Listen to the conversation:
“Hey, did you get a haircut? It looks great!”
“Thanks! My stylist recommended layers to give my hair more volume. The only problem is that now it’s too short to put up in a ponytail.”
“Did you dye it, too?”
“Just a few blonde highlights.”
“What salon do you go to? I could use a trim myself – I’ve got tons of split ends.”
Click here for a complete list of hairstyles, with pictures
English Words and Phrases from the Conversation
layers = a hairstyle in which some pieces of hair are shorter and others are longer
Layers can help “give your hair volume” – that means to make it look bigger.
ponytail = hair pulled to the back of the head and secured with a hair tie, elastic, or ribbon
Many people use ponytails when they play sports.
dye = make your hair a different color
If you dye your hair, you change its color completely.
“My aunt’s hair is starting to turn grey, so she dyes it brown.”
highlights = making a little bit of your hair a different color
If you get highlights in your hair, you change the color of only a few pieces of hair. In this picture, the woman’s natural hair color is brown, but she has blonde highlights.
I could use = I want / it would be good for me to have
In the expression “I could use,” the word “use” is NOT literal in the sense of utilize. Instead, it refers to something you want. Here’s another example – after you get home from a very long, very stressful day at work, you can say:
“Man, I could really use a drink right now.”
trim = to cut your hair only a little bit
In general, “trimming” your hair keeps the same style, only a little bit shorter. You “get a trim” to maintain the same hairstyle without any big changes. When you go to the salon for a trim, you can tell the stylist how much you want to “take off” (cut off):
Stylist: “What can I do for you today?”
You: “I just need a trim. Could you take off about a half-inch?”
a ton of = a LOT of
“A ton of” (or “tons of”) is a way to say “a lot of” in an exaggerated way, to emphasize a very large quantity.
“There were a ton of people at the park on Saturday. I couldn’t even find a place to sit down!”
split ends = when a single strand of hair breaks into two pieces
Many people get “split ends” when they haven’t had a haircut in a long time. Using heated blow-dryers or curling irons can also make hair dry and more likely to split. If you have split ends, then it’s time for a trim!
