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Mixer #54 | Intermediate B1

Favorite Color

The mixer group talks about colors they like.

Adrienne, The United States
speakerWhat is my favorite color? I actually don't have a favorite color. I like all colors at certain times and at certain locations, but one color I have difficulty wearing and using in my life is yellow. I don't really like the way it looks, but then again I do like the sun so it's good there, so it just depends on where the color is, whether I like it or not.

Barbara, Australia
speakerSo, what's my favorite color. Well, for clothes I prefer black or, at a stretch, dark green, burgundy red. Apart from clothes, my favorite color I guess would be green. Green and purple. I love to watch green and purple for furnishings in the house, cushions or carpets. Green and purple go together well I think.

Conrad, The United States
speakerMy favorite color is blue: navy blue, sky blue, baby blue. All kinds of blue. In fact I am wearing navy blue right now. Blue is just a cool color and I think it matches me and my personality too. I don't like pink so much. It's OK on some people but on me it doesn't match me I don't think.

Phil, England
speakerWhat's my favorite color? My favorite color has to be red because my favorite football team in England is a team called ***** and they always play in red shirts and red shorts. I can't wear red myself because I have ginger hair and a very red face so I look like a tomato, but it's my favorite color otherwise.

Simone, Sweden
speakerWhat's my favorite color? I really don't have one. It's relative. It depends on my mood or what goes with what because I don't have a favorite color. I like every color.

Skip, The United States
speakerWhat is my favorite color? My favorite color has a long name in English. It's called aqua-marine. Aqua meaning water and marine meaning, referring to the ocean. It's actually – when you see the shallow part of the ocean, near the shoreline, that light greenish blue color. It's not quite green. It's not quite blue. Especially when you can see like the sunlight reflecting on the surface, like a little iridescent aqua-marine, that is my favorite color because it seems like the color of life to me.

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson!

at a stretch

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I prefer black or, at a stretch, dark green.

Here, the phrase 'at a stretch' is used to talk about a second choice because the first is not available.  Notice the following:

  1. I prefer milk in my coffee, at a stretch,  powdered creamer.
  2. We need butter, at a stretch, cooking oil will work.

apart from

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Apart from clothes, my favorite color is green.

The phrase 'apart from' is used to talk about something that is in some way different than other similar things.  It means the same thing as 'except for'.  Notice the following:

  1. Apart from the service, the meal was great.
  2. Except for the service, the meal was great.

I can't wear

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I can't wear red.

When we can't wear something, that means clothing of a certain color or style does not look good on us.  Notice the following:

  1. I can't wear black.
  2. I can't wear tight-fitting clothes.

It's relative

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It's relative. It depends on my mood.

When something is relative, we compare it in different situations.  For example, if you are lost in the desert, a bottle of water is more valuable than a gold Rolex watch; it's relative.  Notice the following:

  1. Happiness is all relative.
  2. Cheap or expensive is relative to how badly you want it.

what goes with what

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It depends on what goes with what.

In fashion, we use the phrase 'what goes with what' to talk about items that match or look good together.  Notice the following:

  1. Fashion magazines help with what goes with what.
  2. My dad's not good at choosing what goes with what.

Vocabulary Quiz

a stretch • apart from • can't wear
relative • what goes
  1. During the winter I black because it makes me look very, very white.
  2. He can't see colors, so it's hard for him to know with what.
  3. I like all music heavy metal.
  4. I usually use hairspray, but I can use gel at .
  5. Temperature is . I am used to cold weather, so this weather is hot and uncomfortable for me.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

One Minute English Video

Speakers
Mixer Video #54
What is your favorite color?

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