Think of your bed and the items you can find there. Do you know the English terms for all of them? If not, this post is for you because it will teach you everything you need to know, plus useful collocations related to beds. Read on!

Bedding is a broad term that includes everything used on a bed for comfort, warmth and decoration: sheets, blankets, duvets /duːˈveɪz/, pillows, mattress protectors, etc. There is a more specific term referring only to the washable fabric items used on a bed, and that is bed linen /ˈlɪnɪn/. Let’s explore the fascinating world of bedding, diving deeper into the terminology and understanding what each piece is called.

Word	Picture	Definition
blanket		a single-layer covering used for warmth; thinner than a duvet
duvet /ˈduːveɪ/,   /duːˈveɪ/ (US also: comforter)		a thick covering filled with materials like wool or feathers; designed to be warm enough on its own without additional layers
quilt /kwɪlt/		a warm cover for a bed, made of two layers with soft material between them, often held in place and decorated with lines of stitching (note that a blanket is a single, solid layer of fabric)
throw blanket		a small, lightweight blanket typically used for decorative purposes
bedspread / coverlet		an attractive cover put on top of all the sheets and covers on a bed
bed pillow		pillow designed for sleeping
throw pillows		decorative pillows (note that cushions are primarily used for sitting comfort on chairs, sofas or floors)
pillowcase / pillowslip		a cloth cover for a pillow, that can be removed
flat sheet		a rectangular piece of fabric with no elastic edges
fitted sheet		a rectangular piece of fabric with elasticized corners that fit snugly around the edges of a mattress
mattress protector		designed to protect your mattress from spills, stains, dust, etc.
mattress cover		general term used for any fabric or material used to cover the mattress, including a mattress protector and topper
mattress pad/topper		designed to add comfort to your mattress

Bedding-Related Collocations

1. Make the bed: I make the bed first thing in the morning, before having breakfast or brushing my teeth.
2. Change the sheets: A common recommendation is to change the sheets once a week.
3. Strip the bed (= remove all the sheets, pillowcases, and other bedding for washing): After the kids spilled juice all over the blankets, I had to strip the bed and do an emergency laundry load.
4. Put on fresh sheets: I love the feeling of getting into bed after putting on fresh sheets.
5. Fluff the pillows (= shake, punch, or plump up pillows to restore their shape and make them softer and more comfortable): After stripping the bed, she put on fresh sheets and fluffed the pillows.
6. Tuck in the sheets (= fold and secure the edges of the bed sheets under the mattress to keep them neat and in place): I always tuck in the sheets tightly so they don’t come loose during the night.
7. Air out the bed (= leave the bed uncovered for a while to let fresh air circulate): It’s a good habit to air out the bed for a while before putting on fresh sheets.
8. Pull back the blankets (= fold or move the blankets down or off the bed): Every morning, Jane pulls back the blankets to air out the bed before making it.
9. Spread the blanket (= lay it out smoothly): She spreads the blanket over the bed to make it look neat.
10. Arrange the throw pillows: The decorator carefully arranged the throw pillows to match the color scheme of the room.

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