

R - Does he? He doesn't go to our school, then?

J - He doesn't go to school.

R - Why? Is he stupid or something?

J - Rita! He's left school. He's 18!

R - 18! What are you doing going out with a middle-aged man? Have you gone bonkers?

J - He's not middle aged. He's just 18. That's three years older than me. He looks younger. He's got a motorbike, and he's going to buy a car. Second-hand, but it's still a car.

R - Ooo! So what does he do, then?

J - He's got a full-time job. He works in a shoe shop.

R - A shoe shop? Hardly a glamorous job, is it? Which one?

J - Strollers. You know, the big one in the centre.

R - I know it. The owners are dead wealthy. They've got shops all over the country. But your Dave just works there, right?

J - Well, actually...

R - Why can't he get a decent job, like in MacDonald's? You'd get free hamburgers, then! Shoe shop's dead boring!

J - As a matter of fact...

R - So have you snogged with him, then?

J - Rita!

R - Come on, Jenny! Don't tell me you haven't kissed him?

J - Actually, we spend most of our time talking. He's dead interesting. He's really cultured.

R - And works in a show shop? Sounds dead boring to me! The old-fashioned type. I'd tell him to bog off, if I were you! Find somebody your own age. Not a middle-aged culture vulture!

(Pause)

R - Fancy coming down the chippy for a bite to eat?

(A Mercedes car comes along the road and pulls up in front of them. A well-dressed young man steps out.)

Man - Hello, Jenny. Look! I've bought the Mercedes I told you about. Fancy coming for a spin?

J - Hi, Dave. Love to. What a lovely car! (She turns to Rita) You didn't let me explain, but Dave's Dad is the owner of Stroller's shoe shop. It's the family business. (Jenny gets into the car with Dave and they drive off)

R - Mm! Some girls have all the luck!

 

 

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