Do you know what to say to the hairdresser in English? So, check this out and do your thing at this place where women ( and a lot of dudes today!) love so much to be in.

1. At the hairdresser’s
Teacher’s notes and key
Level
intermediate
Aims
• to learn vocabulary for describing haircuts
• to recognise differences in register in small talk
• to practise dialogues at the hairdresser’s
Timing
approximately 1 hour
Describing hair
2. Answers:
a) layered, bleached; b) spiky; c) short back and sides; d) highlights, layered, a
fringe; e) a perm / permed hair; f) sideburns, a fringe; g) a bob, a fringe, bleached;
h) a shaved head
4. Answers:
Men Women Both
short back and sides a perm / permed hair a fringe
sideburns highlights bleached
a shaved head a bob spiky
layered
Having your hair cut
1. Answers:
a) short back and sides
b) to go on a boat trip
(See the end of the teacher’s notes for the transcript.)
3. Answers:
most formal: yellow
least formal: blue
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2. At the hairdresser’s
4. Answers:
Greeting someone Saying that something looks OK
Hi. It looks great.
Hello. It’s just right thanks.
Good afternoon. It’s perfect thank you.
Saying what you want Deciding to follow a suggestion
Just a trim please. I’ll give it a go.
Just a few centimetres off please. I’ll do that.
I’d like plenty taken off please. I think I’ll take your advice.
Asking for something Asking for a suggestion
Can you …? What do you suggest?
Could you …? What would you recommend?
Would you …? What do you advise me to do?
Thanking someone Agreeing with a fact
Yes it is. Yes it is.
That’s right. That’s right.
You’re quite right. You’re quite right.
Saying that a suggestion is good Remembering something
Nice idea. Yes, before I forget I’d like …
That sounds good. Oh yes, can you …?
That sounds like a good idea. Yes, just one more thing could you …?
Transcript
H = hairdresser
C = customer
H: Good afternoon.
C: Hello.
H: Take a seat.
C: Thanks.
H: How would you like your hair?
C: I’d like plenty taken off, please.
H: How exactly would you like it at the front?
C: Quite short at the front, please.
H: OK.
C: With short back and sides as well.
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3. At the hairdresser’s
H: Fine. Anything else?
C: Yes, I’d like it squared off at the back.
H: No problem.
C: And could you make the sideburns a bit shorter?
H: Is that all?
C: Oh yes, and can you put a bit of colour in the top so it has a slightly bleached look?
H: I think I can remember that. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. Is this your
first time?
C: That’s right. I’m a visitor here.
H: There’s plenty to do here if you have the time.
C: What would you recommend?
H: Well, the best thing about Sydney is the harbour, so I suggest you take a boat trip.
C: That sounds good. What can I see from the boat?
H: You get a good view of the city, especially the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House,
as well as the boats and the beaches.
C: I’ll give it a go.
H: That’s it – it’s done. How does that look?
C: That was quick. It looks great!
H: Would you like any gel?
C: Just a bit, please.
H: That’ll be twenty dollars, please.
C: Thanks a lot.
H: Thank you. Goodbye. Enjoy the rest of your stay.
C: Thanks. I will. Bye.
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4. At the hairdresser’s
Describing hair
1. How would you describe your hair? Is it long or short, straight or curly …?
2. Look at the pictures below. How would you describe these people’s hair?
a) b) c)
d) e) f)
g) h)
b) © pauldwaite 2006 http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauldwaite/214450820/in/photostream
c) © liber 2008 http://www.flickr.com/photos/liberato/3078522878
d) © trec_lit 2006 http://www.flickr.com/photos/trec_lit/144247514
f) © dulasfloyd 2006 http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougfloyd/311052772
g) © D Sharon Pruitt 2009 http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/3558724174
h) © Editor B 2006 http://www.flickr.com/photos/editor/158187180
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5. At the hairdresser’s
3. Now match the expressions below to the haircuts above.
short back and sides highlights bleached a bob
spiky a perm/permed hair sideburns layered
a shaved head a fringe
4. Which are typically for men, which for women and which for both?
Men Women Both
5. Which haircuts above do you like and which don’t you like?
Having your hair cut
1. Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.
a) How does the man want his hair cut?
b) What does he decide to do in Sydney?
2. You are on holiday in Sydney and have decided that you need to have your hair cut,
so you have gone to a trendy looking hairdresser near your hotel. Choose what to say
from the blue, green and yellow boxes.
Hairdresser: Good afternoon.
1
You: Hi. Hello. Good afternoon.
Hairdresser: Take a seat.
2
You: Cheers. Thanks. Thank you.
Hairdresser: How would you like your hair?
3 You: Just a trim, please. Just a few I’d like plenty taken
centimetres off, off, please.
please.
