Geared toward
Today’s English expression is “geared toward.” When something is geared toward a person or a group, it’s made specifically for that group. In today’s lesson, you heard that Facebook was developing a version of Instagram geared toward younger kids . That version would be designed specifically for kids, and it would be promoted specifically to kids. It would be geared toward kids.
We know that Facebook has paused its Instagram Kids project. But other big tech companies also have versions of their apps geared toward kids. YouTube has one and Facebook even has a version of its Messenger app that’s geared toward kids. In this version, parents can see everything the kids do, and parents can even shut down the app remotely. It also has a unique design. This app, therefore, has been geared toward kids because it was designed for kids.
Peloton is a popular brand of home exercise equipment. Its advertisements show good-looking people in beautiful homes sweating in style. When the bikes aren’t next to floor-to-ceiling windows with skyline views, they’re looking out on perfectly manicured gardens. The lighting is amazing, there’s never any clutter nearby, and everyone’s hair is perfect. The bikes are geared toward the affluent…and the people who imagine themselves to be affluent. The bikes, in other words, are built for and marketed to people who have a lot of money (or wish they did).
How will new homes change in the future? Many homebuilders are now including extra rooms and features geared toward people who work at home. Before the pandemic, new homes often included an “office,” which may have just been a small room or, worse, an alcove near a bigger room. Either way, the previous designs certainly didn’t accommodate two parents working at home. Well, no more. Homebuilders now tout the work-from-home features in their new homes. They’re geared toward people who will spend serious amounts of time working at home. Pulte Homes, a big national homebuilder in the U.S., has features geared toward multiple adults working at home at the same time.
You might see vaccine promotion initiatives that are geared toward certain groups. There are vaccine drives geared toward the elderly, minorities, churchgoers, and so on. Anyone can get a vaccine at these events, but they are often geared toward certain groups. That means they’re intended to serve or intended to reach certain groups.
I’m part of a professional organization that’s geared toward owners of membership or subscription websites. There are people in the organization that doesn’t even have online businesses, but they are the exception.
Brooks Brothers was a popular menswear brand geared toward professionals who wore suits and ties every day to work. Sure, they offered shorts and t-shirts, but those were the exception. People went to Brooks Brothers to buy expensive suits, shirts, and such. I would say they were geared toward mid-career and older professionals.
Certainly, anyone could walk in and buy their clothes, but they were geared toward people with money in the middle or back end of their careers. They were in trouble before the pandemic, but they went bankrupt last year. Now, they’re aiming to change their look and start again. Their new designs are geared toward people who wear a mixture of outfits, from the formal to the more informal.
Where do younger, more stylish professionals get their suits? Suit Supply is a Dutch company with stores around the world. Their suits are geared toward younger professionals who are willing to take more risks with their wardrobes. I have a few suits from Suit Supply, but I stuck with the more traditional looking suits in their collection.
JR’s song of the week
JR’s song of the week is “Magic” by Kylie Minogue. One of the lines in the song is, “There must be something in the air.” That means, there’s a feeling and you don’t know exactly what it is, but there’s something. This week’s song is “Magic” by Kylie Minogue. Thanks, JR, for making that selection, as always.
See you next time!
By the way, what am I doing with all these suits in my closet? I still haven’t purged my work wardrobe. I need business clothes, but not like before. I need to go back and listen to Lesson 136 and then do a real Marie Kondo review of my closet , specifically the business section (which is almost the whole thing). All these shirts and dress pants have been hanging there for 18 months, practically unused.
The problem is the only thing I want to do less than buy new clothes is picking out existing clothes to donate. Oh well.
Plain English Plus+ is geared toward professionals who are looking to upgrade their English for career advancement. That’s the idea behind Plain English Plus+. But we have a lot of members who join for personal enjoyment. A number of members are retired, others have joined just to be able to communicate better on their travels or to help their kids in school. So, the program is geared toward people looking to improve in their careers, but anyone looking to upgrade their English can benefit.
Everything in Plain English Plus+ is about helping you either understand spoken English better or helping you express your best ideas in English. Those are the two objectives, and everything is about those two things. Understand what’s being said and communicate your ideas clearly. The fast version of the program, the translations, and the listening exercises all help you understand spoken English better. The live calls, the video lessons, the practice area, forums, and such, well that all help you communicate better.
If you’re interested in learning more, come visit us at PlainEnglish.com/Plus.
Use realistic expressions like a native speaker
