Fads and Trends

ADJECTIVE + TREND
▪ strong, consistent, steady
▪ accelerating, growing, increasing, underlying
Despite this month's disappointing figures, the underlying trend is healthy.
▪ big, dominant, main, major, prevailing
▪ current, latest, new, recent, long-term, gradual
▪ clear, marked, significant, important, general, overall, apparent, discernible
▪ global, international, national, worldwide, larger, wider
The increase in crime in the capital was just part of a wider trend.
▪ positive, upward, healthy, welcome
▪ downward, negative, opposite, adverse, dangerous, disturbing, unfortunate, worrying
▪ demographic, population, cultural, social, evolutionary, historical
▪ economic, market, growth, inflationary
The latest figures show a clear growth trend in the service sector.

VERB + TREND
▪ begin, create, set, start
In the 1960s, Britain set the fashion trends.
▪ continue, follow
We are following the trend for more flexible working conditions.
▪ reinforce, buck, counteract, go against
efforts to buck the current downward trend in sales
▪ reverse, halt, detect, identify, notice, observe, see
I can see a worrying trend in these results.
▪ indicate, reflect, show, suggest
The data indicates a trend towards/toward earlier retirement.

TREND + VERB
▪ develop, emerge, continue, grow
▪ indicate sth, reflect sth, show sth, suggest sth
Current trends suggest that cities will continue to grow.

TREND + PREPOSITION
▪ trend away from ▪ trend for
a trend away from narrow specialization A trend for nostalgia has emerged.
▪ trend in ▪ trend towards/toward
future trends in the volume of employment the trend towards/toward privatization

ADJECTIVE + FAD
▪ current, latest, new, passing
▪ management, food
Most children have food fads at some time.

FAD + PREPOSITION
▪ fad for
the fad for cosmetic surgery

New Fashions
contemporary, current, latest, modern, popular
Verbs: Becoming Fashionable
be in fashion, come into fashion, become fashionable, set fashions, start fashions, keep
up with fashion, follow fashions, wear fashions
Verbs: Going out of Fashion
fall out of fashion, be out of fashion, go out of fashion
Discussion Questions

 What is a fad?
 Do you pay attention to fads?
 What were some fads when you were in high school?
 What were some fads when you were in college?
 What are some fads now?
 Are fads the same as popular culture?
 What are some of the fads in your home country? Are they the same as where
you are living now?
 Why do you think people pay attention to fads?
 What current popular trend influences your life the most?
 What portion of the general population do you think creates or follows trends?
 How do fads start and who starts them? Today? In the past?
 What media influences how fads evolve?
 If you wanted to start a trend, how would you go about it?
 How long does it take for a fad to die out?
 What are the current trends in fashion?
 What are the current trends in electronics?
 What are the current trends in music, books, or movies?
 What are the current trends in dating/relationships?
 How do you learn about the current trends?
 Are there any current trends you don't like?
 Are there any trends from the past you hope come back?
 Are there any trends from the past you hope never come back?
 What sorts of trends do you think will develop in the near future?
 Name a trend that you followed.
 What is a fad diet? Can you name any?
 Have you ever tried a fad diet?
 Do your parents talk about fads "in their day"?