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6. At the hairdresser’s
Hairdresser: How exactly would you like it at the front?
4
You: Just a little of the A few centimetres Quite short at the
front. off the front. front, please.
Hairdresser: OK.
5 You: And not too short With short back And could you use
at the back and and sides as well. the machine on the
sides either. back and sides?
Hairdresser: Fine. Anything else?
6
You: Yes, I’d like it squared off at Yes, could you leave it rounded
the back. at the back, please?
Hairdresser: No problem.
7 You: And can you take And could you And would you
the sideburns off? make the sideburns please leave the
a bit shorter? sideburns on?
Hairdresser: Is that all?
You: Yes, before I forget Oh yes, can you Yes, just one more
8 I’d like the top a put a bit of colour thing: could you use
bit spiky. in the top so it has the thinning scissors
a slightly bleached on top?
look?
Hairdresser: I think I can remember all that. I don’t think I’ve seen you
here before. Is this your first time?
9
You: Yes, it is. I’m just That’s right. I’m a You’re quite right.
visiting Sydney for visitor here. I’m just passing
a few days. through Sydney.
Hairdresser: There’s plenty to do here if you have time.
10
You: What do you What would you What would you
suggest? recommend? advise me to do?
Hairdresser: The best thing about Sydney is the harbour, so I suggest you
take a boat trip.
11 You: Nice idea. What That sounds good. That sounds like a
can I see from the What can I see good idea. What
boat? from the boat? can I see from the
boat?
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7. At the hairdresser’s
Hairdresser: You get a good view of the city, especially the Harbour Bridge
and the Opera House, as well as the boats and beaches.
12
You: I’ll give it a go. I’ll do that. I think I’ll take your
advice.
15 minutes later.
Hairdresser: That’s it – it’s done. How does that look?
13 You: That was quick. It That was quick. That was quick. It’s
looks great. It’s just right perfect thank you.
thanks.
Hairdresser: Would you like any gel?
14
You: Yeah, go for it. Just a bit, please. Just a little, please.
Hairdresser: That’ll be twenty dollars, please.
15
You: Thanks. Thanks a lot. Thank you very
much.
Hairdresser: Thank you. Goodbye. Enjoy the rest of your stay.
16
You: Yeah, thanks. See Thanks. I will. Thank you. I’m sure
you. Bye. I will. Goodbye.
3. Look again at the dialogue. Which colour of box uses the most formal language and
which uses the least formal?
4. Look at some of the phrases from the dialogue. Match each group of phrases to the
correct heading below. The first group has been done for you.
a) Hi.
Hello.
Good afternoon.
b) Just a trim please.
Just a few centimetres off please.
I’d like plenty taken off please.
c) Yes, before I forget I’d like …
Oh yes, can you …?
Yes, just one more thing could you …?
d) Cheers.
Thanks.
Thank you.
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8. At the hairdresser’s
e) Can you …?
Could you …?
Would you …?
f) Yes it is.
That’s right.
You’re quite right.
g) What do you suggest?
What would you recommend?
What do you advise me to do?
h) Nice idea.
That sounds good.
That sounds like a good idea.
i) I’ll give it a go.
I’ll do that.
I think I’ll take your advice.
j) It looks great.
It’s just right thanks.
It’s fine thank you.
Greeting someone Saying that something looks OK
Hi.
Hello.
Good afternoon.
Saying what you want Deciding to follow a suggestion
Asking for something Asking for a suggestion
Thanking someone Agreeing with a fact
Saying that a suggestion is good Remembering something
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9. At the hairdresser’s
5. Now make your own dialogue using the expressions.
Hairdresser: Good afternoon.
Greet the
hairdresser:
Hairdresser: Take a seat.
Thank him/her:
Hairdresser: How would you like your hair?
Say what you
want:
Hairdresser: How exactly would you like it at the front?
Explain some
more:
Hairdresser: Fine. Anything else?
Ask for something
else:
Hairdresser: No problem.
Ask for something
else again:
I think I can remember all that. I don’t think I’ve seen you here
Hairdresser:
before. Is this your first time?
Agree and explain
that it is your first
visit
to Sydney:
Hairdresser: There’s plenty to do here if you have time.
Ask for a
suggestion
about what to do:
The best thing about Sydney is the harbour, so I suggest you take
Hairdresser:
a boat trip.
Say that the
suggestion
is good and ask
about
what you can see:
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10. At the hairdresser’s
You get a good view of the city, especially the Harbour Bridge
Hairdresser:
and the Opera House, as well as the boats and beaches.
Decide to follow
the
suggestion:
Hairdresser: That’s it – it’s done. How does that look?
Say that it
looks OK:
Hairdresser: Would you like any gel?
Reply:
Hairdresser: That’ll be twenty dollars, please.
Thank him/her:
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