Parts of a shoe / Parts of a boot

English Vocabulary

The main parts of a shoe or boot include:

shoelaces: thin string/cord or strip of leather used to fasten shoes (make them fit tighter to the foot). Shoelaces are passed through eyelets (small holes in the shoe) or around hooks on opposites of the shoe. They are pulled tightly and tied off with a bow. Sometimes shoelaces are called shoestrings or by the short form of laces. Note: Not all shoes have shoelaces. Some have Velcro, especially shoes for children.

Velcro™: material with two different surfaces, one with tiny loops and the other with tiny flexible hooks. When the two surfaces are pressed together, they stick to each other. They can also easily be pulled apart.
Note: Velcro is a Trademark which is why I have included the ™ symbol.

bootlaces: shoelaces for boots. Bootlaces are usually thicker than shoelaces. They can also just be called laces.

eyelet: a hole with a metal ring, normally used for passing the shoelace or bootlace through.

heel: the raised part at the back of a shoe. Remember, heel is also a part of the body and refers to the back part of the foot below the ankle.

sole: the sturdy bottom part of the shoe that touches the ground. It typically excludes the heel part of the shoe.

tongue: a strip of leather or fabric under the laces of a shoe and is only attached at the front end of the shoe. They make the shoe more comfortable in that it stops the shoelaces from rubbing against or being felt on the top part of the foot. Yes, it has the same name as the part of your body called tongue as they have a similar appearance. Note: Not all shoes have a tongue.

Some shoes also have a…

buckle: a typically rectangular metal frame with a hinged pin, used for joining the ends of a belt or strap.

strap: a narrow piece of leather (or other material such as cloth) that is used to fasten, secure, or carry something, keeping that thing in place.

Yes, there are more parts of a shoe that have more technical names though even native speakers won’t use them or may not even know the names of these.

Summary Chart

Next Activity

See our lesson about the names of types of shoes and boots in English.

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